Kiana Angélica Palacios Hernández (born 1 October 1996) is an American-born Mexican footballer who plays as forward for Liga MX Femenil side Club América and the Mexico women's national team.

Kiana Palacios

Palacios playing for Real Sociedad
Personal information
Full name	Kiana Angélica Palacios Hernández[1]
Date of birth	(1996-10-01) 1 October 1996 (age 26)[1]
Place of birth	Orange, California, United States[1]
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)[2]
Position(s)	Forward[1][2]
Club information
Current team	América
Number	7
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2017	UC Irvine Anteaters	67	(24)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018	LA Galaxy OC	5	(3)
2018–2021	Real Sociedad	68	(13)
2021–	América	30	(9)
National team‡
2015–2016	Mexico U-20	8	(5)
2017–	Mexico	26	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 February 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 April 2018

College career

Palacios played for UC Irvine in her Collegiate career, converting from the defensive midfield to a forward, and essentially playing where the Anteaters needed her to be. She adjusted well and became the fourth leading scorer all time for UC Irvine with 24 goals. In her junior season, she at a point led the NCAA in goals scored and total team points before leaving for international duty for Mexico's U-20 team in 2016, two weeks before the collegiate regular season ended.

In her senior season, due to team injuries, she was put into the Central/Attacking Midfield position where she guided UC Irvine to the Big West regular season title; they were defeated in the Big West semifinals. Palacios received numerous collegiate accolades locally and nationally, in athletics and academics.

Club career

Palacios was selected in the fourth Round of the 2018 NWSL College Draft by Sky Blue FC,[3] but was not signed.

She joined the LA Galaxy Orange County Women's squad in May 2018, competing in the United Women's Soccer League. The club is managed by her college coach from UC Irvine, Scott Juniper, and is designed to help collegiate players and recent graduates develop as professionals. She scored three goals in five matches.[4]

On 13 July 2018, it was announced Palacios had signed a one-year contract with Spanish club Real Sociedad.[5] On May 11, 2019 Palacios scored in the 19th minute in the 2018–19 Copa de la Reina de Fútbol to equalize against Atlético Madrid to assist Real Sociedad to its first title in a 2–1 victory.[6]

International career

Palacios represented Mexico at the 2015 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship and the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She made her senior debut on 4 February 2017 in a friendly match against Canada.[7]

Palacios made her first senior team start on July 8, 2017 against Sweden and scored her first senior team goal on April 8, 2018 against the United States in her fifth recorded cap.

Honours

Club

Real Sociedad

• Copa de la Reina: 2018–19[6]

References

External links

• Kiana Palacios – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Kiana Palacios at Soccerway

На других языках

[es] Kiana Palacios

[fr] Kiana Palacios