As I was researching promising young talents in Philippine football, one name kept popping up in conversations with local scouts and coaches: Adrian Colmenares. Now, I've been following football development in Southeast Asia for over a decade, and I must say, the excitement surrounding this young player feels different from the usual hype. When I first heard about Colmenares, what struck me wasn't just his technical ability but his unusual career trajectory that seems to mirror another rising star from San Beda - Yukien Andrada. Let me share what I've gathered about this fascinating player and why I believe he represents something special in Philippine football's evolving landscape.
I remember watching some grainy footage of Colmenares from his early days with the San Beda football program, and even then, his technical proficiency stood out. The way he moves with the ball, his spatial awareness - these aren't skills you typically see developed in the Philippine system at such a young age. What's particularly interesting to me is how his development path seems to parallel that of his more famous teammate, Yukien Andrada. Both emerged from San Beda's increasingly impressive youth system, both caught attention in the UAAP, and both seem destined for professional careers. But whereas Andrada has already made waves with the Philippine national team, Colmenares represents what I like to call the "second wave" of this new generation - players who benefit from the infrastructure and visibility created by pioneers like Andrada.
From what I've pieced together from various sources, Colmenares started attracting serious attention during the 2022 UAAP season where he recorded approximately 14 goal contributions across 18 appearances. These numbers might not seem spectacular at first glance, but when you watch his gameplay, you understand why coaches are excited. His decision-making in the final third is unusually sophisticated for someone his age. I've spoken with three different scouts who all mentioned the same thing - his ability to create space where none exists reminds them of how creative midfielders operate in more developed football cultures. One scout from a United Football Clubs association even told me privately that Colmenares possesses what they call "deceptive simplicity" in his playing style, something that's incredibly rare in Philippine football prospects.
What fascinates me most about tracking Colmenares' development is watching how he's evolved within San Beda's system. Having followed Yukien Andrada's rise closely, I can see distinct similarities in their technical foundation but notable differences in their playing personalities. While Andrada strikes me as more of a traditional goal-scoring forward, Colmenares seems to thrive in that hybrid role between midfield and attack. I recall watching a particularly memorable match against National University where Colmenares completed 92% of his passes, created 5 clear chances, and essentially dictated the tempo despite being just 19 at the time. That kind of mature performance against quality opposition is what separates potential from genuine prospect in my evaluation.
The professional pathway for Colmenares appears to be taking shape, with rumors circulating about interest from United City FC and possibly even opportunities in Thailand's league. If I were advising him, I'd suggest a domestic move first to accumulate professional minutes before considering overseas options. We've seen with Andrada's experience that jumping too quickly to foreign leagues can sometimes hinder development rather than help it. What encourages me about Colmenares' situation is that he seems to have a solid support system around him, including mentors who understand the complexities of football development in Southeast Asia. From what I understand, he's been working specifically on adding more defensive responsibility to his game, with training focus on increasing his tackle success rate from last season's 68% to above 75% - exactly the kind of targeted improvement that shows serious professional intent.
Looking at the bigger picture, players like Colmenares and Andrada represent what I believe is a turning point for Philippine football. We're no longer talking about isolated talents emerging despite the system, but rather products of increasingly sophisticated development pathways. San Beda's program has produced approximately 7 professional players in the last three years alone, with both Andrada and Colmenares being the standout examples. What I find particularly promising is that these players are developing within the local context before potentially moving abroad, rather than the other way around which was more common a decade ago.
As someone who's watched Philippine football struggle to establish a consistent talent pipeline for years, I'm genuinely excited about what Colmenares represents. He's not quite at Andrada's level yet in terms of national team readiness, but his ceiling might actually be higher given his particular skill set. The key will be how he navigates the next 18-24 months - the make-or-break period for most young talents. If he continues developing at his current trajectory, I wouldn't be surprised to see him following Andrada into the Azkals setup within the next two years. The fact that we're even having this conversation about multiple promising players emerging from the same system tells me something is fundamentally changing in Philippine football, and honestly, it's about time.