Copa America 2024 – Group A
The Champions from Argentina Aim to Defend Their Title!
Can any of Chile, Peru, or Canada stop Lionel Messi’s “swan song”?
Unquestionably, the most attention in this group is focused on Argentina, the reigning Copa America and current world champions. Messi and his team are the heavy favorites, and anything other than first place would be considered a failure by all who support the “Gauchos.”
Chile, Peru, and debutants Canada are joining the group, representing CONCACAF. Here’s what to expect from the four teams and which players to watch:
ARGENTINA
As the current champions, they were one of the seeded teams and were automatically placed in Group A before the draw. The world champions have been experiencing one of the most successful periods in modern football since Lionel Scaloni took over after the World Cup failure in 2018. The coach led Argentina to victory in the Copa America final in 2021 against their great rivals Brazil, ending a 28-year wait for a major trophy.
This success was further cemented when they won the Finalissima – the match between the champions of South America and Europe – defeating Italy 3-0 at Wembley Stadium in 2022.
Unsurprisingly, Argentina will be led by their captain, Lionel Messi, with the notable absence of Paulo Dybala.
The Roma forward, who was part of the squad that won the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, has been a consistent presence whenever available. Among the 29 selected players, 11 are defenders, including well-known names like Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Otamendi, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Marcos Acuña, and Nicolas Tagliafico. A surprise inclusion is defender Leonardo Balerdi from Olympique Marseille.
The squad also features three league winners: Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, and Exequiel Palacios, who won the top divisions in England (Manchester City), Italy (Inter Milan), and Germany (Bayer Leverkusen), respectively. With the addition of Di Maria in the attack, the Argentines look formidable to their opponents and are incredibly entertaining to the fans.
CHILE
As two-time title holders, “La Roja” is one of Argentina’s main contenders in the group and for the trophy itself. In 2015, Chile made history by winning the Copa America for the first time and then repeated its success the following year, claiming its second title in the centennial edition of the tournament. Interestingly, both times, they defeated Argentina in the final and after penalty shootouts.
The second title was won in the USA, where this year’s tournament will also occur.
The Chileans appear well-prepared in attack, led by Alexis Sanchez, Eduardo Vargas, and Ben Brereton Diaz. However, veterans like Gary Medel, Arturo Vidal, and Claudio Bravo are gradually fading, and it remains to be seen if someone will step up to replace these stars from the golden generation during this tournament.
PERU
Placed in a group with Argentina, Chile, and Canada, Peru has a tough task if they want to progress to the knockout stages. Their strong performance in 2021, where they finished fourth, might give them confidence and self-assurance. However, the Peruvian squad for Copa America 2024 is aging, with captain Paolo Guerrero now 40 years old, often bearing the responsibility and burden of the matches alone in the forward positions.
Many of their best defenders are past their prime, having entered their mid-30s, and manager Jorge Fossati needs more young, reliable talent.
The last time Copa America was held in the USA, Peru reached the quarterfinals but failed to beat Colombia, losing to their neighbours in a penalty shootout. They will likely aim to repeat this achievement at least, if not surpass it.
CANADA
The only debutant in this tournament is one of the big unknowns. Canada’s group looks very challenging, but the team’s growth in recent years gives their fans a great deal of optimism. Additionally, Canada will enjoy playing in the tournament’s opening match against Argentina on June 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Just five weeks before the start of the tournament, Canada announced its new head coach: former Leeds and RB Leipzig manager Jesse Marsch. Marsch takes over from Mauro Biello, who temporarily led the team after John Herdman stepped down late last year.
An interesting and optimistic fact for the fans is that the team’s star, Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, has won all three matches he has played against Lionel Messi. With the help of his attacking colleagues, Mallorca’s Cyle Larin and Lille’s Jonathan David, who have combined for over 50 goals and 100 appearances, Davies will attempt to extend his winning streak against Messi to 4 out of 4.
Another player to watch is Inter’s Tajon Buchanan, who could be Jesse Marsch’s hidden ace despite getting a few minutes in the Italian league.
Schedule:
Matchday 1:
● 20/06/2024 – Argentina vs Canada – 20:00 (GMT-4h) – Mercedes-Benz Stadium – ATLANTA, GA
● 21/06/2024 – Peru vs Chile – 19:00 (GMT-5h) – AT&T Stadium – ARLINGTON, TX
Matchday 2:
● 25/06/2024 – Peru vs Canada – 17:00 (GMT-5h) – Children’s Mercy Park – KANSAS CITY, KS
● 25/06/2024 – Chile vs Argentina – 21:00 (GMT-4h) – MetLife Stadium – EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ
Matchday 3:
● 29/06/2024 – Argentina vs Peru – 20:00 (GMT-4h) – Hard Rock Stadium – MIAMI, FL
● 29/06/2024 – Canada vs Chile – 20:00 (GMT-4h) – Inter&Co Stadium – ORLANDO, FL
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