World Cup experience, 22 players abroad: Panama arrive for India friendly

Bengaluru: Of the 24 players in Panama’s squad for the friendly against India, 22 ply their trade abroad. Many play in Major League Soccer in the US, while others are competing at an even higher level across Europe and Latin America, including Amir Murillo at Besiktas in Turkey, Andres Andrade at LASK in Austria and Jose Rodriguez at FC Juarez in Mexico.Panama, currently ranked 44th, made their World Cup debut in 2018 and also competed in the last edition won by Spain. They finished runners-up in the 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League.“Panama is a country that has a lot of talent,” midfielder Rodriguez told TOI before the visitors took the field for their first training session at the Centre of Sports Excellence here on Wednesday.“Earlier, there were not many players going abroad, but now there are a lot of young players getting the opportunity. It is definitely helping Panama football.”Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.