The Four Tops
There are 12 teams at the Copa America. Out of them four countries are the favourites for the Copa America.
Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay.
Normally, Mexico would be the fifth, but they have sent a youth team with 20 odd members of their U-23 squad, along with Tottenham's Giovanni Dos Santos. With their full squad, an assault on the title was possible, but with their current roster, experience is the order of the day.
We look at the four squads in detail and assess their depth, options and potential.
Uruguay
They are coached by veteran Oscar Tabarez, one time manager of Milan, who still has an impressive corporate look at the age of 64. Expect the wily Uruguayan to have a few tricks up his sleeve.
Likely starting lineup: 4-3-3
Fernando Muslera - Lazio. Competent, safe, unspectacular.
Diego Lugano (c) - Fenerbahce. Robust, Tall and Snarly.
Diego Godin - Atletico Madrid. Experienced and pacy. Strong in the air.
Maxi Pereira - Benfica. Right back who can also play in the middle.
Alvaro Pereira - Porto. Long haired left wing back, pacy in attack, dogged in defence.
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| Diego Godin |
Walter Gargano - Napoli. Defensive sheet anchor who can slot in at the back as well.
Christian Rodriguez - Porto. Bomber off the wing, fast with ball and accurate with crossing.
Diego Perez - Bologna. Another defensive minded midfielder who averages five tackles a game.
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| Walter Gargano |
Edinson Cavani - Napoli. Jewel in the crown, complete attacking presence, wily and prolific.
Luis Suarez - Liverpool. Excellent dribbler and diver, can float in off either wing to attack the box.
Diego Forlan - Atletico Madrid. Experienced leader of the attack, who plays a deeper role of late.
Notables on the bench -
Martin Caceres (Sevilla, D), Mauricio Victorino (Gremio, D), Andreas Scotti (Colo Colo, D), Sebastien Eguren (Sporting Gijon, M), Sebastien Abreu (Botafogo, F).
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| Martin Caceres |
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Chile
Claudio Borghi, the Argentine former midfielder is their new coach. Borghi made his name as coach of Colo Colo and Argentinos Juniors. Famously part of the Maradona led Argentine team that won the World Cup in 1986.
Likely starting lineup: 3-1-3-3
Claudio Bravo (c) - Real Sociedad. Very experienced and one of the best organisers at a set piece.
Waldo Ponce - Cruz Azul. Solid centre back who is great in the air. Excellent name.
Pablo Contreras - PAOK. Rock steady centre back who can also play on either flank.
Gonzalo Jara - WBA. Steady right back who can also play in the middle, Great on the ball.
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| Pablo Contreras |
Carlos Carmona - Atalanta. Starting defensive midfielder who can play higher up in the middle as well.
Mauricio Isla - Udinese. Classy wingback/winger and occasional defender. Dribbler with good range of passing.
Jorge Valdivia - Palmeiras. Playmaking attacking central midfielder with excellent range of passing.
Artur Vidal - Bayer Leverkusen - Deep lying central or defensive midfielder who anchored his club to second in the Bundesliga.
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| Mauricio Isla |
Alexis Sanchez - Udinese. The cream of the crop. Fast and furious forward who can play as winger, deep lying forward or out and out striker. Look for him to link with Isla down the wing and drift in.
Jean Beausejour - Birmingham City. Forward with good shooting, strong heading and cultured passing.
Humberto Suazo - Monterrey. Once a would be gunslinger at Inter. Now a steady striker in Mexico.
Notables on the bench -
Often Rodrigo Millar (Colo-Colo, M), who is an excellent playmaker in his own right, will start in midfield and Isla will move into attack to replace Suazo.
At other times, Matias Fernandez (Sporting CP, M/F) - aka Matigol will start in midfield if Chile start with a 3-1-4-2 - and Beausejour will drop to the bench.
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| Rodrigo Millar |
Esteban Paredes (Colo-Colo, F), Luis Jimenez (Al-Ahli, M/F), Marcos Estrada (Montpellier, M), Gonzalo Fierro (Flamengo, M/RW).
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Argentina
The home team, they are coached by Sergio Batista, who like Borghi won the 1986 World Cup with the national team and finished runners-up in 1990.
Likely starting lineup - 4-4-2
Sergio Romero - AZ Alkmaar. Steady without being inspirational. Decent at crosses.
Javier Zanetti - Inter. Club legend who returns to the national team at 37 with 145 caps. Probable left back.
Pablo Zabaleta - Manchester City. Excellent right back who can join an attack as well as track back.
Gabiel Milito - Barcelona - Returning to full fitness and the national team, solid in the centre of defence.
Nicholas Burdisso - Inter - Versatile and experienced defender who can play across the back four.
Javier Mascherano (c) - Barcelona - Tough tackling defensive midfielder who will shield the back four and target opposing shins.
Angel Di Maria - Real Madrid - Versatile midfielder who can play through the centre or on the wing, play-make or run with the ball. Dives.
Esteban Cambiasso - Inter - The best all round midfielder in the squad and arguably the tournament.
Ever Banega - Valencia - Great passer and midfield water carrier. Can hold his own when called on to run plays.
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| Ever Banega |
Lionel Messi - Barcelona - What else is there to say. Even if he plays half as well for Argentina as he does for Barcelona, the opposition is doomed.
Sergio Aguero - Atletico Madrid - Popular striker at home, ruthless finisher and creative dribbler. Dives.
Notables on the bench -
Ezequiel Garay (Real Madrid, D), Javier Pastore (Palermo, M), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid, M), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid, F), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City, F), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli, F), Diego Milito (Inter, F).
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Brazil
Coached by Mano Menezes, former Gremio and Corinthians coach who took non-league team November the 15th to 2004 Copa do Brasil semi-finals.
Likely starting lineup - 4-4-2
Julio Cesar - Inter. Experienced goalkeeper who is Brazil's best stopper ever, after Claudio Taffarel.
Thiago Silva - Milan. First choice centre-back. Best defender in Italy and for Brazil. Imperious.
Lucio - Inter. Experienced World Cup and Treble winner. About to win 100th cap for Brazil.
Maicon / Daniel Alves - Inter/Barcelona - Basically a toss up between the World's two best right wing backs.
Andre Santos - Fenerbahce - In the absence of Michel Bastos, has made the left back position his own.
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| Andre Santos |
Ganso - Santos - Brazil's midfield general for the next little while, emerging as the heir to Brazil's CM throne.
Ramires - Chelsea - Attacking water carrier with some engine, great at tackling and tracking back.
Elano - Santos - Experienced. Naturally a central midfielder who can play on the right side as well. Dead ball expert.
Lucas / Sandro - Liverpool/Spurs - Defensive midfielders who tackle, run and harry.
Neymar - Santos - Brazil's premier attacking talent, strong in the dribble who has an almost telepathic understanding with Ganso
Robinho - Milan - Accomplished and experienced attacker who likes to dribble, shoot and sometimes, pass
Notables on the bench -
Luisao (Benfica, D), David Luiz (Chelsea, D), Adriano Correa (Barcelona, D), Lucas (Sao Paulo, M), Jadson (Shakhtar, M), Fred (Fluminense, F), Alexandre Pato (Milan, F).
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| Lucas Moura |
Tournament starts tonight when Argentina kicks off against Bolivia at 21:45 local time. These lovely ladies will be watching. Will you be as well ?
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