This year's FIFA Women's World Cup, scheduled to be held from July 20 to August 20 in Australia and New Zealand, will be a truly momentous occasion for Panama. The Central American country will see its national team make its debut in the group stages of the tournament in a watershed moment for Panamanian football. Five years after Panama's men's national team debuted at the FIFA World Cup group stages in Russia, qualification for the women's showpiece event this year stands testament to the country's rising stock in football.

"It will encourage those little girls who dream of making a living from soccer, and above all, it will motivate those parents who still doubt that football is a tool to promote family values. This World Cup is the change that the country has needed to begin true development," said Ignacio Quintana, the Panama women's team's head coach, in an interview with CGTN.

Panama's qualification route saw them go all the way to New Zealand in February for an inter-continental play-off tournament, where they beat Papua New Guinea before facing Paraguay in the final of one of the three mini-tournaments held for three World Cup spots. They won that all-important match 1-0 thanks to a second-half strike from Lineth Cedeno to seal their World Cup ticket.

The task at the quadrennial event, however, will be anything but easy. Grouped alongside South American champions Brazil, European heavyweights France and a talented Jamaican team, Panama will have their work cut out for them.

"They are contenders for the title," Quintana said of the two powerhouses in Panama's group. "It is an honor to be able to share the field with them. This is a huge challenge that will help the Panamanian players know the world level of high performance," he added.

Quintana, however, insisted that his team isn't daunted by the challenge. "Every day, every training session and every game is a unique opportunity to grow, and it's one we are not going to waste. On the way to fighting for the available points, we are not going to victimize ourselves; we are always going to strive for victory," he declared.

Quintana announced a youthful 23-member squad for the tournament in June. Asked what qualities he looked at, apart from the players' technical skills, when finalizing the squad, Quintana said: "The human, above anything. The internal competition for a position has been important to reach those 23, who have worked hard to be here, and I know we chose well. We are committed to the future; we want this to be the first World Cup of many more, and for that, we have a young and promising team."

While Panama will start as underdogs in a tough Group F, Quintana said his players' fighting spirit will hold them in good stead against their formidable opponents. "Many of my players fight every day to get ahead; they are from families who have fought throughout life, and that is reflected on the field. We are a team that shows integrity and a hunger to succeed," he asserted.

Only 35, the Mexico-born Quintana said he would love to coach Panama "for as many years as possible" and described the World Cup as the perfect opportunity for him as a young coach. "It's the best way to start my professional career, and I will always be grateful to the federation and the players for believing in me and for giving me the opportunity to live these experiences alongside them."

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