Simone Rota

Philippines In October 2013, Rota showed interest in playing in the United Football League to have more chances of being selected by the Philippines national football team. He signed with Stallion FC in January 2014.

In January 2017, Ceres-Negros announced that they had signed Rota, along with few other players, to play for the club ahead of the 2017 AFC Cup. He went on to join Davao Aguilas later in the year to play in the Philippines Football League (PFL).

Rota joined PFL club Kaya–Iloilo in February 2019.

International career

Italy Rota represented the Italy U20 Lega Pro team at the 2005–06 Mirop Cup.

Philippines Rota received his first call up for the Philippines national football team in February 2014, making his international debut in a friendly match against Malaysia on March 1, 2014. He scored his first international goal in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup group stage match against Laos on 22 May 2014.

In August 2016, Rota suffered a serious ACL tear that would rule him out for the rest of the year, including the 2016 AFF Championship in which the Philippines were the host.

Rota returned in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers and was part of the team which won against the final qualifier match against Tajikistan, which secured a berth for the Philippines in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Rota's biography has been depicted in the film Journeyman Finds Home: The Simone Rota Story, which was directed by Albert Almendralejo and Maricel Cariaga. The film which had its Philippine premiere on February 28, 2018 also tackled the search for Rota's biological mother.

Career statistics International Scores and results list the Philippines' goal tally first. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 22 May 2014 Addu Football Stadium, Addu City, Maldives 1–0 2–0 2014 AFC Challenge Cup 2. 22 November 2014 Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam 1–1 4–1 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup

Honors Kaya–Iloilo Philippines Football League: 2022–23