Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnum PEI
From the second article in the link above:
link
Still, I'm surprised this happens in Panama (I think of it more as a baseball country), even if its only like 20 people. I suspect there wouldnt be a showing at all if it wasn't for the unsporting way Canada won. |
Baseball was way bigger... Panama used to be whipping boys in CONCACAF. Then around the millenium they produced a really good crop of players and went on a run in WCQ for 2006. They didn't make it but I think that soccer has become way more popular since. Three or four years ago they invested quite alot of money rebuilding the national soccer stadium.
It's not at the level of hostility you'd see in Honduras/El Salvador/Guatemala/Costa Rica but it's getting there pretty quick. They used to be a walkover in the 90s on and off the pitch.
They usually only go a bit crazy for the US and Mexico type games because we have never made it this far in a meaningful position in the last 10 years since they got decent and their fanbase woke up.