Aníbal Godoy
Panamanian football player (born 1990)
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Aníbal Casis Godoy Lemus (Spanish: [aˈniβal ɣoˈðoj]; born 10 February 1990) is a Panamanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Major League Soccer club San Diego FC and captains the Panama national team.
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Godoy with Panama at the 2018 FIFA World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Aníbal Casis Godoy Lemus[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 10 February 1990 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Panama City, Panama | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | San Diego FC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arsenal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chepo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2013 | Chepo | 113 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | → Godoy Cruz (loan) | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | Honvéd | 24 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2019 | San Jose Earthquakes | 101 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2024 | Nashville SC | 111 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | San Diego FC | 39 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panama U17[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Panama U20 | 14 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Panama U21 | 2 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010– | Panama | 159 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 May 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:24, 31 March 2026 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Godoy started his career at Chepo and moved abroad in November 2011 to join Godoy Cruz on loan to play alongside compatriot Armando Cooper after being voted Player of the Year in Panama.[3] After returning to Chepo he moved to Europe in August 2013 when he signed for Hungarian side Honvéd Budapest.[4] He made his debut for them on 1 September 2013 against Kaposvár Rákóczi.
San Jose Earthquakes
Godoy signed for MLS side San Jose Earthquakes on 6 August 2015.[5] On 30 November 2017, he signed a new, multi-year contract with the club.[6] He took on the role of vice-captain during the 2018 season.
Nashville SC
On 7 August 2019, it was announced that at the conclusion of the 2019 season, Godoy would move to Nashville SC ahead of their inaugural MLS season in 2020. San Jose would receive $650,000 of General Allocation Money in return.[7] He was released by Nashville following their 2024 season.[8]
San Diego FC
Godoy signed with MLS expansion club San Diego FC on 19 December 2024. The team announced Godoy had joined on a one-year contract with club options for the following two seasons.[9]
International career
With the Panama under-20 team, Godoy participated in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.
Godoy made his senior debut for Panama in a March 2010 friendly match against Venezuela[3] and has, as of October 2021, earned a total of over 110 caps, scoring three goals.[10] He also played at the 2011[11] and 2013 Gold Cups.[12]
Godoy represented Panama in all four of its 2017 Gold Cup matches, comprising three group stage matches and one quarter-final. He tallied one assist and was named to the Best XI of the group stages,[13] but ultimately scored an own goal in Panama's quarter-final match against Costa Rica and club teammate Marco Ureña, resulting in the end of the tournament for Panama and Costa Rica's advancement to the semi-finals.[14]
During the lead-up to the 2018 World Cup, Godoy was called up to the squad for friendlies against Denmark and Switzerland on 22 and 27 March, respectively, along with San Jose teammate Harold Cummings.[15] In May 2018, he was named in Panama's 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.[16]
Personal life
As of 27 February 2018, Godoy holds a U.S. green card, qualifying him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[17]
Godoy became a naturalized American citizen on March 31, 2025.[18]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental[c] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Chepo | 2007 | Liga Panameña de Fútbol | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
| 2009 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | ||
| 2010 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 5 | ||
| 2012–13 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
| 2013–14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 113 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 113 | 10 | ||
| Godoy Cruz (loan) | 2011–12 | Argentine Primera División | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Honvéd | 2013–14 | NB I | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2014–15 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Total | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | ||
| San Jose Earthquakes | 2015 | MLS | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 |
| 2016 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | ||
| 2017 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | ||
| 2018 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||
| 2019 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Total | 101 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 5 | ||
| Nashville SC | 2020 | MLS | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| 2021 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 32 | 1 | ||
| 2024 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 29 | 1 | ||
| Total | 111 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 131 | 4 | ||
| San Diego FC | 2025 | MLS | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| 2026 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||
| Total | 39 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 50 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 388 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 427 | 20 | ||
- Includes Magyar Kupa, U.S. Open Cup
- Includes Ligakupa, MLS Cup playoffs
- Includes Leagues Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup
International
- As of match played 31 March 2026[20]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panama | 2010 | 5 | 0 |
| 2011 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 159 | 4 | |
- Scores and results list Panama's goal tally first.[20]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 November 2014 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador |  El Salvador | 2–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 8 June 2021 | Estadio Nacional, Panama City, Panama |  Dominican Republic | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 10 October 2021 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama |  United States | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 27 March 2022 | Exploria Stadium, Orlando, United States | United States | 1–5 | 1–5 |
Honours
Nashville SC
- Leagues Cup runner-up: 2023[21]
Panama
- CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up: 2013,[22] 2023;[23] third place: 2015[24]
- CONCACAF Nations League runner-up: 2024–25[25]