The Copa América soccer tournament reaches its 48th edition with a country, the United States, that hosted it for the first time in 2016, coinciding with the centenary celebration, and 8 years later it serves as a test for the 2026 World Cup.
With sixteen teams paired in four groups and a new fight between representatives of Conmebol and Concacaf, this is how the tournament is ready, which will begin on June 20 and will be defined on July 14.
1. Messi’s Copa América
Acclaimed abroad and, finally, within his country, Leo Messi is the absolute protagonist of the Cup. Perhaps because it could be his last great tournament with the Albiceleste, but also because it is held in the country where he has decided to burn his last cartridges.
“Messi has managed to do what previously seemed impossible: turn the United States into a football country,” said Time magazine, arguing why it chose him “Athlete of the Year 2023.”
Having also become an icon in the United States, where he has even participated in the promotion of Will Smith’s latest film, the fact that the final of the tournament is played in Miami, where he resides, is nothing more than another proof of who is the absolute protagonist of the cup.
2. A partial rehearsal for the World Cup
Atlanta, Arlington, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, Miami and Santa Clara are the venues that will host Copa América matches and will repeat two years later at the 2026 World Cup.
Eight of the eleven American venues for the 2026 World Cup will have a dress rehearsal during the Copa América.
3. Argentina to the East, Brazil to the West
Argentina and Brazil, the two big favorites of the tournament, will experience the cup on opposite sides.
The Albiceleste will play the first phase on the East Coast (Atlanta, New Jersey, Miami) and the Canarinha on the West (Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Las Vegas). If they both finish first in the group, they will not meet until the final in Miami, on July 14.
4. World Cup hosts weigh their options
The 48th Copa América offers the hosts of the next World Cup the opportunity to evaluate the level of their teams.
In the Gold Cup, the United States, Mexico and Canada won the right to face teams in this Copa América that, for sure, will be protagonists in the World Cup, where Conmebol will have six representatives for the first time in its history and could reach a seventh place in the playoffs.
5. New stage on the bench
The Copa América 2024 arrives with a majority renewal on the benches. Only Lionel Scaloni, the champion’s coach, remains in the same position regarding the Brazil 2021 edition.
Ricardo Gareca also repeats, but three years ago he was in charge of Peru and now leads Chile, while Marcelo Bielsa returns to the continental tournament with Uruguay, twenty years after losing the final in charge of the Albiceleste, in a penalty shootout against Brazil.
In that same 2004 edition, Jorge Fossatti led Uruguay to third place. Now, he returns to Peru.
The group of selectors with experience in the Copa América is completed by Argentine Gustavo Alfaro, coach of Ecuador in 2021 and who now directs Costa Rica.
On the other hand, it will be the first participation in a Copa América for the natives Dorival Junior (Brazil), Gregg Berhalter (United States) and Jaime Lozano (Mexico).
Another American, Jesse Marsch, will debut with Canada, a Brazilian, Antonio Carlos Zago with Bolivia and a Spaniard, Félix Sánchez, with Ecuador.
Three Argentines will also make their debut in the tournament: Néstor Lorenzo (Colombia), Daniel Garnero (Paraguay) and Fernando Batista (Venezuela).
A Spanish-Danish, Thomas Christiansen, will have his first experience in this competition leading Panama and an Icelander, Heimir Hallgrimsson, with Jamaica.
In total, there are seven Argentine coaches, two Brazilians, two Spanish, two Americans, one Uruguayan, one Mexican and one Icelandic.
Information from EFE Agency.
2024-06-18 14:40:10
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