The Dyspatch 2024 Copa América Preview
- jhfstyle24
- Jun 19, 2024
- 27 min read
Group A: Argentina (FIFA Rank 1), Peru (32), Chile (42), Canada (49)
Argentina
World Champions, defending Copa América champions, and betting favorites Argentina will be looking to win their 3rd major international tournament in a row and 4th trophy in 3 years, and Lionel Scaloni has the squad to do it.
In goal, Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa) has run away with the starting job, and deservedly so. His legendary World Cup exploits may be a bit exaggerated (he did allow more goals than xGOT for the tournament), but his heroics in the penalty shootouts and his unbelievable last-minute save on a Randal Kolo Muani breakaway were essential to the Albiceleste’s triumph. At center back, 2 starters will be selected from Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), and Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica). Right back will be either Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid) or Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Sevilla), and left back will be Marcos Acuña (Sevilla) or Nico Tagliafico (Lyon). Germán Pezzella (Real Betis) may also factor in. Valentín Barco (Brighton) likely won’t make any appearances, but is perhaps the team’s brightest defensive talent.
In the midfield, it’s expected that Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), and Rodrigo De Paul (Atlético Madrid) will start. Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham) missed the World Cup with an injury, but was a locked-in starter for the team beforehand, so he could see minutes, as could Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), who is coming off of a huge season. Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis and Leandro Paredes (Roma) are experienced defensive midfielders who were part of the 2022 World Cup triumph, and Valentín Carboni (Monza, on loan from Inter Milan) is considered one of the team’s top prospects.
In attack, everything starts with Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), and this tournament will provide him a chance to show he belongs in the conversation as the world’s best even playing in the MLS. Julián Álvarez (Manchester City) will play somewhere on the frontline, though his position will likely be dictated by what Scaloni does with Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) and Ángel Di María (Benfica). Martinez lost his starting spot with a World Cup stinker, but found fantastic form with Inter this season, leading them to the scudetto for the first time since 2020-21. Di María, meanwhile, is a national team legend playing his last matches with Argentina, and is still a quality player even at 35. Nico González (Fiorentina) is always dangerous, even if he sometimes lacks a finish, and Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), though he was born in Madrid and played for Spain’s U18’s, is a rising star for La Albiceleste. Ángel Correa (Atlético Madrid) also occasionally gets some run in attack. Becoming the first side since 2008-2012 Spain to win a third consecutive major title would be a colossal feat, but this is an Argentina team that has real talent and experience. They’ll have a real shot to pull it off.
Peru
Currently last in the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup Qualification table, 2019 finalists Peru have hit a dreadful run of form ever since losing in the 2022 inter-confederation playoff against Australia on penalties. Peru’s a pretty typical CONMEBOL team — they’ll play you tight and they’ll play you tough. Ugly matches are where this team thrives, and when they’re outmatched in terms of talent, which will be every match in this group, you can expect that they’ll play some classic CONMEBOL football and find a way to make it a tight match. They might lose, but they don’t get blown out — ever. This will be manager Jorge Fossati’s first major tournament in charge, and if things don’t look better than they have so far, it might be his last.
Pedro Gallese (Orlando City) has 108 caps and will start in goal. The defense isn’t filled with big names, but there’s experience here and some quality players. Luis Advíncula (Boca Juniors) has 116 caps and is a locked-in starter at right back, and Marcos López (Feyenoord) is one of the team’s only European-based players and the assumed starter at left back. Up the middle, Alexander Callens (AEK Athens, on loan from Girona) seems a good bet to start, and he’ll probably be partnered by Carlos Zambrano (Alianza Lima) or Luis Abram (Atlanta United). Miguel Araujo (Portland Timbers) and Anderson Santamaria (Santos Laguna) are also decent bets to play.
In the midfield, Renato Tapia (Celta Vigo), one of two Top 5 league regulars, is a cinch to start. Sergio Peña (Malmö) is a good bet to join him, and beyond that, it’s fair to expect one of the 22-year-olds, Jesús Castillo (Gil Vicente) or Piero Quispe (Pumas UNAM), to get some looks, if not both. Wilder Cartagena (Orlando City) has over 30 caps and could also see some playing time. In attack, André Carrillo (Al-Qadsiah) and Gianluca Lapadula (Cagliari) are the main options, and Lapadula, as the team’s other top 5 league regular, can be expected to carry much of the load. Paolo Guerrero (Universidad César Vallejo) is a national team legend, as the captain and all-time top scorer with 39 goals in 117 caps, but at 40, his time with the team is essentially over. Edison Flores and Andy Polo of Universitario could see some playing time, as could Bryan Reyan (Belgrado). This is not a team with the talent to win it all, but they’ll be competitive and they’ll play tough — so essentially, just like any other CONMEBOL team.
