César Blackman #2

Profile

At the age of 19, Blackman left Panama behind to move to Slovakia. He was already a league champion with El Chorrillo having made his debut aged 17 before securing a transfer to Dunajska Streda, following in the footsteps of his compatriot Eric Davis. He had to adapt to a new country, language and way of life in Europe. His attacking qualities and pace when defending one-on-one attracted the attention of Slovan Bratislava in 2023. He is now an established starter at Slovakia’s biggest club, having won two league titles, and has become the first Panamanian in history to play in the Champions League. He celebrates each goal by pointing to a heart tattoo on his arm – a tribute to his parents, who died when he was less than five years old. “How I wished my mum and dad were here,” he said, wearing a t-shirt with a picture of them on, after Panama secured qualification for this World Cup.

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