Panama vs Croatia: Budimir Off the Bench to Sink Panama 1-0
Updated 23 June 2026.
Panama vs Croatia at World Cup 2026 finished 1-0, substitute Ante Budimir scoring nine minutes after coming on at half-time to eliminate Panama on the night Luka Modric won his 200th cap for Croatia. Marco Pasalic’s backheel and a low Josip Stanisic cross teed up Budimir at the back post in the 54th minute at BMO Field in Toronto.
| Match facts | Detail |
|---|---|
| Result | Panama 0-1 Croatia |
| Competition | World Cup 2026, Group L |
| Venue | BMO Field, Toronto |
| Croatia scorer | Budimir 54′ (Stanisic assist) |
| Attendance | 43,036 |
| Milestone | Luka Modric’s 200th appearance for Croatia |
Panama vs Croatia World Cup 2026: how Budimir won it
Panama started brightly and Cesar Rodriguez headed against the crossbar in an open first half, but manager Zlatko Dalic’s half-time change settled the game. Budimir, on for the second half, finished calmly at the back post in the 54th minute after Marco Pasalic’s backheel set up Josip Stanisic to cross low. At 34, Budimir became Croatia’s oldest ever World Cup goalscorer, surpassing the record Ivica Olic set against Cameroon in 2014. Panama pushed for an equaliser and won seven corners after the goal but could not find a way through, with Yoel Barcenas and Petar Sucic both booked in a frantic finish.
The result was overshadowed only by Modric, who became just the fourth men’s player in history to reach 200 international caps, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Bader Al-Mutawa. “He is still influencing matches, and to play for your country 200 times, that is a lot,” Dalic said afterwards.
What it means for Group L
Croatia move to three points and can still reach the Round of 32 with a win over Ghana in the final round, while Panama are mathematically eliminated on zero points from two games. England’s draw with Ghana on the same day leaves the group finely poised going into the last round. Track the full picture on our group standings tracker and the live standings page.
What is next
Croatia face Ghana needing a win to stay alive, while Panama close out their tournament against England, with kick-offs on our fixtures page and goals live on live scores. Revisit Croatia’s opener in our England vs Croatia report and Panama’s in our Ghana vs Panama report, and see the full schedule in our complete World Cup 2026 guide.
Frequently asked questions
What was the score in Panama vs Croatia?
Croatia beat Panama 1-0 in their World Cup 2026 Group L match on 23 June at BMO Field in Toronto.
Who scored the winning goal for Croatia?
Ante Budimir, introduced as a half-time substitute, scored in the 54th minute, becoming Croatia’s oldest ever World Cup goalscorer at 34.
Is Panama out of the World Cup?
Yes. The defeat to Croatia confirmed Panama’s elimination from Group L with zero points from two games.
Sources: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L, Goal.com match report and the FIFA match centre.
