Written by George Simon
The Copa America Centenario is the 100th anniversary edition of the oldest international soccer tournament, CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) and the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) come together for the first time to celebrate an special edition of this competition with the participation of all 10 members of CONMEBOL (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) and the qualified members of the CONCACAF (United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Haiti and Panama).
This is the first time both American confederations unite the whole continent in a soccer tournament that will bring joy to all the fans of the sport during this summer. The tournament will be hosted in several cities of the United States including Orlando (Florida) and many more cities.
The Tournament format will similar to the World Cup but with 16 teams instead of 32, these 16 teams have been draw in 4 groups of 4. This teams will play against each other and the ones that end up 1st and 2nd of the group will qualified to the quarterfinals.
Group A
This is the “death” group of the tournament because all the teams have shown a great level lately and anyone can qualify to the next round.
United States
The USA team has shown a great level of football in the past years even achieving a place in the last 16 round on the 2014 World Cup. The team of the bars and stripes will try to shine at home paying against world-class teams such as Colombia and Paraguay. Also the rivalry between the USA and Costa Rica has grown since the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup due to the Denver Controversy where the USA host the Costa Rican team in a snowy field against the Central American team wishes to play someplace else. The USA will have to show that they are competitive and try to use their physical and defensive skills to stand against the skillful South American teams.
Manager: Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany)
Key Players: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) and Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Surprise Players: Bobby Wood (Union Berlin), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) and Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)
Last Five Games:
-November 17, 2015. Trinidad and Tobago 0-0 United States (World Cup Qualifiers)
-January 31, 2016. United States 3-2 Iceland (Friendly)
-February 5, 2016. United States 1-0 Canada (Friendly)
-March 25, 2016. Guatemala 2-0 United States (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 29, 2016. United States 4-0 Guatemala (World Cup Qualifiers)
Preparation Friendlies:
-May 25, 2016. United States v. Ecuador
-May 28, 2016. United States v. Bolivia
Copa America Schedule:
-June 3, 2016. Unites States v. Colombia. Santa Clara, California.
-June 7, 2016. United States v. Costa Rica. Chicago, Illinois
-June 11, 2016. United States v. Paraguay. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Colombia
The “cafeteros” will try to emulate their successful World Cup campaign and try to win a big tournament for the first time in 15 years. The Colombians have one of the most talented squads in the tournaments with quality players such as James Rodriguez, Carlos Bacca, Juan Cuadrado and many more. The Colombians face the toughest group of the tournament but they are confident on their skills and the quality of their squad to go on the next round.
Manager: José Pékerman (Argentina)
Key Players: James Rodríguez (Real Madrid CF), Carlos Bacca (AC Milan) and Juan Cuadrado (Juventus FC)
Surprise Players: Sebastián Pérez (Atlético Nacional), Edwin Cardona (Monterrey) and Jeison Murillo (Inter Milan)
Last Five Games:
-October 13, 2015. Uruguay 3-0 Colombia (World Cup Qualifiers)
-November 12, 2015. Chile 1-1 Colombia (World Cup Qualifiers)
-November 17, 2015. Colombia 0-1 Argentina (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 24, 2016. Bolivia 2-3 Colombia (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 29, 2016. Colombia 3-1 (World Cup Qualifiers)
Preparation Friendlies:
-May 29, 2016. Colombia v. Haiti.
Copa America Schedule:
-June 3, 2016. Unites States v. Colombia. Santa Clara, California.
-June 7, 2016. Colombia v. Paraguay. Pasadena, California.
-June 11, 2016. Colombia v. Costa Rica. Houston, Texas.
Costa Rica
“La Sele” is living their sweetest years in their history with an unbelievable world cup campaign taking out big teams like Italy and England, and they want to keep growing this next years with a victory during the Copa America. Just like the last world cup “Los Ticos” will face the hardest group of the tournament but now their not the Cinderella story as before and the other teams will be prepare for them.
