Tahnai Annis. | FIFA photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— One of the Philippines’ women’s football icons, Tahnai Annis, officially announced her retirement from football.
The announcement was made on Sunday, December 29, through an online interview.
The 35-year-old Annis, who has been a regular fixture of the Philippine Women’s National Football Team (PWNFT), also known as the Filipinas, has been a solid foundation of the team, serving as its captain.
In the interview, Annis shared that she had been reflecting over the past months and felt the announcement should be made through a conversation.
“I’m not very good at taking videos of myself or manufacturing something like that, so I thought this podcast and conversation with you would be a good way to dive into and unpack my announcement of retiring from international and professional football,” said Annis.
“It’s a big announcement for me. It’s something I knew over the past months was going to need a conversation. But I’m happy to be on this side of it, coming to this decision on my own terms, and getting to share a little bit about what it looks like and how it has been for me to make this choice.”
The Filipino-American Annis, born in Ohio, United States, has been playing with the Filipinas since 2018, back when they were not yet recognized as Asia’s football powerhouse.
In total, Annis, an attacking midfielder, played 43 international matches for the Philippines, scoring 15 goals that were instrumental in the team’s campaigns, especially during the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship run.
She also played a pivotal role in the PWNFT’s historic campaign in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, cementing her legacy as one of the greatest players in Philippine women’s football history.
Before joining the PWNFT in 2018, Annis played for the Western New York Flash in the Women’s Premier Soccer League Elite. She later continued her career in Europe and joined the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League.
This led to her debut with the PWNFT in 2018 in the United States, followed by her participation in the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Jordan, where she was named team captain.