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Follow live reaction to the Copa America group stage draw, with Lionel Messi’s Argentina potentially facing Canada
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Copa America 2024 draw results — group stage and bracket fixed
- Group A: Argentina, Peru, Chile, Canada or Trinidad & Tobago
- Group B: Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, Jamaica
- Group C: United States, Uruguay, Panama, Bolivia
- Group D: Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Costa Rica or Honduras
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MLS players to face USMNT
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The USMNT's group-stage games against Uruguay and Panama may feature several players MLS fans will be familiar with.
Uruguay's current squad includes three MLS players: Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew), Facundo Torres (Orlando City SC), and Cristian Olivera (LAFC).
Panama's squad, meanwhile, has four players currently in the league: Adalberto Carrasquilla (Houston Dynamo), Eric Davis (D.C. United), José Fajardo (D.C. United), and captain Aníbal Godoy (Nashville SC).
Bolivia, on the other hand, don't have much representation in MLS at the moment, though Atlanta United 2 defender Efraín Morales did earn his first call-up to the senior national team squad in September.
State of CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying
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CONMEBOL's marathon World Cup qualification process is already underway for the 2026 edition of the tournament, with six of the 18 matchdays in the books. That gives us some idea of the recent playing level of the USMNT's group-stage opponents, Uruguay and Bolivia.
Uruguay currently sits in second place in the CONMEBOL qualifying table. They recently took back-to-back 2-0 wins against Brazil and Argentina.
Bolivia, on the other hand, currently sits ninth out of the 10 teams in the table. They've taken just three points from their first six matches played.
Here's how the full table looks at the moment:
- Argentina: 15 points
- Uruguay: 13 pts
- Colombia: 12 pts
- Venezuela: 9 pts
- Ecuador: 8 pts
- Brazil: 7 pts
- Paraguay: 5 pts
- Chile: 5 pts
- Bolivia: 3 pts
- Peru: 2 pts
U.S. records vs group-stage opponents
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Here are the USMNT's all-time records against their three group-stage opponents:
- Uruguay: 2-4-2
- Bolivia: 2-4-2
- Panama: 17-6-3
(Records in Wins-Draws-Losses)
The U.S. has faced both South American teams once before in the Copa America, losing 1-0 to Uruguay in the 1993 edition before also losing 1-0 to Bolivia in 1995 (pictured above).
Gold Cup semifinal rematch
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During his interview with Fox Sports after the draw, USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter also alluded to the team's coming rematch against Panama in their second group-stage game.
The U.S. and Panama are familiar foes, both members of CONCACAF. When they last met, in the semifinals of the 2023 Gold Cup, Panama prevailed on penalties after a 1-1 draw in San Diego. The U.S. wasn't playing its best players, having used the A squad for the Nations League final earlier that summer, but I'm sure Berhalter was expecting a better performance from his B squad nonetheless. A chance for payback, then.
USA vs Uruguay could be epic
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If the USMNT does what it should do and win its first two matches against Panama and Bolivia, that would set up a pretty epic opportunity against Uruguay in the group finale at Arrowhead Stadium, potentially with the stakes of avoiding Brazil in the knockout stage on the line. Emerging from the group was a must for Gregg Berhalter's squad before, but that feels more so now. A big opportunity.
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Potential knockout bracket
If, and this is a big if, all the top-seeded teams win their groups, and all the second-seeded teams finish as runners-up, here's what the knockout bracket would look like.
As Gregg Berhalter alluded to while speaking to Fox Sports after the draw, the United States will be heavily incentivized to win Group C and avoid Group D's winner in the quarter-finals, which is likely to be Brazil.
Inter Miami announce preseason plans
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Earlier this evening, Lionel Messi's club Inter Miami announced their plans for the beginning of 2024. Ahead of the MLS season kicking off, the club will be going on its first ever international tour.
The one opponent that's been scheduled so far is the Hong Kong Team, which is a collection of the Hong Kong First Division League's best players. That match will be played on February 4 at the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium.
Argentina group stage fixtures
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- June 20: Argentina vs Canada or Trinidad & Tobago - Atlanta, Georgia (opening match of tournament)
- June 25: Chile vs Argentina - East Rutherford, New Jersey
- June 29: Argentina vs Peru - Miami, Florida
Lionel Messi will be playing in front of his Inter Miami fans at Hard Rock Stadium in Argentina's group finale.
