“Congratulations to Captain Hali Long and rising star Inday Tolentin for being part of the Best XI of the ASEAN Women’s Championship. Both of you deserve this award. Hali, with her leadership, tenacity on defense, and consistent scoring ability, helped in lifting the Filipinas from the minnows to playing in the World Cup. Inday is an inspiration for homegrown athletes, making her mark in the collegiate, club, and international level both in football and futsal.” – PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez
Philippine women’s national football team stalwarts Hali Long and Inday Tolentin were named in the Best XI of the 2025 ASEAN Women’s Championship – MSIG Serenity Cup, marking the rising international popularity of Filipino women footballers.
Long, the Filipinas’ long time central defender and team captain, is the longest-tenured and most-capped active national team member with 96 caps in nine years.
The Philippines’ skipper in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Missouri-born Bulakenya has scored 22 international goals, including one against Timor-Leste in the Serenity Cup.
Long, also the captain of Kaya-Iloilo F.C., recently played on loan for Thailand’s College of Asian Scholars in the 2025-26 AFC Women’s Asian Champions League preliminary stage.
Long’s Kaya teammate and Zamboanga del Norte pride Tolentin played in her second ASEAN Championship, scoring a brace against Timor-Leste in the Serenity Cup and was named Player of the Match.
Tolentin is also one of the main players of the World Cup-bound Philippine women’s national futsal team, having scored three international goals during AFC Futsal Women’s Asian Cup finals and qualifiers.
The former PFF Women’s Cup and UAAP Most Valuable Player is currently in the training pool of the Filipina 5 for the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup in Pasig/Victorias City in November.
