#83 – Luis Ovalle: “La Panamá de Rusia 2018 le ganaría a la selección actual”

In this episode of El Chotin, we welcome Luis Ovalle, former player for the Panamanian National Team and member of the 2018 World Cup squad in Russia, for a locker room chat filled with stories, football, and truths. Ovalle talks about his humble beginnings in Las Mañanitas, how football was his escape from the neighborhood, his transition from striker to left back, his first steps at Sporting, his experience in Mexico with Rayados, and the titles he won in Venezuela with Zamora. He also reminisces about his experience playing in the Copa Libertadores against Atlético Mineiro, where he was tasked with marking Ronaldinho, and recounts how Venezuela almost naturalized him to play for their national team before Panama intervened. Furthermore, he compares the 2018 World Cup squad with the current Panamanian team, defends Fajardo's work, discusses the differences in World Cup preparation, and reflects on Bolillo Gómez's impact both on and off the field. An honest conversation about neighborhood, sacrifice, Panamanian soccer, World Cup pride, and everything Panama still needs to do to compete at the highest level. ⚖️ Legal Notice This content is produced for informational and entertainment purposes. The opinions expressed in the program belong solely to the participants and do not necessarily represent the producers, contributors, or partners of the podcast.