TEAM NEWS
THE Copa America returns for its 46th edition, with a host of global icons to take part in Brazil.
Lionel Messi will be among those as Argentina attempt to win their first title since 1993 but host nation superstar Neymar will play no part after withdrawing injured.
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Despite the name, the Copa America will also feature Asian Cup finalists Qatar and Japan, in order to ensure a full compliment of 12 teams compete.
Serious silverware is at stake, the tournament also serves as preparation for the next set of World Cup qualifiers – and there is the added bonus of some of the world’s biggest stars seeking some kind of redemption. Here are five of them.
PHILIPPE COUTINHO (Brazil)
Few players need to shine in the 2019 Copa as much as Coutinho – both because, as hosts, the pressure is heaped upon Brazil, and also in the aftermath of a difficult club season at Barcelona.
Coutinho was signed – surely unwisely – as an Iniesta replacement. It always looked unlikely.
He has always been an attacking midfielder or a support striker, never a genuine box to box figure. Brazil suffered from having him in their midfield trio in last year’s World Cup, but changes have been made to improve the balance of the side.
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First, the full backs are now more cautious. Second, Paulinho has been replaced by Arthur in central midfield; rather than an auxiliary centre forward, Brazil now have a passer to knit the side together from deep.
Coutinho, then, has much more protection behind him, and should be able to focus on what he does best. With Neymar absent through injury, Brazil really need the ex-Liverpool man to reproduce his Anfield form.
Lionel MESSI (Argentina)
It was another frustrating campaign in the Champions League for Lionel Messi. But that is a title he already has on his mantelpiece. Missing is a senior international honour – and his presence in Brazil is proof that Messi is serious about putting that right.
Until recently it seemed that he might not bother with this tournament. Argentina have a caretaker coach, the former West Ham right back Lionel Scaloni, and Messi sat out the post-World Cup friendlies. Moreover, there is another Copa next year, where Argentina will play their matches at home. It seemed very possible that he would take a break this summer and recharge his batteries.
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But time and opportunities are running out to win something with his country, and Messi has seized the chance. It is almost certain that he has used his influence to win a recall for his old friend Sergio Aguero, who had seemed totally out of favour with the Scaloni regime. Argentina, then, have no lack of attacking brilliance. But do they have the defensive quality to help Messi put in a serious challenge?
Luis SUAREZ (Uruguay)
Uruguay have roared back to football’s top table. But in each of the last three World Cups, their campaign was blown off course by the absence of one of their magnificent strikers.
Last year Edinson Cavani picked up an injury and missed the quarter final. In 2010 the infamous Luis Suarez hand ball ensured that he was suspended from the semi final. That was probably a price worth paying for blocking what would surely have been a match winning header.
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But there is no mitigating circumstances in 2014, when Suarez was caught sinking his teeth into an Italian defender and was handed a lengthy suspension. That, of course, was in Brazil – so now Suarez returns to the scene of the crime.
Just as in 2014, he has had to rush a recovery from injury to be fit in time. His superb free kick goal in the warm up friendly against Panama is an indication that this time he aims to use his attacking bite in a more legal fashion.
James RODRIGUEZ (Colombia)
Colombia’s number 10 will return to Brazil with different emotions from those of Luis Suarez. The 2014 World Cup was the scene of his greatest triumph. He was the break out star of the tournament, and seemed to have everything at his feet.
A few wise voices warned that he might lack the explosive pace to shine at one of the world’s giant clubs. Certainly his time at Real Madrid was frustrating, and a loan spell at Bayern Munich has been solid and interesting rather than spectacular. It is unclear where his club career is going.
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But it is very clear that he loves playing for his country. He thrives on the responsibility, and Colombia are a different team when he is present – it is worth dwelling on the way that last year’s World Cup match between England and Colombia may have made for a much better spectacle had James been fit enough to play.
Rodriguez, then, will relish the return to Brazil – both because under Carlos Queiroz Colombia are dangerous outsiders, and as it will give him a chance to show the world that, five years on, his promise is undiminished.
