Eight years have passed since made their FIFA World Cup™ debut at Russia 2018, with many of the players from that campaign having hung up their boots in the years since.
However, seven of those Central American history-makers remain a big part of the Canaleros’ setup and played important roles in their qualification for the : Yoel Barcenas, Eric Davis, Ismael Diaz, Fidel Escobar, Anibal Godoy, Amir Murillo and Jose Luis Rodriguez.
“They’re no longer rookies—some, of course, are making their debut, while others have experience—but together they need to perform at their best,” said Panama head coach Thomas Christiansen at their.
The experience of Panama’s septet will be paramount, as they take on Croatia, England and Ghana in Group L in search of the country’s first World Cup triumph. FIFA take a look at Panama’s seven ‘two-timers’ and how their football has evolved since the Russia finals.
In 2018 Barcenas was mostly known as a speedy winger whose pace and quickness could win 1v1 battles and unbalance a defence. Over the years he has become more of a midfield presence, exhibiting better control and touch with the ball, improving his passing and shooting accuracy and showing an ability to combine with team-mates in the final third.
With Davis, it has come down to muscle. He wasn’t exactly a wispy 27-year-old in Russia, but the strength the left-back has added in the intermittent years has brought great physicality to his game, helping him overcome injuries that plagued him in earlier years. Offensively, he is more involved and with age, Davis has become one of the more vocal leaders of the Panama squad.
Diaz was a raw, fresh-faced 21-year-old attacker in 2018, but now has become the main marksman for the Canaleros. There is just something about tournament play that has brought out his best in recent years, including a Golden Boot-winning return at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup with six goals. His vision is vastly improved, as his understanding of space in the final third and timed arrivals into the area.
The centre-back was 23 when he played in all three of Panama’s matches in Russia, but in the intervening years he dealt with uncertainty at club level, especially in Europe where he never found continuity. Costa Rican giants Saprissa turned out to be a haven, and since joining them in 2022, he has grown as a player, namely with his passing out of the back into midfield, and his defensive organization. Those two qualities are sure to be put to the test in Panama’s three Group L encounters.
Godoy was already a staple of the Panama team in 2018, and eight years on he is just as important. The San Diego FC man still brings plenty of bite in midfield, but some of the rash challenges that plagued him in his 20s have been curbed as he enters in the autumn of his career. More than ever, he is a coach on the field with his management of the midfield, while also improving his passing, evidenced by the uptick in his assist totals.
Perhaps no player on the Panama squad has made more strides since Russia 2018 than Murillo. Back then, he was an up-and-coming right back with the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer (MLS), starting Panama’s first two matches. He took flight in 2019 with a move across the pond to Belgian giants Anderlecht, followed by a spell in France with Marseille and now with Turkish power Besiktas. Defensively, his close-outs on opposing attackers are second-to-none on the team, as is his crossing in the attacking third. There are not many Panama players with experience in European competitions, so his time in those high-pressure affairs will no doubt be an asset come June.
Rodriguez bid adieu to his teenage years while at Russia 2018, starting in their debut match against Belgium. A dynamic winger, he was pure electricity for the Canaleros, but lacked the consistency that often hinders younger players. Now at age 27, the Juarez man is in his prime and regularly performs at a top level for Christiansen. Previously his flashes of brilliance came in 1v1 situations, but he has progressed with his link-up play in attack and is a much better finisher.
Sources: FIFA Official
