World Cup 2026: Scouting Panama – what England can expect

During their first two games, Panama have taken a dynamic approach depending on the phase of play the game is in.

From opposition goal-kicks, Panama have stepped up to press aggressively in a 4-4-2 shape.

If the opponents have quality on the ball and find themselves in possession higher up the pitch, Panama’s high press falls into a mid-block, and they move from a 4-4-2 into a 5-3-2. Their focus is on making it hard for teams to play through them.

As Croatia, in particular, grew into the game, Panama took an even more defensive approach.

Their 5-3-2 became a 5-4-1, a shape they adopted with a deeper defensive line for large parts of the game.

So what does this mean for England?