The answer comes down to a single historic kick in Russia in 2018, scored by former defender Felipe Baloy against England
If you want to know exactly Who is Panama’s top scorer in the history of World Cups?the statistical answer points to a single player: Felipe Baloy. The former defender holds this absolute record with just one goal scored. As the Central American nation has only competed in the FIFA tournament once, in the Russian edition in 2018, the country found the net on just two occasions throughout its entire history in the competition. The first goal was Baloy’s accurate shot, and the second was an own goal in favor. As a result, the former team captain is, in isolation, Panama’s top scorer in World Cups.
The historic goal against England in Russia
Panama’s only participation in a World Cup placed the team in Group G, alongside high-caliber European powers. THE unprecedented brand of Panamanian football took place on June 24, 2018, in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, during the 6-1 defeat to the England team.
The clock showed exactly 33 minutes of the second half. After a long free kick taken by midfielder Ricardo Ávila, Felipe Baloy anticipated the English defense and finished first time, beating goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The move generated absolute catharsis in the stands: despite suffering a heavy defeat from a favorite team, the fans celebrated the ball in the net as if it were the tournament title. Baloy himself, then 37 years old, was moved to tears on the pitch, immortalizing his name in the history of sport in the country.
Panamanian football top scorer ranking
The national team’s goal count in the global tournament is extremely small, but the federation’s records include great scorers in regional competitions.
Panama’s only goals in World Cups
The official record at the world championship counts two capital moves, both recorded in the 2018 group stage:
- Felipe Baloy: 1 goal (scored in the 78th minute of the match against England).
- Yassine Meriah (Tunisia): 1 own goal in favor of Panama (awarded after a shot by Panamanian José Luis Rodríguez deflected at the defense, during the 2-1 defeat to the African team).
Top scorers in the overall history of the national team
Leaving the restricted scope of the World Cup, the list of greatest scorers of all time of the Caribbean and Central American team (including qualifiers, official friendlies and the Gold Cup) is largely dominated by the country’s historical idols:
- Luis Tejada (in memory): 43 goals in 108 matches. Known as “Matador”, he was the nation’s main offensive reference before passing away suddenly in January 2024.
- Blas Pérez: 42 goals in 123 games, sharing the leadership of the Panamanian attack for years and the leading role of an entire generation alongside Tejada.
- Gabriel Torres: 24 goals in 105 official appearances, consolidating himself as the third main striker in the federation’s overall record.
The current squad and the search for new records in 2026
With classification assured for the 2026 World Cup, Panama will arrive in North America with every chance of expanding its offensive statistics. Under the technical leadership of Thomas Christiansenthe team stopped being treated merely as an underdog to establish itself as one of the main sporting forces on the continent today.
The current selection is based on athletes who arrive at a highly competitive pace, such as midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla and veteran attackers Cecilio Waterman and José Fajardo. The group will start the tournament with a very objective tactical goal: to score the second goal of a Panamanian athlete in the competition and, depending on the volume of play in the group stage, pass the solitary mark established by Baloy exactly eight years ago.
The legacy left by Felipe Baloy’s kick transcends the cold reading of an elimination with an elastic score. That accurate deflection erased the weight of decades of frustrated campaigns in the Concacaf Qualifiers and proved that the team could perform on the biggest stage on the planet. For the players who will wear the red shirt in the new tournament, the objective is to convert the celebration of an isolated goal into dangerous performances against the international elite.
