Inna Palacios begins fresh start following retirement from the national team

Inna Palacios’ appearance at the 2026 Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night at the Manila Diamond Hotel carried a different significance on Monday. After years serving as the steadfast goalkeeper of the Philippine women’s national football team, Palacios attended the ceremony no longer as an active Filipinas stalwart, but as a seasoned veteran beginning her journey beyond international duty.

Palacios was honored for the Filipinas’ gold medal triumph in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games—a victory that fittingly became her final chapter with the national squad. Yet her presence at the ceremony felt less like a farewell and more like a pivot.

“I’m enjoying my time away from the team now,” she said before accepting the special citation.

The decision to retire from international duty came swiftly after the gold-medal run in Thailand. For Palacios, it wasn’t about walking away from football—it was about redefining her place within it.

“I’m just trying to find other ways to grow in sports aside from playing. I’m still playing in the local league, I still love it but right now, I think I’ve given enough for the national team. I know I have, so I’m finding other ways to grow as a person.”

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THANK YOU, INNA PALACIOS

SEA Games gold medalist Inna Palacios was emotional when the national anthem was being played. This marks her last game with the National Team after 18 years of service. | via Bea Escudero/Cignal#TibayAtTatag #SEAGames33 #SEAGamesThailand pic.twitter.com/sW9zGzb926

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 17, 2025

Eighteen years in national colors is a lifetime in sport. Palacios witnessed—and helped build—the evolution of the Filipinas from a little-known program into a respected force in Southeast Asian football. Her journey mirrors the team’s own transformation from humble beginnings to regional champions.

“I think 18 years was enough. I’ve seen the national team grow from nothing into something bigger. Right now, it’s all about the future.”

That future, for Palacios, includes staying close to the pitch with Kaya FC–Iloilo, while exploring new dimensions of personal and professional growth. Coaching, mentorship, leadership roles—doors that once stood behind her playing career are now wide open.

If her years in goal were defined by reflexes and resilience, this next chapter may be defined by reflection and reinvention.

For the Filipinas, her legacy is secured in medals and milestones. For Palacios herself, the journey is simply entering a new half—one where impact isn’t measured by saves, but by the paths she helps shape next.

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