Jose Cordoba is already feeling the love from Norwich City fans as his whirlwind summer continues.

The 23-year-old sealed a big-money move to the Canaries from Levski Sofia, before emerging as a key figure in Panama’s run to an historic Copa America quarter-final.

Cordoba is now preparing for Saturday’s last eight clash against Colombia, but knows there is huge support back in Norfolk.

“They love me a lot and I am very happy for that. And happy that I am able to celebrate, enjoy and I am very happy,” he said, when asked about the social media reaction from his new club’s fan base. “(Is it hard to stay in the moment this summer?) It is complicated to answer that question but I think I am controlling it.

"I try not to show my emotions too much but I’m very, very happy. It is incredible. I try to keep my emotions in check but personally I enjoy the responsibility in the (national) team. I feel it is source of pride. It is very nice to wear the Panama jersey and that makes me and my family very happy. I like the pressure. I like to take responsibility in the national team.

"I also feel that I am contributing a lot, so it’s incredible. I didn’t think it would happen so fast but I have accepted it in the best way, and that makes me feel good.”

Cordoba’s Panama will be underdogs against Colombia in Phoenix on Saturday night, who edged out Brazil to top Group D, but that is a position to relish for his international boss and ex-Leeds coach Thomas Christiansen.

“I said before we left for the US hopefully we could be the surprises, like Morocco at the last World Cup,” he said. “Before the tournament if we had talked about maybe two victories to pass to the quarter-finals no-one would have believed it. We have achieved something historic. This is a mark of our consistency in the past four years. We have overcome a lot of pressures for a young team to please a country.

“We have to enjoy it, but what worries me is recovering from three group games, with maximum effort. I am proud of my players.

"If we look at the defensive line, with Jose we have some very young players. Nothing is given to them. They have had to earn it. It would have been easier for us to use injuries as excuses, but we took it as another way as an opportunity to give others a chance.”