Chile
The last time this tournament was held in the United States, Chile won their second consecutive trophy in a penalty shootout against Argentina, with Lionel Messi famously missing his penalty that would have given Argentina a 1-0 lead after the first round of the shootout. Although the core players of that team are 8 years older, they’re still here, even as the squad undergoes something of a rebuild. They’ve missed out on the last two World Cups, and were defeated by Brazil in the quarter-finals of the 2021 edition of this tournament. Currently 8th in the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifying table, it’s up to newly-minted manager Ricardo Gareca to turn things around, and it starts with a decent showing here.
In goal, Claudio Bravo (Real Betis) is still rostered, but it’s expected that Brayan Cortés (Colo-Colo) will start. Gary Medel (Vasco da Gama) and Mauricio Isla (Independiente) are easily the most experienced defenders, with a whopping 161 and 138 caps apiece, but there’s actually two top-5 league players here in Guillermo Maripán (Monaco) and Gabriel Suazo (Toulouse). Paulo Díaz (River Plate) and Francisco Sierralta (Watford) are two other intriguing names. Matías Catalán (Talleres) has seen some action, as has Felipe Loyola (Huachipato).
Arturo Vidal (Colo-Colo) is the most experienced midfielder, but is unlikely to start, with players such as Erick Pulgar (Flamengo), Marcelino Nuñez (Norwich), and Rodrigo Echevarria (Huracán) breaking into the first team. Darío Osorio (Midtjylland), just 20, is one of the team’s brightest prospects and will figure into the mix somehow. Ahead of them, Alexis Sánchez (Inter Milan) is still kicking at 35 and will be a featured player, and Eduardo Vargas (Atlético Mineiro) and Ben Brereton Diaz (Sheffield United) are other big names in attack. Victor Dávila (CSKA Moscow) is another name that figures to find his way into the mix for the tournament. This isn’t the machine of the mid-2010s, but it’s one that is sneaky good, and could contend for this tournament if things break right.
Canada
You could be forgiven for dismissing Canada before they topped CONCACAF in the 2022 World Cup qualification cycle, but even a cursory look at their team makes one thing clear: there is some talent here, and Canada can no longer be ignored. John Herdman has moved on to Toronto FC, so Canada’s new manager is… Jesse Marsch, often proposed as a USMNT alternative to Gregg Berhalter. Marsch will be tasked with bringing Canada to this tournament for the first time, and he’ll have a decent squad to work with.
In goal, Maxime Crépeau (Portland Timbers) or Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United) will be the starter. Kamal Miller (Portland Timbers) and Derek Cornelius (Malmö) are generally the starters in the middle, but Canada has a fantastic pair of fullbacks in Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) and Alistair Johnston (Celtic), although Davies is just as likely to feature in attack. Richie Laryea (Toronto FC) is an experienced and versatile player with 48 caps, and Luc de Fougerolles (Fulham) is arguably the team’s top prospect, at just 18 years of age. In the midfield, Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC) and Samuel Piette (CF Montreal) are experienced players with lots of caps, but it’s Stephen Eustáquio (Porto) who is a regular for a major European team and an automatic starter. Ismaël Koné (Watford) is one of the team’s top talents, just 21, and Mathieu Chonière (CF Montreal) is a decent option as well.
In attack, Davies will sometimes play on the wings, but there are plenty of other attacking options. Cyle Larin (Mallorca) has 29 goals in 66 caps, Jonathan David (Lille) is one of Ligue 1’s top scorers every year, and Tajon Buchanon (Inter Milan) is another talented attacker. Elsewhere, there’s Junior Hoilett (Aberdeen), Iké Ugbo (Sheffield Wednesday), Liam Millar (Preston North End), and Charles-Andreas Brym (Sparta Rotterdam). It’s a talented attack that figures to be the driving force behind any Canadian success in this tournament, but they’ll be facing off against some really difficult defenses in this group.
Group Breakdown
Argentina has been given a gift with their draw in this tournament. On form and ranking, the 3 best South American teams besides Argentina are all in the lower half of this bracket (Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia), and the lone nation ranked in the top 20 in Argentina’s half is a struggling Mexico team they beat in Qatar. None of the teams in their group are fodder — Peru and Chile will be difficult, physical tests, while Canada’s attack could keep them in matches — but there’s no reason Argentina should lose to any of those teams. Then again, there’s no reason they should have lost to Saudi Arabia, either. The Lionel Messi era has seen some major upsets in big tournaments. Another would have to occur for Scaloni’s side not to top this group.
PREDICTION:
Argentina, Canada, Peru, Chile
Group B: Mexico (14), Ecuador (31), Venezuela (54), Jamaica (55)
Mexico
You can’t say many nice things about where Mexico is at right now. They’ve lost their position at the top of the CONCACAF food chain to the United States, their starting lineup features barely any European-based players, and they just got absolutely hammered 4-0 by Uruguay in Denver in a friendly. Uruguay are on fire right now, but it was a dreadful performance from a Mexican team that has completely lost their way. Jaime Lozano has only been in charge for about a year, but if he can’t turn things around with a strong showing here, he may well be on his way out.