Manager: Oscar Ramírez (Costa Rica)
Key Players: Keylor Navas (Real Madrid CF), Joel Campbell (Arsenal FC) and Bryan Ruiz (Sporting Portugal)
Surprise Players: Álvaro Saborío (D.C. United) Celso Borges (Deportivo La Coruña) and Cristian Gamboa (West Bromwich Albion)
Last Five Games:
-November 17, 2015. Panama 1-2 Costa Rica (World Cup Qualifiers)
-December 15, 2015. Costa Rica 1-0 Nicaragua (Friendly)
-February 2, 2016. Venezuela 1-0 Costa Rica (Friendly)
-March 25, 2016. Jamaica 1-1 Costa Rica (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 29, 2016. Costa Rica 3-0 Jamaica (World Cup Qualifiers)
Preparation Friendlies:
-May 28, 2016. Costa Rica v. Venezuela
-May 31, 2016. Argentina v. Costa Rica
Copa America Schedule:
-June 4, 2016. Costa Rica v. Paraguay. ORLANDO, FLORIDA.
-June 7, 2016. United States v. Costa Rica. Chicago, Illinois
-June 11, 2016. Colombia v. Costa Rica. Houston, Texas
Paraguay
The White and Red team seems to be recovering after a downfall of the great generation that help them reach the quarter finals of the world cup in 2010. But in the latest years they have been able to reach the semi finals of the last two Copa Americas and know they are competing again against the best teams of the region like the use to do 5 years ago. “Los Guraranies” seem to have recover the warrior spirit that they seem to lost for a couple of years and now they want to prove that they can be the best team in the continent.
Manager: Ramón Díaz (Argentina)
Key Players: Roque Santa Cruz (Malaga CF), Néstor Ortigoza (San Lorenzo) and Pablo Aguilar (America)
Surprise Players: Juan Iturbe (Bournemouth), Derlis González (Dynamo Kyiv) and Dario Lezcano (FC Ingolstadt 04)
Last Five Games:
-October 13, 2015. Paraguay 0-0 Argentina (World Cup Qualifiers)
-November 13, 2015. Peru 1-0 Paraguay (World Cup Qualifiers)
-November 17, 2015. Paraguay 2-1 Bolivia (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 24, 2016. Ecuador 2-2 Paraguay (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 29, 2016. Paraguay 2-2 Brazil (World Cup Qualifiers)
Preparation Friendlies:
-May 29, 2016. Mexico v. Paraguay
Copa America Schedule:
-June 4, 2016. Costa Rica v. Paraguay. ORLANDO, FLORIDA.
-June 7, 2016. Colombia v. Paraguay. Pasadena, California.
-June 11, 2016. United States v. Paraguay. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This is the first time both American confederations unite the whole continent in a soccer tournament that will bring joy to all the fans of the sport during this summer. The tournament will be hosted in several cities of the United States including Orlando (Florida) and many more cities.
The Tournament format will similar to the World Cup but with 16 teams instead of 32, these 16 teams have been draw in 4 groups of 4. This teams will play against each other and the ones that end up 1st and 2nd of the group will qualified to the quarterfinals.
Group A
This is the “death” group of the tournament because all the teams have shown a great level lately and anyone can qualify to the next round.
United States
The USA team has shown a great level of football in the past years even achieving a place in the last 16 round on the 2014 World Cup. The team of the bars and stripes will try to shine at home paying against world-class teams such as Colombia and Paraguay. Also the rivalry between the USA and Costa Rica has grown since the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup due to the Denver Controversy where the USA host the Costa Rican team in a snowy field against the Central American team wishes to play someplace else. The USA will have to show that they are competitive and try to use their physical and defensive skills to stand against the skillful South American teams.
Manager: Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany)
Key Players: Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) and Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Surprise Players: Bobby Wood (Union Berlin), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) and Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)
Last Five Games:
-November 17, 2015. Trinidad and Tobago 0-0 United States (World Cup Qualifiers)
-January 31, 2016. United States 3-2 Iceland (Friendly)
-February 5, 2016. United States 1-0 Canada (Friendly)
-March 25, 2016. Guatemala 2-0 United States (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 29, 2016. United States 4-0 Guatemala (World Cup Qualifiers)
Preparation Friendlies:
-May 25, 2016. United States v. Ecuador
-May 28, 2016. United States v. Bolivia
Copa America Schedule:
-June 3, 2016. Unites States v. Colombia. Santa Clara, California.
-June 7, 2016. United States v. Costa Rica. Chicago, Illinois
-June 11, 2016. United States v. Paraguay. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Colombia
The “cafeteros” will try to emulate their successful World Cup campaign and try to win a big tournament for the first time in 15 years. The Colombians have one of the most talented squads in the tournaments with quality players such as James Rodriguez, Carlos Bacca, Juan Cuadrado and many more. The Colombians face the toughest group of the tournament but they are confident on their skills and the quality of their squad to go on the next round.
