Panamanian striker Josué Vergara is in excellent form with KAA Gent in Belgium, scoring his third goal for the club against Club Brugge. His performance sparks debate about his future with the Panama national football team, which is preparing for an Asian tour this fall while building towards the 2026 World Cup. According to La Estrella de Panamá, the 19-year-old has seized his opportunity in Europe and is now a talking point for head coach Thomas Christiansen's next squad selection.
Who is Josué Vergara and why is he standing out?
Josué Vergara is a 19-year-old center forward who started his career at Tauro FC in Panama. In 38 matches with the first team he scored five goals and provided three assists, numbers that caught the eye of Latvian side Auda. His move to the Latvian club in January of this year was the definitive springboard. There, in just 20 appearances, he managed 14 goals and three assists, a level of productivity that earned him a move to Belgian football six months later.
His adaptation to Gent has been swift and impactful. In nine matches across the Conference League and the Jupiter Pro League, Vergara has accumulated 665 minutes and started eight times. What is most impressive is the variety and maturity of his goals, scoring with his head and with his back to goal alike. This form is not new, but his consolidation in a competitive league like Belgium's strengthens his case for a national team call-up.
What memory did Messi leave against Panama?
Lionel Messi's retirement from the Argentine national team closes a chapter that included two matches against Panama. The first was in the 2016 Copa América Centenario, where Messi, coming off the bench, scored a hat-trick in Argentina's 5-0 victory in Chicago. The second meeting came in March 2023 in Buenos Aires, in a match celebrating Argentina's world title.
On that occasion, Messi scored from a free kick in the final minutes, reaching his 800th professional goal. Beyond the national team, Messi's link with Panama included a visit in 2025 with Inter Miami CF for a friendly against Sporting San Miguelito. These encounters marked different stages for both the Argentine legend and the growth of Panamanian football on the international stage.
How is Panama preparing for the future?
The national team has a busy schedule ahead that serves as preparation for the ultimate goal: the 2026 World Cup. The team ended its last window of matches with a record of one win, one draw, and three losses in its last five outings, according to our verified data. Its last result was a 0-2 defeat to England on June 27.
The next official fixture is a home friendly against New Zealand on October 1, a match listed on our fixtures calendar. This game is part of a series of high-level tests the team will face, including a tour of Asia in September and October. Thomas Christiansen's coaching staff is constantly evaluating players like Vergara who can bring freshness and goals to the project on the road to the World Cup.
What is the outlook for the 2027 Women's World Cup?
While the men's team focuses on 2026, the path to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil is already underway. A report from ESPN details the format and the state of qualifications. The tournament will feature 32 nations divided into eight groups of four teams, replicating the successful format of the 2023 edition.
In Concacaf, the four semifinalists from the region's W Championship in November-December 2026 will earn their direct ticket to the World Cup. Panama is one of the eight teams competing in that qualifying tournament, alongside Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, and the United States. The four teams that do not win their quarterfinals will contest a playoff for two additional spots in the intercontinental play-off tournament. The fight to be in Brazil begins in a few months.
