Superliga · Goalkeeper · #21 · Norway · 25 yrs
Former Manchester City midfielder Izzy Christiansen says she is excited for "a new era" under Enzo Maresca, but believes patience will be key as the Italian adjusts to his new job at Etihad Stadium. "The signing of Elliot Anderson is absolutely terrific," Christiansen told BBC Radio Manchester.
Despite their latest draw to Ghana, England arrive as top contenders for the 2026 World Cup. To achieve that, they face today Panama, chasing a victory to remain as leaders of the Group L. In light of this, fans are keeping a close eye on Harry Kane’s presence. England have arrived at the 2026 World Cup as clear favorites to win the title, recording one victory and one draw. Looking to secure first place in Group L, they face Panama today as the favorites to claim the win. However, Thomas Christiansen’s team may not make things easy, as they are chasing their first victory of the tournament. Therefore, fans are closely watching the status of Harry Kane. Harry Kane will start for England, as he is fully fit and has no suspensions pending. With first place in the group not yet secured, head coach Thomas Tuchel could stick with the experienced striker, as he remains the team’s best player. In addition, he will be looking to close the gap on Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland in the 2026 World Cup‘s scoring charts, arriving highly motivated. Alongside Kane, Thomas Tuchel will rely on Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka on the wings, looking to exploit the spaces in the opposition’s defense. In addition, Jude Bellingham will once again be essential as the attacking midfielder, making runs into space. As a clearly attack-minded team, they are aiming to shine in the goalscoring department. However, the defense remains a major talking point, as they will be without Reece James at right back. Panama have failed to make an impact at the 2026 World Cup. While they delivered competitive performances, they were unable to secure even a draw, leaving them eliminated. Nevertheless, head coach Thomas Christiansen will be looking to earn at least a draw or a victory, defeating England in what would be a historic result. To achieve this, they are expected to stick with the same tactical approach: Defensive solidity and counterattacks. Jude Bellingham #10 of England celebrates with Harry Kane #9 after scoring a goal. Panama confirmed lineup vs England Looking for their first victory at the 2026 World Cup, Panama will rely on their defensive solidity as their main weapon against England. As a result, Thomas Christiansen is likely to stick with his five-man defensive line. However, they will look to attack on the counter, making use of their wing-backs and wide midfielders. Their biggest challenge will be in the goalscoring department, meaning all eyes are on Tomás Rodriguez. With this in mind, Panama will play as follows: Orlando Mosquera; Amir Murillo, Fidel Escobar, José Córdoba, Andrés Andrade, Jorge Gutiérrez; Cristian Martínez, Yoel Bárcenas, Carlos Harvey, José Luis Rodríguez; Tomás Rodriguez. England confirmed lineup vs Panama England could adopt a highly attacking approach to face Panama. To do so, Thomas Tuchel will keep Harry Kane as the focal point of the attack. However, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka are the players with the greatest opportunity to shine, as the veteran striker could create plenty of space for them. In addition, Djed Spence has emerged as the leading candidate to start at right back, as Reece James will miss the match through injury. Considering this, England will lineup as follows: Jordan Pickford; Jarell Quansah, Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly; Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers; Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford.
