Former Azkals striker Rudy del Rosario passes away

MANILA, Philippines – Rudy del Rosario, former striker for the Philippine men’s football team and Kaya FC passed away Friday morning, November 20. He was 51.

According to sources, del Rosario was with some friends when he slipped and fell last Thursday evening. Del Rosario fell rather awkwardly to prevent his guitar from getting scratched. As a result, he sustained a few cuts on his face. 

However, sources said he looked fine, as he still cooked dinner last night. He did some early morning farm work then complained about pain in his stomach. Saying he only needed a breather, del Rosario told his friends to go on ahead. When he did not turn up, his friends looked for him and found him on the ground. He was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Del Rosario celebrated his 51st birthday last September 15. 

He played striker for the 1991 Philippine football team that scored a huge 1-nil victory against powerhouse Malaysia in the 1991 Manila Southeast Asian Games. He also played for Polytechnic University of the Philippines and was a co-founder of Kaya Football Club along with Bob Kovacs and John Rey Bela-Ong.

Del Rosario was also the head coach of the Philippine Team to the Homeless World Cup.

“We at Kaya are very sad to hear of Rudy’s passing,” said a somber Christopher Hagedorn who along with del Rosario, Kovacs, and Bela-Ong, helped found Kaya. “Rudy was always the positive light that created the Kaya Brotherhood. We will never forget him and always love him.”