Kiana Palacios

Kiana Angélica Palacios Hernández (born 1 October 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as forward for Liga MX Femenil side Club América. Born and raised in the United States to Mexican parents, she caps for the Mexico women's national team.

College career
Palacios played college soccer for the UC Irvine Anteaters women's soccer team, converting from defensive midfielder 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, Palacios was at a point leading the NCAA in goals scored and total team points before leaving for international duty with the Mexico U-20 team in 2016, two weeks before the NCAA regular season ended.

In her senior season, due to team injuries, Palacios was placed into the Central/Attacking Midfield position where she guided the Anteaters to the Big West regular season title; the Anteaters would eventually be defeated in the Big West semifinals.

Club career
in 2017, Palacios registered in the 2018 NWSL Draft and was selected in the fourth round by Sky Blue FC, but she was not signed.

LA Galaxy OC (2018) 
Palacios joined the LA Galaxy OC in May 2018, a now defunct women's soccer team that competed in the United Women's Soccer league, and that was created to help college players and recent graduates develop as professionals. Palacios scored three goals in five matches during her short stay with the team.

Real Sociedad (2018–2021) 

On 13 July 2018, Spain's Primera División club Real Sociedad announced that Palacios had signed a one-year contract with the club. Palacios made her debut with Real Sociedad on 16 September 2018 in a match against Málaga, coming into the game as a substitute.  Palacios made 25 league appearances and scored six goals during her first season with Real Sociedad.

Palacios was also key player for Real Sociedad to win the 2018–19 Copa de la Reina,  the club first Copa de la Reina title in history, by scoring four goals including a goal and a assist in the final against Atlético Madrid which ended in 2–1 victory for Real Sociedad.

In total, Palacios made 68 league appearances and scored 13 goals during her three year stint with Real Sociedad.

Club América (2021–present) 
On 1 July 2021, Palacios was announced by Liga MX Femenil side Club América as their new player. she made her debut with América in match against Santos for matchday 1 of the Apertura 2021 that ended in 2–1 victory in favor of América, with Palacios scoring one goal for América during the match. However, during her first season with América, Palacios struggled with injuries and poor fitness which let her to only made 22 appearances (mainly as a sub) and to scored three goals.

During the Apertura 2022 tournament, Palacios made a return to form and became a key player in the attack for América to return to a league final after four years, as she scored 15 goals in 22 matches.

Career statistics

Club

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.

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.

International goals

Honours
Real Sociedad
Copa de la Reina: 2018–19
Club América
Liga MX Femenil: Clausura 2023

References

External links
 
 
 
 
 

1996 births
Living people
Mexican women's footballers
Women's association football forwards
Mexico women's international footballers
Pan American Games competitors for Mexico
Footballers at the 2019 Pan American Games
Liga F players
Real Sociedad Femenino players
Mexican expatriate women's footballers
American women's soccer players
Sportspeople from Orange, California
Soccer players from Orange County, California
American sportspeople of Mexican descent
UC Irvine Anteaters women's soccer players
NJ/NY Gotham FC draft picks
American expatriate women's soccer players
Mexico women's youth international footballers
Club América (women) footballers
Liga MX Femenil players
Competitors at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games
Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in football
Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Mexico