Panama Striker Targets England, Croatia

Panama first appeared at the FIFA World Cup in 2018 in Russia, marking their debut on the global stage. The team exited in the group stage and, across its World Cup history to date, has not registered a victory, losing all three matches played and scoring a total of two goals. The nation has once again secured qualification for the FIFA World Cup.

Panama World Cup record

The current Panama squad is described as strong and includes 28-year-old striker Ismael Díaz, who has emerged as a key figure in the team’s attacking setup. Díaz grew up in challenging conditions marked by intense heat and high humidity, experiences he has previously linked to his development in football.

His football career began early. He entered club football at the age of 15 and made his senior international debut at 17, scoring in his first match for the national team. He is now regarded as one of the central players in Panama’s forward line.

At the upcoming World Cup, Panama have been drawn in a group featuring England and Croatia, both established teams with strong international records. Despite the difficulty of the group, Díaz has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to compete.

He stated: “Many people are saying our group is very difficult, but I like it. When you play in the World Cup, you have to face the best teams. We are not going there just to gain experience; we are going there to compete.”

Díaz also highlighted Panama’s ambition to secure their first-ever World Cup victory. He described this as his primary objective, noting that achieving such a result in the opening match would represent a significant milestone for the team. However, he acknowledged the challenge posed by their opponents and emphasised that performance on match day would ultimately determine outcomes.

Reflecting on his background, Díaz recalled playing football in the streets with his brother and friends, often barefoot. He described how they continued playing despite injuries and difficult conditions. He added that, looking back, those experiences helped shape him both as a player and as a person, contributing to his development through perseverance and repeated exposure to hardship during his early years.