When Sandro Reyes came off the bench against Myanmar at Bishan Stadium in Singapore five years ago for his competition debut, few could have imagined the ASEAN Championship would become such a defining tournament in his young career.
Now, as Philippines open their campaign at the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup -- as the competition is officially known as -- against the same opponents on Tuesday, Reyes is set to make his fourth appearance in Southeast Asia's premier international competition.
His tournament debut in the 2020 edition was far from straightforward.
At the time, Philippines nearly squandered a three-goal lead before escaping with a tense 3-2 victory over Myanmar in their final group-stage match -- ending their campaign on a winning note.
Much has changed since that night. Now preparing for another campaign, Reyes has seen enough to understand the demands of the competition.
Having featured in three straight editions, including a semi-final run two years ago, he knows that navigating four group-stage matches across Southeast Asia in two weeks before the two-legged semi-finals and final is as much a test of endurance as it is of quality.
"The most important thing to understand is that this tournament is a marathon rather than a sprint," said Reyes during the pre-match news conference. "That is the experience that several of us can pass on after competing in previous editions of the tournament."
Unlike in previous editions, Reyes -- who trained at the famed academy of Spanish giants Barcelona more than a decade ago -- has emerged as one of the team's veterans in Carles Cuadrat's youth-laden squad
The 23-year-old believes the group's chemistry will be key as Philippines look to open their tournament on a positive note.
"This tournament is a very good platform for them, and I am happy for everyone who has been selected and now has the chance to prove themselves," he said.
"I am excited to play with the entire group. We are like one large family, and we want to maintain that throughout the tournament."
For Reyes, the memories of Philippines' run to the semifinals two years ago remain among the most cherished of his career, and he hopes this young squad can create similar moments.
"For me, those matches produced some of the best feelings I have experienced on a football pitch, including the game in Indonesia, the [semifinal] match [against Thailand] at Rizal Memorial Stadium and the second leg, even though we ultimately lost," he recalled.
"Experiencing those emotions with the team and for the country was incredibly special. Those moments do not come around very often during a player's career.
"I hope we can progress far in the tournament again, experience those emotions and achieve more success for the country."
Four tournaments into his ASEAN Championship journey, Reyes has evolved from promising youngster to one of Philippines' leaders, eager to use the lessons of past triumphs and heartbreaks to inspire a new generation.