Copa América 2024: Group D Preview
Vinicius has thrived at the club level, to the point of being a frontrunner for this year's Ballon d'Or race. Can he take the next step and help lead Brazil back to glory?
Brazil
FIFA Rank: 5th
Last Copa América performance: Runners-up (2021)
The Skinny
If there's one team that needs no introduction, it's Brazil. Practically synonymous with the sport, Brazil are the most successful nation in the world at the FIFA World Cup, and their players are consistently some of the most sought-after by the world's biggest and best clubs. Although they are significantly (and surprisingly) outpaced by Argentina and Uruguay in this tournament, they do have 9 Copa América titles to their name, and have reached the last two finals, winning on home soil in 2019. All of that being said, by their own enormously lofty standards, it's been a disappointing 20 years or so for the Seleção. Since their last title in 2002, Brazil have failed to progress past the quarterfinals of every ensuing World Cup, save for their 4th place finish in 2014, which came only after two of their most embarrassing losses in World Cup history in front of home crowds. And until the last two tournaments, both held in Brazil, the futility carried over to the Copa América, reaching no better than the quarterfinal stage at 4 consecutive competitions in the last decade-plus. They had a disastrous outing at this tournament's forefather in 2016, winning just 1 match and crashing out of the group stage. To rewrite that story and reach a 3rd consecutive Copa América Final, the Seleção will need to buck another bout of poor form (they currently have a shocking 7 points from 6 matches in World Cup qualifying), but per usual, will have the services of some of the best players in the world to try and do so.
The Best XI
Looking at Brazil's roster, you can kind of see one of the reasons behind Ronaldinho's pessimism for the team: there are few, if any, of the glittering big names like Brazil so often had in that man, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Kaká, Neymar, etc. That said, the Seleção still have a teamsheet that just about every other team in this competition would kill for. The attack will likely flow through recent Champions League winner and Ballon d'Or betting favorite Vinicius, but he will be aided greatly by Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo and Barcelona star Raphinha on the wings. Brazil have two central midfielders who patrol the field expertly in the Premier League, and Newcastle's Bruno Guimarães and Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz should get a good amount of run in this tournament. Whether manager Dorival Júnior opts for a back 5 remains to be seen, but it would be a great use of their personnel, as wingbacks Wendell (Porto) and new captain Danilo (Juventus) could flank a phenomenal CB trio in Éder Militão (Real Madrid), Gabriel (Arsenal), and Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain). And playing behind them? Just one of the best (and most handsome) goalies in the world, Liverpool's Alisson Becker.
Costa Rica
FIFA Rank: 52nd
Last Copa América performance: Group stage, 4 points (2016)
The Skinny
After Mexico and the United States, Costa Rica have historically been North America's "3rd team." Los Ticos made their World Cup debut in 1990, but have appeared in every edition of the tournament in the 21st century. They won 8 of the 14 "Copa Centroamericana" tournaments held between 1991 and 2017, and have 3 Gold Cup titles to their name as well, appearing in at least the quarterfinals (and often the semifinals) of every edition of the biannual tournament since 2000. They've also been a house of horrors for big teams; famously, the United States have never won a competitive fixture in Costa Rica, while Mexico has only twice. Yet, a decade removed from their stunning quarterfinal run in the 2014 World Cup (undoubtedly the nation's footballing peak), Costa Rica have fallen in the CONCACAF pecking order. A generation of talent largely aged out, and in addition to missing the knockout stages in the two World Cups since, they have progressed further and further from reaching the latter stages of the Gold Cup and Nations League. 8 years on from stunning Colombia in the group stages of the 2016 Copa América, Los Ticos will be looking to do that again and rediscover some of their old tournament magic.
The Best XI
A lot of Costa Rica's most pronounced talent comes in their attacking players, which is why I would opt for a de facto 4-2-4 formation. Veteran forward Joel Campbell, formerly of Arsenal is their 5th-highest goalscorer in history, and he and CF Montréal winger Ariel Lassiter would support a striker duo that start for some of the best teams in Russia and Scotland, respectively. Nottingham Forest's Brandon Aguilera will bring some Premier League experience to the midfield, while captain Francisco Calvo and Austin FC defender Julio Cascante will be an experienced center-back tandem. This could be very important, as, in the wake of Keylor Navas' retirement, Los Ticos have a trio of inexperienced goalies to choose from. Of those, I would expect Ibiza man Patrick Sequeira to get the nod.