What is Panama's current FIFA World Ranking for the 2026 World Cup? See where they stand ahead of their final Group L clash against 4th-ranked England. The Panama FIFA ranking sits at a live, updated position of 42nd in the world as Los Canaleros prepare to wrap up their highly demanding Group L schedule against global giants England. While Thomas Christiansen’s tactical unit officially entered the 2026 World Cup bracket occupying a respectable 34th position, the merciless nature of tournament math has caused an immediate downward shift. Tracking these live Elo-based alterations highlights the uphill climb Panama faces to protect their international prestige. The Central American representatives enter the pitch at Snapdragon Stadium burdened by a difficult start to their campaign. Back-to-back 1-0 defeats against Ghana and Croatia completely erased their margin for error, causing a six-place slide on the live coefficient tables. The Group L elephant in the room While Panama’s slide to 42nd reflects a team struggling to find the back of the net, the statistical gulf becomes even wider when looking at an England side firmly entrenched at 4th place globally. The current standings layout in Group L outlines the stark competitive divide ahead of kickoff: Group L standings & global rank CountryLive FIFA RankMatches PlayedPointsGoal DifferenceEngland4th24+2Ghana65th24+1Croatia13th23-1Panama42nd20-2 Historic trajectory To place Panama’s current 42nd position into clear perspective, the nation’s soccer history reveals an era of massive structural growth. Los Canaleros drifted at a highly difficult all-time floor of 150th in the world back in 1999. Through meticulous youth development and a sustained tactical identity under Christiansen, they eventually soared to a historic all-time peak of 29th globally. Facing the Three Lions under their current ranking profile presents a forgiving mathematical environment. Because the FIFA algorithm protects lower-ranked underdogs while heavily penalizing top-five favorites, Panama has nothing to lose; a loss barely impacts their point accumulation, while a shock result against England would trigger an immediate coefficient boost.
The result will decide more than just one team’s position, as it could impact the 2026 World Cup Group L standings and reshape the paths of Ghana and Croatia heading into the knockout stage. England and Panama will meet in their final 2026 World Cup Group L match on Saturday, with the Three Lions still chasing first place while Panama enters the game already eliminated. The result will decide more than just one team’s position, as it could impact the 2026 World Cup Group L standings and reshape the paths of Ghana and Croatia heading into the knockout stage. England entered the tournament with major expectations and looked on course after a dominant 4-2 victory over Croatia in the opening match. However, the national team was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw against Ghana, leaving the group wide open with the final matchday approaching. Thomas Tuchel’s side currently leads Group L with four points, tied with Ghana but ahead on goal difference. Croatia sits just one point behind, meaning Tuchel and his players cannot afford to completely relax despite facing a Panama team that has already suffered elimination after defeats to Ghana and Croatia. Panama, meanwhile, has been competitive despite losing both matches by narrow margins. The national team fell 1-0 to Ghana and 1-0 to Croatia, but performances suggested the scorelines did not fully reflect the effort shown by Thomas Christiansen’s side. PositionTeamWDLGDPts1.England110+242.Ghana110+143.Croatia101-134.Panama002-20 The match also brings back memories of the 2018 World Cup, when England defeated Panama 6-1, with Harry Kane scoring a hat-trick. However, Panama believes this version of the team is far stronger and more prepared to challenge top opponents. What happens if England wins and Panama loses? A victory would move England to seven points and guarantee a place in the knockout stage as one of the top two teams in Group L. It would also put the Three Lions in the strongest position to finish first, although Ghana’s result against Croatia could still influence the final ranking. Harry Kane #9 of England celebrates scoring a brace vs Croatia. If Ghana fails to defeat Croatia, England automatically wins the group. However, if Ghana also wins, both teams would finish level on seven points, and the group winner would be decided by tiebreakers, beginning with goal difference. For Panama, a defeat would confirm a winless group-stage exit. The national team would still leave the tournament with valuable experience after competing against some of the strongest sides in the group. What happens if England and Panama draw? A draw would take England to five points and guarantee qualification, but it would create uncertainty over first place. The Three Lions would need to watch the Ghana vs Croatia match closely, as the result would determine whether they finish top or second. Jude Bellingham #10 of England celebrates with Harry Kane #9 after scoring a goal. If Ghana and Croatia draw, England would finish as the Group L winner. But if either Ghana or Croatia wins, that team would move above England in the standings and take first place. A draw would