Copa America

Once again, Argentina looks to soccer to help ease the pain.

The Copa America (South America's premier soccer tournament), is about to start. I plan to watch the first game between host nation (and one of the favorites) Argentina and Bolivia (who I believe is ranked lower than Canada. Ugh.) Still, the last time these two met Bolivia shocked the soccer world by not just beating Argentina but smacking them down 6-1. Those were the dark days when the insane genius Maradona was coach.

Argentina has won 14 Copa's tied with Uruguay. Brazil is next with eight but have won four of the last five titles. Argentina last triumph came in 1993 - incidentally the last major trophy the soccer super power has won in the last 18 years.

Naturally, odds makers have Argentina and Brazil with their usual roster of studs - Alves, Julio Caesar, Messi, Lavezzi, Tevez, Cambiasso, Mascherano, Anderson, Pato, Neymar and Maicon etc.* - in the finals (edge to Brazil to win it all) but we should still watch out for Uruguay blessed with an excellent and exquisite offense - Edinson Cavani (Napoli), Javier Pastore (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid) and Luis Suarez (Liverpool formerly at Ajax). Paraguay should also be considered but theirs is a team built on defensive prowess. Lest we forget, they beat themselves against Spain in South Africa. People already forget that Paraguay came within a missed penalty of getting past the eventual champions. I don't expect Chile to win but I do look to them to creatively craft and mount a competitive effort.

As for the invitees from Mexico, well read it here.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup champs could have made some noise but now seem poised to field an inexperienced and young side in light of the recent scandal that saw eight players, including the key Jonathan Dos Santos, be expelled.

Personally, I would make Mexico and the United States permanent members of Copa America. The USA has been a Top 10-15 soccer nation for quite some time but one thing I noticed under coach Bradley's tenure is their inability to A) hold significant leads in important games suggesting a lack of maturity in tactics and poise and B) lack of focus to channel their high energy in a composed manner.

*Currently six Brazilian players play in Italy and three in Spain while four earn their living in England. Nine Argentinians play in Spain, six in Italy and two in England. Meanwhile, six from Uruguay play in Italy, and four in Spain. In total between the three, 18 are in Italy, 16 in Spain and 6 in England.