Tweetie De Leon-Gonzalez with son Alfonso. Image from Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — Tweetie De Leon-Gonzalez was the epitome of elan in the 80s and 90s, as the venerable top model in the country, gracing numerous covers, appearing in multiple campaigns, and as she walked hundreds of runways. So a vision of her lugging huge duffle bags of football gear under the sweltering heat of the sun may be quite unfathomable, but it really did happen.
Her son Alfonso Gonzalez, now a member of the Azkals Development Team, revealed the former supermodel also became a “soccer mom” when he was just starting out as a kid.
“She was [just] right, not as intense as the other moms. But she was always there to support me and try to make sure I’m doing well in what I was trying to achieve,” he told INQUIRER.net at the sidelines of the launch of an eyewear brand’s collaboration with the wildly popular English football club Manchester United recently.
The 20-year-old goalkeeper recalled his first taste of the sport at a very young age, watching his elder brothers in the field. “My earliest memory was probably, like, even just playing without football shoes yet, without cleats. Because I wasn’t super serious about the sport yet,” he shared.
“But then, there was the time I was really, like, learning and experiencing all the different things in the sport. I was very into the sport,” Gonzalez continued. He said his mom supported his decision, so when he made it to the Azkals Development Team, “she was just very proud, and kept telling me to work harder and harder to make sure I can always improve.”
But, of course, his mother got excited for him once again when he was tapped to appear for a fashion accessory brand. “She actually knows I’m here. She was glad that I was invited to a launch like this. She was very supportive about this,” Gonzalez revealed.
This may reignite the modeling genes he carries, said Gonzalez, who used to grace runways and appeared in campaigns as a young boy. “As I got older, I kind of stopped. But I don’t know, we’ll see,” he teased.
Alfonso De Leon-Gonzalez. Image from Armin P. Adina
But for now, Gonzales is devoting his time to football. And he is relying on the private sector to help further develop the sport in the country. “It plays a very important role, because sometimes the athletes don’t get the support that they need from who should be supporting them. And I feel like the private sector definitely plays a big role in supporting these athletes,” he said.
He hopes to see private funding infused in the construction of facilities and the acquisition of different equipment. “Maybe I feel it would be a very big way to support,” the tall and dashing Gonzalez quipped. EDV