Panama national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Panama

Nickname(s)	Los Canaleros (The Canal Men) La Marea Roja (The Red Tide)
Association	Federación Panameña de Fútbol
Confederation	CONCACAF (North America)
Sub-confederation	UNCAF (Central America)
Head coach	Thomas Christiansen
Captain	Aníbal Godoy
Most caps	Gabriel Gómez (148)
Top scorer	Luis Tejada (43)
Home stadium	Estadio Nacional Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez
FIFA code	PAN
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	76 5 (7 February 2019)
Highest	29 (March 2014)
Lowest	150 (August 1995)
Elo ranking
Current	65 17 (3 March 2019)
Highest	28 (July 2013)
Lowest	151 (June 1984)
First international
Panama 2–1 Venezuela  (Panama City, Panama; 12 February 1938)
Biggest win
Anguilla 0–13 Panama  (Panama City, Panama; 5 June 2021)
Biggest defeat
Panama 0–11 Costa Rica  (Panama City, Panama; 16 February 1938)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2018)
Best result	Group stage (2018)
CONCACAF Championship / Gold Cup
Appearances	12 (first in 1963)
Best result	Runners-up (2005, 2013, 2023)
CONCACAF Nations League
Appearances	3 (first in 2023)
Best result	Runners-up (2025)
Copa América
Appearances	2 (first in 2016)
Best result	Quarter-finals (2024)
Medal record CONCACAF Gold Cup Silver 2005 United States Team Silver 2013 United States Team Silver 2023 United States and Canada Team Bronze 2015 United States and Canada Team CONCACAF Nations League Silver 2025 United States Team Copa de Naciones UNCAF/Copa Centroamericana Gold 2009 Honduras Team Silver 2007 El Salvador Team Silver 2017 Panama Team Bronze 1993 Honduras Team Bronze 2011 Panama Team Bronze 2014 United States Team CCCF Championship Gold 1951 Panama Team Bronze 1948 Guatemala Team

The Panama national football team (called Selección de fútbol de Panamá in Spanish) is the official men's football team for Panama. They are managed by the Panamanian Football Federation. The team plays in competitions organized by FIFA, CONCACAF (North America), and UNCAF (Central America).

Panama made history by playing in the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2018 in Russia. They even scored their first World Cup goal against England. Even though they lost that game 6–1, it was a huge moment for the country. They finished last in their group.

The team has also done very well in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. They were runners-up in 2005, 2013, and 2023. They lost to the United States twice and to Mexico once in those finals. Panama also won the Copa Centroamericana in 2009 by beating Costa Rica in a penalty shootout.

The team's nickname is "Los Canaleros," which means "The Canal Men." This name refers to the famous Panama Canal.

Panama's Football Journey

Gold Cup Success in 2011

In the 2011 Gold Cup, Panama was in a tough group with Canada, the United States, and Guadeloupe. They started strong with a 3–2 win against Guadeloupe. Next, they surprised everyone by beating the United States 2–1. They then tied 1–1 with Canada, which meant they won their group for the first time in the Gold Cup. In the quarter-finals, they beat El Salvador 5–3 in a penalty shootout. They faced the United States again in the semi-finals but lost 1–0.

Reaching the 2013 Gold Cup Final

Panama had another great run in the 2013 Gold Cup. They started with a 2–1 win over Mexico, with Gabriel Torres scoring both goals. They then beat Martinique 1–0, securing their spot in the knockout rounds. They tied 0–0 against Canada to win their group. In the quarter-finals, they easily beat Cuba 6–1. Blas Pérez and Gabriel Torres each scored two goals in that game. They met Mexico again in the semi-finals and won 2–1, reaching the final for the second time. In the final, they played against the United States, who had beaten them in the 2005 final. Panama lost 1–0, but it was still a fantastic achievement.

Close Call in 2014 World Cup Qualifiers

Panama almost made it to the 2014 World Cup. In their very last qualifying match against the United States, they were leading 2–1 after 90 minutes. This meant they were set to play in a special play-off game. However, the United States scored two goals in extra time, which meant Panama was out. Mexico took their spot instead.

Third Place in 2015 Gold Cup

In the 2015 Gold Cup, Panama was in Group A with the United States, Haiti, and Honduras. All their group games ended in 1–1 ties. This was just enough for them to move to the knockout stage. In the quarter-finals, they tied 1–1 with Trinidad and Tobago and won 6–5 on penalties. They then played Mexico in the semi-finals. The game was tied 1–1 after 90 minutes. Mexico won 2–1 in extra time after a controversial penalty kick. Panama then played for third place against the United States. The game was 1–1 after extra time, and Panama won 3–2 on penalties, earning them third place.

Making History: 2018 World Cup Qualification

Four years after missing out on the 2014 World Cup, Los Canaleros finally qualified for the World Cup! They beat Costa Rica 2–1 in their last qualifying match. This win was extra special because it meant the United States, who lost their game, did not qualify for the first time since 1986. Román Torres scored the winning goal in the 87th minute and became a national hero. The day after the match, the President of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, declared a national holiday to celebrate this amazing achievement.