Manager: José Pékerman (Argentina)
Key Players: James Rodríguez (Real Madrid CF), Carlos Bacca (AC Milan) and Juan Cuadrado (Juventus FC)
Surprise Players: Sebastián Pérez (Atlético Nacional), Edwin Cardona (Monterrey) and Jeison Murillo (Inter Milan)
Last Five Games:
-October 13, 2015. Uruguay 3-0 Colombia (World Cup Qualifiers)
-November 12, 2015. Chile 1-1 Colombia (World Cup Qualifiers)
-November 17, 2015. Colombia 0-1 Argentina (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 24, 2016. Bolivia 2-3 Colombia (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 29, 2016. Colombia 3-1 (World Cup Qualifiers)
Preparation Friendlies:
-May 29, 2016. Colombia v. Haiti.
Copa America Schedule:
-June 3, 2016. Unites States v. Colombia. Santa Clara, California.
-June 7, 2016. Colombia v. Paraguay. Pasadena, California.
-June 11, 2016. Colombia v. Costa Rica. Houston, Texas.
Costa Rica
“La Sele” is living their sweetest years in their history with an unbelievable world cup campaign taking out big teams like Italy and England, and they want to keep growing this next years with a victory during the Copa America. Just like the last world cup “Los Ticos” will face the hardest group of the tournament but now their not the Cinderella story as before and the other teams will be prepare for them.
Manager: Oscar Ramírez (Costa Rica)
Key Players: Keylor Navas (Real Madrid CF), Joel Campbell (Arsenal FC) and Bryan Ruiz (Sporting Portugal)
Surprise Players: Álvaro Saborío (D.C. United) Celso Borges (Deportivo La Coruña) and Cristian Gamboa (West Bromwich Albion)
Last Five Games:
-November 17, 2015. Panama 1-2 Costa Rica (World Cup Qualifiers)
-December 15, 2015. Costa Rica 1-0 Nicaragua (Friendly)
-February 2, 2016. Venezuela 1-0 Costa Rica (Friendly)
-March 25, 2016. Jamaica 1-1 Costa Rica (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 29, 2016. Costa Rica 3-0 Jamaica (World Cup Qualifiers)
Preparation Friendlies:
-May 28, 2016. Costa Rica v. Venezuela
-May 31, 2016. Argentina v. Costa Rica
Copa America Schedule:
-June 4, 2016. Costa Rica v. Paraguay. ORLANDO, FLORIDA.
-June 7, 2016. United States v. Costa Rica. Chicago, Illinois
-June 11, 2016. Colombia v. Costa Rica. Houston, Texas
Paraguay
The White and Red team seems to be recovering after a downfall of the great generation that help them reach the quarter finals of the world cup in 2010. But in the latest years they have been able to reach the semi finals of the last two Copa Americas and know they are competing again against the best teams of the region like the use to do 5 years ago. “Los Guraranies” seem to have recover the warrior spirit that they seem to lost for a couple of years and now they want to prove that they can be the best team in the continent.
Manager: Ramón Díaz (Argentina)
Key Players: Roque Santa Cruz (Malaga CF), Néstor Ortigoza (San Lorenzo) and Pablo Aguilar (America)
Surprise Players: Juan Iturbe (Bournemouth), Derlis González (Dynamo Kyiv) and Dario Lezcano (FC Ingolstadt 04)
Last Five Games:
-October 13, 2015. Paraguay 0-0 Argentina (World Cup Qualifiers)
-November 13, 2015. Peru 1-0 Paraguay (World Cup Qualifiers)
-November 17, 2015. Paraguay 2-1 Bolivia (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 24, 2016. Ecuador 2-2 Paraguay (World Cup Qualifiers)
-March 29, 2016. Paraguay 2-2 Brazil (World Cup Qualifiers)
Preparation Friendlies:
-May 29, 2016. Mexico v. Paraguay
Copa America Schedule:
-June 4, 2016. Costa Rica v. Paraguay. ORLANDO, FLORIDA.
-June 7, 2016. Colombia v. Paraguay. Pasadena, California.
-June 11, 2016. United States v. Paraguay. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania