• Best Bet:
  • World Cup appearances: 0
  • Best World Cup finish: n/a
  • Nickname: Los Canaleros (The Canal Men)
  • Coach - Hernán Darío Gómez: Panama boss Hernán Darío Gómez will be coaching in his third World Cup this summer. The Colombian native led both Ecuador and his home nation at FIFA’s showpiece, being eliminated in the group stages both times.

    Legend - Luis Tejada: 35-year-old Luis Tejada is still playing, but he's Panama’s record goal scorer and is regarded as one of their best players ever. He has scored 43 goals in 104 appearances.

    Star man - Roman Torres: Torres scored a joint-high two goals in qualification. The centre-back stands at six-foot two-inches and is known for his commanding defensive performances.

    Did you know? The Panama Canal is known to be one of the seven modern day wonders of the world.

    Fun fact: Panama is unique in the fact that it is said to be one of the only places on earth where you can actually watch both the sun rise on the Pacific and then set again at night on the Atlantic.

    Qualifying: Panama finished third in CONCACAF qualification, winning four games, drawing four and losing only two.

    Fixtures: Belgium (6pm, 18 June, Fisht Olympic Stadium), England (1pm, 24 Juen Nizhny Novgorad Staidum), Tunisia (7pm, 28 June, Mordovia Arena)

    Panama squad

    Goalkeepers: Jose Calderon (Chorrillo), Jaime Penedo (Dinamo Bucharest), Alex Rodriguez (San Francisco).

    Defenders: Felipe Baloy (Municipal CSD), Harold Cummings (San Jose Earthquakes), Erick Davis (Dunajska Streda), Fidel Escobar, Michael Murillo, Adolfo Machado, Luis Ovalle, Roman Torres (Seattle Sounders).

    Midfielders: Jose Luis Rodriguez (Gent), Edgar Barcenas (Cafetaleros de Tapachula), Armando Cooper (Universidad de Chile), Anibal Godoy (San Jose Earthquakes), Gabriel Gomez (Bucaramanga), Valentin Pimentel (Plaza Amador), Alberto Quintero (Universitario).

    Forwards: Abdiel Arroyo (Alajuelense), Ismael Diaz (Deportivo La Coruna), Blas Perez (Municipal), Luis Tejada (Sports Boys), Gabriel Torres (CD Huachipato).

    Panama Profile

    It's 12th time lucky for Panama as they qualified for their first ever World Cup after failing in 11 previous attempts to make the finals.