Panama Coach Highlights Salary Disparity Ahead of England Clash
Gary Stempel, the English-born coach of Panama's national football team, has described the upcoming World Cup match against England as a 'princes v paupers' battle, highlighting the vast difference in salaries between the two sides. Stempel, who lived in England for nearly 30 years and has an English mother, spoke to Mirror Online about the pride and determination of his players.
Pride Over Pay: Panama's Determination
Stempel emphasized that despite the financial gap, his players are fiercely proud to represent Panama. 'They are very proud players, very proud to play for Panama. And when they step on the pitch for the match on Saturday it doesn’t matter if you earn £625 a week or £300,000 a week. You’re representing your country in the World Cup - that’s all that matters,' he said.
Some Panama players earn as little as £625 per week in the Panamanian Premier League, while the lowest-paid England player earns around £100,000 per week—nearly 200 times more. Stempel noted that many Panamanian players earn between $3,000 and $4,000 per month, a fraction of Premier League wages, and dream of a move to Europe to change their lives.
World Cup Stakes: England's Path to Knockouts
England faces Panama in New York on Saturday. A win would secure England's progression to the knockout stages and likely top the group. If England tops the group, they will play the round of 32 in Atlanta and the round of 16 in Mexico City. England previously defeated Panama 6-1 in the 2018 World Cup.
Remembering Amilcar Henriquez: A Tragic Loss
The Mirror previously visited Panama before the 2018 tournament and reported on the tragic story of Amilcar 'Mickey' Henriquez, one of Panama's greatest players with 85 caps, who was assassinated by a mystery gunman in 2017. His partner, Gixiani Pena, heard the shots and found his body on their driveway. She spoke to the Mirror about the horrific killing, showing a shrine in her front room with his '21' Panama shirt and football boots. The murder shocked the nation and highlighted the violent underbelly in Panama.