In goal, the Memo Ochoa era appears to finally be over, with Luis Malagón (América) taking over. The defense should be a bright spot, with César Montes (Almería), Jorge Sánchez (Porto), and Johan Vásquez (Genoa) alongside Gerardo Arteaga (Monterrey), but their performances in recent matches call that into question. Israel Reyes (América) is the most experienced option beyond those 4, and given that Victor Guzman (Monterrey) and Jesús Orozco (Guadalajara) were the center back pairing in the Uruguay drubbing, it’s unlikely that they see much playing time.
In the midfield, captain Edson Álvarez (West Ham) is the team’s highest-profile player, but has hit a rough patch of form. Luis Chávez (Dynamo Moscow) typically starts, and Érick Sánchez (Pachuca) is relied upon often as well. With Orbelín Pineda (AEK Athens), Luis Romo (Monterrey), Roberto Alvarado (Guadalajara), and Carlos Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), there are plenty of depth options for Lozano to pick from in the midfield and on the wings. Santiago Giménez (Feyenoord) will be leading the line after a breakout season for the Dutch club, and Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul) will likely be a main option on the wing. Alexis Vega (Toluca) could too, as could new El Tri player Julián Quiñones (América). This is not the Mexico team of days past — there is some talent, but if things don’t turn around, they’ll be looking at an early exit.
Ecuador
Ecuador, in many ways, are the opposite of a declining Mexico team. No Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton) due to injury hurts, but there’s still plenty of young and exciting talent here. In fact, Ecuador, on the heels of exciting the footballing world in Qatar with their entertaining play, defeated Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay 2-1 in September in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, and are the only team to do so in CONMEBOL thus far, although they were docked 3 points in the cycle after falsifying documents for Byron Castillo (Penarol) in the 2022 cycle. Félix Sánchez Bas has an interesting group to work with, and he’ll be looking to improve on their 2021 quarter-final exit at the hands of Lionel Messi and Argentina.
Veteran Alexander Dominguez (LDU Quito) is the first choice in goal, but it’s what is in front of him that is really interesting. Ángelo Preciado (Sparta Prague) can play as a full-back or winger, while Piero Hincapié (Bayer Leverkusen) is a versatile and talented 22-year-old defender who can play across the backline. Willian Pacho (Eintracht Frankfurt) is another talented 22-year-old defender who will likely start in the middle, and Félix Torres (Corinthians) banged home both goals against Uruguay back in September. José Hurtado (Red Bull Bragantino) is another defender checking in at 22 years of age, while Jackson Porozo (Kasımpaşa, on loan from Troyes) is another young defender to keep an eye on. Joel Ordóñez (Cercle Brugge) is a 20-year-old defender and yet another promising talent for Ecuador.
In the midfield, Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea) is a nailed-in starter for a major European club at 22. Beyond Caicedo, Carlos Gruezo (San Jose Earthquakes), Alan Franco (Atlético Mineiro), and José Cifuentes (Cruzeiro) are the most experienced options, but 17-year-old Kendry Páez (Independiente del Valle) has already agreed to a deal to join Chelsea in 2025 and looks to be the team’s top prospect, if not a star already. Ángel Mena (Leon) is the most experienced winger, but Jeremy Sarmiento (Ipswich, on loan from Brighton) is 21 and ready for a breakthrough, and Alan Minda (Cercle Brugge) is another European-based 21-year-old winger pushing for playing time.
Up front, although 17-year-old talent Allen Obando looks like the future, he’s not ready yet and was left off the roster, meaning World Cup star Enner Valencia (Internacional) is the presumptive starter. Behind him, Jordy Caicedo (Atlas) and Kevin Rodríguez (Union Saint-Gilloise) are decent options off the bench. This Ecuador team might be a cycle away from their true breakthrough, but there’s a lot of talent here already — and if their performance in Qatar is any indicator, they could be in for a big run.
Venezuela
Fernando Batista has been brought in as manager after Venezuela failed yet again to qualify for the World Cup in 2022, and he’ll try to bring the nation back into the Copa América knockouts for the first time since the 2019 edition. Venezuela don’t have the strongest track record of footballing success, but they aren’t in a particularly difficult group here, so Batista will be looking to get the most out of this team and make the knockouts. He doesn’t have insane talent at his disposal, so this Venezuela team will have to overperform if they want a chance at making history.
In goal, Rafael Romo (Universidad Católica) is the best bet to start, although Alain Baroja (Always Ready) and Joel Graterol (América de Cali) also have a chance. Batista typically plays with 3 at the back, and those 3 will likely be selected from Jhon Chancellor (Metropolitanos), Wilker Ángel (Criciúma), Yordan Osorio (Parma), and Nahuel Ferraresi (São Paulo). If Batista plays with 4 at the back, Alexander González (Emelec) and Miguel Navarro (Talleres) are the top fullback options, although Jon Aramburu (Real Sociedad) is an intriguing prospect. In midfield, captain Tomás Rincón (Santos) has 136 caps of experience, while Yangel Herrera (Girona) and Cristian Cásseres (Toulouse) are top 5 league regulars in their primes.
