17/06/2024【Feature】Gilberto Silva - Copa America Group winner and forecast analysis

Gilberto Silva – Copa America
Former Brazil international Gilberto Silva won the 2002 World Cup and 2007 Copa America.

Group Winner and forecast
Group A
With Argentina having world-class talent and current WC holders, they should top Group A with ease, leaving it up to the remaining three teams to fight over second place. Argentina has not suffered a group-stage exit at the Copa America since 1983, and it would be a major shock if they do not progress through these group stages. As for the rest of the teams Peru, Canada, and Chile, it is going to be a big fight for second.

Canada showed good signs by qualifying for the WC, but they have a new manager so might be transitioning as a team. Peru is not as strong as in recent years, and with a real lack of goals in qualifying, I think they will struggle in this tournament.

My pick to finish second will be Chile. Although they lost to Argentina 12 in a row dating back to 2008, I believe they will have enough to beat the other two teams in this group to qualify behind Argentina who take maximum points.

Group B
I think this group is the group that could have the best battle for two teams with a chance to finish in the top place.

In my view, Mexico is the biggest name but they are in a group full of teams that can frustrate them. Mexico has left out some senior players as they look towards the future and maybe the next World Cup, but while they may be a team in transition, they still should do enough to beat Venezuela and Jamaica for what I think will be the runners-up spot as they will be well supported in the USA.

The team I think will win the group b is Ecuador. They have reached the knockout rounds in two of the previous three Copa Americas, and in the squad, they have players of Hincapie, Pacho, Caicedo, Paez, and Valencia, I think that they have the quality to progress to the quarter-finals as the group winner.
Venezuela will start the tournament without a win in five games, and that form won’t be enough to qualify alongside Jamaica who have lost all of their previous six matches at the Copa America.

Group C
I have no doubt Uruguay will win this group.

Their recent form has been very good and they heavily defeated Mexico 4-0 in the build-up with all their top players looking very sharp. They are led by Marco Bielsa who is a very clever manager and I think tournament football will suit him. Uruguay are a big nation and I think they will go far in this tournament under his guidance and the quality of players such as Nunez, Valverde, Bentancur, and Araujo.

Their only challengers will be the host nation USA, who will be very well supported and will be expected to qualify from this group. I think they will be in second place. After lifting a third straight CONCACAF Nations League title in March they will come into this game with confidence they can qualify and go far in the tournament but ultimately I think a real lack of world-class talent will let them down in the later stages of the competition.

Beating Bolivia shouldn’t be a problem for either side, and it’s rare to see Panama pose a problem for nations like Uruguay and USA.

Group D
CONCACAF sides always seem going to struggle against top South American sides and I think for this group it is fair to say Costa Rica has little chance of qualifying at all versus the other nations in this group.

Paraguay has scored just one goal in six qualifying matches, so they pose no threat to the big two in this group.

Brazil and Colombia should make easy work of them both and the goal difference from those matches could play a crucial role in who finishes top, as well as the match between the two which is the key match of Group D as if you finish second in this group you likely face a tough game versus Uruguay next.

Following Colombia’s failure to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, they appoint Argentinan coach Néstor Lorenzo. Despite limited coaching experience, he has led Colombia to a 22-game unbeaten streak making Colombia one of the most formidable teams in the upcoming Copa América. They recently beat Brazil and this could be crucial for confidence to beat them in this group too.

Like Colombia, Brazil has looked promising under the leadership of Dorival Junior in 2024. He players a more defensive-based system to build up attacks than previous Brazil squads where it is all out attacking. It is a more balanced team and with world-class talent in the forward areas, with Vini, Endrick, Jesus, Rodrygo, Paqueta and Bruno Guimarães, I believe my Brazil will be strong enough, to beat Colombia, to make themselves to the 1st position in Group D.