World Cup Scout: Panama general Godoy out to impress against esteemed opposition

All eyes will be on the plethora of talent at Roberto Martinez’s disposal for Belgium in Monday’s evening kick-off against Panama, and the underdogs will need to be at their very best to pull off any sort of an upset.

With a front three of Eden Hazard, Dries Mertens and Romelu Lukaku, cutting the supply line from chief creator Kevin De Bruyne will be easier said than done.

However, if the World Cup debutants do have a man capable of breaking up play and frustrating the Red Devils in the middle ground that man is Anibal Godoy.

The 28-year-old is a veteran of the international scene for Panama and has been an important player for club side San Jose Earthquakes since making the move to MLS in 2015.

An impressive deep-lying midfielder, Godoy can both win back possession and retain it in manner of different ways and enjoyed a strong start to the 2018 season in the US.

He gets through a lot of defensive work, averaging 2.8 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per game this season, and is strong in the air to boot, offering the sort of physicality that will be crucial given Panama’s underdog status this summer.

Equally important, meanwhile, will be the ability to avoid turning over possession too frequently when they do have the ball. Midfield general Godoy will be even more pivotal then, as an accomplished passer also capable of dribbling away from pressure (2.1 per game).

A pass accuracy of 89.7% this season is perfectly aligned to his average over the previous four campaigns and while the midfielder’s primary role in Russia will be to disrupt opposition attacks, he could be key to instigating the rare opportunities that Panama have to launch their own.

With scouts set to flock to every game at the World Cup over the next four weeks, Godoy is the one Panama player that my be optimistic of playing at a higher level.