On the wings, Darwin Machís (Cadíz, on loan from Valladolid) is an interesting option, but there’s also Jhon Murillo (Atlas), Yeferson Soteldo (Grémio), José Martínez (Philadelphia Union), and Jefferson Savarino (Botafogo). Salomón Rondón (Pachuca) is the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer with 41, and will start in attack. He could be joined by Eric Ramírez (Atlético Nacional) or Jhonder Cadíz (Famalicão). There are only two top 5 league players here, in Herrera and Cásseres, but it should be noted that they both play in midfield. That combination could help Venezuela stay in matches and control their matches more than most other teams with similar overall talent.
Jamaica
The Reggae Boyz have had an interesting few years. They missed out on the World Cup (they’ve only qualified once, in 1998), but they’ve consistently gone deep in recent editions of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and have slowly added talented players to their core through strong recruitment. They’ve never won a match in this tournament before in two appearances, losing all 3 group stage matches in both 2015 and 2016. Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) refused his call-up, but is still listed on the roster.
In goal, captain Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union) is the presumptive starter. Damion Lowe (Philadelphia Union) and Michael Hector (Charlton Athletic) are the most experienced defenders, but it was Richard King (Cavalier) and Di’Shon Bernard (Sheffield Wednesday) playing in the middle in one of the recent qualifiers. Greg Leigh (Oxford United) started on the left in both, while right back was split between 20-year-old Dexter Limbikisa (Heart of Midlothian) and Tayvon Gray (NYCFC), who did not make the final roster. Joel Latibeaudiere (Coventry City) has been an option when Jamaica go to 3 at the back.
In midfield, Bobby Decordova-Reid (Fulham) is the most important player, while Karoy Anderson (Charlton Athletic), Kasey Palmer (Coventry City), Kevon Lambert (Real Salt Lake), and Alex Marshall (Portmore United) could also see time. Shamar Nicholson (Clermont) is the key name in attack, but there’s also Michail Antonio (West Ham), Renaldo Cephas (Ankaragücü), and Demarai Gray (Al-Ettifaq). Leon Bailey would be huge, but it seems that he will refuse to play, so it’s unclear what will happen in attack. Either way, despite a lot of players playing in England, very few are actually in the Premier League, meaning Jamaica will struggle even in this group.
Group Breakdown
Mexico is the top seed, but with their struggles right now, there’s a clear favorite to top this group, and it’s not El Tri. Ecuador have youth and talent, and they also have big-game experience thanks to facing off against two quality teams in Qatar, in the Netherlands and Senegal. Venezuela simply aren’t that great, and while Jamaica has pieces, they’re a ways away from serious contention. As bad as Mexico has been in the last couple years, they’re still better than the non-Ecuador teams in this group — but in their current form, that might not mean much.
PREDICTION:
Ecuador, Mexico, Venezuela, Jamaica
Group C: United States (HOST, 11), Uruguay (15), Panama (45), Bolivia (85)
United States
The United States, hosting this tournament ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America. impressed the world in Qatar in 2022, outplaying England for the better part of 90 minutes and coming second in a solid group before losing to a strong Dutch side in the Round of 16. Still, many argue that Gregg Berhalter is not getting the most out of a talented group, with more American players in European teams getting quality minutes than ever. Those people were recently given some attention, as Colombia hammered the U.S. 5-1 in a friendly. With the 2026 World Cup looming, this is a chance for Berhalter to prove that he is the man to help U.S. soccer take the next step towards becoming a major player in the international football scene. Even though some key players, such as Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven, on loan from Barcelona), are out injured, there’s plenty of talent for Berhalter to work with.
In goal, Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest) didn’t have the most inspiring season, but is still the clear U.S. #1, with Gabriel Slonina (Chelsea) a few years away and not on the roster. It’s unclear who will start in defense, but Tim Ream (Fulham) and Chris Richards (Crystal Palace) seem to be the top dogs in the middle. There’s also Mark McKenzie (Genk), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), and Miles Robinson (Atlanta United). Antonee Robinson (Fulham) is a locked-in starter at left back, and with no Dest, Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach) is the likely starter on the right, with Kristoffer Lund (Palermo) and Shaq Moore (Nashville SC) included as depth options. Moore’s disastrous cameos in the World Cup against Wales and England have clearly not impacted Berhalter’s opinion of him as a player, so it can be expected that he will appear.
In the midfield, Weston McKennie (Juventus) just had a massive season in Italy, while Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) is finally back healthy. Yunus Musah (Milan) is the third member of the 2022 World Cup midfield trio, and although his first season with the Italian giants didn’t go as planned, he’s still a highly touted 21-year-old player. Behind the top 3, Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo) and Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis) are both starters for top 5 league clubs, and Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven) just had a big season for the Eredivisie champs. Older brother Timothy Tillman (LAFC) made camp as well, and of course, Giovanni Reyna (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Borussia Dortmund) is one of the team’s top players, no matter where he is on the pitch.