Paraguay
FIFA Rank: 56th
Last Copa América performance: Quarterfinals (2021)
The Skinny
After a 12-year span or so that saw four consecutive World Cup appearances, and multiple trips to the Round of 16 there and the aurterfinals of the Copa América, Paraguay's peak in the modern era came in back-to-back years. In the 2010 World Cup, they topped their group (which included reigning champions Italy) en route to their first-ever quarterfinal berth, where they were eliminated only on a late winner by eventual champions Spain. One year later, they played in their first Copa América Final since winning it 32 years prior; though they were beaten soundly by Uruguay, it was their only loss in the competition. Since that 2010-11 stretch, though, it's been tough sledding for La Albirroja. They have not returned to the World Cup since then, and slipped to 4th place in the 2015 Copa América, then group stage elimination in the following two tournaments. They did manage to return to the quarterfinals 3 years ago, where they lost only by way of a penalty shootout. Paraguay will be hoping that performance and the emergence of a couple stars over the last few years will be enough to build on and surprise in this tournament.
The Best XI
Paraguay's attack, and really the hopes of their team, run through a couple Premier League stars: Brighton youngster Julio Enciso, and of course, starboy Miguel Almiron of Newcastle. With those two almost surely commanding the attention of opposing defenders, it would be crucial for Corinthians' Ángel Romero and/or Inter Miami's Matias Rojas to replicate their sterling club form. Brazil's Serie A and the MLS are also represented elsewhere, the latter in the form of La Albirroja's likely keeper Carlos Coronel (New York Red Bulls), and the former in midfielder Mathías Villasanti (Grêmio) and captain Gustavo Gómez (Palmeiras). Gómez will link up with Getafe man Omar Alderete to his left and two Russian Premier League starters to his right, to form an intimidating wall at the back.
Colombia
FIFA Rank: 12th
Last Copa America performance: 3rd place (2021)
The Skinny
They may not be the best or most successful team at this tournament, but I can almost guarantee Colombia will have the best support at Copa América 2024. They're a football-mad nation, epitomized by their famously loyal and loud fanbase, but moments of glory have actually been few and far between for Los Cafeteros. A 2001 Copa América title, won in their own country, is their sole trophy, and prior to 2014, had only ever played in 3 World Cups. They had their best-ever performance in that 2014 World Cup, though, topping their group, and reaching the quarterfinals on the back of magical play from breakout star James Rodriguez, before being narrowly defeated by hosts Brazil. The run of success wouldn't stop there, either; trips to the Copa América semifinals followed in 2015, 2016 and 2021, finishing 3rd place in the latter two. Amongst the retirement of several key players, though, and after bowing out in the Round of 16 in the 2018 World Cup, and missing the 2022 edition altogether, many speculated Colombia's days in the sun had passed. But a new generation of talent is on the rise, and under new manager Néstor Lorenzo, they haven't lost a single match, an unbeaten streak that stretches back to March 2022 and includes the first 7 matches of a World Cup qualifying campaign. Blowout wins in tuneup matches vs. the United States and Bolivia suggest that Los Cafeteros' form is showing no signs of slowing down...is this the moment for them to re-ascend the mountaintop?
The Best XI
Sure, it may not quite have the star power of that 2014 team, but there's a lot to like about this Colombia squad. A trio of Premier League talents comprise Colombia's likely starting attack. Liverpool's Luis Díaz is the star and surely the focal point of said attack, but ignore Aston Villa's Jhon Duran and Bournemouth's Luis Sinisterra at your own risk. James Rodriguez, now the wily vet and not the breakout star, is still manning the midfield with panache, and will have Crystal Palace's Jefferson Lerma to work with in the middle of the park. Legendary keeper David Ospina is back between the sticks, and will have a talented back line in front of him. Veteran tandem Yerry Mina (Cagliari) and Davinson Sánchez (Galatasaray), along with Bologna's Jhon Lucumí, comprise one of the deepest CB rooms in the tournament, and they will be flanked by Lens' Deiver Machado and Crystal Palace's Daniel Muñoz.
Group Prediction
Much like yesterday's group preview, Group D sets up pretty easily to predict the two teams who are going through. The talent on Paraguay and experience on Costa Rica make upsets a little more feasible, but it's still more likely that the drama, again, is reserved for who wins the group and who can avoid last place. I think this iteration of Costa Rica is the weakest in some time, and thus think it's the Ticos who will go 0-fer in grou- play. And as for the Brazil-Colombia Group D battle royale? There's no question history and the personnel are both on the Brazilians' side. But not only do Colombia have a knack for being a thorn in Brazil's side, I just trust their form a lot more at the moment.
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