Copa América 2024: Group C Preview
Christian Pulisic is the poster child for American soccer's 'golden generation,' which is desperate to announce themselves on a global stage. Can Captain America take the U.S. to new heights in men's soccer?
United States
FIFA Rank: 11th
Last Copa América performance: 4th place (2016)
The Skinny
Ever since the whispers began of a combined Copa América hosted on home soil being a possibility, United States men's soccer fans have had this tournament circled. America's 'golden generation' is no longer in the future, it's the bulk of the first team now, and if the 2022 World Cup was about getting back to a high level after the 2018 fiasco, this tournament is about announcing themselves as a genuine contender. Are they? Well, it remains to be seen. There's no denying the talent and depth of the squad on paper, arguably bettered only by South American giants Argentina and Brazil, and playing a tournament in Stateside stadiums with home crowds could go a long way. Then again, while under Gregg Berhalter (going on his 5th year as a head coach) the Yanks have become the indisputable kings of North America, doubts remain about their ability to compete with good teams outside their continent, as they have yet to beat a single highly-ranked opponent head-to-head in his tenure. This fear was laid bare in a recent tuneup against Colombia, in which they were thrashed 5-1 in Washington, D.C. But, epitomizing this era of American soccer, the team turned around and played Brazil to a highly competitive 1-1 draw less than a week later. If that U.S. team shows up to this tournament, a repeat of 2016's Copa America semifinal run is well and truly on, and perhaps only the beginning.
The Best XI
The U.S. has a frustrating problem at striker, frustrating because while there are copious American talents at forward, seemingly all have problems consistently finding the net. The 2023 commitment of young dual national Folarin Balogun seemed to be a gamechanger, and it's highly possible the Monaco man will get the start throughout this tournament, but he is coming off a fairly frustrating campaign with the Ligue 1 side. I would opt for a pure goalscorer in PSV Eindhoven's Ricardo Pepi, who was injured a good amount of the Eredivise season but still bagged 10+ goals for the runaway Dutch champions. Regardless of who is available at striker, the Americans should be in good hands on the wings with captain and star Christian Pulisic and Juventus man Timothy Weah. The midfield trio of Pulisic's Milan teammate Yunus Musah, Dortmund's Gio Reyna, and Juventus star Weston McKennie all provide a threat in attacking support as well. If the Yanks are liable anywhere, it's in the back, where likely starting goalie Matt Turner is coming off a rough season with Nottingham Forest, and injuries have knocked out more than one usual starter. That said, Borussia Mönchengladbach's Joe Scally, whose international caps had previously failed to meet his level of play for the German club, proved he was up to the job in the recent friendlies, essentially shutting down Liverpool star Luis Díaz and Ballon d'Or frontrunner Vinicius in the span of a week. And assuming Tim Ream is fully healed from his lengthy injury, he and Fulham teammate Antonee Robinson (who was just named the Cottagers' player of the season by fans) should have the back line in good hands.
Bolivia
FIFA Rank: 85th
Last Copa América performance: Group stage, 0 points (2021)
The Skinny
Bolivia are not what you would describe "football heritage." The lowest-ranked CONMEBOL team in this tournament (as has been the case as far back as I can remember), La Verde actually have qualified for the World Cup on 3 different occasions, but not since 1994, and never progressing past the group stages in each instance. And while their Copa América history is littered with numerous trips to the quarterfinals and one title, the last 25 years have seen only group stage exits, and their two solo trips past the quarterfinal (winning it in 1963, and finishing as runners-up in 1997) both came in tournaments they hosted. The tournament's biggest underdogs are also playing in the only group with two FIFA Top 15 teams, so while it may seem harsh, the truth is anything more than 0 points is somewhat of a success story for this squad. And you know what? In a tournament is unpredictable as this one, it could happen.
The Best XI
A select few members of Bolivia's squad play internationally, and those that do are likely to start for La Verde. These include: winger Jaume Cuéllar, from Barcelona's B side, midfielder Boris Céspedes, who plays in the Swiss Super League, defensive midfielder Roberto Fernández, who plays in Russia, and captain Luis Haquín in defense, veteran of the Brazilian Serie A. The rest of the Bolivian team is based in their domestic league, with the remainder of likely starters playing at one of their two dominant clubs, Always Ready and Bolivar.
