World Cup runners up Argentina start as favourites to win their first Copa America title in 22 years when this year’s tournament kicks off in Chile in the early hours of Friday morning.
Argentina were beaten by Germany in last summer’s World Cup final and will hope to go one better in the Copa, with Barcelona forward Lionel Messi captaining them.
Barca team-mate Neymar is captain of Brazil but the third member of their attack, Luis Suarez, is suspended and misses out for holders Uruguay.
The tournament begins with hosts Chile facing Ecuador in Santiago on Friday morning, kick-off 00:30 BST.
The three-week tournament sees 12 teams – 10 from south America and two invitees – compete in three groups, with the top two from each and the two best third-placed sides progressing to the knockout games.
The final is held in Santiago on 4 July.
Uruguay beat Paraguay to win the 2011 competition but will badly miss Suarez, who is still suspended from international matches after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during last summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
Hosts Chile have never won the competition but impressed in Brazil and have in-form Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez in their ranks. Argentina have not won the cup since 1993 but with Messi joined by the recalled Carlos Tevez of Juventus, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain of Napoli they have formidable attacking options.
Brazil appear to have recovered from their thrashing by Germany on home turf last summer and have plenty of familiar faces to a Premier League audience in their squad, with Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho making the breakthrough into the side.
Also hoping to challenge will be Colombia, while a Jamaica squad containing players such as Leicester defender Wes Morgan and Leyton Orient winger Jobi McAnuff can expect a tough time of it in Group B alongside Argentina and Uruguay.
Mexico are fielding a second-string squad as many of their big names – including Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez and former Spurs forward Gio dos Santos – are in their squad for the Gold Cup later this summer, the competition in which countries from north and central America, and the Caribbean compete.
Source-BBC
