Meet Fil-Swiss footballer Anthony 'Pinti' Pinthus

MANILA, Philippines – As a child, Anthony Pinthus would fly from Switzerland to visit the Philippines along with his parents as his mother hails from Cagayan de Oro. Little did he know that he would fly back again in his young adult life to pursue his football dream.

“Ever since I could walk, I played football,” recalled Pinthus. “My father taught me this lovely sport. As a kid, my dream was always to play in big and sold-out stadiums and be a role model.” 

Growing up, Pinthus idolized Real Madrid goalkeeping legend Iker Casillas while suiting up for several clubs back in Switzerland — Zurich, Wohlen and Kosova. Today, he keenly follows the career of Barcelona’s German keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 

Then he received a phone call that changed his life.

“While playing in Switzerland, Coach Scott Cooper called me up and asked if I would like to play for the Philippines and in their campaigns in the Copa and the 2019 Southeast Asian Games,” bared Pinthus of this opportunity. 

The vision and plan Cooper laid out before Pinthus had the young Fil-Swiss’ mind racing and dreaming.

“It was a great plan,” agreed Pinthus. “And I was open for a new adventure in Southeast Asia. And even as a youngster, I wanted to play for the Azkals and represent the Philippines.”

So Pinti, as Pinthus is fondly nicknamed, flew over to Southeast Asia for an unlikely homecoming. 

“After my performance in the Southeast Asian Games, Coach Scott offered me a spot in the Azkals Development Team (ADT).”

One good thing leads to another and now, Pinti is joining at talented side in United Coty Football Club that has risen from the ashes of Philippines Football League’s three-time defending champion, Ceres-Negros. 

The ADT is stocked with young talent and new club United City Football Club managed to sign him on loan, with club co-founder Eric Gottschalk enthusing, “He is the most promising goalkeeper of the Philippines after Neil (Etheridge) and Roland (Muller) and we are happy that he decided to join us for this season, as we believe that UCFC is the right platform to expose him to top Asian football, while learning from our veterans such as Stephan Schrock and Bienve Maranon.”

Added Pinti, “For me, I trust myself and the whole team around United City that we’ll still fight for the next PFL championship and compete in the upcoming Asian Football Confederation games.”

Pinthus joins the roster, along with Stephan Shrock, OJ Porteria, Sean Patrick Kane, Ron Bayan, Jun Badelic, Angelo Marasigan, Robert Mendy, Arnie Pasinabo, Tristan Robles, Dennis Villanueva, Joshua Dutosme, Takashi Odawara, Hikaru Minegishi, Bienvenido Maranon, Mike Ott, Manuel Ott, Pocholo Bugas, Jordan Jarvis, Jorrel Aristorenas and Jose Miguel Clarino.