Adalberto Carrasquilla #8

Profile

“Coco” was running his own business aged 16 when he made his first-team debut for Tauro, cutting his teammates’ hair for a few dollars in order to help out his family. This graft and humility have taken him far. The 27-year-old is the driving force of Panama’s midfield with his tireless running, good feet and great vision. He works hard to recover possession but is also known for taking up dangerous positions in the final third. After winning two league titles with Tauro, he was a US Open Cup winner with Houston Dynamo in 2023 before signing for Pumas in Mexico for a club-record fee in January 2025. At the 2023 Gold Cup, when Panama were runners-up to Mexico, Carrasquilla won the Golden Ball for best player at the tournament. Then he was key to World Cup qualification. “It was our dream,” he said. Whenever he returns to Panama, he still gets his scissors out to cut his friends’ hair.

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