Julius Alexander Myrbakk: An Unexpected Fate Soon to Unfold

It has been a month since yet another second-round exit in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Philippines men’s national team’s qualifying campaign for the 2026 edition of the grandest sporting event surely leaves a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth. They recorded not only their worst goal-scoring form but also their worst overall performance in their history of playing in the second round. The men’s national team scored an average of 0.5 goals and conceded an average of 2.3 goals per game, earning only a single point in six games.

Two of the causes that contributed to our national team’s dismal run were the lack of a stable pool of players and the inability to find suitable replacements for players like Phil Younghusband and Javier Patiño. While players like Sebastian Rasmussen, who has four goals in just seven appearances, are out of shape due to a lack of playing time with their clubs, players like Jarvey Gayoso and Finn McDaniel were unable to carry their goal-scoring form to the national team.

However, the tide seems to have turned, especially when team manager Freddy Gonzalez announced in a press conference earlier this month that the men’s national team is close to having three new strikers on board: Bjørn Martin Kristensen of Aalesunds FK, who reportedly received his Philippine passport, Nick Markanich of Charleston Battery, and Julius Alexander Myrbakk of Eik Tønsberg.

Although fans were already aware of the first two players mentioned since they have been on the national team radar for a long time, they were left wondering who Julius Myrbakk was. I was told a few months ago that Tom Saintfiet didn’t know about him until he went to Norway to see Scott Woods and Patrick Metcalfe in action during one of his scouting trips in Europe.

So, who is Julius Alexander Myrbakk? What does he have in store for us? Let’s dive deeper!

Myrbakk was born in Tønsberg, Norway to a Norwegian father and a Filipino-American mother. He traces his Filipino roots to Olongapo City, where his mother was born. He has visited the Philippines several times. He also lived in the United States for five years before returning to Norway.

Player Profile

Name: Julius Alexander Myrbakk
Age: 23 (as of writing, born in 2000)
Birthplace: Tønsberg, Norway
Position: Center Forward, Right Winger, Left Winger
Height: 5’10” (1.79m)
Previous clubs: FK Tønsberg, IL Flint, IF Fram Larvik, Lyn 1896 FK
Current club: Eik Tønsberg
Transfermarkt value: N/A

Playing Experience

Myrbakk’s love for football started when he was around 2–3 years old. Yes, you read that right. He was featured in a commercial as a toddler where he kicked a ball connected to a string tied to his foot. From that moment on, his love for the sport continued despite moving to the United States, where football is not as popular as it is in Norway. During his five-year stay in the US, he played most of his youth career for Chargers Academy in Florida. His talent wasn’t unnoticed, as he was often selected for the Florida State team. He also received an invite to a USA under-17 national team ID camp but never got the chance to feature in official games.

In 2016, Myrbakk returned to Norway and joined FK Tønsberg. At that time, he was already playing with Scott Woods on the U16 and U19 teams of Tønsberg. His performances for both teams, scoring 14 goals in just nine league games, earned him his senior team debut in the Norwegian 4th Division (Group 3) in 2017. He was barely 17 years old at that time. In 2018, Myrbakk’s rise continued as he earned a promotion to the senior team, signing his first professional contract. He scored 4 goals in 25 league games in his first season as a professional.

In December 2018, Myrbakk moved to IL Flint, a Tønsberg-based team that competes in the same league as his former team. He played in 28 games during his one and only season with Flint, tallying 12 goals. The games were halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As soon as the league resumed in 2021, he moved to IF Fram Larvik, also a 4th Division club but playing in Group 2. A year later, he moved to Lyn 1896 FK, also in the 4th Division but in Group 1. Shortly after, he left Lyn to rejoin Eik Tønsberg in the middle of the season. Yes, he “rejoined” because his boyhood club, FK Tønsberg, merged with Eik Tønsberg in 2020.

A move back home in 2022 kick-started his goal-scoring form; in his first season, he scored 13 goals in fourteen league games. His breakthrough season came in his second season with Eik Tønsberg, where he scored 36 goals in 28 games in all competitions, earning them a promotion to the third division. He’s gone up a division, but he still has that scoring touch. As of this writing, he has scored eight goals in sixteen games across all competitions.

Style of Play

Growing up, Myrbakk had a strong passion for scoring goals and never considered playing in a different position other than striker. A Liverpool supporter, he was a big fan of Fernando Torres and saw himself as El Niño.

Like his idol, Myrbakk is a complete forward. His IQ and ability to finish with both feet are, in my opinion, two of his most valuable assets. He knows how to position himself in the right place at the right time inside the box. A very technical player, he is capable of creating not only his own scoring chances but also those for his teammates. With his pace and quick feet, he is capable of taking on defenders, especially in 1v1 situations. He is surely a dangerous man in counterattacks. He’s also good at taking set pieces. With good hold-up play, he is not the kind of player that excels in aerial duels, as he is not as tall as a modern striker ought to be. But that’s one thing that he’s really working hard on. Myrbakk sees his mental toughness as one of his assets. He’s a player that doesn’t give up easily, knows how to handle pressure, and manages his emotions well.

Playing for the Philippines

At first, it never crossed Julius’ mind to represent the Philippines one day. Not until Tom Saintfiet decided to watch two national team prospects (Scott Woods and Patrick Metcalfe) who played against each other in the Norwegian Cup. In that match, Myrbakk scored an equalizer, but they eventually fell short 2-5. The next morning, he received a message from Freddy Gonzalez asking if he was interested in being part of a project, which he immediately accepted.

Myrbakk’s relatives were shocked at first when he broke the news that he would be playing for the Philippines, as they never thought it would be possible. In the end, everyone was excited and is now looking forward to seeing him finally play for the country. He has always been close to his family and relatives back in Olongapo, especially to his super proud grandma who used to prepare him sinigang, chicken adobo, and tinola.

An unexpected fate is now closer to reality. None of it would have happened if not for Freddy Gonzalez and Tom Saintfiet, for which he’s grateful. Additionally, he would like to thank Mr. Allan Salvador, the PMNT travel manager, for his diligent work in getting his passport processed.

For him, it would be a huge honor to represent the Philippines. He believes that the Philippines has huge potential, especially with new players coming in. Myrbakk feels that he can contribute a lot to the project and envisions himself as an integral part of the national team’s successes for the next ten years or more.