2 hours ago
This article is portion of nan Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a practice betwixt immoderate of nan champion media organisations from nan 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is moving previews from 3 countries each time successful nan run-up to nan tourney kicking disconnected connected 11 June.
The plan
La Marea Roja get successful afloat voice. After their historical World Cup debut astatine Russia 2018, they mean business this clip round, and want to advancement from nan group. With Michael Murillo starring from nan back, nan midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla providing a imaginative spark and nan captain, Aníbal Godoy, still nan bosom and psyche of nan team, Panama are fresh to constitute a caller chapter.
This is simply a much mature broadside than nan 1 from 2018. Under nan coach, Thomas Christiansen, nan squad person developed a pragmatic style of play pinch an organised defence, speedy transitions and plentifulness of physicality. They usually play 4-2-3-1 aliases 4-3-3 pinch Murillo nan starring fig astatine right-back, but that could displacement to a backmost 5 against stronger opponents. There is simply a double pivot of Godoy, who wins nan ball, and Carrasquilla, who tin usage it. In attack, Ismael Díaz and José Rodríguez are sharp-shooting speedsters.
Panama topped their Concacaf group successful qualifying, conceding conscionable 4 goals successful nan last group shape and sealing their spot astatine nan finals pinch a 3-0 triumph against El Salvador past November. They’ve improved successful possession and get successful North America afloat of assurance disconnected nan backmost of reaching nan quarter-finals of nan 2024 Copa América and nan last of nan 2023 Gold Cup.
Panama: Group K fixtures
Show17 June v Ghana, Toronto (7pm local, 18 June 12am BST, 18 June 9am AEST)
23 June v Croatia, Toronto (7pm local, 24 June 12am BST, 24 June 9am AEST)
27 June v England, New York/New Jersey (5pm local, 10pm BST, 28 June 7am AEST)
“Our religion moves mountains,” Christiansen said. “To beryllium astatine nan World Cup for nan 2nd time, we want to amended connected 2018 and compete for illustration ne'er before.” Godoy agrees: “We will springiness everything. This group is agreed and quiet to make history.”
The realistic purpose is to make it retired of nan group. Christiansen will want to beryllium they person nan subject to debar a repetition of the 2018 6-1 thrashing by England, who are group opponents erstwhile more. A spot successful nan past 16 is nan dream. The dressing room believes it is possible.
The coach
Thomas Christiansen has been successful complaint since 2020. The Dane started his playing profession successful Barcelona’s B squad and spent overmuch of it successful Spain. He shone arsenic a coach successful Cyprus earlier stints pinch Leeds and Union Saint-Gilloise. The 53-year-old has transformed Panama into a competitory team, taking them to nan 2023 Gold Cup final, 2024 Copa América quarter-finals and now their 2nd World Cup. “We want to compete and get retired of nan group. The selección is much than ready,” Christiansen says. His squad will not fearfulness anybody.
Star player
Michael Murillo is Panama’s talisman. The 30-year-old Besiktas right-back has much than 90 caps and has played successful MLS, Belgium, France and now Turkey. Quick disconnected nan mark, bully one-on-one and a threat successful nan opposing box, he will beryllium cardinal to immoderate success. His activity and acquisition successful apical leagues has made him a skipper without nan armband. He grew up successful Colón, sharing a room pinch his mother and siblings but, while shot was nan family’s favourite sport, he chose shot and wanted to provide. Now a nationalist treasure, he has ne'er forgotten his roots. “Be proud of your family, conflict for your family and judge successful your family,” he says.
One to watch
José Rodríguez mislaid his begetter astatine nan property of 10 but nan youngster from Panama City recovered nan spot to dream large done shot and his family. The winger pinch lightning velocity has made a sanction for himself successful Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Serbia. He isn’t acrophobic to effort his luck from region either, scoring via a deflection disconnected Tunisia’s Yassine Meriah successful nan group shape of nan 2018 World Cup. The 27-year-old, now playing successful Mexico, has recovered a mentor successful Thomas Christiansen. “I’m very grateful to ‘El Profe’ … we cognize each different very good and we’re for illustration a family,” Rodríguez has said.
Unsung hero
With much than 150 caps – a nationalist grounds – Aníbal Godoy is nan astir knowledgeable personnel of this Panama squad. At nan property of 36 he remains nan personification Christiansen tin trust connected to do nan soiled work: winning nan shot back, covering abstraction and organising those astir him. The San Diego midfielder isn’t 1 to drawback nan headlines but his graft allows others specified arsenic Adalberto Carrasquilla to shine. Godoy is highly respected wrong nan Panama dressing room – it would not beryllium nan aforesaid without him.
Probable starting XI
What to expect from fans astatine games?
La Marea Roja (the Red Wave) are immoderate of nan astir passionate fans successful Concacaf. They are large and proud, but respectful too. After 8 years of waiting for different opportunity to spell to a World Cup finals tournament, they will recreation successful their numbers: Copa Airlines – who flew nan squad retired successful a reddish and achromatic level – are putting connected typical flights to nan US, Canada and Mexico. Watch retired for nan sombreros.
Relationship pinch nan US/Trump?
Tense, complete nan Panama canal. Last twelvemonth Trump said: “We’re going to return it backmost aliases thing very powerful is going to happen.” He accused Panama of violating nan pact of neutrality and allowing Chinese influence. The Panamanian authorities powerfully rejected Trump’s words. Neither Christiansen nor nan players will spell adjacent nan subject, pinch nan federation prioritising nationalist pride. The supporters person criticised nan precocious prices of tickets and carrier successful nan US but mostly stayed distant from nan broader controversy. The canal rumor is sensitive, but nan nationalist squad are going to play football, not politics.
Written by José Miguel Domínguez Flores for Chepebomba.com and nan podcast Punto Y Pelota Mentira No Es.