Paolo GUERRERO (Peru)
Paolo Guerrero’s time in Germany was blighted by injuries, and so the European audience may not be aware that he is a genuine world class centre forward. Towards the end of his career he finally had the chance to play in a World Cup – only to fall foul of a highly unsatisfactory drug ban. In the event, the ban was suspended in order for him to take part in Russia 2018 – but he was short of match practice, and did not start the vital opening game against Denmark.
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Peru lost the match that always seemed likely to define their fate, and although he scored in the third game against Australia, it was too late to force qualification for the knock out phase.
Ban now completed, Guerrero is back in action. He has a splendid record in Copas, and this one has added spice. It is one of the last tournaments he will play, and it is in a country that has been his home for the last few years. Peru are in the same group as Brazil – and Guerrero will look to perform well enough to make the home crowd wish he had been born on their side of the border.
With the tournament getting underway on June 14, here are the squads for all the teams...
Brazil
Tite's final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Cassio
Defenders: Dani Alves, Fagner, Alex Sandro, Filipe Luis, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Marquinhos, Eder Militao
Midfielders: Casemiro, Fernandinho, Arthur, Allan, Lucas Paqueta, Philippe Coutinho
Forwards: Everton, David Neres, Richarlison, Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus, Willian
Bolivia
Eduardo Villegas' final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Carlos Lampe, Ruben Cordano, Javier Rojas
Defenders: Marvin Bejarano, Diego Bejarano, Luis Haquin, Adrian Jusino, Mario Cuellar, Saul Torres, Roberto Fernandez, Jose Mario Carrasco
Midfielders: Alejandro Chumacero, Raul Castro, Erwin Saavedra, Leonel Justiniano, Samuel Galindo, Fernando Saucedo, Diego Wayar, Paul Arano
Forwards: Marcelo Martins, Gilbert Alvarez, Rodrigo Ramallo, Leonardo Vaca
Venezuela
Rafael Dudamel's final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Wuilker Farinez, Rafael Romo, Joel Graterol
Defenders: Roberto Rosales, Mikel Villanueva, Rolf Feltscher, John Chancellor, Yordan Osorio, Ronald Hernandez, Luis Mago
Midfielders: Tomas Rincon, Luis Manuel Seijas, Arquimedes Figuera, Jhon Murillo, Darwin Machis, Junior Moreno, Adalberto Penaranda, Yangel Herrera, Luis Gonzalez, Jefferson Savarino
Forwards: Salomon Rondon, Josef Martinez, Fernando Aristeguieta
Peru
Ricardo Gareca's final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Pedro Gallese, Carlos Caceda, Patricio Alvarez
Defenders: Luis Advincula, Carlos Zambrano, Miguel Trauco, Aldo Corzo, Alexander Callens, Miguel Araujo, Anderson Santamaria, Luis Abram
Midfielders: Yoshimar Yotun, Christian Cueva, Edison Flores, Renato Tapia, Christofer Gonzales, Jesus Pretell, Paolo Hurtado
Forwards: Jefferson Farfan, Paolo Guerrero, Andre Carillo, Raul Ruidiaz, Andy Polo
Argentina
Lionel Scaloni's 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Franco Armani, Agustin Marchesin, Esteban Andrada
Defenders: Nicolas Otamendi, Ramiro Funes Mori, Marcos Acuna, Nicolas Tagliafico, German Pezzella, Renzo Saravia, Juan Foyth
Midfielders: Angel Di Maria, Roberto Pereyra, Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Guido Rodriguez, Ivan Marcone