Brazil group stage fixtures
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- June 24: Brazil vs Costa Rica or Honduras - Inglewood, California
- June 28: Paraguay vs Brazil - Paradise, Nevada
- July 2: Brazil vs Colombia - Santa Clara, California
Mexico group stage fixtures
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- June 22: Mexico vs Jamaica - Houston, Texas
- June 26: Venezuela vs Mexico - Inglewood, California
- June 30: Mexico vs Ecuador - Glendale, Arizona
USMNT's group schedule
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- June 23: United States vs Bolivia - Arlington, Texas
- June 27: Panama vs United States - Atlanta, Georgia
- July 1: United States vs Uruguay - Kansas City, Missouri
Berhalter looks forward to Panama rematch
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More from USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter's interview with Fox Sports following the Copa America group draw, beginning with the prospect of facing Panama: "We know them well but they're a good team, probably the most improved side in all of CONCACAF in the last couple of years. Well-coached team, good athletes, very good on crosses and offensive transition. They beat us in the Gold Cup last year, so it's going to be a challenge."
On the pressure of this tournament: "That's why we do this. Without pressure you don't get diamonds."
Berhalter on facing Uruguay
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Gregg Berhalter spoke to Fox Sports after the draw, speaking first about Group C opponents Uruguay: "We always knew that was going to be a possibility. That was obviously the hardest team in Pool 2. For me, it's an opportunity. They're gonna be a very aggressive team, a really good challenge for our group. We play them on the final game of the group phase, so it could set the stage. We have to do a good job setting up the first two games. In a way we're controlling our own destiny by playing them last. If you take care of business in the first two games, which will be difficult games, you set up winner takes all. You know what's lurking around the corner in Group D (in the quarterfinals), most likely, so you want to try to finish first."
On potentially facing Brazil or Colombia in the quarterfinals: "Brazil is one of the favorites to win the tournament so it's going to be a real challenge in that next round. You'd like to play them in the semifinals, but we'll take whoever we have to take."
Bielsa vs Berhalter
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Marcelo Bielsa vs Gregg Berhalter when Uruguay faces the USMNT to open play in Group C.
Remarkably even groups
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FIFA's world rankings are an imperfect method for judging the quality of teams, but they do have some value. Below you can see the average ranking of each group's four teams, using the average of the play-in teams' rankings where applicable. This gives some idea of the relative difficulty of each group, and the results are surprisingly close:
- Group A: 34
- Group B: 38
- Group C: 38.75
- Group D: 34.25
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Groups according to FIFA rankings
Here is how the groups break down according the FIFA's current world rankings:
- Group A: Argentina (1), Peru (26), Chile (37), Canada (48) or Trinidad and Tobago (96)
- Group B: Mexico (12), Ecuador (36), Venezuela (49), Jamaica (55)
- Group C: United States (11), Uruguay (15), Panama (44), Bolivia (85)
- Group D: Brazil (3), Colombia (17), Paraguay (53), Costa Rica (52) or Honduras (76)
Argentina vs Chile has real history
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Argentina versus Chile for a poetic rematch on June 25 at MetLife Stadium, where Messi infamously quit the national team prematurely after losing the Copa America final for the second year in a row to the same opponent on penalties.
That matchup in 2016 set an attendance record for a largest soccer crowd in the Meadowlands that year. Will Messi have his redemption, or will history repeat itself?
Huge opportunity for Canada
If Canada qualify for Copa America (and we've got to emphasize that "if" given how things have gone for Canada lately) they'll be in a remarkably difficult group: Argentina, Chile and Peru. Can we call this the group of death? Is that still a thing?
Cue the Larry David gif: on the one hand, playing the World Cup champions and two other teams ranked in FIFA's top 40 will provide Canada with the kind of challenge they desperately need ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Without qualification games, Canada need high-level opponents to test themselves and for the next coach to determine how he can get the best out of his group tactically.
On the other hand, uh, getting out of that group is a Herculean task. Canada could easily go 0-0-3 in the tournament and feel deflated in their World Cup chances afterwards.
Ultimately, the chance for young Canadian players (and they have to inject more youth into their roster) to play against the likes of Messi, etc. are rare. They have to embrace the opportunity.
Possible group of death
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The group of death? If Canada fall into Group A, it's definitely that group. For now, there isn't another group with that kind of vibe.
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