Apart from the gold medals won at the Olympic Games in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 (with an Under-23 side), Argentina has not won an official tournament since the Copa America 1993 played in Ecuador.
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The 28-year-old returned to Spain after that friendly to prepare to take the stand tomorrow at his tax fraud trial, which opened yesterday.
And the saga could derail Argentina’s bid for Copa glory, with executive secretary Damian Dupiellet saying an emergency meeting had been called to determine whether the national team should return from their pre-tournament base in California.
As the home side, the United States will be in the group of death, which includes Costa Rica, Paraguay and Columbia, it’s expected that Columbia will come out as group champions with any of the other three sides capable of challenging for the second spot in the first group. The Barca forward was in tears as he hobbled from the field after suffering a hamstring injury in the team’s Copa del Rey victory over Sevilla.
Chile defeated Argentina in the 2015 Copa America Final.
In the past Messi has been able to take the energy-sapping demands in his stride.
At the very least, Messi’s repeated willingness to go the extra mile ought to silence the small group of critics who have questioned his commitment to global football.
“I get annoyed when they tell us, “Put in more effort, you don’t feel the shirt”, he told TyC Sports.
Argentina’s soccer federation is threatening to pull its national soccer team out of the Copa America Centenario after accusing the country’s government of interfering with the federation’s presidential elections. Fans and pundits will get a good idea of where the two teams stand when they face off in the first game. “Any time you win breeds confidence in your group”.
Reigning champions Chile will be looking to defend their title after they upset favourites Argentina 4-2 on penalties previous year. The Cafeteros are now fifth in CONMBEOL qualifications, recording two defeats and a draw in six games, but they won the last two, against Bolivia and Ecuador.
In true fashion, the Copa America Centenario will show off its fine display of world-class talent playing in some of Europe’s best leagues.
Both Figueredo and Webb – as well as former CONMEBOL chief Nicolas Leoz – are accused of pocketing millions of dollars in bribes linked to the award of media rights for the tournament, part of a scam dubbed a “World Cup of Fraud”.
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However with the group winners likely to avoid a quarter-final with Brazil, the depth Colombia’s arsenal should be enough to see them meet expectations of going at least one step further than last time, 100 years after the inception of this competition.
