With the Copa América kicking off on Saturday, Australian time, it's now time to take a look at the final group that comprises Uruguay, Chile, Mexico and Peru.
URUGUAY
Following their semi-final appearance at last year's World Cup, Uruguay are highly fancied to win their fifteenth Copa América title. With a squad that is virtually unchanged from the one that saw them lose the third placed playoff to Germany in South Africa, la celeste will look to spoil the recent duopoly of Argentina and Brazil in the final. Where Uruguay will trouble opposition teams is that they have managed to combine a miserly defence with an extremely prolific strike force. Edison Cavani, who carried Napoli to a Champions League place and Luis Suarez who was instrumental in Liverpool's resurgence will combine with World Cup Golden Boot winner, Diego Forlan to form a partnership that will intimidate most defences.
Player to watch
Luis Suarez may have grabbed everyone's attention with his goal-line save in South Africa but as both Ajax and Liverpool fans can attest to, his best work comes at the other end of the field. Many have failed in the transition from the Dutch Eredivise but Suarez took to the English Premier League like a duck to water scoring four goals for Liverpool to bring his season total to eleven. In combination with Edison Cavani, Suarez is sure to be cause a lot of headaches for opposition defences. Let's hope that at the end of the tournament that we remember his efforts for all the right reasons.
CHILE
Whilst they may have not gone deep into last year's World Cup, Chile's style of play definitely captured the imagination of many football watchers. Almost twelve months later the Chilean football landscape has definitely changed with World Cup coach, Marcelo Bielsa falling out with those in charge of Chilean football and being replaced by another Argentinean, Claudio Borghi, who recently managed Chilean giants Colo Colo to four consecutive titles between 2006 and 2007. It is that Colo Colo connection that will provide much of the impetus for a nation that is yet to win a Copa América with many of that squad having played under Borghi. Like in previous tournament appearances, Chilean games will be won and lost between the ears and if a calm head prevails and they can avoid Brazil they may go close to winning their first ever Copa América.
Player to watch
Currently under constant media speculation as to which club he will be at come next season, Alexis Sánchez will have the weight of a nation to deal with as well come the Copa América. Following an impressive World Cup, last season saw Sánchez have his best ever year in club football scoring twelve goals for Udinese which has seen him capture the attention of both club in Manchester, Barcelona and countless teams in Italy. Whilst not as prolific for his country as he is for his club, Sánchez provides a versatile option for Borghi with his ability to play in a variety roles in the attacking third of the pitch.
MEXICO
Like their CONCACAF rivals, Costa Rica, Mexico will be fielding a predominantly U22 side with five overage players rounding out the squad. Despite it being a predominantly U22 side, coach Luis Fernando Tena hasn't been without some selection headaches after eight members of the group were suspended after being caught fraternising with prostitutes during a recent training trip to Ecuador. The players involved include the younger brother of the captain and Barcelona B player, Jonathon dos Santos, who is considered the better talent of the two brothers. With this being a relatively inexperienced side, especially now with those eight changes, Mexico will struggle to get out of this relatively tough group.
Player to watch
Fresh from his starring role in Mexico's Gold Cup triumph Giovanni dos Santos will be chock full of confidence for the Copa América. Despite coming through Barcelona's famed academy, dos Santos has failed to make his mark at club level in Spain, England and Turkey and is currently on the books of Tottenham. Dos Santos, who is still only 22, will be the captain for the tournament and will be surely looking to use it as a springboard to getting his club football career going and if we can get a repeat of that goal against the USA we will all be happy.
PERU
Peruvian football has been in decline for some time now having last appeared at a World Cup in 1982. Many pundits are pointing to this team as having the makings of a team that could return la blanquirroja to its glory days of the 1970s, where it qualified for three World Cups and won a Copa América and was a semi-finalist in two others. Despite its poor World Cup qualifying record, Peru's Copa América record is pretty impressive, having reached the quarterfinals of the last five tournaments. However it appears that this tournament could be one too early for this developing squad particularly with the absence of key goal scoring threats, Claudio Pizarro and Jefferson Farfán who both miss through injury. This leaves coach, Sergio Markarián with only Paolo Guerrero as the only striker who plies his trade outside of Peru and a decent scoring record at national level.
Player to watch
In a fairly inexperienced side, it is Juan Manuel Vargas who will be key to Peru advancing from this tough group. Vargas, who will wear the captain's armband, has made a name for himself at Fiorentina in Italy as an attacking midfielder over the last three seasons but will be returning from injury for this tournament. With the aforementioned absences of Farfán and Pizarro, el loco will need to improve on his three goals in thirty matches for the national side.
