Panama’s experienced squad aims to upset England in World Cup clash

Panama will walk into MetLife Stadium on June 27 with something most underdogs lack: a core of players who have already been through the World Cup pressure cooker. Five members of the country’s historic 2018 squad, their first-ever World Cup appearance, are back for the 2026 edition, and they’re set to anchor the team’s final Group L match against England.

England has already punched their ticket to the Round of 16. Panama, meanwhile, is looking to close out their tournament run with something more than a moral victory. The kickoff is set for 5:00 PM ET at East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The returning five

The experienced contingent reads like a spine of the entire team. Goalkeeper Luis Mejía provides stability between the posts. Defenders Amir Murillo, Eric Davis, and Fidel Escobar form a back line that has seen this stage before. And midfielder Alberto Quintero adds creative guile in the middle of the park.

Panama’s 2018 campaign in Russia was a learning experience. They lost all three group games and conceded 11 goals. But eight years later, those survivors carry institutional memory that no tactical whiteboard session can replicate.

Head coach Thomas Christiansen will be leaning heavily on these five to set the tempo, organize the defense, and keep younger players from getting overwhelmed by the occasion.

Trouble in training camp

Not everything has been smooth sailing for Panama in the lead-up. Forwards Cecilio Waterman and José Luis Rodríguez got into an altercation during a training session, the kind of incident that can either fracture a squad or serve as a release valve for pent-up tension.

The timing is particularly unfortunate. Panama needs every offensive weapon firing in sync against an England defense that has looked organized throughout the group stage.

Panama’s attacking threat

On the offensive side, Panama will rely on their joint top qualifying scorers, José Fajardo and Puma Rodríguez, to provide the firepower.

Christiansen, a Danish-Spanish coach who has managed in Cyprus and at the international level, brings a European tactical framework that complements Panama’s natural physicality and counter-attacking instincts.

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