If you have been taking a peek at the football listings and scratching your head wondering how there’s another Copa America tournament this year, don’t worry: your memory has not failed you. Yes, the Copa was played last year, when Chile won the final, defeating Argentina in a penalty shootout.
But this year will also see another edition of the same tournament or, to put it more clearly, a “special edition” of the tournament. The year 2016 marks 100 years of the existence of South American Football Confederation and, to mark the event, the Copa America Centenario will be played in the United States. This is the first time the Copa America is being hosted outside South America.
Unlike the 12 teams that usually compete at the tournament, the field is larger this year – all ten teams from the South American federation will feature, along with six teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.
In terms of significance, the tournament will be purely symbolic – the team winning will not be invited for the Confederations Cup in 2017, since Chile have already qualified by virtue of their Copa America victory last year. However, the tournament will still have some of the top and upcoming American talent, so the action should be worth watching.
Here's how the groups are lined up.
Group A: United States look to shine
The United States will have tough competition in what looks, on paper, to be the toughest group. Jurgen Klinsmann has a young and exciting team at his disposal, with the added advantage of playing at home, but they will be up against Colombia who surprised many with their run to the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup.
Columbia were subdued at last year’s Copa, scoring only one goal in four games and will look to bounce back this year. James Rodriguez, who scored that wonder goal at the World Cup in 2014, has endured a frustrating season at Real Madrid and will be itching to make amends here.
Grouped with them are Costa Rica and Paraguay, two teams traditionally renowned for their defensive mettle. Costa Rica, like Colombia, shocked Italy and Uruguay at the World Cup two years ago and will not be overawed by the occasion. On the other hand, Paraguay finished fourth at last year’s Copa and they definitely can’t be considered the minnows.
Group B: Neymar-less Brazil take stock
Samba stars Brazil are in this group, but they’ve been severely hampered by the absence of their talisman Neymar, who has not been released by his club Barcelona for this tournament. The 34-year-old Kaka has also pulled out at the last moment with a hamstring injury.
The scars of that 7-1 mauling against Germany in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup are still fresh, but Brazil still have a strong team despite the absence of Neymar and Kaka, and shouldn’t have too much trouble qualifying from the group. A player to watch out for is Willian, who was one of the few bright points in an otherwise disastrous last season for Chelsea.
Ecuador, one of only two nations that have never won the Copa America, look dangerous this time around. They have recently defeated Argentina and Uruguay, both South American heavyweights. With players such as Antonio Valencia and Jefferson Montero, they will be no pushovers.
Peru finished third at last year’s Copa, but they will be bringing a young team to the tournament, while Haiti, the fourth team, are a surprise package. While not much will be expected of Haiti, Indian football fans might have something to savour if Mohun Bagan’s star midfielder, Sony Norde, makes an appearance for the team in the tournament.
Group C: Mexico lead the charge
Mexico look unstoppable in this group. They come into the tournament on the back of an 11-match unbeaten run, haven’t conceded a goal in the last five games, and have a player like Javier “Chicarito” Hernandez, of Manchester United fame, in their ranks.
What will also work in their favour is the fact that their biggest competitors in the group, Uruguay, will lack some attacking weapons of their own with Luis Suarez out injured for at least the group stages. A lot will depend on Uruguay’s Edison Cavani, but the La Celeste will take heart in their strong defensive capabilities.
Jamaica might be the underdogs, but they can’t be taken lightly – they defeated Chile in a pre-tournament friendly and went all the way to the 2015 Gold Cup final, upsetting favourites United States in the semi-finals. They will be captained by Wes Morgan, the Leicester City captain who will hope that his club’s incredible achievement in the EPL can rub off on his team. Venezuela are the fourth team in the group, but they have not been in good form lately.
Group D: Argentina chases a title
It is a familiar script. Argentina have once again arrived at a major tournament with fans hoping they can win a trophy. They have not won a global title since the Copa America in 1993. The pressure of expectation is sky-high on Lionel Messi in particular, but the preparation has not been the best: he was injured in a warm-up game against Honduras earlier and had to travel to a Barcelona court earlier in the week before Argentina’s opener to defend himself against claims of tax evasion.
However, with a team studded with talents such as Sergio Aguero and Javier Mascherano, qualifying, at least, should not prove difficult. But Argentina will face stiff competition from defending champions Chile, who have quality of their own. Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez will lead from the front, as Chile look to retain their hold on the title. Panama and Bolivia are the other teams who, while not being expected to qualify for the next stage, will look to pull off an upset or two.
The Copa America Centenario kicks off with the United States taking on Colombia at 7 am Indian time on Saturday on the Sony Six network. While the timings may not be the most conducive for Indian viewers (most matches begin late night or early morning), the tournament has traditionally produced some enthralling football action. Early mornings and late nights in front of the TV may not be a bad option.
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