Panama’s world ranking took a hit before the Croatia match. They sat 40th in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking with 1505.33 points after dropping six places when Ghana beat them by a last-minute goal.
Thomas Christiansen and Panama
That drop leaves Panama as the second lowest-ranked national team in their group at the 2026 World Cup, with Croatia sitting 15th on 1,695.21 points and England 4th on 1847.68. Thomas Christiansen has managed Panama through that swing in position, and the ranking gap now puts the scale of the matchup on the page before kickoff.
Panama had come back to a World Cup after eight years away, and the numbers show why the group has become a grind. They have 1505.33 points, far short of Croatia’s total, while Ghana’s 1380.71 points still sat above Panama only after the six-place slide reshaped the table around them.
Cecilio Waterman and the attack
Cecilio Waterman, Panama’s usual starter and a player for U. de Concepción in Chile, remains part of the picture as Christiansen works with the attacking group. He is one of the names tied to a side that has tried to mix counterattacks with possession, but the recent ranking fall shows how little margin Panama have after the Ghana defeat.
Amir Murillo and César Blackman are also in the mix for Panama, with José Luis Rodríguez another forward option as the team prepares for Croatia. The ranking does not decide the match, but it does show the size of the gap Panama must close against a side ranked 15th, and it leaves their World Cup place defined by a six-spot slide they could not afford.
Croatia and England pressure
The next test is clear inside the group: Panama face Croatia with the burden of being the second lowest-ranked side and the memory of a last-minute loss still attached to the standings. How much the 40th-place ranking carries into the match itself will be answered on the pitch, but the numbers already say Panama are going in from a lower floor than they wanted.