still represent progress for Panama compared with its 2018 World Cup campaign, as the national team would show improvement despite failing to reach the knockout stage. What happens if Panama wins and England loses? A shock defeat would prevent England from winning Group L and open the door for Ghana or Croatia to claim first place. England would remain on four points, meaning its final position would depend heavily on the result between Ghana and Croatia. Adalberto Carrasquilla of Panama. If Ghana beats or draws Croatia, Ghana would secure the top position, and England would likely finish second. If Croatia defeats Ghana, Croatia would jump to six points and win the group. For Panama, a victory would be a historic moment, giving the national team its first World Cup win and potentially damaging England’s hopes of entering the knockout rounds
The match between Panama and Croatia in Group L of the 2026 World Cup has Luka Modric from the beginning. With Panama and Croatia both looking for their first win at the 2026 World Cup, this match could go a long way toward shaping Group L, as Luka Modric is expected to start. For Croatia, their first match was the toughest one, as they had England on the fixture. However, even with the talent of their rivals, the performance was not the best, and they were beaten 4-2. This match looks like a great chance to redeem themselves against a weaker team. Panama’s debut was almost historic, as they came very close to earning a point until Ghana scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Their goal of reaching the next round may now look out of reach with the teams in the group. Panama vs Croatia lineups The lineup that Thomas Christiansen confirmed for Panama is this one: Mosquera, Blackman, Cordoba, Ramos, Harvey, Andrade, Murillo, Martinez, Rodriguez, Barcenas and Fajardo. Modric didn’t complete the first match (Michael Reaves/Getty Images) On the Croatia side, Zlatko Dalić chose this lineup: Livakovic, Stanisic, Pongracic, Gvardiol, Sutalo, Kovacic, Modric, Baturina, Perisic, Pasalic and Musa. Their final matches For the final match of the group, which will decide the teams reaching the next round on June 27, Panama are playing against England while Croatia meet Ghana. England currently lead Group L with 4 points and a +2 goal difference, followed by Ghana with 4 points and a +1 goal difference. Panama are third with 0 points and a -1 goal difference, while Croatia are last with 0 points and a -2 goal difference.
Panama have managed to build a successful project ahead of the 2026 World Cup. However, they were defeated by Ghana in their debut. After that, they have lost some positions in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking ahead of the match against Croatia. Panama have returned to a World Cup after eight years of absence. Head coach Thomas Christiansen has managed to impose an offensive approach based on counterattacks and possession. Nonetheless, they were defeated by Ghana in a last-minute goal, compromising their future in the tournament. After that, they have lost some positions in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking ahead of the match against Croatia. Ahead of today’s clash, Panama are ranked 40th spot with 1505.33 points, as per FIFA Men’s World Ranking. Due to their lost, they lost six spots, being one of the most affected national teams in the ranking. Under Thomas Christiansen, they have managed to make a generational transition. However, they have yet to match their highest-ever ranking, which was 29th on August of 1995. Despite their boost of competitiveness, Panamá remain the second lowest-ranked national team in their group at the 2026 World Cup. Croatia are ranked 15th spot with 1,695.21 points. Ghana hold the 65th spot with 1380.71 points. Finally, England remain the highest-ranked national team in the group, holding the 4th spot with 1847.68 points. Thomas Christiansen has managed to turn Panama into one of the strongest teams in CONCACAF. With Amir Murillo and César Blackman, they aim to exploit the space behind Croatia’s defensive line. However, they could struggle to make an impact in front of goal, as they rely heavily on Cecilio Waterman and José Luis Rodríguez, especially with Joško Gvardiol and Luka Vušković standing out for their defensive solidity. Cristian Martinez #6 of Panama shoots at goal while Gideon Mensah #14 of Ghana attempts to block. Panama must solve scoring issues to challenge Croatia Although not a top contender for the 2026 World Cup, Panama could still surprise Croatia. While Thomas Christiansen does not have midfield superiority in terms of individual quality, the team uses a five-man defensive line to launch efficient counterattacks, while also building long possessions. In that phase, they can do real damage to their opponents, but they face a key issue that must be resolved: Their lack of scoring efficiency. Unlike Croatia, they do not have forwards playing in Europe’s top leagues. Cecilio Waterman is the usual starter for the head coach and plays for U. de Concepción in Chile. Alongside him, José Fajardo, Tomás Rodríguez, and Azarías Londoño complete the forward options. However, none of them arrive in peak form for Panama, which could prove costly. As a result, they will need a standout performance, as they require at least a draw.
