Ante Budimir's solitary second-half goal rescued Croatia's World Cup 2026 campaign as they edged Panama 1-0 in Group L, a result that eliminated the Central Americans and kept Zlatko Dalic's side within striking distance of the knockout stages.
The victory came on a historic night for Luka Modric, who at 40 years old became the fourth men's player to reach 200 senior international caps, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kuwait's Bader al-Mutawa. Modric received a thunderous ovation from the Croatian supporters in attendance and was substituted in the 81st minute to a hero's farewell.
Match Decided by Single Goal
The only goal of the match came in the 54th minute when substitute Budimir, introduced at half-time, turned home a cross from Josip Stanisic at the far post after the full-back had been played through by Marco Pasalic. The goal was the only one scored across Group L on the day, leaving Croatia level on three points with England and Ghana, while Panama are eliminated without a point.
Panama had held firm for much of the match, deploying a deep 5-4-1 formation that frustrated Croatia's attempts to play through them. The first half ended with a cumulative expected goals (xG) of just 0.11 from three shots, as both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances.
Panama's Defensive Resilience
Panama's game plan was clear: absorb pressure and hit on the counter. They had successfully executed this approach in recent years, reaching the knockout stages of the 2024 Copa America, the final of the 2025 Concacaf Nations League, and winning a third Gold Cup silver medal in 2023. Their manager Thomas Christiansen had declared before the tournament, "Our faith moves mountains."
However, limitations in attack proved costly. The Canaleros have yet to score at this World Cup, having been held scoreless in their opening 1-0 defeat to Ghana. Against Croatia, they created half-chances but lacked precision, with Jose Fajardo isolated up front and crosses routinely cleared by the Croatian defence.
Croatia's Ageing Core
Croatia's veteran spine, which led the nation to a World Cup final in 2018 and third place in 2022, is showing its age. The team relied on 37-year-old Ivan Perisic and Modric to provide creativity, but struggled to break down Panama's disciplined defence. Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who impressed against England despite conceding four, made several key saves to keep Panama at bay, including a first-half stop from Jose Luis Rodriguez's header that deflected off the crossbar.
After Budimir's goal, Panama pushed forward, leaving gaps that Croatia exploited on the counter. Modric sent Pasalic through on goal, but Orlando Mosquera denied him, and the rebound was missed. Panama's late pressure amounted to desperate attempts from distance and ineffective corners, as Livakovic held firm.
Implications for Group L
The result leaves Croatia level on points with England and Ghana, who drew 1-1 earlier in the day. Panama are eliminated with two defeats. Croatia face England in their final group match, with the winner likely to advance. For Panama, it is the end of a remarkable journey that saw them overachieve in Concacaf competitions but ultimately fall short on the global stage.
Modric, who was substituted to a standing ovation, may add to his cap tally in future matches. As the Guardian's live blog noted, "the mountain was unmoved by the faith" – a reference to Panama's belief system – but for Croatia, the veteran maestro's legacy continues to grow.
