The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) pays tribute to Filipinas captain Hali Moriah Candido Long for reaching the historic milestone of 100 international appearances, honoring a career defined by leadership, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to Philippine football.
Long reached her 100th cap during the Filipinas’ dramatic semifinal victory over host Thailand in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, a match that saw the Philippines advance to its first-ever SEA Games women’s football final after a 1–1 draw in extra time and a triumph in the penalty shootout.
The milestone came fittingly on one of the biggest stages in regional football, with Long notching the winning pen en route to the gold medal match, which the Filipinas won against then reigning champion Vietnam.
“Hali Long’s 100th cap is a reflection of years of her very firm belief in the Filipinas’ potential for success in the global stage when her journey was still just beginning,” Gutierrez said. “She represents the standard of excellence and character that we want every young Filipina footballer to aspire to.”
Gutierrez added, “As testament to that, the PFF Congress recently elected Hali to the PFF Executive Committee as Female Representative for Luzon. The PFF Congress’ vote for Hali reaffirms the Federation’s commitment to widen the space for women leadership in football and Hali is one of the best women to take on that task of helping lead PFF to greater heights.”
During the medal ceremony of the SEA Games final, PFF General Secretary and Head of Delegation Gelix Mercader honored Long by presenting her with a special Filipinas jersey bearing the number 100 on its back—an emblem of a journey that began nearly nine years ago and has since helped redefine the standards and aspirations of Philippine women’s football.
“Hali Long was part of those who planted the seeds of this achievement and for nearly a decade, she has been the heartbeat and conscience of this team, leading with her character and undying loyalty to our country, and it is only fitting that we honor the captain who has given so much of herself to Philippine football,” Mercader said.
Born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri with maternal roots from Obando, Bulacan, Long grew up excelling both academically and athletically. She lettered in all four years at Francis Howell North High School and later played collegiate football for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she was recognized for academic excellence while establishing herself as a reliable and durable defender. Her youth career included three state championships, laying the foundation for a career marked by consistency and discipline.
Long first joined the Philippine women’s national team setup in 2016 and made her senior debut later that year at the AFF Women’s Championship. From there, she became a mainstay of the squad, featuring in multiple Southeast Asian Games, AFC Women’s Asian Cup campaigns, and the historic 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where she served as a starting center back.
Known primarily for her defensive solidity, Long is a prolific goal scorer for the Philippines, including two hat-tricks and two braces. Overall, she has scored 22 international goals for the Filipinas–the third highest all-time, behind Sarina Bolden and Quinley Quezada.
At club level, Long captains Kaya–Iloilo in the PFF Women’s League, leading the club to league titles in 2023 and 2025, as well as a third-place finish in the 2022 PFF Women’s Cup. She has played in two AFC Women’s Champions League seasons, debuting in 2024-25 with Kaya and having her second stint in 2025-26 with Thailand’s BGC–College of Asian Scholars–proof of her world-class quality.
Following the SEA Games triumph, Long reflected on the journey and the meaning of the gold medal with raw emotion and gratitude.
“My message to all the girls would be to just remember this feeling. Remember everything we did to get here,” Long said. “All the sacrifices, sickness, death, every single thing we did to get to this point. We dug deep. We showed a lot of heart. And we did this for the Philippines. And we did this for every little girl who wants to dream big.”
She added, “A lot of sacrifice, a lot of hard work can get you really far. And a SEA Games gold. I can’t describe how this feels like. I never thought this could happen. I’m super grateful for all the sacrifices—long flights, long hours, long training, long meetings—that all the girls, the staff, and management put into this journey.”
With a SEA Games gold medal now secured and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup on the horizon, Long’s legacy continues to grow—one built on the belief that Philippine women’s football can dream big and achieve even bigger.