Panama
FIFA Rank: 45th
Last Copa América performance: Group stage, 3 points (2016)
The Skinny
For the lack of size, resources, and footballing history that Panama has, Los Canaleros have had a pretty golden last 15 years or so. Having never reached the knockout stages of the Gold Cup before 2005, they've suddenly done so with every single edition since then (10 straight tournaments). They reached the Final in '05, '11 and just last summer, and between 2011 and 2015, made three straight semifinal trips. They made their first (and still only) ever World Cup appearance in 2018, have finished 4th place at the last two Nations League tournaments, and in that same timeframe, have been a constant nuisance for bigger teams, dispatching of Mexico and the United States in multiple tournaments and troubling eventual champions Chile in the 2016 Copa América. With one group opponent ranked lower than them, and two well above them, it seems highly possible they replicate their 2016 Copa performance: 1 win, 1 competitive loss, 1 blowout loss. But neither higher seeded team is as good as the 2016 Argentina and Chile teams that progressed from their group to the Final, and a recent trend of good tournament performances means they might just be poised to surprise.
The Best XI
Panama is one of the few countries as this tournament that doesn't have a single squad player that plays for its domestic league; Los Canaleros are far-flung across North and South America, and even Europe. Captain Yoel Bárcenas plies his trade in Mexico and will join Universidad Católica (Ecuador) teammates Diaz and Fajardo in attack. The midfield duo of veteran Anibal Godoy and Adalberto Carrascilla both start in the MLS (Nashville for the former, Houston the latter). Likely starting keeper Orlando Mosquera has played in the UEFA Champions League with Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv, and the defense in front of him includes Slovakian-based fullbacks Eric Davis and César Blackman, as well as Norwich City's
Uruguay
FIFA Rank: 15th
Last Copa America performance: Quarterfinals (2021)
The Skinny
Over the last 15 years or so, an unheralded golden generation has made La Celeste one of the consistently best-performing South American countries in the world. The two-time and first-ever World Cup Champions had barely made a splash in that tournament in the modern era when suddenly, they hit a magical stretch that began with their unexpected, thrilling semifinal run in South Africa, continued 4 years later with progression from the hardest group at the Cup (where their run ended only because of James Rodriguez magic), and was confirmed in 2018 with a dominant group-topping performance and progression to the quarterfinals (where their run ended only at the hands of eventual champions France). The small nation are also the most successful team in Copa América history, having won it 15 times in total. But again, for about two decades, had only a 1995 title on home soil to write home about amidst a slew of group stage and quarterfinal exits, before reclaiming the title in dominant fashion in 2011. Despite the extent of their success, both all-time and in relatively recent history, La Celeste will have two tournament experiences they'll be hoping to banish the ghosts of this summer. One is the last major tournament they played, the 2022 World Cup, in which they were sent home in the group stage after 3 fairly uninspired matches. The other is the last combined Copa América in the United States back in 2016; this also saw a group stage exit, after Uruguay were able to beat only Jamaica in their 3 matches. With a largely new generation of talent, and an esteemed manager in Marcelo Bielsa, they are positively flying at the moment; their 1 loss is in the last 2 years came at Colombia by 1 goal, and their winning streak includes a 2-0 upset of Argentina in Buenos Aires. Will their good form carry over to this tournament, too?
The Best XI
If you read the Group A preview the other day, I mentioned one only need to watch Inter Miami to know Lionel Messi is still in high playing form. Well, the same applies to his club teammate and longtime friend Luis Suárez; the iconic forward was somewhat of a surprise call-up for Marcelo Bielsa, but even at 37, is just a fiend in front of goal. The former Liverpool star will pair nicely with current Liverpool star Darwin Núñez, and they form a dangerous attacking tandem with Cagliari winger Nahitan Nández. A trio of Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur and Paris Saint-Germain's Manuel Ugarte give La Celeste one of the best midfields in the tournament. And while likely starting keeper Franco Israel (Sporting Lisbon) has only a handful of caps with the senior team, an experienced back line with Napoli's Mathías Olivera, Barcelona's Ronald Araújo, and captain and Atlético Madrid star José Giménez should provide a good amount of security.
Group Prediction
This group, more than any other, has the most obvious split between teams who will advance, and teams who won't. Panama is plucky but overmatched, and Bolivia is (in my eyes, anyway) the weakest side at this competition; it would be a bona fide shock if anybody other than Uruguay and the United States progress from Group C. The drama, then, lies in who will win to claim 1st place and who will win to claim 3rd place, both of which I expect to be answered by the matches on the final day of the group. The U.S. are the hosts, the higher-ranked team, and objectively likely own the superior starting XI top-to-bottom...but Uruguay is simply red-hot at the moment, and until Gregg Berhalter shows me that he can beat a Top 25-ranked team, I'm going to continue to be skeptical that it can happen.
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