In attack, everything starts with captain Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), coming off a fantastic first season in Italy. The other wing is almost always occupied by Tim Weah (Juventus), who plays as a fullback for his club and as an attacker for his country. At striker, Folarin Balogun (Monaco) has become the go-to man after declaring as a U.S. international. Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin, on loan from Leeds) is a versatile attacker who can play in the midfield, in attack, or out on the wings, and is an elite presser, making him perfect for a supersub role. Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Josh Sargent (Norwich), and Haji Wright (Coventry) are the other attacking options on the roster. Every locked-in starter is from a top 5 league club, for the first time in the team’s history. This is a U.S. team with youth and talent, but it remains to be seen if they can get results.
Uruguay
After a 2022 World Cup group stage exit, Marcelo Bielsa took over for Uruguay, and the move is already paying dividends. With an aging team that was clearly past its prime, Bielsa has taken Uruguay into their next era, with legends such as Edinson Cavani (Boca Juniors) and Diego Godín (Porongos) gone from the squad. Uruguay’s next generation of players, however, has plenty of exciting young talent, and Bielsa has utilized it to transform this team into a lively attacking side. Uruguay, the most successful team in the history of the Copa América, haven’t won the tournament since 2011, and Bielsa will be looking to change that in his first tournament in charge. After hammering Mexico 4-0 in a recent friendly, nobody is sleeping on this Uruguay team - a team that beat Brazil and Argentina back-to-back in qualifiers in the fall.
Sergio Rochet (Internacional) is the presumptive starter in goal, and although he’s not at a big club, he’s more than capable. In defense, Ronald Araújo (Barcelona) and captain José Maríá Giménez (Atlético Madrid) form a strong pairing, and they’ll have players such as Mathías Olivera (Napoli), Sebastián Cáceres (América), Matías Viña (Flamengo), and Bruno Méndez (Granada) flanking them. In midfield, Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) and Rodrigo Betancur (Tottenham) are a fantastic pairing, and there’s plenty of other talent here. Matías Vecino (Lazio), Manuel Ugarte (Paris Saint-Germain), and Nahitán Nandez (Cagliari) are all top-5 league regulars, and Nicolás de la Cruz (Flamengo) is one of the best players in South America.
In attack, while Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) may be polarizing due to his occasional issues with finishing (11 G from 16.3 xG this season in the Premier League), he is unbelievable at getting himself in good positions and is an otherwise complete forward. Facundo Pellistri (Granada, on loan from Manchester United) has taken well to Bielsa’s attacking style and has become a top creator for this team. Brian Rodríguez (América) is an option behind Darwin, as is Facundo Torres (Orlando City), and Luis Suárez (Inter Miami), 37 years old, is still in the team as an option. It’s unclear exactly who will play in attack, but with Núñez and Pellistri, any lineup Bielsa puts out there will have a strong chance to score goals. Uruguay are the most talented team in this group, and with an elite manager to boot, they’re clear favorites to top it.
Panama
Panama made the first World Cup in their history in 2018, but outside of that, they haven’t had much to go on as of late — until a Gold Cup final run in 2023. Manager Thomas Christiansen has been able to improve their form as of late, so things are looking up for this Panama team. Still, without a ton of top level talent, Christiansen is going to have to do a job to squeeze them into the knockouts.
Goalkeeper is Orlando Mosquera (Maccabi Tel Aviv)’s job to lose. Fidel Escober (Saprissa) and Michael Amir Murrilo (Marseille) will be out there in defense, but the question is who plays with them. José Córdoba (Norwich) is an obvious candidate, but with Andrés Andrade out, the other name is anyone’s guess. Iván Anderson of Fortaleza, Roderick Miller (Torun Tovuz), and Eric Davis (Košice) are the names to watch. The midfield and wings will also be interesting to watch. Aníbal Godoy (Nashville SC) is the team’s captain, and Adalberto Carrasquilla (Houston Dynamo) has proven himself to be a key player, so they will feature.
Beyond that, there’s Cristian Martínez (Al-Jandal), José Luis Rodríguez (Famalicão), Yoel Bárcenas (Mazatlán), Abdiel Ayarza (Cienciano), and César Yanis (San Carlos) as available players with over 20 caps of experience. Up front, Universidad Católica duo Ismael Díaz and José Fajardo are well-positioned to see the pitch, as is Cecilio Waterman (Alianza Lima). This isn’t the most talented group, but they’ve consistently shown an ability to play above their expectations — and with some talent in defense and midfield, they could surprise some teams.
Bolivia
Bolivia is the lowest-ranked team in this tournament, but if you watched them play in La Paz, perhaps the most brutal road environment in football, you’d never know. Almost 12,000 feet above sea level, the elevation can wreak havoc on opposing teams — so one advantage they might have over the other teams in this tournament is that most of their players, hailing from the Bolivian first league, are accustomed to playing at elevation. They may be able to simply outlast opponents who lack their fitness, even though they don’t match up on paper. Still, that advantage was present in 2021, when they went 0-4 in Group A and got thrashed while doing so. They haven’t made a World Cup since 1994, and they haven’t made it to the Copa América knockouts since 2015. Manager Antônio Carlos Zago has a lot of work to do if he wants to change that.