Croatia have managed to make a successful rebuild of their roster ahead of the 2026 World Cup. However, they were defeated by England in their debut. After that, they have lost some positions in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking ahead of the match against Panama. After a historic generation, Croatia have begun a rebuilding of their roster, led by head coach Zlatko Dalić. Even though Luka Modrić and some other veterans remain in the squad, they have opted for young players as the cornerstone of their project. Despite this, they were defeated by England in their debut, causing them to lose some positions in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking ahead of the match against Panama. Ahead of today’s clash, Croatia are ranked 15th spot with 1,695.21 points, as per FIFA Men’s World Ranking. Due to their lost, they lost four spots, being one of the most affected national teams in the ranking. Under Zlatko Dalić, they have managed to make a generational transition. However, they have yet to match their highest-ever ranking, which was 3rd on July of 1998. Croatia remain the second highest-ranked national team in their group at the 2026 World Cup. Panamá currently hold the 40th spot with 1505.33 points. Ghana hold the 65th spot with 1380.71 points. Finally, England remain the highest-ranked national team in the group, holding the 4th spot with 1847.68 points. Zlatko Dalić has maintained an attacking approach with Croatia. With Petar Sučić and Martin Baturina leading the way, they control the attacking midfield, creating space for the attacking wing-backs. However, Luka Modrić remains an essential figure, playing a key role in managing the tempo of the game with his experience. In addition, Petar Musa would look to make an impact in front of goal against Panama, just as he did against England. Luka Modric of Croatia Croatia may struggle to dominate possession against Panama Croatia base their style of play on possession and high pressing. With a highly technical midfield, they usually control the tempo of the game and launch very efficient counterattacks. However, they could struggle to impose this style against Panama, who also tend to dominate possession. For this, Luka Modrić stands out as a key figure, as he needs to deliver his best performance after his underwhelming display against England. Led by Thomas Christiansen, Panama have significantly improved their competitiveness, aiming to be protagonists with the ball. Yoel Bárcenas and Carlos Harvey control the midfield, alongside César Blackman and Amir Murillo. As a result, Luka Modrić will be key for Croatia, as his experience and quality could give Zlatko Dalić’s team complete control. In addition, Petar Sučić could serve as his ideal partner, as both will need to deliver at their best.
Panama did not include Adalberto Carrasquilla in their 2026 World Cup debut against Ghana. This World Cup debut will not feature Panama’s ideal lineup against Ghana, as Adalberto Carrasquilla is not starting in today’s match. The reason Carrasquilla is out of the lineup is that he is still recovering from a muscle injury he suffered a few weeks ago. The left abductor tear came in the Liga MX final on May 25, when Pumas lost to Cruz Azul. Even if Carrasquilla is not available from the start in this important match for Thomas Christiansen, the expectation is that the midfielder could come off the bench if the team needs him. Carrasquilla’s importance Even if Carrasquilla does not have a long club résumé, he does have plenty of experience. The 27-year-old began at Tauro in Panama before moving to Cartagena, where the most important transfers in his career later followed. Carrasquilla got injured playing for Pumas in May (Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images) His next step came when his career took off after he was initially loaned to Houston Dynamo, where he stayed longer. The following move was another important jump in level when he joined his current club. Carrasquilla’s biggest asset for this team may be the international experience that not many players can match. The midfielder’s 73 appearances for his country could be missed in this tournament if he is not able to play regularly. Panama’s matches After the match against Ghana, which closes the first fixture in Group L following England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia, Panama will face Croatia on June 23 before playing England on June 27.
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