The Copa America begins in the United States on Friday evening (June 21, 2024). The match begins with a tough match for defending champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi.
It's not just Europe where fans can fill the Football League's current break with a continental tournament. South and North America will also host their regional tournaments starting this week: the Copa America will kick off in Atlanta on Friday evening (June 21, 2024).
Messi vs Davies first
The opening match will be played between defending champion Argentina. Lionel Messi's team will meet Canada with Bayern's Alphonso Davies. It's certainly an uncomfortable match for the Albiceleste, as Canada plays very quickly and is very physical. However: The Gauchos are of course the favourites. And also because Messi is at the top of his game again.
Peru and Chile are the other rivals of the Argentine group in the world's oldest national championship, which this time has invited, in addition to the 10 South American teams, six teams from the Nordic confederation CONCACAF.
Rehearsal for two goals by Messi
36-year-old Messi has been suffering from groin problems on and off over the past few weeks, but in training at the weekend he looked as fit and motivated as ever. In a 4-1 friendly win over Guatemala, Messi scored two goals and set up another. During the crucial test against Ecuador (1-0) at the start of last week, he initially sat on the bench and was not substituted until just under an hour later.
The Copa America is worth watching just because of Messi and his teammates. After all, Argentines make headlines almost every day. The most recent one concerned a crazy offer that Messi allegedly received from Saudi Arabia a year ago.
He rejected the Saudi billion offer
According to club president Anmar Al-Haili, the club offered the Argentine an annual salary of 450 million euros. ““We made him an offer of 1.4 billion euros.”The president of Al Hilal said on Saudi television: “But the player refused because his family wanted to go to America.”
Messi ended up at Inter Miami, where he has since played alongside his friends Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. According to reports, Angel Di Maria will also join them this summer.
But before that, the friends want to repeat the victory they achieved in 2021, when Argentina achieved its great victory on the soil of its arch enemy. At the time, Messi and company won the last Copa final against hosts Brazil. Di Maria scored the golden goal to win 1-0. A year later, the team became world champions.
Argentina with World Cup stars on board
It is likely that Messi's team will be the measure of everything in the current Copa Championship. In front of a defense centered around Nicolas Otamendi and Lesandro Martinez, Chelsea's Enzo Fernandes operates in midfield alongside Atletico Madrid's Rodrigo De Paul and Liverpool's Alexis McAllister, just like in the World Cup.
Albiceleste, led by Lionel Messi, has a world-class attacking team. Lionel Scaloni, the world champion's coach, has probably called up Angel Di Maria for a major tournament for the last time. Youngster Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United and Nico Gonzalez of Fiorentina could also be in the starting line-up.
Dybala is not nominated
Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez are also expected to compete for the central striker spot in the starting lineup. Argentina's strength was underscored: world champion Paulo Dybala, as has often been the case in recent years, was not nominated at all.
Groups
Group A: Argentina, Chile, Canada, Peru
Group B: Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Venezuela
Group C: USA, Bolivia, Panama, Uruguay
Group D: Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Paraguay
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