Panama's First World Cup in 2018

Panama national football team in 2024.

At the 2018 World Cup, Panama was in Group G. They played against strong teams like Belgium, England, and Tunisia. Their first World Cup match was on June 18, 2018, against Belgium. Panama held them to a 0–0 tie at halftime but eventually lost 3–0. Six days later, Panama played England and lost 6–1. However, Felipe Baloy scored Panama's first-ever World Cup goal in that game, which was a huge moment! In their final game, they lost 2–1 to Tunisia. Panama finished last in their group, losing all three games and letting in eleven goals. Despite the losses, playing in their first World Cup was a dream come true for the team and the country.

Team Leadership

The Panama national football team has a coaching staff that helps the players train and get ready for games.

• Head coach: Thomas Christiansen (from Spain and Denmark)
• Assistant coach: Francisco Javier Sánchez Jara (from Spain)
• Assistant coach: Jorge Dely Valdés (from Panama)
• Goalkeeping coach: Donaldo González (from Panama)

Meet the Players

Here are some of the players who were recently called up for important matches.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Luis Mejía	(1991-03-16) 16 March 1991 (age 34)	53	0	Nacional
12	1GK	César Samudio	(1994-03-26) 26 March 1994 (age 31)	4	0	Marathón
22	1GK	Orlando Mosquera	(1994-12-25) 25 December 1994 (age 30)	32	0	Al-Fayha
2	2DF	César Blackman	(1998-04-02) 2 April 1998 (age 27)	28	2	Slovan Bratislava
3	2DF	José Córdoba	(2001-06-03) 3 June 2001 (age 24)	21	0	Norwich City
4	2DF	Fidel Escobar	(1995-01-09) 9 January 1995 (age 30)	84	3	Saprissa
5	2DF	Edgardo Fariña	(2001-09-21) 21 September 2001 (age 23)	10	0	Khimki
13	2DF	Martín Krug	(2006-07-09) 9 July 2006 (age 18)	1	0	Atlético Levante
15	2DF	Jorge Gutiérrez	(1998-09-01) 1 September 1998 (age 26)	3	0	Deportivo La Guaira
16	2DF	Carlos Harvey	(2000-02-03) 3 February 2000 (age 25)	11	1	Minnesota United
19	2DF	Iván Anderson	(1997-11-24) 24 November 1997 (age 27)	12	1	Marathón
23	2DF	Omar Valencia	(2004-06-08) 8 June 2004 (age 21)	3	0	New York Red Bulls
6	3MF	Cristian Martínez	(1997-02-06) 6 February 1997 (age 28)	49	1	Ironi Kiryat Shmona
7	3MF	José Luis Rodríguez	(1998-06-19) 19 June 1998 (age 26)	53	7	Juárez
8	3MF	Adalberto Carrasquilla	(1998-11-28) 28 November 1998 (age 26)	62	2	UNAM
11	3MF	Edward Cedeño	(2003-07-05) 5 July 2003 (age 21)	0	0	Tarazona
14	3MF	Janpol Morales	(1998-06-22) 22 June 1998 (age 26)	1	0	Macará
20	3MF	Aníbal Godoy (captain)	(1990-02-10) 10 February 1990 (age 35)	144	4	San Diego
9	4FW	Tomás Rodríguez	(1999-03-09) 9 March 1999 (age 26)	4	0	Monagas
10	4FW	Ismael Díaz	(1997-05-12) 12 May 1997 (age 28)	42	9	Universidad Católica
17	4FW	José Fajardo	(1993-08-18) 18 August 1993 (age 31)	55	15	Universidad Católica
18	4FW	Cecilio Waterman	(1991-04-13) 13 April 1991 (age 34)	41	11	Coquimbo Unido
21	4FW	Gustavo Herrera	(2005-11-18) 18 November 2005 (age 19)	1	0	Puebla

Team Records

These are some of the top players in Panama's football history.

Most Games Played

Gabriel Gómez is Panama's most capped player with 148 appearances.

The players who have played the most matches for Panama are:

• Gabriel Gómez: 148 games
• Aníbal Godoy: 147 games (still playing!)
• Alberto Quintero: 138 games (still playing!)
• Jaime Penedo: 137 games
• Armando Cooper: 123 games
• Blas Pérez: 123 games

Top Goal Scorers

Luis Tejada is Panama's all-time top scorer with 43 goals.

The players who have scored the most goals for Panama are:

• Luis Tejada: 43 goals
• Blas Pérez: 42 goals
• Gabriel Torres: 24 goals
• Luis Ernesto Tapia: 20 goals
• Jorge Dely Valdés: 19 goals
• Julio Dely Valdés: 18 goals
• José Fajardo: 15 goals (still playing!)