In goal, Bolivia will start Carlos Lampe (Bolívar), a veteran with over 50 caps. The defense should boast Bolívar duo José Sagredo and Jairo Quinteros, alongside captain Luis Haquín (Ponte Preta). Roberto Fernández (Baltika Kaliningrad) could feature as well, or Adrián Jusino (The Strongest). Bolívar should also be well-represented in the midfield, with Leonel Justiniano, Ramiro Vaca, and Fernando Saucedo as top options, along with Boris Céspedes (Yverdon-Sport). Youngsters Gabriel Villamil (LDU Quito) and Miguel Terceros (Santos) look like the future here, but they may not be ready yet. Up front, Bolívar forward Carmelo Algarañaz looks like the top choice, if it’s not Bruno Miranda (The Strongest) or teammate Rodrigo Ramallo. Barcelona B player Jaume Cuéllar, 22, is another option for Zago to turn to in attack. There’s not a single top 5 league caliber player here, and realistically, that means it’s going to be quite difficult for Bolivia to escape this group’s cellar.
Group Breakdown
The United States are the top seeded team in this group, and the second seed in this half of the bracket, but you’d be insane to pick them over red-hot Uruguay at the moment (or, any time when Marcelo Bielsa is managing Uruguay and Gregg Berhalter is managing the United States). The other teams in this group are simply not on the same level of talent, but the U.S. has struggled with Panama a few times under Berhalter, and Bolivia could be tough too. Bolivia doesn’t have the talent to compete with the top two, but that likely won’t stop them from doing so (against the U.S., anyway). This will be a group worth following, but there’s only two teams who should realistically be advancing.
PREDICTION:
Uruguay, United States, Bolivia, Panama
Group D: Brazil (5), Colombia (12), Costa Rica (52), Paraguay (56)
Brazil
This will be the first major international tournament since the 2016 Copa América where Brazil aren’t favored to win it all, but don’t get it twisted — even without Neymar, newly-appointed manager Dorival Júnior has a collection of talent at his disposal that every other manager in this tournament besides maybe Lionel Scaloni would kill for. So far, he’s managed just two matches for the Seleção — a 1-0 victory over England in Wembley Stadium, and a 3-3 draw with Spain in the Santiago Bernabeu. This team has the talent to win it all, which means there will be lots of pressure on their manager to reclaim the South American throne from hated rivals Argentina.
Between the sticks, Alisson (Liverpool) is still among the best in the world and will make opposing teams work to score. In defense, Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain) and Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) form a high-level center-back duo, and Éder Militão (Real Madrid) is a top defender as well. Captain Danilo (Juventus) typically starts on the right, with no clear option on the left as of yet. Wendell (Porto) looks to have a decent chance to start there after playing out wide for both of Brazil’s most recent friendlies. Yan Couto (Girona, on loan from Manchester City) was fantastic for La Liga’s surprise package this year and could factor in as well, and Bremer (Juventus) and Lucas Beraldo (Paris Saint-Germain) are also quality options who could see time in defense.
In midfield, Lucas Paquetá (West Ham) and Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle) generally start, and Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) is the most likely starter alongside them. Andreas Pereira (Fulham), João Gomes (Wolverhampton), and Éderson (Atalanta) are the depth options, but have just 5 total caps between them. In attack, Vinicius (Real Madrid) is the Ballon D’or frontrunner, and he’ll be joined by club teammate Rodrygo. With Richarlison (Tottenham) and Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) at home, Endrick (Real Madrid) and Evanilson (Porto) are the options to start up top. Behind the starters, Raphinha (Barcelona), Pepê (Porto), and Sávio (Girona) are the options for Dorival Júnior. It’s not the most talented Brazil side in recent memory, but there’s still an unbelievable amount of world-class talent here, and they’d likely be favorites if Neymar wasn’t out injured. He is, however, so Brazil’s team as a whole will need to step up if they want a chance at regaining the CONMEBOL throne.
Colombia
Colombia haven’t lost a game since Argentina in February of 2022, so they’ll be coming in with high expectations under manager Néstor Lorenzo. After hammering the United States 5-1 in a recent friendly, they’ll be favored to advance from this group, if not win it outright. They were painfully close to taking out Messi and Argentina in 2021, going out on penalties, and they have every reason to feel like they’ll have the chance to get revenge, even though they’re on opposite sides of the bracket. Looking at the squad list, it initially might not look great, but the closer you look, the better it gets.
