Sandro Reyes: Game, grit, and gourmands
Scoring goals on the pitch, collecting memories through fragrance
Sandro Reyes isn’t just another name on the Philippine Men’s National Football Team roster—he’s the playmaker who helped break a 52-year drought. In December 2024, Sandro played a key role in ending the country’s decades-long winless streak against Thailand, and that moment was only the beginning.
He started playing football at just four years old, and today, at 22, he’s making moves in Germany with FC Gütersloh. But that’s not all—Sandro holds the distinction of being the first Southeast Asian to train at FC Barcelona’s famed academy, La Masia. For a young athlete from the Philippines, that’s not just rare—it’s historic.
You’ll find some of this online. But look a little deeper and you’ll see that Sandro isn’t just a footballer—he’s a student of the game. His social media is filled with snapshots of his journey: matches, training sessions, downtime with family and friends, and a clear passion for constant growth—not just for himself, but for every team he plays for. He’s driven by purpose, and it shows.
Off the pitch, there’s more to Sandro than meets the eye. He’s a quiet collector of fragrances—a fraghead, as enthusiasts call it. In an interview with Garage, he opened up about his signature grooming rituals, including a fresh haircut before every match and his sentimental attachment to scents. One standout? A bottle of Tom Ford’s Bitter Peach, which holds a deeper story about friendship and memory.
Why Bitter Peach by Tom Ford holds a special place in his collection
“One of my closest friends, Oskari Kekkonen—we’re both really into fragrances. We’re always sending each other TikToks or WhatsApp messages about scents, and whenever we’re at the mall or passing through an airport, fragrances are always a topic. During our last big tournament with the national team, we made a pact at the very start: if we reached the semifinals—which, at the time, was a huge goal for us, since the national team hadn’t reached that stage in years—we’d both buy a bottle. So when we made it to the semifinals, we both bought Tom Ford Bitter Peach.”
Inside his fragrance collection: From beach days to German winters
“I’ve split my collection into two profiles—summer and winter. My summer scents are for the Philippines, and the winter ones are for Germany, where I’m currently based. For colder weather, I’m really into gourmand fragrances with notes like coffee, chocolate, and vanilla. I’ve got Grand Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Resala by Arabian Oud, and Chocolate Café from Mith Bangkok
For summer I wear Acqua di Parma Yuzu, Tom Ford Bitter Peach, and a few others that are crisp and vibrant. If I’m going out at night, my signature pick is Le Labo Thé Noir
Sandro’s summer essentials
“Fresh fragrance for the summer, sunglasses, sunblock, Hydrite—for the day after a night out or when it’s really hot at the beach.
I also love to play golf—I really, really love golf. I can’t play a lot in Germany ’cause I’m busy with training, and it’s really cold there most of the year. So whenever I’m in the Philippines, that’s my number one summer essential—with my friends and family. In my summer essentials bag, I even brought a golf ball and a golf club.”
His grooming routine: Look good, play better
“I get a haircut every one or two weeks or a day before every game. I think you have to look your best to play your best, if you respect the sport you’re playing. For me, it’s like if there’s a wedding or a party—I obviously wanna look good for it so I feel confident.”
Favorite Summer Destination
“Anywhere around Southeast Asia—Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines’ beach destinations like Boracay, Palawan, and Siargao. In the summer we go to Baguio too.
But usually I’m just here in Manila, ’cause I only get to see my family during summer and Christmas.”
Photographer: Jan Mayo
Producer / stylist: Jerico Villamonte
Art director: Angelo Manalo
Grooming: Bullet Reyes
Editorial assistant: Jessica Pag-iwayan
Photographer’s assistants: Matthew Mangulabnan and Xavier Yu
Special thanks to VMG Asia
