Croatia earned its first points in the 2026 World Cup by defeating Panama 1-0 in the second round of group play. Ante Budimir scored the only goal in the 54th minute, giving Croatia a response after its 4-2 loss to England in the opener.
Panama, which had also lost to Ghana in its first match, remained without a point and was eliminated from the tournament. The result confirmed an early exit for the Panamanians after two straight defeats.
Luka Modric also reached a milestone, making his 200th appearance for the Croatia national team.