Panama lost 0-2 to England in their final group stage match of the FIFA World Cup. Striker Jose Rodriguez was interviewed in the FIFA mixed zone after the match.

Your FIFA World Cup journey ends here, but I think the team as a whole still made a good impression. Panama certainly showed competitive spirit. Compared to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, this performance is truly different. What did you take away from this second FIFA World Cup experience? What message do you want to convey about the future development of Panamanian football?

Of course, I think everyone has seen Panama's performance at this FIFA World Cup. We've made significant progress in a very short time. It's clear that from 2018 to now, these are two very different teams. We always try to stick to our philosophy and maintain our style regardless of which opponent we face. Of course, against a team like England, they're bound to control the ball more. But whenever we had chances, we tried to play to our strengths.

What I value most is how the team showed competitive spirit. The result certainly wasn't what we wanted. Everyone hoped to get at least one point and to score a goal, but in the end, we didn't manage it. However, I'm proud of my teammates. I think right until the end, we stuck to our game plan and kept trying.

It's unfortunate that the result didn't go our way this time. But I will remember the team's performance and the progress we made. If we get another chance to participate in the FIFA World Cup in the future, I'm confident everyone will see an even different Panama team.

You are the only team in this tournament that didn't score a goal. Will this leave regrets for you? Also, what do you want to say to all Panama fans?

As you said, we certainly leave with regrets. Everyone is disappointed. As a striker, I naturally hoped to score a goal for the team. This match was perhaps one where we worked hardest to find shooting opportunities, and we were more proactive in trying to shoot. In previous matches, although we had more of the ball, honestly, our offensive threat wasn't enough and we didn't create sufficient chances.

To Panama fans, I want to thank them. It was amazing to see them come out to support us, including in Toronto, and to see them enjoy the World Cup atmosphere. We initially hoped to take at least one point home, or even make history, but we didn't manage it this time. Thank you again for coming to support us, and I hope they're proud of this Panama team. Despite the disappointing result, we fought until the end.

One thing that may not have been mentioned much is the team's mental performance. You faced strong teams like Ghana, Croatia, and England in these three matches, yet the team remained composed and competitive against them. How did the team really build this confidence? On a stage like this with all this attention, despite the lack of goals, the overall performance was indeed competitive.

This is actually quite clear. I think a lot of it has to do with the leagues where many of my teammates play. Everyone plays in top leagues every weekend and often plays in front of packed stadiums, which helps us a lot. The coach also always asks us to stay calm in such an environment. We know this is the biggest stage in the world, a stage every player dreams of being on. But at the same time, we also enjoy the process.

This is a very special experience, and everyone can use it to showcase themselves. We certainly hoped to make history, so in every match, no matter the situation, we go out onto the pitch with motivation and try to get a good result.

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