Panama captain Anibal Godoy has insisted his side have arrived at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with ambitions of competing rather than merely participating, as the Central American nation prepares to face Ghana in its opening Group L fixture on Wednesday.
The match in Toronto offers Panama the chance to secure what would be the country’s first-ever victory at a World Cup finals, with the team aiming to build on the progress made under head coach Thomas Christiansen.
Speaking before the encounter, Godoy made clear that Panama’s objectives extend beyond simply taking part in the tournament.
“We are here to compete. Not only are we going to be competing, we are driven because we want more,” Godoy told reporters via a translator in Toronto.
Panama are the only Central American nation represented at this year’s tournament and are appearing at the World Cup for only the second time in their history. Their previous appearance came in 2018 in Russia, where they made their debut on football’s biggest stage.
Since Danish coach Christiansen took charge in 2020, the national team has enjoyed a significant rise in fortunes. During his tenure, Panama have climbed from 81st to 34th in the FIFA world rankings, reflecting the steady development of the squad and its growing competitiveness on the international stage.
Despite that progress, Christiansen expects a stern examination against a Ghana side with far greater World Cup experience.
The coach acknowledged the challenge awaiting his players but expressed confidence that Panama have the quality and determination required to compete for victory.
One area of concern for Panama ahead of the match is the fitness of influential midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla. Christiansen revealed that the player is not fully fit and is unlikely to start the game.
“He’s going to be on the bench, and we are going to see how the match is going to be developing tomorrow,” he said.
Even without Carrasquilla at full strength, Christiansen believes Panama can be competitive in a group that also includes England and Croatia.
The coach pointed to the opening matches of the tournament as evidence that the gap between teams is narrowing and that every fixture is likely to be closely contested.
“We have seen the matches here at the World Cup, they have been incredibly tight, and you cannot really say that one is less than another,” he said.
Panama face a difficult task in attempting to progress beyond the group stage, but Christiansen believes resilience and collective effort will be essential qualities if his side are to achieve that objective.
“There are times where you’re going to be suffering, you’re going to be enduring, you’re going to be up against huge squads, but you’re going to be suffering as a group,” the 53-year-old coach added.
For veteran midfielder Godoy, the tournament carries additional significance. The captain indicated that this World Cup is likely to be the last of his career, adding further motivation as he prepares to lead his country once again on the global stage.
Having witnessed Panama’s growth over recent years, he said he intends to make the most of the opportunity.
“We’re going to be doing it match per match, and I’m going to be giving the very best that I can,” the midfielder said.
With Ghana providing the first test of their campaign, Panama enter the contest determined to prove they belong among the world’s leading football nations and eager to create another milestone in the country’s football history.
