Copa America: Look out for these Game Changers

The 48^th edition of the Copa America is just four months away when the American festival of football opens its doors in Atlanta.

The USA hosts the competition, but the biggest stars will travel from Europe to represent their South American homelands.

Holders Argentina are aiming to win the trophy for a record 16^th time and, as World Champions too, they are the team to beat. The Copa America 2024 betting odds say it will be a face off between La Albiceleste and arch rivals Brazil.

Some of the best flair players on the planet will be on show, so let’s take a look at the SBOTOP pick of five players who can wow the crowds and change the games with a flash of genius.

Julian Alvarez, Argentina

The 2022 World Cup winners have been captained and inspired by the great Lionel Messi over the last decade and he might be in the USA to help pack the stadiums again this summer.

But one player who is certain to terrorise opposition defences is Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez. He arrived at the Etihad Stadium from River Plate as an exciting prospect, a potential replacement for the great Sergio Aguero, and this season he has blossomed into one of the best forwards in the Premier League.

His superb positional sense and timing, combined with a great first touch and sublime control make him a joy to watch. And Alvarez is one of the best free-kick takers in the modern game.

Rodrygo: Brazil

In a team which boasts a wild array of attacking talent and a nation famed for exciting football, there are plenty of players to pick from.

Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison, Neymar, and Vinicius Junior will all be in the Selecao’s thoughts as they try to wrestle South American dominance away from Argentina. But my pick is Real Madrid’s 23-year-old forward Rodrygo.

He can play as a winger or a No. 10 and has become a key player for Los Blancos following the departure of Karim Benzema. Rodrygo scored both Real Madrid’s goals in their 2023 Copa del Rey final win over Osasuna, and he is the man for the big occasion.

Luis Diaz: Colombia

Liverpool’s super quick forward Diaz could easily be the player of the tournament if he can fire the Colombians to a second Copa America triumph. It is almost a quarter of a century since Los Cafeteros were Kings of the Americas, and they are outsiders again.

Liverpool’s Luis Diaz during their Carabao Cup semi final match against Fulham

But Diaz is a proven match-winner as a natural left winger who loves to drift in to support the strikers. He is back from a long-term injury and will be a key player in Liverpool’s Premier League title push. Diaz’ link up play, deadly delivery, and eye for goal mean we can’t take our eyes off him.

Rodrigo Bentancur, Uruguay

Another Premier League star we expect to make plenty of Copa America 2024 highlights is Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Bentancur.

Uruguay have won the tournament 15 times, as well as Argentina, and they will be a force to be reckoned with this time around.

And in Bentancur they have a superb all-round player who can operate as a deep-lying playmaker or as an attacking player behind the front two. He displays intelligence, great technique, and footwork, and he will beat players with a change of pace or a clever pass.

Bentancur can also pop up with a crucial goal when needed, as he did in Tottenham’s recent 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

He’s another player who has been sidelined with a long-term injury, and Spurs have more strength and resilience now that Bentancur is back in the fold, which can only be good news for Uruguay.

Christian Pulisic, USA

Our North American choice comes from Serie A in the shape of AC Milan’s attacking midfielder Christian Pulisic. He’s the Stars and Stripes best player of the past few years, scoring 28 goals in 64 international appearances, and Pulisic is still only 25 years of age.

He can also play out wide, and he gives the USA plenty of fluidity in attack. And, since moving from Chelsea to Milan in the summer, he has found his best form again.

While AC Milan have shown some defencive frailties in recent weeks, there is no doubting their strike force and, playing off centre-forward Olivier Giroud, Pulisic and Rafael Leao can wreak havoc in opposition defences.

At his very best, Pulisic is a world beater, able to unlock any defence, and he can help USA spring a surprise or two on home soil.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 14-Feb-2024 at 12:59 PM

Copa America: The Best Rivalries and Maybe a Big Upset

2024 Copa America action is inching ever closer, and fans in the USA can look forward to a festival of football with some of the biggest stars in the world on show.

