Audie Bantas Menzi (born 11 October 1994) is a Filipino professional footballer who plays as a defender for Philippines Football League club Kaya–Iloilo and the Philippines national team.[2]

Audie Menzi
Personal information
Full name Audie Bantas Menzi[1]
Date of birth (1994-10-11) October 11, 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Right-back / Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Kaya–Iloilo
Number 44
Youth career
2011–2014 FEU Baby Tamaraws
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2018 Far Eastern University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Kaya 9 (0)
2017–2018 Kaya Elite
2018– Kaya–Iloilo 35 (2)
International career
2022– Philippines 7 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4:24, August 26, 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:15; 14 November 2024 (UTC)

Personal life

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Menzi was born in La Trinidad, Benguet.[1] He is of Igorot descent.[3] His brother, Michael, was also his teammate at Kaya and now plays with fellow PFL side Stallion Laguna. His favorite footballer is David Beckham.[4]

Career

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Far Eastern University

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Prior to college, he had played with the high school team of Far Eastern University, named the Baby Tamaraws, and won four straight UAAP football titles.[5] As a baby Tamaraw, Menzi won Rookie of the Year, Best Defender, and MVP.[4] In 2012, he represented the National Capital Region in the 2012 Palarong Pambansa, where they finished as 2nd runner-up.[6] In 2014, he graduated to the college team of FEU and played for four years,[7][8][9][10][11][12] while simultaneously playing in the United Football League. In 2015, he was part of the FEU side that won a college football title in Season 77 over the De La Salle Green Archers.[13][14][15]

Kaya Elite

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In 2016, while still in college, he was signed by United Football League team Kaya.[16] Due to the UFL being a semi-professional league, he was allowed to play despite also playing for FEU.[4][17][18] In 2017, however, the Philippines Football League was established and became fully professional, which prompted him to be temporarily demoted to Kaya's B-Team, named "Kaya Elite".

Kaya–Iloilo

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Before the start of the 2018 PFL season, he graduated from FEU and signed for the first team of Kaya, now named Kaya–Iloilo, along with his brother Michael.[19][20][21][22]

He would go on to play in the final of that year's Copa Paulino Alcantara, with Kaya triumphing over Davao Aguilas 1–0. In 2021, he was in the starting XI for Kaya's AFC Champions League playoff match against Shanghai Port of China, scoring a header in the 17th minute that would end up being the winning goal.[23][24][25] In 2023, he won his first league title for Kaya.

International career

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Philippines

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In July 2022, Menzi was called up to the senior team of the Philippines for the first time in a closed-doors friendly vs. Timor-Leste. He scored in the first half as the Philippines won 4–1.[26] Later that year, he was included in the final squad for the 2022 AFF Championship, making his debut in a 1–0 loss to Vietnam.[27][28] The Philippines would go on to finish fourth in their group.

International goals

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Scores and results list the Philippines' goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
2022
1. 16 July 2022 Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium, Bali   East Timor
2–0
4–1
Friendly

Honours

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Kaya–Iloilo[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Audie Menzi - Global Sports Archive". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Audie Menzi at Soccerway
  3. ^ "Igorot footballer Audie Menzi joins Philippine national football team AZKALS". WowCordillera. January 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Audie Menzi Player Profile". kayafc.com. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  5. ^ Tupas, Cedelf (February 25, 2013). "FEU Baby Tams rule UAAP for third time". Inquirer.net. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Lozada, David (May 4, 2012). "Eye on the football: NCR captains set goals". Rappler. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  7. ^ Jacinto, Christian (March 4, 2017). "FEU salvages draw with UE to stay in second place in UAAP football". spin.ph. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  8. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (February 22, 2018). "Rico Andes hattrick highlights Tamaraws rout of Soaring Falcons to nail first win". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  9. ^ Tamayao, Brian (March 12, 2017). "Menzi magic leads to Tamaraws victory against in-form Bulldogs". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  10. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (April 3, 2016). "Relentless FEU dominate UE to regain first place". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Tamayao, Brian (May 4, 2017). "Andes-inspired FEU dethrones UP to earn shot at championship". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  12. ^ Jalandoni, Kirby (May 7, 2017). "Blue Eagles capture UAAP Football crown in 1-0 victory over FEU". The Guidon. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  13. ^ Maguddayao, Merck (March 1, 2015). "UAAP Season 77: De La Salle, FEU earn tickets to men's football final". fullcourtfresh.com. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  14. ^ Mamac, Mario; Lichauco, Joseton (March 8, 2015). "UAAP: FEU edges La Salle in thrilling Men's Football final". The LaSallian. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  15. ^ "FEU wins all things football at the UAAP Season 77". coconuts.co. March 9, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  16. ^ Estrada, Kevin (September 17, 2016). "Tanton comes in the nick of time as Kaya shatters Ceres' title defence". dugout.ph. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Tupas, Cedelf (August 21, 2016). "Global stretches UFL lead". Inquirer.net. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  18. ^ "Ceres starts UFL League Championship defense against Loyola". Tiebreaker Times. April 29, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  19. ^ "Kaya signs Amita, 2 others; Ceres Negros lets Casas go". Panay News. July 24, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  20. ^ "Three Thoughts Ahead of the 2018 PFL Season". kayafc.com. January 15, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  21. ^ "Four New Players Set to Bolster Kaya FC–Makati". kayafc.com. January 22, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  22. ^ Guerrero, Bob (February 16, 2019). "UAAP Season 81 football: Can UP make it two in a row?". Rappler. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  23. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (June 24, 2021). "Menzi on Cloud 9 as his first-ever Kaya goal leads team to history". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  24. ^ Terrado, Reuben (June 24, 2021). "Kaya FC-Iloilo nips Shanghai Port to reach AFC Champions League". spin.ph. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  25. ^ "Playoff: Kaya FC-Iloilo beat Shanghai Port FC to create AFC Champions League history". the-afc.com. June 24, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  26. ^ "Philippines 4:1 Timor-Leste - Global Sports Archive". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  27. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (December 15, 2022). "Vietnam spoils Ferre's Azkals coaching debut in friendly". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  28. ^ del Carmen, Lorenzo (November 17, 2022). "Young guns called up for Azkals' Mitsubishi Electric Cup pool". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
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