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Filipinas members Hali Long and Inna Palacios on the cover of Preen.ph for July. –PHOTO JP Talapian via Preen.ph

MANILA, Philippines—Before they compete in the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup, Filipinas members Hali Long and Inna Palacios graced the cover of Preen.PH for July.L

Long and Palacios, who were a huge part of the Philippine women’s football team’s bid for a first-ever appearance on football’s biggest stage, talked to Preen about their respective journeys in representing the country.

Palacios, a reserve goalkeeper for the Filipinas’ lineup, told her story as a football die-hard after being invested in taekwondo first.

As a standout for La Salle in her college heyday, the 29-year-old athlete will bring all her lessons from the past to New Zealand in the Fifa Women’s World Cup, where the Filipinas will begin on a historic campaign.

“Now I get the opportunity to do it for my country—a country whose love and culture has completely absorbed me and has shown me I’m here for more than just football,” Palacios said in her exclusive interview with Preen.

Long, who was included in the Filipinas’ Final 23 as a defender, is also excited to don the red, blue and yellow in the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Other than competing for the flag, she is also eager to show the Filipino’s fighting spirit.

“The fighting spirit of any Filipino, especially a Filipino athlete, is hard to match. We are always deemed the underdog so we always have to go against the odds to come out on top,” Long said.

The Filipinas begin their bid for the highly-coveted Fifa Women’s World Cup, next week, as they face off against Switzerland.

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