In goal, David Ospina (Al Nassr) has been the long term starter, but Camilo Vargas (Atlas) has started with Ospina out injured. With Ospina back, the position is anyone’s guess, but Vargas played both recent friendlies. Jhon Lucumí (Bologna), Yerry Mina (Cagliari), Carlos Cuesta (Genk), Davinson Sánchez (Galatasaray), and Yerson Mosquera (Villareal) make up an excellent center back group, with all of them receiving playing time recently. Out wide, options include Daniel Muñoz (Crystal Palace), Deiver Machado (Lens), Johan Mojica (Osasuna), and Santiago Arias (Bahia). The defense should be strong, and includes many names from top 5 league teams.
The midfield is the question mark. Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace) is there, no question about it. As of late, his partner has been Kevin Castaño (Krasnodar) or Mateus Uribe (Al Sadd), but there’s also Richard Ríos (Palmeiras) and Yáser Asprilla (Watford). James Rodríguez (São Paulo) is still great for Colombia, even if he’s out of Europe, and Jorge Carrascal (Dynamo Moscow) has been good for Colombia in an advanced role too.
Looking forward, there’s a lot of talent that can play somewhere in the attack, starting with Luis Díaz (Liverpool), who starred at the previous edition of this tournament. Then there’s the Jhons. Jhon Arias (Fluminese), Jhon Córdoba (Krasnodar), and Jhon Durán (Aston Villa) are all talented attacking players who mesh well with Díaz. There’s also Luis Sinisterra (Bournemouth), Miguel Borja (River Plate), and Rafael Santos Borré (Internacional). It’s an impressive collection of talent that has the capability of taking Colombia deep, as long as the midfield and defense continue to play well.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s golden generation brought them the greatest success in their history, including three straight World Cup appearances and a trip to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2014, but that generation of players is gone. Luckily for Costa Ricans, a new generation is breaking into the team, and this side is chock full of young, talented players. Manager Gustavo Alfaro, shortly removed from a successful stint at Ecuador with a young and talented team, has been tasked with bringing this new Costa Rican generation into a major competition for the first time, and he’ll have some intriguing pieces to work with.
No more Keylor Navas in goal means it’s likely time for Kevin Chamorro (Saprissa) to step up. Francisco Calvo (Juárez) is a fixture in defense, but it’s hard to know who will be joining him. Juan Pablo Vargas (Millonarios) is the most experienced option, but Julio Cascante (Austin FC) and youngster Jeyland Mitchell (Alajuelense) will certainly have a say. Outside, Hazel Quirós (Herediano) and Gerald Taylor (Saprissa) are typically favored. In the midfield, Ariel Lassiter (CF Montréal) is a locked-in starter, and Orlando Galo (Herediano) is a key player. Jefferson Brenes (Saprissa) and 20-year-old Brandon Aguilera (Bristol Rovers) are other important names to know in the midfield.
Up in attack, Manfred Ugalde (Spartak Moscow) is a bright young talent ready for a breakout tournament, and Álvaro Zamora (Aris) is also a player to watch. Josimar Alcócer (Westerlo) is a bright young talent who will find his way into the side somehow, and fellow 19-year-old attacker Warren Madrigal (Saprissa) could as well. Joel Campbell, now 31 and playing for Alajuelense in Costa Rica, has 139 caps and may factor in too, as could 18-year-old Andy Rojas (Herediano). This isn’t the best team in the competition by any means, but it’s certainly going to be an entertaining one, and it will be one to watch in the near future.
Paraguay
In 2010, Paraguay made the World Cup quarter-finals, following a 2006 Group Stage exit and two consecutive Round of 16 exits in 1998 and 2002. From 1993 to 2007, they were 6-time Copa América quarter-finalists, and then in 2011, they made it all the way to the final, beating Brazil and Venezuela on penalties before losing to Uruguay. It looked like they were an up and coming nation on the brink of becoming an established international side. They then proceeded to miss all 3 subsequent World Cups, and outside of a 4th-placed finish at the 2015 edition, they haven’t been able to match their Copa América run from 2011, although they made the quarter-finals in 2019 and 2021. It’s not a world-class squad by any means, but manager Daniel Garnero has a decent team to work with as he tries to return Paraguay to their prior levels of success.
In goal, Carlos Coronel (NY Red Bulls) is the likely starter, although he’s seen some shot-stopping struggles in the MLS. Captain Gustavo Gómez (Palmeiras) will start in defense, and he is expected to be partnered by Omar Alderete (Getafe). Outside, there’s any number of options, including Libertad trio Iván Ramírez, Matías Espinoza, and Néstor Giménez. Fabián Balbuena (Dynamo Moscow) could factor in at center back, and Júnior Alonso (Krasnodar) is an experienced option with versatility. In the midfield, Miguel Almirón (Newcastle) is the star, but players like Mathías Villasanti (Grêmio) and Andrés Cubas (Vancouver Whitecaps) will be just as important if they’re the ones in the double pivot, or Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Matías Rojas. Youngster Fabrizio Peralta (Cerro Porteño) could also factor in there, and Richard Sánchez (América) could as well.
