Skip to content

5 key storylines that will define the 2019 Copa America

Buda Mendes / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The 46th edition of the Copa America, football's oldest continental competition, kicks off Friday night in Brazil. Below, we examine the marquee storylines that will define the tournament over the next month, breaking down what - and who - you need to know before the action begins.

Who will step up for Brazil?

Looking to capture the South American crown for the first time since 2007 - and ninth time overall - host nation Brazil goes into the tournament without Neymar, who ruptured an ankle ligament in a friendly match earlier this month.

The 27-year-old, who days prior to the injury was accused of raping a woman in Paris, has dominated the discourse in the buildup to the competition.

Once the opening whistle blows Friday night against Bolivia, though, the rest of Brazil's squad will assume the spotlight. Manager Tite, under intense pressure to deliver success on the heels of recent disappointment in major events, will look to Gabriel Jesus, Philippe Coutinho, Richarlison, and David Neres to make Neymar's absence a moot point.

JEFERSON GUAREZE / AFP / Getty

The Ajax winger, in particular, looks likely to assume the role that the Paris Saint-Germain forward has vacated on the left wing.

"We're still very strong," midfielder Casemiro said when asked about the remaining squad members.

Now's the time to show it.

Brazilian fans, as is always the case, expect nothing less than a title to mark the 100-year anniversary of their country's first Copa America triumph. That the Selecao have won each of the previous four tournaments staged on home soil only adds to that expectation.

"Regardless of the competition we're in, Brazil are favorites and must win," Casemiro added ahead of the opener in Sao Paulo.

Will Messi finally get some help?

The central question never seems to change for Argentina.

Despite being blessed with the greatest player on the planet, the Albiceleste have consistently failed to find an ecosystem in which he can thrive. The talent, especially in attacking areas, is undeniably there: Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, and Paulo Dybala, among others, are stars in their own right.

But instead of striking the right balance and having those complementary pieces help Messi, Argentina has often lacked harmony on the pitch, with Messi being asked to carry the team on his back.

It nearly worked. Three times.

Marcelo Endelli / Getty Images Sport / Getty

But a loss in the 2014 World Cup final, sandwiched between successive defeats to Chile in the showpiece match of the two previous Copa America tournaments, has Messi running out of time to win his first major international trophy. The 31-year-old doesn't seem overly enthused about his nation's chances of ending a drought that dates back to 1993.

"We are not candidates like other times," Messi recently told TyC Sports, via FOX Sports. "We will go with the same dreams and excitement as always, but the reality is that Argentina is going through a process of change."

Manager Lionel Scaloni has attempted to reinvigorate the elderly squad that was dispatched with ease at the World Cup last summer by bringing in a handful of young players who should be given an opportunity to flourish alongside Messi. Perhaps the 2020 Copa America, then - which Argentina is co-hosting with Colombia - offers a better chance for the diminutive magician to achieve the international success he's so desperate for?

Maybe. But given his history with the national program, his presence on that team is far from guaranteed.

End of an era for Chile?

All the old warhorses are there once again for Chile.

You know the names by now: Alexis Sanchez; Arturo Vidal; Eduardo Vargas; Gary Medel; Mauricio Isla; Charles Aranguiz; Jean Beausejour. They're the same ones Chile has been rolling out at every major tournament for the past decade - until, of course, La Roja missed the World Cup last summer.

Jam Media / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The two-time reigning Copa America champion arrives in Brazil at the definitive end of an era. Of that aforementioned crop, Vargas is the only player under 30 years old. He's 29, and his 30th birthday is just months away.

No player better embodies the decline of Chile's golden era than Sanchez, who is coming off a pitiful Premier League campaign in which he scored one goal in 20 appearances with Manchester United.

Once one of the most rousing players to watch in world football thanks to his blend of skill, playmaking ability, and breathless intensity, Sanchez was crowned the top player at the 2016 Copa America.

He's a husk of that now.

If Chile harbors any hope of becoming the first team to three-peat in the modern era of the tournament, Sanchez, and all of his old running mates, need to conjure up something truly special. Crazier things have happened, of course, but it seems terribly unlikely.

Just how healthy is Luis Suarez?

Uruguay has done an admirable job producing some truly exciting young talent of late. Lucas Torreira, Maxi Gomez, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Federico Valverde will be linchpins for La Celeste for the foreseeable future.

But veteran bench boss Oscar Tabarez will again be relying on his stalwarts this summer. Chief among a group that has provided roughly a decade of service is Luis Suarez, who is coming off late-season arthroscopic knee surgery. The 32-year-old striker, who found the net 21 times in league play for Barcelona this past campaign, came off the bench in Uruguay's most recent friendly, but for someone who already seemed to be declining at various points over the past 12 months, anything less than 100 percent health could see his impact take a serious nosedive.

PABLO PORCIUNCULA BRUNE / AFP / Getty

The future is bright, but Tabarez needs his country's all-time leading scorer at his best in order for Uruguay to capture a record-extending 16th Copa America title.

What should we expect from the guest teams?

With just 10 nations making up the South American confederation, CONMEBOL has long invited other countries to partake in the Copa America in order to round out the field. Since the 1993 edition, guest sides have helped standardize the tournament and make the format more digestible.

Typically, CONCACAF receives that invitation.

Mexico, for example, had been ever-present at the South American championship since making its debut 26 years ago in Ecuador. But with this summer's competition running concurrent to the Gold Cup, the Mexicans and the United States, who both featured in 2016, couldn't accept the call.

Zhizhao Wu / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Instead, those two guest slots went to Japan and Qatar, who met in the Asian Cup final in February. The latter, in a stunning upset - and perhaps a signal of intent ahead of the 2022 World Cup the country is hosting - won the title.

While the Qataris will be hard-pressed to replicate that success, don't be surprised if they make life difficult on their South American peers. The same goes for Japan. The two Asian sides got terribly unlucky with the group stage draw - Qatar will meet Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay, while Japan gets Chile, Ecuador, and Uruguay - but at the very least, they'll be competitive.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox