2024-07-22 20:54:11
We highlight the main players of the tournament.
İdman.biz presents an article with a link to footballhd.ru.
Along with the European Championship, another major tournament, the Copa America, came to an end. The tournament was quite interesting in terms of real competition. The matches were full of intrigue and tension. And although the predicted favorites ultimately won, there were enough dangers in the final to suggest that the advantage could go either way. Argentina defended the Copa America title. There are also many characters worth talking about.
America’s Cup Heroes
Lionel Messi
Messi is approaching the end of his career with the national team. The captain of the Argentina national team did not have the best tournament, based on his personal level. He scored only one goal and was not as noticeable as before. Of course, his contribution was very important even without goals, although he was not the main hero of every match. However, his team grew up around him. Messi saved Argentina many times. Perhaps this was the last big tournament for Leo, so his teammates decided to thank their leader by giving him another trophy.
James Rodriguez
Colombia weren’t exactly a surprise at the Copa America. Those who follow Latin American football knew they were a very good team, unbeaten in more than 20 games before the final against Argentina. However, few expected how well the forgotten James Rodriguez would perform. The attacking midfielder provided six assists, won the tournament’s best player and showed that he’s still at a high level. This led to speculation that he could return to Europe, although this seems unlikely. But it was good to see the resurgence of a talent that had long been forgotten.
Jessie Marsh
The U.S. national team could have had Jesse Marsh last year, and after he took over as Canada’s head coach, he began the Copa America campaign with the energy of a man eager to show the host country what they had missed. And if that was the goal, he achieved it. Canada didn’t play exciting football, but the Leafs did well to reach the semifinals. They climbed out of a tough group, beat a talented Venezuela team, and played well in the semifinal against Argentina. Marsh was eager to get the U.S. job, and he proved that the Americans’ rejection of him was a mistake.
Marcelo Bielsa
Bielsa’s appointment was the right decision by the Uruguayan Football Federation. The legendary Argentine took over a team in transition between two generations, renewed it and almost brought it to the Copa America final. Uruguay may not have been the best team in the tournament, but they were certainly the most entertaining, full of passion, pace and creativity. There were concerns that Bielsa’s intense play might not work at national team level, but it worked. Uruguay were a really good team and, thanks to their young squad, they are well prepared for the 2026 World Cup and beyond.
Lautaro Martinez
Lautaro has been waiting a long time for his moment with the national team. He hasn’t scored for Argentina in a long time, missing many chances at the 2022 World Cup and not finding the net once. However, at the Copa America, he finally found his best qualities on the international stage. Martinez finished the tournament as the top scorer and scored the winner in the final, capping an impressive season for himself. He may not be the best scorer for his country yet, but Argentina needed a hero, and Lautaro was up to the task.
Antiheroes of the America’s Cup
Vinicius
This was supposed to be Vinicius’s time. He was one of Real Madrid’s key players last season, helping Los Blancos win trophies and putting himself at the forefront of the Ballon d’Or conversation. Brazil at the Copa America seemed like the logical next step. But it wasn’t. Vinicius only played well in one of the three matches he played in, and after picking up a silly yellow card in the final group game, he missed the quarter-finals, which the Selecao lost on penalties. Vinicius will have his moments with the national team, but he needed them this summer to be a real contender for the Ballon d’Or.
Gregg Berhalter
Berhalter’s departure from the U.S. national team had been a long time coming. There were serious questions about the oft-criticized coach’s fitness to lead the national team before the Copa America. A good performance would have likely allayed concerns ahead of the World Cup. But for the U.S., things went as badly as they could have. The Americans played poorly in all three matches and failed to advance from the group. In his final press conference, Berhalter insisted that he could prepare the team well for the World Cup. But it was clear that the time had come for the coach to go, even though he genuinely loved his job and wanted to achieve a good result.
Santiago Jimenez
Mexico had a poor tournament for a number of reasons. An inexperienced team lacked the courage and maturity to take on some of the big teams, and more experienced players failed to step up when they needed to. Much depended on Jimenez, given how many goals he had scored at club level. And in that regard, the Feyenoord striker was a complete failure. He only managed to play the full 90 minutes once, had only three shots on target and failed to score in three matches, and Mexico failed to advance from the group. Of course, he lacked support. And yes, this young team had other problems. But the birth of a national hero was delayed.
Alphonso Davies
It may have been a good tournament for Canada, but the same cannot be said for one of the team’s most famous players. Davies had a tough season at Bayern, and his troubles followed him across the Atlantic. Davies had some good performances, but he never managed to get the full 90 minutes together. The defender was injured in the semi-final and had to leave the field. However, in the third-place match, there was little excuse when Davies missed the decisive penalty and his team was left without bronze. The player’s future is in doubt. Real Madrid’s interest has cooled, and a new contract with Bayern seems unlikely. The Canadian is clearly not in the best mood as he heads on holiday. Based on materials from Goal
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