The 2024 Copa America has officially set in motion! The 16 players (two of whom are still to be decided) can start getting ready for the much-awaited CONMEBOL tournament that will take place in the United States next summer after Thursday’s group stage draw.
World Cup winners looking for back-to-back Copa America trophies Argentina had an easy route through the group stage. Still, Lionel Messi and company might face difficulties against Ecuador or Mexico in a potential knockout match.
Brazil, the 2021 winners, will have a difficult task against Colombia’s squad, who defeated them last month. In addition, there could be matchups in the knockout stages against dangerous underdogs like Uruguay or the United States. Not to be overlooked are the customary large fish in the Concacaf-sized pond. Both the United States and Mexico will have enticing opportunities to shine in 2024, with plenty of support from the crowd.
After Thursday’s draw, there will be a lot to discuss. ESPN’s Tim Vickery and Cesar Hernandez have offered their initial analyses of the Copa America group stage draw, with most teams now confirmed for the competition.
Note: Six invitations to the tournament were extended to the Concacaf region. The 2023–24 Nations League semifinals will feature the United States, Mexico, Jamaica, and Panama. On March 23, the winners of the single-leg playoff matches between Costa Rica and Honduras and Canada and Trinidad and Tobago will receive the two remaining Concacaf invitations.
Argentina, the current World and Copa champions, could not have gotten a worse draw. Chile has shown itself to be incapable of replacing the generation that won the previous expanded version of the Copa in 2016. Peru, with just one goal in six World Cup qualifiers, appears to be the weakest of the teams in pot two. It will be interesting to observe how Canada has developed after displaying some interesting moments during the World Cup in Qatar if they advance.
Although Argentina had to learn the hard way against Saudi Arabia the previous year that nothing in tournament football can be taken for granted, they appear to be well-positioned in this group.
The group phase of an expanded Copa is significantly more competitive, which is one of its main advantages. Normally, eight teams from 12 qualify, but eight teams from sixteen adds a significant advantage, which should be evident when Peru plays Chile in the opening round.
These two neighbors are very hostile to one another. The Pacific Derby is rarely anything but Pacific, and this one should be tasty since these teams are, at least on paper, directly vying for qualification alongside Argentina.
A few people view this Copa as a prelude to the 2026 World Cup. There’s a general feeling in Argentina right now that this tournament could be the last of an illustrious period. Ángel Di María has previously declared that this will be his final farewell to the world. That might also apply to Lionel Messi, and Lionel Scaloni, the coach, has made remarks regarding his resignation. Seize the opportunity while it lasts!
PREDICTED FINISH: Argentina, Chile, Canada, Peru — Vickery
The draw will cause Mexico to exhale with relief. While both Venezuela and Ecuador have a good chance of surprising the Concacaf Gold Cup winners, Mexico won’t face nearly as difficult of a task if Uruguay or Colombia were selected in Ecuador’s place or if the ghosts of 2016 reappeared with Chile in their group rather than Venezuela.
If El Tri doesn’t collapse spectacularly, which is a real possibility for the team that was a huge disappointment in Qatar 2022, Ecuador and Venezuela will most likely compete for a spot in the knockout round. Jamaica might not have enough for a top-two finish, even though they impressed in their most recent victory over Canada.
An important moment that will determine the outcome for the two CONMEBOL teams sharing the pitch in their group match. The two teams that drew 0-0 in October don’t really have much in common, and Ecuador should aim for early points from the start given that Venezuela gets to play Jamaica to finish the group stage.
Without a doubt, the largest crowds at the Copa America will be cheering on Mexico, the most popular soccer team in the country, even though the tournament will be held north of the border. During friendlies, El Tri frequently packs NFL-sized venues, and their 12th man is a constant fixture.
PREDICTED FINISH: Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Jamaica — Hernandez
The hosts are not going to find this easy. Uruguay can argue that they are currently the most exciting team in CONMEBOL, even though the U.S. men’s national team can argue that they are the best team in Concacaf.
What about Panama, though? They punch above their weight with a spot in the Gold Cup final and have only lost once in their last 13 games. Regarding Bolívia, their dubious World Cup qualifying campaign does not augur well for the Copa America.
Panama has a great opportunity to prove to everyone that they are a serious contender for the knockout round when they play Uruguay in their group opener. Having said that, Marcelo Bielsa and his team, who appear to be gaining a great deal of confidence, could also be mentioned.
The country’s rising stars have been eagerly anticipated by supporters to eventually elevate the USMNT and leave their mark at a prestigious international competition. Undoubtedly, a great deal of talent is still in its early stages, but will it be able to compete at the highest level in the Copa America?
PREDICTED FINISH: Uruguay, United States, Panama, Bolivia — Hernandez
This quartet could be the best in the competition, along with Mexico’s group. Despite all of their present issues, Brazil is still Brazil. Under coach Nestor Lorenzo, Colombia is winning and performing well. Both of the Central American teams can pose a threat, so Paraguay will be hoping to finally get Julio Enciso and Miguel Almirón of the Premier League to play well together to bolster their defense. Over the years, Costa Rica has gained much experience; in 2001, Honduras even defeated Brazil.
This final-round group game could be extremely interesting if either team has lost its first two games and there’s a chance that one of the teams will go out early. Colombia fans will be hoping to cheer their team on to another victory as they justifiably won their first-ever World Cup qualifier last month over Brazil, who are currently experiencing some unrest.
Everything is uncertain right now. Theoretically, Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, will take over as coach of the Brazil team after this tournament. That would be interesting in and of itself. However, there has been no formal confirmation of his arrival as of yet, and the plan has encountered a problem.
Ednaldo Rodrigues, the president of Brazil’s FA, is the person behind the Ancelotti option. However, he is now up against a coup in court that will remove him. It’s all up in the air, and Brazil needs to pull together after losing three straight World Cup qualifying matches.
PREDICTED FINISH: Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Costa Rica — Vickery
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