It’s a great tournament to match up to the Euros, and, as in any competition, we love to see the rivalries raging, and everyone likes an upset—apart from the team that has just been felled by a giant killer, of course!

So let’s take a look at the nations and teams that really want to beat each other and, in all probability, don’t much like each other; the big games; and maybe even a match that can upset the odds. 

Brazil or Argentina, then USA or Mexico?

The South American fans are among the most passionate in the world, and the USA know how to put on a party too, so there are some tasty rivalries on both continents. 

In my first SBOTOP look at this year’s Copa America, I tipped the South American giants to dominate the tournament, and I stand by that as both Brazil and Argentina, ranked first and fourth in the world by FIFA, are backed to fight it out with the latest Copa America 2024 betting odds, making La Albiceleste the tournament favourites, with Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia in pursuit. 

Holders Argentina are in Group A with Peru, Chile, and Canada, and, as 2022 World Champions, they are the team everyone wants to see, with Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi the box office draw. It might just be the little genius’ swansong, and having led La Albiceleste to world dominance in Qatar, he has made a good case for being hailed as the ‘greatest or all time’.

Brazil fans will point to the legendary Pele as the GOAT, and they will get plenty of support around the world. And in the present crop of players, there is plenty of talent too, particularly in attack, where the Real Madrid duo of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo have frightening pace and mesmerising ball skills.

The Selecao, having lost their last three games of 2023 and starting slowly in the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 qualifiers, have appointed Junior as their manager, and he has begun well with a friendly win over England and a draw with Spain. 

Brazil are in Group D alongside Colombia, Costa Rica, and Paraguay, and they should navigate that hurdle.

The tournament hosts, USA are the joint fifth favourites alongside Mexico, and they will both fancy their chances of going deep into the competition, though their first aim is to be the bosses of the North and Central continents.

USA winger Giovanni Reyna is hopeful of carrying their winning momentum into the Copa America this summer

The Stars and Stripes recently beat Mexico to win the CONCACAF Nations League with goals from Tyler Adams and Giovanni Reyna, and there is no love lost between the two nations. Politically and culturally, they are at odds, and the Nations League final was halted three times due to offensive chants coming from the stands. 

USA are in Group C with Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia, while Mexico should boss Group B which contains Ecuador, Venezuela, and Jamaica. 

Match of the Round

I like the look of the Group C clash between the USA and Uruguay in Kansas City on July 1^st. These are two high-ranking sides; the hosts, captained by Milan’s Christian Pulisic, have exciting youngsters, including Pulisic’s Rossoneri teammate Yunus Musah in their ranks, alongside Nottingham Forest star Reyna and Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, and they will be an entertaining side to watch.

Uruguay will give the Stars and Stripes a serious test. La Celeste, now coached by former Argentina boss Marcelo Bielsa, has some serious talent in its ranks, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur and Real Madrid’s red-hot Federico Valverde in midfield and Liverpool fans’ favourite Darwin Nunez up front.

USA versus Uruguay is a must-watch for me. 

Potential Upset

What bigger upset could we have than Brazil losing or even failing to make the knockout stage? Well, the Selecao head to California on July 2nd, where they will face Colombia in a tasty Group D clash.

Los Cafeteros, Copa America champions in 2001, were unbeaten throughout 2023, with wins over Germany, Brazil, and Mexico, and they have won two from two in 2024, beating Spain and Romania.

Liverpool’s Luis Diaz is such a dangerous customer, and he’s sure to make more than his fair share of Copa America 2024 highlights, which could give Brazil problems. And with other eye-catching Premier League stars, Bournemouth’s Luis Sinisterra and Aston Villa’s 2- year-old striker Jhon Duran, in good form, this is a team to beware. So maybe it wouldn’t be a major shock if Colombia upset the Selecao again, but that would put more pressure on Brazil’s other games against Costa Rica and Paraguay, neither of them pushovers.  

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 17-Apr-2024 at 4:50 PM