Argentina, the reigning world champions, will kick off an prolonged Copa America marketing campaign on Thursday, with Lionel Messi eyeing his second continental crown in what could possibly be his last match look.
The 108-year-old competitors unfolds within the U.S., that includes six CONCACAF groups alongside the ten South American nations, all vying for a spot within the July 14 last in Miami.
While FIFA carefully screens the occasion’s group, given its proximity to the World Cup, co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico in two years, the Copa America’s illustrious historical past and status elevate it far past a mere “trial event.”
Argentina has gained the Copa 15 instances however solely as soon as, in 2021, throughout the Messi period, and coach Lionel Scaloni has caught largely along with his World Cup-winning squad, with veterans Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi seemingly taking their last bow in a serious match.
Whether that is Messi’s goodbye to elite worldwide soccer stays to be seen – the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, now enjoying in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, will flip 37 4 days after Thursday’s opener in Atlanta towards Canada and has but to resolve whether or not he’ll attempt to play in a report sixth World Cup.
“It’s great to have records and continue to achieve things, but I won’t take part in a World Cup just to say I’ve done six,” Messi instructed ESPN final week.
“If I feel good and everything is in place for me to be there, fine, but I won’t go just to go. It’s very difficult to imagine what can happen because it’s still two years away. I don’t need to commit right now to whether or not I’ll be there,” he added.
What is definite is that Messi, who has managed his workload to attempt to be in peak situation for the match, would relish the possibility to win a 3rd straight main match along with his nation after so a few years of frustration along with his nationwide staff.
Tough opposition
After dealing with Canada, Argentina takes on Chile in New Jersey earlier than ending their Group A motion towards Peru in Miami, however they know that powerful opposition awaits within the knockout stage with rivals Brazil and Uruguay the 2 anticipated challengers for the title.
Brazil has struggled in CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, having gained simply two of their opening six video games, and so they at the moment sit in sixth place within the standings having misplaced to Uruguay, Colombia, and Argentina.
There are a number of acquainted names lacking from Dorival Junior’s Brazil squad with Casemiro, Gabriel Jesus and Thiago Silva unnoticed whereas Richarlison and Neymar are each lacking attributable to harm.
The strain will probably be on the Real Madrid attacking pair of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo to translate their membership kind into success for the Selecao, whereas there’s a lot pleasure across the senior match debut of 17-year-old expertise Endrick, who is ready to hitch Real subsequent month from Palmeiras.
Uruguay, additionally 15-time winners, has impressed underneath their 68-year-old Argentina coach, Marcelo Bielsa, who has introduced his trademark high-energy fashion to the staff and raised expectations with current wins over Argentina and Brazil.
Liverpool ahead Darwin Nunez will lead the road, though Bielsa has the choice of introducing veteran Luis Suarez from the bench.
Colombia head into the match and not using a loss in over two years and with Liverpool’s livewire winger Luis Diaz a continuing menace and James Rodriguez having fun with a late-career revival, Nestor Lorenzo’s staff cannot be discounted.
The USA staff will hope that they will generate some much-needed pleasure after shedding their manner since a creditable run to the final 16 on the World Cup.
Coach Gregg Berhalter is underneath some strain to point out he can get his staff, which depends on the good wing play of Christian Pulisic, to compete with groups from exterior of CONCACAF.
Mexico have guested regularly within the Copa prior to now and reached the ultimate in 1993 and 2001, however they appear nicely under their traditional degree though they will, as at all times, depend on large help within the U.S.
This is the second time Copa America is being held within the U.S., after the Centenary match in 2016, and whereas that could be a break with custom, the presence of great immigrant communities from all of the competing nations ought to guarantee huge crowds on the principally NFL stadiums getting used.
Source: www.dailysabah.com