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.
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 1st. 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.
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