Panama's Tournament History

FIFA World Cup Appearances

Panama has played in the FIFA World Cup once.

FIFA World Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2018	Group stage	32nd	3	0	0	3	2	11	Squad	16	6	5	5	16	15
Total	Group stage	1/20	3	0	0	3	2	11	—	116	40	26	50	147	179

CONCACAF Gold Cup Results

Panama has been very successful in the Gold Cup, reaching the final three times.

CONCACAF Championship & Gold Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
1963	Group stage	6th	4	1	2	1	8	4	Squad
1993	Group stage	7th	3	0	1	2	3	8	Squad
2005	Runners-up	2nd	6	2	3	1	7	6	Squad
2007	Quarter-finals	6th	4	1	1	2	6	7	Squad
2009		7th	4	1	1	2	7	5	Squad
2011	Semi-finals	3rd	5	2	2	1	7	6	Squad
2013	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	1	1	11	4	Squad
2015	Third place	3rd	6	0	5	1	6	7	Squad
2017	Quarter-finals	5th	4	2	1	1	6	3	Squad
2019		7th	4	2	0	2	6	4	Squad
2021	Group stage	9th	3	1	1	1	8	7	Squad
2023	Runners-up	2nd	6	3	2	1	11	6	Squad
Total	Runners-up	12/27	55	19	20	16	86	67	—

Copa América Participation

Panama has also competed in the Copa América.

Copa América record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
20162	Group stage	12th	3	1	0	2	4	10	Squad
2024	Quarter-finals	7th	4	2	0	2	6	10	Squad
Total	Quarter-finals	2/13	7	3	0	4	10	20	—

Copa Centroamericana Achievements

Panama won the Copa Centroamericana once and finished as runners-up twice.

Copa Centroamericana record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1991	Preliminary round	5th	2	1	0	1	2	3
1993	Third place	3rd	3	0	1	2	1	5
1995	Fifth place	5th	2	0	0	2	0	3
1997	Fifth place	5th	2	0	0	2	0	7
2001	Fourth place	4th	3	0	1	2	3	6
2003	Fifth place	5th	5	1	1	3	4	5
2005	Fourth place	4th	4	1	0	3	1	5
2007	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	1	1	5	2
2009	Champions	1st	4	2	1	1	2	3
2011	Third place	3rd	5	4	0	1	7	1
2013	Fifth place	5th	2	0	2	0	1	1
2014	Third place	3rd	3	2	1	0	5	2
2017	Runners-up	2nd	5	3	1	1	4	2
Total	1 Title	13/14	46	18	9	19	35	45

Team Honours

Panama has won several awards and titles in football tournaments.

Continental Awards

• CONCACAF Gold Cup
  • Runners-up (3 times): 2005, 2013, 2023
  • Third place (1 time): 2015
• CONCACAF Nations League
  • Runners-up (1 time): 2024–25

Regional Titles

• CCCF Championship
  • Champions (1 time): 1951
  • Third place (1 time): 1948
• Copa de Naciones UNCAF/Copa Centroamericana
  • Champions (1 time): 2009
  • Runners-up (2 times): 2007, 2017
  • Third place (3 times): 1993, 2011, 2014
• Central American and Caribbean Games
  • Silver medal (1 time): 1946
• Bolivarian Games
  • Bronze medal (2 times): 1970, 1973

Fair Play Awards

• CONCACAF Gold Cup Fair Play Trophy: 2013
• CONCACAF Nations League Fair Play Award: 2022-23, 2023-24

FIFA World Ranking History

The FIFA World Rankings show how well Panama's team is doing compared to other teams around the world.      Best Ranking       Worst Ranking       Best Mover       Worst Mover  

Panama's FIFA World Ranking History
Rank	Year	Best		Worst
		Rank	Move	Rank	Move
-	2023	-	-	-	-
61	2022	60	3	61	1
63	2021	63	6	78	1
78	2020	77	4	81	1
81	2019	74	2	81	5
71	2018	53	2	71	14
55	2017	49	11	61	9
58	2016	51	7	69	18
64	2015	53	8	65	8
57	2014	29	8	63	30
38	2013	35	11	51	8
51	2012	43	7	54	6
49	2011	49	15	68	13
64	2010	59	27	97	20
70	2009	50	33	83	9
88	2008	60	7	96	23
67	2007	52	20	80	14
81	2006	59	24	98	39
78	2005	76	15	101	3
100	2004	100	14	127	2
125	2003	116	9	130	4
129	2002	111		129	6
109	2001	109	10	125	2
121	2000	118	16	139	3
138	1999	133	5	143	2
131	1998	120	4	131	6
119	1997	103	1	119	5
101	1996	101	15	133	5
126	1995	126	15	150	15
140	1994	130	1	140	5
132	1993	125	1	132	5

More About Panama Football

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Panamá para niños

• Panama national under-23 football team
• Panama national under-20 football team
• Panama national under-17 football team
• Football in Panama