Carrasquilla Isn’t 100% but he Will Be on the Panama Bench: Coach Thomas Christiansen

The Panama national team is entering the countdown to its highly anticipated debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.  The match against Ghana at Toronto Stadium. Head coach Thomas Christiansen and Captain Aníbal Godoy will appear before the media Tuesday at the official conference prior to the Group L match. Last night they chatted.

Godoy: “Carrasquilla pictured below left, is doing very well, he feels great, and I’m happy he’s like this. He’s someone you don’t have to tell anything because he’s intelligent. He’s on board and ready to contribute.”

Christiansen: “Tomorrow will be exciting. I don’t know what emotions we’ll experience. When we hear the anthem, the Panamanians will be even more excited. The important thing is to watch the field, how they sing the anthem and express their desire to play a great match. Right now, if Carrasquilla isn’t ready to start, he’d play at most 45 minutes, but I couldn’t say for sure right now.”

Godoy: “One to zero is the best scenario.”

Christiansen: “I’d sign up for that too, and it’s not just one of the goals, it’s the goal. The goal is the World Cup. It’s not just about participating, it’s also about making history, and that depends on what Aníbal said, and I’d like that result to be the one we achieve, for the joy of the whole country. I’m very grateful to the fans who support their team and to those who will be there tomorrow, because there has been an effort of money and time to support them. Seeing the stadium half full of Panamanians fills us with pride.”

Godoy: “It’s time to give the youngsters a chance. It’s not about me. I’ll talk about what happens when we get there, hopefully the semifinals or quarterfinals. Right now, I’m not thinking about retirement, but about taking it one day at a time.”

Christiansen: “After such a demanding match, there are always players carrying knocks and others we want to rest or take care of. The important thing is to have everyone at 100% for tomorrow’s game, and that’s why we gave them a break in training. Everything is planned, and we know how far we can push ourselves. As a result, we have everyone available.”

Godoy: “Since he arrived at the National Team, he not only changed the way we compete, but he also made us believe that we can play on equal terms, something we didn’t have before. It’s a delight to play with this Panamanian National Team.”

Godoy: “It’s been one of the best decisions we’ve made: to be away from the city center. For us, it’s been ideal for training and preparing well. We have everything we need; we can walk anywhere in the camp and we don’t have to think about anything other than working, eating, training, and resting. That’s actually been an important part of continuing to improve every day.”

Christiansen: “There’s no need to discover Aníbal’s qualities as captain of this ship. He knows the demands placed upon him, he’s the first to push himself, and that sets the tone for his teammates. Now it’s up to us, with his experience and that of other players who have already been through this, to translate that learning onto the pitch tomorrow. There will certainly be nerves because we’re at the most important sporting event in the world, but it’s good to have people who can calm the group before such an important match.”

Godoy: “Our group motivation is to win and advance to the next round.”

Christiansen: “If we’ve finalized the list at 26, it means (Carrasquilla) is fine. He’s not 100%, he’ll be on the bench. We have to take it step by step, but if tomorrow, for whatever reason, we have to make changes, if we deem it necessary.”

Godoy: “This team has been competing, and more is always expected of us. If we weren’t competing, people would say we’re just here for a stroll. We want to enjoy ourselves, but we want more. We have to be very focused and make as few mistakes as possible. I have a feeling that we are going to make history.”

Christiansen: “We have a lot of respect for Ghana. They are a team with experience in World Cups. Queiroz’s experience can be useful in providing his players with valuable insights. It’s going to be a difficult match, but the team is in good shape and confident that we can win. We will maintain the initial list. Carrasquilla and Mejía have recovered well. Griffith and Gunn are returning to their clubs.”