Copa America 2024 kicks off at the end of this week! The competition that usually features the 12 South American countries has been expanded for this interaction to include four Concacaf Nations. Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, and the USA are the four Concacaf nations joining Conmebol to make a 16-nation Copa America 2024!
This tournament will take place in the United States for the first time since the Copa America Centenario back in 2016. The 16 nations will play all across the vast country hoping to be able to hoist the trophy after a month-long tournament! Four groups of four teams will duke it out with the top two teams in the group making the quarterfinals. PSN has you covered with previews of all of these nations and groups, starting here with Group A!
Argentina is the reigning World Champions. Messi and company finally hoisted that trophy two years ago in Qatar. Two years before that he and Argentina won the 2020 Copa America. Now, the team that is ranked the best in the world by FIFA will give it another go to try to win a 16th iteration of this tournament.
Winning Copa America 2024 would give Argentina the most Copa America titles ever, beating out Uruguay who also is sitting on 15 Copa America titles. Argentina has lost just twice in the last two years. They boast 25 wins, three draws, and two draws over those 30 matches! They are a juggernaut
La Albiceleste boss Lionel Scaloni has his Argentina side raring to go and tactically flexible. That is something he instilled in the team back in 2021 during the last Copa America, and it was on full display at the 2022 World Cup. He helped Argentina win both of those competitions and now that flexibility seems to be helping his team as they prepare for Copa America 2024 as well. The flexibility of the team and its shape sees them changing formations and personnel to fit the needs of a specific game.
It’s a tactic that many coaches try to implement but fail due to the players not adjusting correctly. Scaloni and Argentina do not have that problem. Their team is stacked with quality players at every position on the field. In their two recent friendlies, they played a 4-3-3 without Messi and won and then a 4-4-2 with Messi up top and dominated. No matter the formation or personnel on the field it seems like Argentina can out-tactic all opponents.
The main strength of the reigning World and Copa America champions is their skillful players. We all know that Lionel Messi is the GOAT, but players like Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, and Rodrigo De Paul run the midfield unit of this strong and flexible team. They are the engine room, and if they are on then Argentina controls games.
While Argentina have won 25 of their last 30 matches, there is still a weak spot for this team. That would be their lack of speed and youth along the backline. Argentina has experienced defenders like Nicolas Otamendi and German Pezzella, and they also have Man. United defender Lisandro Martinez to bolster their backline. These three players have been tested before, but are all a liability against speedy opposition. Should Argentina falter at all at Copa America 2024, it may just be because of their older and slower defense.
To qualify for the Knockout Round: -1,600
To reach the Semifinals: -700
To reach the Final: -140
To win Copa America 2024: +175
Canada is not thought of as a powerhouse in Concacaf. However, in recent years, they have risen and shown that they can beat the likes of the USA and Mexico in meaningful matches. Canada topped the last Concacaf World Cup qualifying campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup, making it back to the biggest stage for the first time since 1986.
After qualifying, they did not do so well as they lost all three matches they played at the 2022 World Cup. Now, they have made it to their first-ever Copa America. They were invited to the 2001 iteration of the tournament but withdrew before the start of the competition. They come into Copa America 2024 looking to make their next jump in competitiveness.
Canada has a newly appointed manager, American Jesse Marsch. Marsch loves to implement a Red Bull style of soccer with his teams. That means pressing, a lot of it, all over the pitch. It’s something he’ll want his Canada to look like eventually, but will it be in his first tournament in charge?
In his first two matches in charge, Marsch had his team lineup in a flat 4-4-2 formation. This allowed Canada to press their opposition and use skilled wide players to progress the ball forward fast. This led to a big 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands, but also a 0-0 draw vs France. It was a tale of two matches, and now they’ll have to see if this way of playing will translate against the likes of Argentina.
The strength of this Canadian team is their ability to never give up. It has a bit to do with the vibes surrounding this team, and their willingness to prove that they belong on a big stage. This was the case in the 2022 World Cup qualifying where their pace and togetherness helped them convert lethal chances. They will have to lean on this at Copa America 2024 if they want to do well against experienced South American opposition.
