Salomon Rondon played in the Premier League for West Brom, Newcastle and Everton (Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images)Thing you didn’t know
There are diminutive wingers and then there is Soteldo, the only footballer at the Copa America who could feasibly sleep in a sardine tin. Predictably, his size has been the source of plenty of fraternal ribbing over the years. Case in point: during his spell at Santos in Brazil, 5ft 3in Soteldo went to the club canteen for lunch and found that his team-mates had reserved a seat for him. Nice gesture, right? Not quite: it was a baby’s high chair.
Expectations back home
One glance at Venezuela’s record at big tournaments — precisely zero World Cup appearances and just eight wins in 70 matches at the Copa America — may be enough to make you write them off as no-hopers. Look a little closer, though, and you will see that they have actually been pretty solid since 2007, when they hosted the tournament and reached the quarter-finals. They have made it out of the group three further times since, gradually dragging expectation levels up.
This year, the mood is one of restrained optimism. No one thinks this is a world-beating team but progress under Batista has been encouraging, and news of Group B opponents Mexico’s experimental squad selection was an unexpected boost. Having avoided Brazil and Argentina, Venezuela would be disappointed not to make the quarter-finals.
Venezuela’s Copa America squad (provisional)
Goalkeepers: Rafael Romo (Universidad Catolica), Alain Baroja (Always Ready), Joel Graterol (America de Cali), Jose Contreras (Aguilas Doradas).
Defenders: Alexander Gonzalez (Emelec), Jhon Chancellor (Metropolitanos), Wilker Angel (Criciuma), Yordan Osorio (Parma), Nahuel Ferraresi (São Paulo), Miguel Navarro (Talleres), Christian Makoun (Anorthosis Famagusta), Jon Aramburu (Real Sociedad), Carlos Vivas (Deportivo Tachira).
Midfielders: Tomas Rincon (Santos), Darwin Machis (Cadiz), Jhon Murillo (Atlas), Yeferson Soteldo (Gremio), Jefferson Savarino (Botafogo), Yangel Herrera (Girona), Cristian Casseres Jr. (Toulouse), Jose Andres Martinez (Philadelphia Union), Eduard Bello (Mazatlan), Samuel Sosa (Queretaro), Daniel Pereira (Austin FC), Telasco Segovia (Casa Pia), Kervin Andrade (Fortaleza), Matias Lacava (Vizela).
Forwards: Salomon Rondon (Pachuca), Eric Ramirez (Atletico Nacional), Jhonder Cadiz (Famalicao).
(Artwork: John Bradford. Photos: Getty; Edilzon Gamez, Daniel Apuy)
Source link : https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5542100/2024/06/14/venezuela-copa-america-2024-squad-guide/
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Publish date : 2024-06-14 07:45:53
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