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Paulo Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Matias Suarez
Colombia
Carlos Queiroz's final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: David Ospina, Camilo Vargas, Alvaro Montero
Defenders: Cristian Zapata, Santiago Arias, Davinson Sanchez, Yerry Mina, William Tesillo, Cristian Borja, Stefan Medina, Jhon Lucumi
Midfielders: Juan Cuadrado, James Rodriguez, Edwin Cardona, Wilmar Barrios, Mateus Uribe, Jefferson Lerma, Gustavo Cuellar
Forwards: Radamel Falcao, Luis Muriel, Roger Martinez, Duvan Zapata, Luis Diaz
Paraguay
Eduardo Berizzo's final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Antony Silva, Roberto Junior Fernandez, Alfredo Aguilar
Defenders: Gustavo Gomez, Ivan Piris, Bruno Valdez, Junior Alonso, Fabian Balbuena, Juan Escobar, Santiago Arzamendia, Ivan Torres
Midfielders: Oscar Romero, Richard Ortiz, Rodrigo Rojas, Miguel Almiron, Celso Ortiz, Matias Rojas
Forwards: Oscar Cardozo, Hernan Perez, Derlis Gonzalez, Federico Santander, Cecilio Dominguez, Juan Iturbe
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Qatar
Felix Sanchez Bas' final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Saad Al Sheeb, Youssef Hassan, Mohammed Al Bakri
Defenders: Tareq Salman, Abdulkarim Hassam, Hamed Ismael, , Tameem Al-Muhaza, Assim Madebo, Salem Alhajri, Ahmed Fathy, , Pedro Correira, Al Mahdi Ali, Bassam Husham
Midfielders: Boualem Khoukhi, Karim Boudiaf, Ali Afif, Abdulaziz Hatim, Abdullah Abdul Salam
Forwards: Akram Afif, Hassan Al Haydos, Almoez Ali, Ahmed Al Aaeldin, Ahmed Moein, Abdulaziz Al Ansari
Uruguay
Oscar Tabarez's final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera, Martin Silva, Martin Campana
Defenders: Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez, Sebastian Coates, Martin Caceres, Marcelo Sarrachi
Midfielders: Giovanni Gonzalez, Diego Laxalt, Lucas Torreira, Matias Vecino, Rodrigo Bentancur, Nahitan Nandez, Federico Valverde, Nicolas Lodeiro, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Gaston Pereiro
Forward: Edinson Cavani, Cristhian Stuani, Maximiliano Gomez, Jonathan Rodriguez, Luis Suarez
Ecuador
Hernan Dario Gomez's final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Alexander Dominguez, Pedro Ortiz, Maximo Banguera
Defenders: Arturo Mina, Roberto Arboleda, Pedro Pablo Velasco, Cristian Ramirez, Xavier Arreaga, Jose Quintero, Beder Caicedo, Gabriel Achilier
Midfielders: Romario Ibarra, Renato Ibarra, Carlos Gruezo, Jefferson Intriago, Antonio Valencia, Ayrton Preciado, Jefferson Orejuela, Andres Chicaiza, Jhegson Mendez
Forwards: Carlos Garces, Angel Mena, Enner Valencia
Japan
Hajime Moriyasu's final 23-man squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima, Ryosuke Kojima, Keisuke Osako
Defenders: Naomichi Ueda, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Tomoki Iwata, Ko Itakura, Daiki Sugioka, Teruki Hara, Daiki Suga, Yugo Tatsuta
Midfielders: Yuta Nakayama, Gaku Shibasaki, Shoya Nakajima, Takefusa Kubo, Tatsuya Ito, Koji Miyoshi, Kota Watanabe, Hiroki Abe, Taishi Matsumoto
Forwards: Shinji Okazaki, Daizen Maeda, Ayase Ueda
Chile
Goalkeepers: Gabriel Arias, Brayan Cortes, Yerko Urra
Defenders: Gary Medel, Gonzalo Jara, Mauricio Isla, Jean Beausejour, Paulo Diaz, Guillermo Maripan, Igor Lichnovsky, Oscar Opazo
Midfielders: Arturo Vidal, Charles Aranguiz, Pedro Pablo Hernandez, Erick Pulgar, Diego Valdes, Esteban Pavez
Forwards: Alexis Sanchez, Eduardo Vargas, Jose Pedro Fuenzalida, Nicolas Castillo, Junior Fernandes, Angelo Sagal