Having won the World Cup just over a year later, the Albiceleste were clear favourites going into this tournament.
It features 16 teams, split into four groups of four, with the top two qualifying for the quarter-finals. The final will be played on July 14 at 8pm (8am, July 15 HKT) and supporters in Hong Kong can follow the action on Hoy TV.
Vinicius Junior is Brazil’s star man and will be looking for his first international honour with the Selecao. Photo: DPA
At 108 years old, the Copa America is the oldest continental football competition in the world, having first been staged in 1916.
Though it is traditionally a competition for the best of South America, since 1993 all 10 Conmebol nations have been present, with the addition of further nations from North America. There have even been two Asian guests: Japan (1999, 2019) and Qatar (2019). Since 2016, there have been 16 entrants each time.
Argentina are looking to make history and become the stand-alone most successful country in the competition’s history. They sit level with Uruguay on 15 victories apiece, with Brazil in third with nine.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay could prove the biggest obstacle to Argentina as they come into the tournament in stunning form.
Their last friendly saw them hammer Mexico 4-0, while they also beat Brazil and Lionel Scaloni’s world champions in back-to-back World Cup qualifiers towards the end of 2023.
Colombia recently smashed Copa America 2024 hosts USA 5-1 to lay down a marker. Photo: AP
Brazil, meanwhile, are a team in crisis. Having failed to immediately hire a successor for outgoing manager Tite, they waited in vain for Carlo Ancelotti, who duly signed a contract extension with Real Madrid.
In the meantime, the only side to feature at every single World Cup face the genuine prospect of missing out in 2026, having failed to win any of the past four qualifiers, including losing their past three.
But it is impossible to rule out the Samba stars, especially with the form of Vinicius Junior in 2023-24, though they are without the injured Neymar and left Manchester United’s Casemiro at home.
Elsewhere, hosts United States will be keen to put on a good showing as they look to test themselves against some of football’s best ahead of hosting the World Cup.
Colombia could also be dark horses. Unbeaten since February 2022, they have enjoyed victories over Germany, Spain and Brazil, and have won their last eight matches.
Chile beat Argentina in back-to-back finals in 2015 and 2016 but, having missed out on qualification to the past two World Cups, are a far cry from that side.
Copa America 2024
Group A: Argentina, Peru, Chile, Canada
Group B: Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Jamaica
Group C: United States, Uruguay, Panama, Bolivia
Group D: Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Costa Rica
Source link : https://amp.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267416/copa-america-lionel-messis-argentina-defend-title-us-uruguay-brazil-lie-wait
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Publish date : 2024-06-20 13:00:09
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