SPANISH footballer Bienvenido Marañon has been granted Filipino citizen after a bill related to his naturalization was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on July 7.
The 34-year-old United City FC striker, who is currently competing in the 2021 AFC Champions League with United City, will have to take the Oath of Allegiance and formalize his naturalization with FIFA, before representing the Philippine Azkals.
Maraño, who hails from Cadiz City in Spain, helped propel Ceres, — now renamed to United City FC — to four PFL titles together with Azkals star Stephan Schrock.
While surpassing Jordanian Mahmoud Shelbaieh’s record of 34 goals in the AFC Cup, he is now the regional cup tournament’s top goalscorer with 35 goals, after scoring a brace in the defunct Ceres-Negros FC’s 4-0 win over Bali United on March 11, 2020.
United City FC is currently at the bottom of Group I with one point in the 2021 AFC Champions League.