If Almirón is partnered with another similar player in the attacking phase, you’d expect it to be Julio Enciso (Brighton), even though the two have yet to truly gel. There’s also Ángel Romero (Corinthians), Ramón Sosa (Talleres), and Derlis González (Olimpia), along with Adam Bareiro (San Lorenzo). Antonio Sanabria (Torino) was a surprise omission from the final squad, meaning that Garnero feels the rest of his attacking options are sufficient. With some talent in all three phases, this Paraguay team could surprise in a tournament lacking depth beyond the top-tier teams.
Group Breakdown
In a group with Brazil and Colombia, Paraguay and Costa Rica have gotten a pretty tough draw. Neither is a bad team — Paraguay is actually pretty good — but they don’t have much of a chance against arguably the most successful national team in history and a red-hot Colombia team. The only real question here is whether it’s Brazil or Colombia who tops the group, and with all of the talent on that Brazil team, they’re hard to pick against, as good as Colombia has been the last two years.
PREDICTION:
Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Costa Rica
Knockout Stage
Quarter-Finals
G1: A1 vs B2
Argentina vs Mexico
Argentina, essentially needing a win to stay alive in the 2022 World Cup, spent over an hour searching for an answer to Mexico’s defensive resistance. Eventually, Lionel Messi finally got a bit of space and found one, hammering home a low-driven shot from outside the box. Since then, the two teams have been on very different trajectories. Mexico were knocked out of that World Cup after finishing third in the group. Then, they were beaten 2-0, again, by their American rivals in the CONCACAF Nations League final in March, and now they boast just three starters who play in Europe’s top 5 leagues. Argentina, meanwhile, has just one loss (to Uruguay) since that match, winning their next 5 in a row to win the World Cup for the first time since 1986, and their entire starting lineup (besides Messi) plays their club football at one of the world’s biggest 15 or so clubs. Messi had to be at his imperious best to drag Argentina past Mexico in Qatar, but it’s unlikely that that will be needed this time. 2-0 Argentina
G2: B1 vs A2
Ecuador vs Canada
In a matchup between two teams with some exciting young talent, Ecuador’s superior defense and midfield will likely make the difference. Canada is an intriguing side and has some fantastic options in attack, but they’re not ready for a challenge of this magnitude yet. Ecuador has talent in all three phases and a defense that is equipped to handle any attack in this tournament, including the elite ones — and unfortunately for Canada, as talented as their attack is, that is not a term that can be used to describe it yet. Ecuador has enough in attack to find a way through a comparatively weaker Canadian defense. 1-0 Ecuador
G3: C1 vs D2
Uruguay vs Colombia
It’s unfortunate that this is a quarter-final matchup, as this features two of the most exciting teams in the tournament, with both playing some fantastic football in the preceding weeks and months. Colombia is unbeaten since February 2022, while Uruguay under Marcelo Bielsa have been a revelation. As tough as Colombia have been, Uruguay are the more talented side and have had better results against better opposition under Bielsa, making them the favorites for this match. 2-1 Uruguay
G4: D1 vs C2
Brazil vs United States
With all due respect to this United States team and their historic generation of players, this is a major mismatch. This Brazil team is one of the best in the world, and although the U.S. had a decent showing at the 2022 World Cup and appear to be a talented team on the rise, they boast maybe one world-class player, depending on how you rate Christian Pulisic, who’s coming off a huge season at AC Milan. To put it bluntly: every player on that Brazil starting lineup is that good or better. This USMNT group is the most talented the country’s ever had, and they could be competitive in this match, but it’d take a level of performance that they have yet to produce to have a real chance to take out a footballing giant. 3-1 Brazil
Semi-Finals
G5: Winner G1 vs Winner G2
Argentina vs Ecuador
In a rematch of the 2021 quarterfinal matchup, Argentina will be heavily favored to advance again. This is a talented Ecuador team with the personnel to cause some real issues for Lionel Scaloni’s side, but Argentina has plenty of talent and championship-level experience across the board, from their starting 11 to their bench. 1-0 Argentina
G6: Winner G3 vs Winner G4
Brazil vs Uruguay
This is the most exciting match of the tournament thus far. Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay are a vastly different team from the one that went out in the 2022 World Cup group stage, and have beaten both Brazil and Argentina by a score of 2-0 within the past year. They’re talented and play some really impressive football. They lack, however, the star power that Brazil possesses in bunches. This one should be close, but in the end, one of these teams is playing their best football right now, and it’s not the Seleção. 2-1 Uruguay
Final
Argentina vs Uruguay
The defending champs face off against the hottest team in the Americas right now. It will be a tightly contested match, as always. Argentina, as good as they’ve been, got rocked by Uruguay at La Bombonera in the fall, and there’s no reason to expect this to be any different. In the end, if they want to win, they’ll need Lionel Messi, at 36, to do something he has never done before: dominate a Copa América final. Uruguay will need no such thing. 2-1 Uruguay
AWARDS
Golden Ball: Federico Valverde
Golden Boot: Darwin Nuñez
Best Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martínez
Best Young Player: Endrick
Dark Horse team: Ecuador
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