Malea Cesar

Malea Cesar
Cesar in 2025
Personal information
Full name Malea Louise Engesser Cesar
Date of birth (2003-12-09) December 9, 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position Defender
Team information
Current team
 Trinity Tigers
Number 26
Youth career
Sunset HS Apollos
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Trinity Tigers 19 (1)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023 Blacktown City 12 (1)
2025– Corinthians 7 (1)
International career‡
2022– Philippines 38 (1)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing the  Philippines
ASEAN Women's Championship
Winner2022 PhilippinesTeam
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2025 ThailandTeam
Bronze medal – third place2021 VietnamTeam
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of June 22, 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of March 15, 2026

Malea Louise Engesser Cesar (born December 9, 2003) is a footballer who plays as a defender for Trinity Tigers. Born in the United States, she represents the Philippines at international level.

Early life

Cesar was born in the United States to former Filipino athlete Ben Cesar and an American mother.

International career

She was part of the Philippines team for the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifiers but never appeared in a game. Cesar was also part of the squad which participated in the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup in India. She made her senior national team debut in the Philippines' 1–0 win against Thailand. She scored her first international goal during stoppage time in the Philippines' 6–0 win against Indonesia.

Personal life

Malea Cesar's father, Ben Cesar, is a sprinter who competed in the 1991 SEA Games. Her sister, Naomi, is also an athlete who won a gold medal at the 2025 SEA Games for the women's 800 m event.

International goals

Scores and results list the Philippines' goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1January 27, 2022Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune, India Indonesia
6–0
6–0
2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup

Honors

Philippines

References

  1. ↑ "Malea Cesar". Sports Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  2. ↑ "FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 – Squad List" (PDF). FIFA. July 11, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ Malea Cesar at Soccerway. Retrieved January 28, 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  4. ↑ Calvert., Violi (May 20, 2022). "Focus: Filipinas' and one of their Young Players, Malea Cesar". Australian Filipina. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Malditas keep core of SEA Games team for AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Katrina Guillou, three others set for PWNFT debut in Asian Cup". Tiebreaker Times. January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ "PH women feel 'big weight off the shoulders' after upset of Thailand". Rappler. January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  8. ↑ Evanson, Wade (July 17, 2023). "Former Sunset High School standout Malea Cesar earns spot on Philippines' Women's World Cup roster". Hillsboro News Times. Retrieved October 12, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Women's Asian Cup: Philippines moves on to quarterfinals, blanks Indonesia". Sports.inquirer.net. January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  10. ↑ Terrado, Reuben (December 16, 2025). "Cesar sisters, Malea and Naomi, shining in different SEAG sports". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved December 16, 2025.