Panama follows Morocco's performance in the World Cup.

Danish coach Thomas Christiansen, the coach of the Panama national football team, expressed his ambition to replicate the historic achievement of the Moroccan national team in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Christiansen confirmed in an interview with the Spanish newspaper "AS" that his team is looking to be the dark horse of the 2026 edition scheduled in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Danish-Spanish coach stated that the primary goal for the Panama national team is to surpass the group stage before thinking about going as far as possible, adding: "If we are fortunate and give our best, why can't we be the Morocco of this World Cup?"

The same speaker clarified that his players are not afraid to face major teams, which has contributed to the noticeable development the team has experienced in recent years.

The coach of the Panama national football team pointed out that the team has made a significant leap in the world rankings, having been ranked 87th at the beginning of his project in 2020, before rising to 33rd place globally.

Christiansen highlighted that reaching the Gold Cup final and the CONCACAF Nations League final, in addition to qualifying for the World Cup, reflects the amount of work that has been done within the team.

The guest of the Spanish newspaper "AS" described the group that placed Panama alongside England, Croatia, and Ghana as difficult; however, he emphasized that ambition and belief in their own abilities give his players confidence in the possibility of achieving an upset, especially in the opening match against Ghana, which he considers the key to advancing to the next round.

The same speaker confirmed that the Panama national team has now become one of the top teams in the CONCACAF region, having surpassed the United States national team on several occasions and competed with the Mexican national team for continental titles, considering that the Panamanian team is now gaining increasing respect on the international stage.

Christiansen concluded his statements by emphasizing that his focus is entirely on the upcoming World Cup, despite having received offers and interest from clubs and national teams in Mexico, the United States, and Spain, noting that his current dream is to lead Panama to a new historic achievement, following in the footsteps of the Moroccan team that amazed the world by reaching the semifinals in the Qatar 2022 World Cup.