Yankees shortstop Caballero watches Panama team train for World Cup near Toronto

TORONTO – A soccer ball had a home at Jose Caballero’s stall in the New York locker room for the Yankees’ weekend road series against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Baseball is the Panamanian shortstop’s main love but he’s also interested in the Beautiful Game, particularly with his country’s team preparing for the FIFA World Cup in nearby New Tecumseth, Ont. 

With the Yankees idle last Thursday, Caballero made the trip to the small town – about 100 kilometres north of the Ontario capital – to watch the players train for the tournament. 

“I was in contact with a couple of them, but this was the first time I met them in person – all of them,” he said. “So it was a cool experience to be there with them and get to know them.” 

Caballero arrived mid-afternoon for the practice session that drew a few hundred supporters to the Nottawasaga Resort & Conference Centre.

The 34th-ranked Panama team is getting ready for its Group L opener against Ghana on Wednesday at Toronto Stadium. The Yankees will be playing on the same night against the visiting Chicago White Sox. 

“I’ll be peeking just to see how we’re doing, and try to keep up with the game,” Caballero said.

Panama will play Croatia on June 23 before heading to New York/New Jersey Stadium for a June 27 matchup against England.

The resort has two world-class pitches and has previously hosted teams for major events. Rory Webster and other area residents gathered near the sideline to watch the Panama players scrimmage and work out.

“You don’t get to see this kind of stuff around here ever,” Webster said. “So to see an international team come here with all the bells and whistles, it’s pretty cool.”

Caballero said he began planning his visit to the area a month ago. He had dinner with the players before returning to Toronto later in the evening. 

The next afternoon, the 29-year-old kicked his ball around with teammates on the Rogers Centre turf before the series opener against the Blue Jays later that night. 

Scrolling down the Panama team’s roster list, Caballero was keen to provide a nugget of info about each player. 

Star midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla? “He’s Coco.” Fullback Amir Murillo? “He’s the one who plays at the highest level right now (at Marseille).”

Caballero gave up footy at age eight. He found the possibility of a tied game to be unappealing. 

“I didn’t like that they don’t have a winner in the match, so I stopped playing it,” he said.

Caballero has attended only one high-level soccer game in person, a 1-1 draw between Panama and Suriname last October in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifier in Panama City. 

Panama secured its berth a few weeks later with a 3-0 win over El Salvador. The country also reached the World Cup in 2018, but did not record a victory. 

Some of Panama’s travelling media members were on hand at Rogers Centre on Saturday to watch the Yankees beat the Blue Jays 3-1. 

“They’re here for the soccer because that’s the sport we watch the most at home,” Caballero said before the game. “But I don’t mind the extra attention.” 

With files from Tim Wharnsby in Toronto.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2026.