All Copa talk here.

About time we opened this thread. Thanks, Fillipo. You all know which team I will be supporting, bring on Brazil vs Argentina, and please, please make it good. I want to see Silva and Lucio vs Messi.

I like Brazil, because of our lads. But my heart goes to Uruguay, Tabarez and the guys deserved a bronze medal in South Africa, now they simply must get at least bronze or silver.

True, Uruguay and Paraguay are the 2nd and 3rd teams I like in South America. And that is purely based on their footballing talents, and the overall game they play. I probably won't get enough time to watch all the matches, but these three teams I definitely plan on following.

The 43rd Copa America starts in Argentina on 1st July and runs until 24th July.

12 teams will participate, the 10 regular South American nations and Costa Rica and Mexico as guests. Japan were due to participate but withdrew after the Tsunami earlier this year.

The Copa America used to be called the South American Championship and has run since 1916, making it one of the oldest international football competitions in the world.

Uruguay and Argentina have both won the competition 14 times, with Brazil in third place with 8 wins.

Paraguay and Peru have both been Champions twice and Colombia and Bolivia have both won the competition once each.

Not all the squads have been announced yet (Uruguay & Peru are still missing), but so far 13 players based in England will be participating...

Club Country Player's Full Name Player's Nat
Blackburn Rovers England Roque Santa Cruz Paraguay
Chelsea England David Luiz Brazil
Chelsea England Ramires Brazil
Liverpool England Lucas Leiva Brazil
Manchester City England Pablo Zabaleta Argentina
Manchester City England Carlos Tévez Argentina
Manchester United England Antonio Valencia Ecuador
Sunderland England Cristian Riveros Paraguay
Tottenham Hotspur England Giovani dos Santos Mexico
Tottenham Hotspur England Sandro Brazil
West Bromwich Albion England Gonzalo Jara Chile
Wigan Athletic England Hugo Rodallega Colombia
Wigan Athletic England Antolín Alcaraz Paraguay

23 players based in Italy will participate, including 4 from AC Milan...

Mario Yepes Colombia
Thiago Silva Brazil
Robinho Brazil
Alexandre Pato Brazil

...and 6 from Inter...

Esteban Cambiasso Argentina
Javier Zanetti Argentina
Diego Milito Argentina
Júlio César Brazil
Lúcio Brazil
Maicon Brazil

Stats. Love them to bits!

I will keep a close eye on colombia, uruguay and brazil. Can't wait...

Also isn't peru kicked out of fifa organized tournaments?

Uruguay can be labeled the 'black horse' of this event. I believe this dual with Brazil and Argentina, especially with the strength of the players on the pitch .. no one has a chance. But Uruguay have recently proven without a doubt that they are no pushovers as well, so I agree with you assessment right there

I wonder how Argentina will fare out this time around .. A lot has been said and done about their inability to live up to expectations. I think with the experience of Cambiasso & Zanetti, Argentina have a favorable chance of winning it, especially when you take their front line into consideration .. Forget Messi, you have Lavezzi, Tevez, Milito, Agüero, Higuaín, and Di Maria. That can cancel out anything Brazil pairs against them. They don't have the best defense, but they have a very strong midfield of destroyers and box-to-box players of experience .. Add to that the advantage of the venue being on home soil.


Even with that said, Brazil are not exactly a walk in the park either .. They are a nation that can produce three separate teams and all of them would be as devastating. However, I'm rooting for Argentina for this one .. Bring me acid911

Don't care who wins it TBH, just hope for a good football, and won't cry too much if Brazil flops. It'd give our Brazilian players more time to get ready for the Super Cup.

Oh hell yeah, bring it on! Argentina didn't do diddlysquat last time in the final, when they were brushed aside 0-3 by a second tier Brazil team. They had a magic team back then, with every player in their starting XI the best. But they got served on a plate. For me they will always be dirty losers, jealous of their bigger brothers.

Dirty losers, who played some great football when they are in the mood, though. I'll give them that, LOL.

Brazil are no big brothers at the Copa America. Argentina have 14 compared to their 8.

I know. It's like Coppa Italia for us, we never take it seriously and leave it for inter, likewise the same for Brazil. They play their B-team, while Argentina knows that this is probably the only trophy they can win (keeping in mind their quarters and semi appearances in FIFA World Cups), so they go all out. Look at this mother of a squad:

Ayala, Gago, Heinze, Zanetti, Crespo, Riquelme, Tévez, Lucho González, Mascherano, Burdisso, Diego Milito, Messi and Cambiasso.

That's 13 top class players, or in other words, the best they have. While in the same 2007 tournament, Brazil had guys like Dida, Lucio, Maicon, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Pato (granted he was very new then), Kaka missing.

But I don't think it was a less serious squad - all the players left out - that was Dunga's doing, wasn't it?

Yes it was that wretched Dunga's doing, surely it was. But Brazil's NT over time has always been less focused on the continental stage, their main aim being the World Cup. As far back as I can remember. What they do and how they prepare for the FIFA World Cup is miles ahead of the teams the take for the Olympics, Confederations and Copas.

Ronaldo, for instance last played in 1999. The other main stars also are usually missing. Maybe it's got to do with prestige, because usually most European teams play full strength in the Euros.

Oh yes they are, considering they have won 4 out of the last 5 Copas. Argentina won their last Copa nearly 20 years ago. it's a joke.

Anyway, I think being the hosts and the pressures and expectations that come with it, Argentina will probably choke. that is unless Messi finally pulls a Maradona and wins it for them.

