Reaching the pinnacle of Philippine Football and establishing his presence surely did not happen overnight as Deyto patiently strived to reach his goal day in and day out, with or without a spotlight. The Business Management graduate’s ascent in the football system of the country is not only a testament to his values, but also an inspiration to the future football players of the Philippines.
“It will never be easy and it will take a lot of patience to get [to] where you want,” he mentions. “You must enjoy the everyday grind to be better.”
Straightforward mindset
Although Deyto was unable to add a UAAP title to his long list of accolades, he proved to have a memorable 2016-2017 season with Global Cebu (then known as Global FC). After struggling in the previous season and coming close to transferring clubs, he sensationally worked his way up to become the team’s number one goalkeeper.
He recalls, “I was on my way out, I was supposed to transfer clubs, but the final four games of last year, I was given a chance and then I just played really well.”
They went on to convincingly clinch a championship double behind Deyto’s consistent play as they took home the United Football League (UFL) title and UFL Cup, riding a 10-game winning streak to clinch the prior. Similarly, winning the latter was made more remarkable as the De La Salle-Zobel alumnus was named Best Goalkeeper.
“I really wanted to win at this level [the UFL],” he says, referring to what was then the de facto premier league of the country. “To win the double, it’s like hitting two birds with one stone. It was really good, it was fantastic for us,” he adds.
Unfinished business
Other than being part of the first club team to represent the Philippines in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League this year, Global Cebu also went on to participate in the most recent edition of the AFC Cup. Although Deyto and company took early exits in both international tournaments, the experience of playing against overseas teams will prove to be invaluable in the long run for him and his teammates.
Global Cebu will certainly be keen on bouncing back in its participation in the newly launched Philippines Football League, the country’s professional league.
“Winning the league this year is of course the main target, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. It’s a very long season and we must take one game at a time,” Deyto says on his team’s mindset.
Every athlete, whether in the amateur or professional ranks, is bound to have their fair share of ups and downs, and the La Salle alumnus is certainly no exception. However, one can be certain that Deyto has the prowess, stemming from his marvelous work ethic, dedication, and straightforward mindset to rise up against adversity.
He concludes, saying, “There will be a lot of challenges in a person’s career. You must learn to deal with it while remaining positive and confident [in] your own abilities.”
