PFF Honors Football Legends Reichelt, Annis

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) expressed its heartfelt gratitude to national team captains Patrick Gerry-Anthony “Kiki” Reichelt and Tahnai Lauren Rivera “Captain T” Annis for their remarkable service to Philippine football.

Reichelt, the second all-time leading scorer of the men’s national team with 16 international goals, announced his retirement on December 22 after 12 years of playing for the Azkals.

His final appearance was during the Philippines’ 1-0 win against Indonesia in the ongoing ASEAN Football Championship, which secured the country a semifinal slot.

Annis, who captained the Filipinas in their historic 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign, retired on December 28.

The attacking midfielder ranks as the women’s team’s fourth all-time leading scorer with 14 goals in 43 international matches, including two key goals during the team’s 2022 Asian Cup qualifiers that earned the Philippines its World Cup debut.

“To Kiki and Captain T, both of you have permanently cemented your legacy as legends of Philippine football,” said PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez.

“The entire PFF family and Philippine football community are forever grateful for giving all of your best for the flag and country. You two embodied the tenacious, unrelenting, and never-say-die mantra of our national teams. They will be greatly missed,” he added.

Born in Berlin and with roots in Cebu, Reichelt debuted for the Azkals on September 7, 2012, as a substitute to James Younghusband in a 2-0 friendly win against Singapore.

He scored his first international goal 13 days later in the Peace Cup against Guam. Reichelt closed his career with 93 caps, having been a key player in the Azkals’ campaigns for over a decade.

Reichelt announced via Facebook that he will now focus on his family.

Annis, an Ohio native with maternal ties to Quezon, debuted for the Filipinas on April 6, 2018, as captain in the Women’s Asian Cup opener against Jordan, which the Philippines won 2-1.

She went on to make 38 appearances over six years, scoring her first goals in the 2022 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Annis led the Filipinas in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where they made history with a 1-0 win over New Zealand—the country’s first-ever victory in a World Cup match. She now serves as an assistant coach for the Philippine women’s under-17 national team, continuing her contributions to the sport.