Panama Forward Diaz Confident of Upsetting Ghana at World Cup
Panama forward Ismael Diaz has underlined his side’s belief ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Ghana, insisting the Central American nation is capable of competing with any team on the global stage.
The 29-year-old spoke with confidence from Panama’s training camp in New Tecumseth, Ontario, as preparations intensified for Wednesday’s Group L showdown at Toronto Stadium.
With both teams aiming to make a positive start to their World Cup campaign, Diaz believes Panama have developed the mentality and quality required to challenge higher-profile opponents.
“We have shown that we can compete against any team,” Diaz said.
The experienced attacker is preparing for his second World Cup appearance after featuring for Panama at the 2018 tournament in Russia. Drawing from years of experience at both club and international level, Diaz said he has grown significantly as a player and now aims to contribute beyond his performances on the pitch.
“Throughout a player’s career, you learn a lot from both positive and negative situations. I’ve learned from everything and now I try to contribute both on and off the field,” he explained.
Panama’s preparations have included tactical meetings, video analysis sessions and intensive training drills as the team seeks to arrive fully prepared for its opening assignment.
Despite facing a Ghana side determined to return to the knockout stages for the first time since 2010, Diaz remains convinced that Panama have nothing to fear.
“We’re not afraid of anyone. We want to compete against whoever is in front of us,” he said.
His remarks reflect the growing confidence within the Panamanian camp as the team seeks to make a significant impact in Group L.
A positive result against the Black Stars would boost Panama’s hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in the country’s history and provide momentum ahead of their remaining group-stage fixtures.
