Drico
Player Valuation: £50m
So, as some of us are clearly 24-hour party people, why not supplement your Euro 2024 overdose with Copa América 2024, starting tonight in the USA and "it's live!" on Premier Sports for those of you with esoteric televisual entertainment subscriptions.
Argentina begin their title defence against Canada in the opening match in Atlanta. 16 teams take part, 10 from CONMEBOL, and six from CONCACAF (Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama, and the USA). Two teams qualify from each of the four groups, so we have none of this Euros nonsense of third-placed sides stinking up the knockouts and utterly compromising the group phase jeopardy.
Argentina and Canada are joined in Group A by Chile and Peru, meaning the Pacific derby, one of the most ferocious rivalries in South American football, is also up in the first round of matches.
Mexico will be fancied in Group B along with Ecuador. Venezuela and Jamaica complete this group.
Uruguay are clear favourites in Group C, accompanied as they are by Bolivia, Panama and the hosts.
Brazil, coming in under the radar this time, lead Group D and will play Colombia, Paraguay, and Costa Rica in another tasty pool.
For the knockout stages, Groups A and B are on one side of the draw, with Groups C and D criss-crossing on the other. That means an Argentina-Brazil final is, basically, baked into the tournament structure if both are good enough to get there.
Let's hope the weather doesn't ruin this.
Argentina begin their title defence against Canada in the opening match in Atlanta. 16 teams take part, 10 from CONMEBOL, and six from CONCACAF (Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama, and the USA). Two teams qualify from each of the four groups, so we have none of this Euros nonsense of third-placed sides stinking up the knockouts and utterly compromising the group phase jeopardy.
Argentina and Canada are joined in Group A by Chile and Peru, meaning the Pacific derby, one of the most ferocious rivalries in South American football, is also up in the first round of matches.
Mexico will be fancied in Group B along with Ecuador. Venezuela and Jamaica complete this group.
Uruguay are clear favourites in Group C, accompanied as they are by Bolivia, Panama and the hosts.
Brazil, coming in under the radar this time, lead Group D and will play Colombia, Paraguay, and Costa Rica in another tasty pool.
For the knockout stages, Groups A and B are on one side of the draw, with Groups C and D criss-crossing on the other. That means an Argentina-Brazil final is, basically, baked into the tournament structure if both are good enough to get there.
Let's hope the weather doesn't ruin this.