True, Zed.D. Very true. Either way this is going to be fun, been looking forward to the Copas for a while now! Like I said, a few good matches now between the big teams, and my thirst for football will be quenched for the month. Perfect time to hold the tournament with club football off for the season.

Messi is no Maradona .. Maradona can score with his hands

So can Messi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp2AJMrrKj4

Pato will wear #9, Robinho #7 and Thiago Silva will be #4 in Copa América.

Yeah but he's still so gracious, compared to the big bad other players. I think it's his height, people think of him as a nice little quiet boy

Wow .. Only in slow motion can you catch that little bugger
I think i found a way of stopping Messi!

I think Bolivia found a way to stop Messi. Ronald Raldes was brilliant yesterday.

Hah, Championship favorites Argentina start rocky. I think Agüero will from now on be the first pick, while both Lavezzi and Tevez should be benched. Batista made a grave error by deciding to call-up Tevez.

I never saw them as favourites. Especially their defense is very worrying. They don't come close to Brazil. Even Uruguay might have a better shot.

They have Messi. Every team who has Messi is a favorite. And they play on home soil, which makes the pressure bigger, but still, they are favorites IMO.

I disagree. One player won't make a team a favourite (maybe in the eyes of other people, but not to me).

Argentina defense is very weak, while Brazil's is very strong. Both have good forwards, though I feel like Brazil's preforms better. Brazil is obvious stronger to me, and I don't see why one player is enough to not see Brazil as favourite. I don't think Messi will make Argentina's defense world class. And what has Argentina showed in the recent past to be considered favourite anyway? Messi being the best ever talk is 100% based on what he does for Barça, for Argentina is he not even close as special as he is for Barça.

But really? You just look at one player and consider them favourites? Really?? It's a team sport, damn.

Messi, is Messi in Barca, not the same player for Argentina just as he wouldn't be in any other club in the world.

My god, why are you so rigid?

I know it's a team sport, and I do know their defense isn't brilliant. But out of all other teams on this tournament Argentina is a favorite, all along with Brazil. Uruguay is a kind of a dark horse.

All other teams are inferior, even Chile and Colombia.

Sure, the Argentine defense sucks, their coach hasn't convinced me a bit and their tactics as well.
I didn't say they're stronger then Brazil, I just see them as favorites, just like the Selecao.

You just listed enough reasons to not see Argentina as favourites.

You're saying this based on what, exactly? yes he hasn't been the same player with his NT but what's that got to do with "any other club in the world"? Ronaldo sucks as much for Portugal but he's proved himself in two leagues. how can that be different for Messi?

The problem with Argentina, besides the weak defence that was mantioned above, is that they hace a crappy coach and haven't had a good one for a while. It's especially important at NT level when you don't have time to work on things like you have on a team level.
They are just playing like a bunch of individuals. Also, there is no way Lavezzi should be prefered over players like Agüero and Higuaín.

I don't get why Batista can't understand that a player like Higuain or Milito is needed as a static striker up front. That's really puzzling me.

Yepes and Columbia upfront now against Costa Rica with 1-0.

Yepes is the captain right?

Yes. No I. Cordoba (retired). Yepes was very good today.

Brazil: Julio Cesar; Dani Alves, Lucio, Thiago Silva, Andre Santos; Lucas Leiva, Ramires; Robinho, Ganso, Neymar; Pato.

I'll be rooting for them,mainly because of thiago silva and pato are one of my favorite milan players,and I like robinho too.The defense and the attack looks really great,but the midfield is meh.Hey,that's a bit like Milan xP.

I'll be watching Ganso for the first time,very interested.

Has anyone got any streams?

I noticed that Brazil's starting XI have all numbers from 1 to 11. How cool is that!

http://www.fromsportcom.com/c-1.html

Thanks bro, Pato's very much involved in every Brazil attack so far.

Pato hit the bar, looks good. Neymar looks good too, haven't seen too much from Ganso

Great pass by Ganso

Brazil's problem this time could be the lack of a proper 10. Ganso is playing very shy, I hope he can loosen up a bit more.

Robinho was the best in the first half in my opinion. Neymar and Pato were quite good too. One undeserved yellow card for Silva. Ganso, not good till now.

Pato for me. Looked determinated to score and concentrated. Only luck prevented him. May I even say that he reminded me of the great Ronaldo for Brazil.

But seriously, what's that weird connection with Brazilians and bad haircuts? Did you see Robinhos?

He has just returned from an injury if I recall correctly,so that might affect him.

Brazil played good,the only player I didn't like and still don't like there is Ramries.Lucas has been himself.



Tell me about it!The commenter kept talking about it most of the match,analyzing the reason behind such haircut,and stuff heh.



Also,I liked Andre Santos a lot,great half by him too.Hopefully we can sign him one day.

To me it seems as if Ganso plays slow on purpose, as if to lull you to sleep and then hit you with a beaming pass.

FYI, youtube is streaming every game live here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CopaAmerica

Think it works only in certain countries. As ESPN is screening it here it's blacked out. Thankfully that's not an issue personally.

Haven't seen much at all from Ganso.

Hes been a weak player so far 2nd half

Very disappointing match by Brazil and especially Ganso. Well, all I can say is that this guy certainly isn't enough for Milan to solve our creative problem.

thanks for the link! it's been broadcasted here but the link does work... weird. also weird that youtube are doing this.

+1.