MANILA – Another national men’s football team fixture has hang his boots as veteran left winger Jeffrey Christiaens announced his departure to go home to Belgium for good.
The Filipino-Belgian said over the weekend that he is leaving the Azkals as well as his Philippines Football League (PFL) squad Ceres-Negros FC “to focus on a new life.”
“It has been nine years Philippines. Thank you for the opportunity you gave me and I will always be thankful for everything you gave me,” Christiaens wrote on his social media post.
“It was an honor to represent the country as well, it’s time to leave and build a new life home in Belgium now,” he added. “I’ll surely miss this beautiful country just not the traffic.”
Apart from his nine-year stint with the Azkals, where he has 30 international appearances, Christiaens also played for six years with Ceres-Negros, winning three PFL and one United Football League (UFL) championships.
Prior to his stay with the Negros Occidental-based football team, the 29-year-old Christiaens also suited up for the Global FC, where he captured his first UFL championship.
“Thank you Global FC and Boss Dan Palami for three beautiful seasons, one Cup win and two championship wins! And a big thanks to Ceres Negros FC and boss Leo Ray Yanson,” Christiaens said.
“(Yanson) have changed my life and what a journey we had these five to six years I was lucky to be there from the start and we won everything what we could win!” he added. “It’s time to go home now have myself fixed and see what we still can do back home.”/PN
