Getting CONCACAFed

Getting CONCACAFed

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Getting CONCACAFed
Getting CONCACAFed
πŸ‡΅πŸ‡¦ Panama continues trying to raise its profile, but progress comes slowly

πŸ‡΅πŸ‡¦ Panama continues trying to raise its profile, but progress comes slowly

More on tonight's USMNT opponent. PLUS: What happened to Mexico?

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Jon Arnold
Jun 27, 2024
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Getting CONCACAFed
Getting CONCACAFed
πŸ‡΅πŸ‡¦ Panama continues trying to raise its profile, but progress comes slowly
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Panama is building. And building. And building.

That’s not new for the nation. A building boom last decade earned Panama City comparisons to Dubai or Miami, with the skyline reflecting the transitional from sleepy capital city to transnational business hub.

But just like putting up a skyscraper, nothing is quick for Panama as it constructs its national team.

HDR - Panama City, Panama
The Panama City skyline (Photo by by Matthew Straubmuller, licensed under CC BY 2.0)

It has become the best team in Central America and now is working to compete as the top team in Concacaf, meeting the reigning Nations League champion the United States in a Copa AmΓ©rica group match tonight.

β€œWe always want to compete: Whether it’s a friendly, qualification, tournaments. This is a tournament we haven’t participated in, so we have to enjoy it, experience it and compete because it’ll help us for World Cup qualification and the matches in the future,” Panama manager Thomas Christiansen said. β€œThere are a lot of positive elements about participating in this tournament.”

It doesn’t sound like a man expecting to lift the trophy on July 16, or maybe one who thinks he’ll get out of the group. But the former Spain international is being realistic. Panama isn’t going to lift a trophy yet in Concacaf, much less when the entire Americas are involved.

If the Caribbean nations who nationalize players or get commitments from those already eligible in the top leagues are speed-running their roster construction, Panama is doing one of those videos where the streamer stops to pick up every coin.

Progress is slow in Panama. For every positive moment, there are conditions.

Every player on the Copa AmΓ©rica roster is playing outside Panama … but only one is in a top-five league, something that makes it tough to supercede regional rivals like the U.S.

β€œWe’ve known the United States for years. I think they’ve also had a very good evolution.

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