World Cup 2026: Panama captain Anibal Godoy targets history against Ghana in Group L opener

Panama captain Aníbal Godoy says the squad is determined to make history when they face Ghana in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday.

The experienced midfielder spoke with confidence during Panama's official pre-match press conference in Toronto, insisting the team is ready to translate its encouraging preparations into a strong performance against the Black Stars.

Godoy pointed to Panama's recent friendly draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina as evidence of the team's progress heading into the tournament.

"After seeing what we did in the last match against Bosnia, I think that's a perfect example of what we can do in this first match," Godoy said.

"We played a very serious game against a World Cup team, and that reflects the work we've been doing every day in training and at the camp."

The veteran midfielder believes the current generation possesses both the quality and mentality needed to achieve something special on football's biggest stage.

"We have a group with both human and technical quality. Our motivation is to make history," he stated.

"I have a very strong and profound feeling that when tomorrow is over, we will have made history."

Godoy also highlighted the resilience and competitive spirit that have become trademarks of the Panamanian national team under coach Thomas Christiansen.

"This team has been competing for the last six years, and the demands on them keep increasing because they compete so well," he said.

"We've faced difficult situations and always found a way to overcome them. The key will be keeping a clean sheet, maintaining a solid defensive structure and capitalizing on our scoring opportunities."

Panama will hope those qualities are on display when they take on Ghana in a crucial Group L encounter, with both nations eager to secure an early advantage in the race for qualification to the knockout stages.