Panama's Ismael Díaz Focused on Advancing in World Cup 2026

Panamanian forward Ismael Díaz, a key player for León in Mexico's Liga MX and a member of the national team, shared his optimism ahead of Panama's 2026 World Cup debut against Ghana on June 17. Díaz highlighted the significant progress of football in Panama, emphasizing that the team's experience gained in international tournaments will be vital.

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In the last year, we have been doing things in the best way. We know that football grows with the years, and we are demonstrating that there is a lot of quality in the country.

"In the last year, we have been doing things in the best way. We know that football grows with the years, and we are demonstrating that there is a lot of quality in the country," Díaz stated. He stressed that the excitement for the tournament extends beyond the team, encompassing the entire nation. "Both this squad, the fans who come here, and the people in Panama will enjoy this a lot," he added.

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Both this squad, the fans who come here, and the people in Panama will enjoy this a lot.

Díaz affirmed that the Panamanian team approaches the competition with a winning mentality. "We always go with the mentality of wanting to compete. Here we go with that mentality, we know we are going to do things in the best way," he asserted. Regarding the team's objectives, Díaz set an ambitious yet grounded goal: "I would like to take it step by step. The first objective would be to qualify for the next round, for me, that would be a tremendous objective for the whole country." He concluded by expressing hope to advance round by round and enjoy every match.

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We always go with the mentality of wanting to compete. Here we go with that mentality, we know we are going to do things in the best way.