Inna Palacios retires after 51 caps for Filipinas

The Philippine Football Federation honored and thanked Inna Kristianne Palacios, the former captain and long-time goalkeeper of the Philippine women’s national football team, after she retired from international duty—closing a career the PFF said helped lead the Filipinas’ steady growth toward global recognition.

Palacios’ national team journey tracked closely with the rise of Philippine women’s football, with the PFF noting she was part of the federation’s youth program for girls starting in 2007.

The PFF said Palacios was first called up to the Philippine under-16 team at age 13, highlighting what it described as the federation’s early commitment to grassroots and long-term development.

From her early call-up through her final appearance at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, the PFF said Palacios’ international service spanned nearly two decades.

“Inna represents what it means to stay, to fight, and to believe when success is still far away,” said PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez.

“She carried this team through its hardest years, and she helped build the foundation that made historic moments like the SEA Games gold possible,” Gutierrez added.

For her part, current Filipinas main goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel succinctly said about her goalkeeping mentor, “She built this team. She got us to where we are. She’s my ate, and I’m so thankful for her.”

The PFF said Palacios began playing football at age 4 and developed her game at Colegio San Agustin–Makati, where she collected multiple MVP honors.

The federation said her versatility saw her play several positions before settling into goal.

Palacios later played for De La Salle University in the UAAP, where the PFF said she overcame personal loss and injury to become the Lady Booters’ first-choice goalkeeper.

The PFF said Palacios won UAAP Best Goalkeeper honors twice and scored a goal in her final collegiate match.

Internationally, the PFF said Palacios emerged as a central figure in the Filipinas’ pre–FIFA Women’s World Cup era.

From 2016 to 2021, the PFF said she served as the team’s main goalkeeper and co-captain, anchoring a generation that elevated the program’s regional and continental relevance.

The PFF said that during that stretch, the Philippines qualified for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in back-to-back cycles.

The federation said the team also reached the semifinals of both the 2019 AFF Women’s Championship and the 2019 SEA Games, which it described as breakthrough results at the time.

The PFF said Palacios remained a constant presence as new talents—from abroad and the grassroots—boosted the Filipinas beginning in the mid-2010s.

The federation said she earned her 50th international cap at the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship and finished her national team career with 51 caps.

Even after stepping back from regular match duty, the PFF said Palacios continued to serve as part of the national pool as a substitute keeper while providing experience and guidance to the next generation.

That arc culminated at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, where Palacios was named to the roster and announced her retirement shortly before the final, as the Filipinas won their first-ever SEA Games football gold medal, according to the PFF.

“Full circle moment for me,” Palacios reflected.

“SEA Games was when I started to dream and it just took me 18 years to get the gold. It’s sad that I have to leave the team, but I know I’ve done everything I can as a player. I’ve given so much for the team, and now I want to see them dream for that,” she added.

“I want them to know that anything they want to achieve, they can achieve,” Palacios said.

“Who ends their career with a gold? It may take time—but 18 years, I can tell you, it’s worth it,” she added.

Her impact on the current generation is perhaps best captured by the words of McDaniel, the Filipinas’ present main goalkeeper.

“She has been my rock ever since I stepped into this team and into my role,” McDaniel said.

“She’s team-first, always pushing me to be my best,” she added.

Looking back, Palacios spoke of staying when it would have been easier to leave.

“I’m proud of myself for staying when it was so much easier to go,” she said.

“When you believe with your heart, you stand by it. That’s the true heart of a Filipino,” Palacios added.

As Palacios steps away from international football, the PFF said her legacy remains embedded in the Filipinas’ identity as proof that belief, patience and love for the game can move a program forward.

“Love deeply. Choose passion even when it’s hard,” Palacios said.

“When you do, good things will come back,” she added.

The PFF saluted Palacios for the standard it said she set, the dreams she carried and the path she helped clear for those who follow.

The federation said it wished her well as she continues her football journey as the main keeper of Kaya FC-Iloilo when the 2025–26 PFF Women’s Cup resumes in January 2026.