Canada’s weakness is along its backline. When you look at the Canadian roster, there are skilled and battle-tested players in the attack and midfield. The same cannot be said for their defense. Their long-standing veteran defenders seem to be on the way out, and younger players are taking their place. That inexperience could be the difference between Canada moving to the knockout rounds, and getting smoked in the group stage.
To qualify for the Knockout Round: +250
To reach the Semifinals: +800
To reach the Final: +3,000
To win Euro 2024: +9,000
Chile is a Conmebol nation that used to be counted among the top teams in the region. However, they have fallen from grace a bit in the past few years. After two top-10 finishes at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, they failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 versions of the tournament.
In 2015 Chile won the Copa America, and the next year they won the Copa America Centenario. Since then they have tapered off in this competition as well. While Chile is a nation with a rich history in South American Football, its fall from grace has been swift. Can they find a way to rise up at Copa America 2024?
Chile is a team that likes to play in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Manager, Ricardo Gareca likes to use that formation to create a balanced team. One that picks and chooses it’s time to attack or defend. Gareca is a new mind at the helm of Chile, his job is to get them back to the summit of South American Football.
Since Gareca was appointed, Chile has won two matches, both 3-0 wins over Albania and Paraguay respectively, and a narrow defeat to France 3-2. It seems that this version of Chile will be very organized. Gone are the days of throwing caution to the wind to press the opposition into oblivion. Now, Chile will look to be pragmatic and clinical.
The main strength of this Chile side is their experienced players. Guys like Claudio Bravo, Mauricio Isla, Alexis Sanchez, and Eduardo Vargas headline a Chile that is definitely battle-tested. Sanchez and Vargas are especially important as they are the two-man strike partners who will be in charge of putting the ball in the back of the net. Can this experience and a pragmatic style take them far?
Chile’s weakness is the opposite side of the same coin as its strength; age. The core of experienced players that Chile relies on are all in their mid-thirties. While they know what to do in big moments, could we see other nations outrun or outwork them based on this fact? If their core group of players shows well, Chile could make a deep run, if they don’t they could crash out early at Copa America 2024.
To qualify for the Knockout Round: +100
To reach the Semifinals: +400
To reach the Final: +1,200
To win Euro 2024: +3,700
Peru is back playing in Copa America where they have had success in recent iterations of the competition. In the 2019 edition, they were runners-up to Brazil and finished fourth in the last tournament falling to Brazil again in a semifinal.
While Peru is a mainstay at the Copa America, they have faltered in making it on the World’s stage. In 2018 they made it to the World Cup for the first time since 1982. They did pick a win, but also two losses as they crashed out of the group stage. Can this Peru team continue their tradition of making it to the far rounds at Copa America 2024, and by so doing, make the World see they are a contender?
Peru was not playing well in 2023 opening up World Cup 2026 qualifying at the bottom of Conmebol. This prompted a change in coach, and in came Jorge Fossati. The 71-year-old has been nicknamed “The Grandfather” by Peruvian fans, but his record speaks for itself.
Three wins and a draw in his first four games in charge have eliminated the bad vibes surrounding this team. Fossati implements a 3-5-2 formation with the hope of defending as a unit and then getting numbers forward, especially on the wings to get attacks going. Seven goals scored and one allowed in those last four matches could just be the blueprint for a successful Copa America 2024 campaign.
Peru’s strength comes from its system that allows wingbacks to play a pivotal role. When defending they are asked to sit in and create more of a back five. In transition, they are asked to bomb forward to create attacks from wide areas. As Peru’s outside backs go, so will their entire team. Look for Luis Advincula and Miguel Trauco to be the two wingbacks asked to play this way.
The weakness of this Peru team is that they are far from a solidified team. Fossati has helped usher in a good new manager bump for Peru in friendlies, but he has not managed a competitive as of yet. Will he be able to carry over his good vibes to Copa America 2024? If he can get the most out of a team full of veteran players, then they could just shock everyone and make a run, but if things unravel, then we could see an early exit for la Blanquirroja
To qualify for the Knockout Round: +200
To reach the Semifinals: +800
To reach the Final: +2,500
To win Euro 2024: +6,600
Tim Lovenguth | Jimmy King | Paul Frenzel
Eric Frysinger | Liam Jenkins
Steve Beavon | Zach LoBasso
Doop on Union fans!
Featured Image Credit: DiaEsportivo/Actionplus/Icon Sportswire
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