Copa America 2021 from today   [caption id="attachment_142846" align="alignleft" width="276"] CONMEBOL Copa America 2021 official logo[/caption] CONMEBOL Copa América or CONMEBOL America Cup, known until 1975 as the South American Football Championship, is the main men’s football tournament contested among national teams from CONMEBOL or the South American Football Confederation. It is the oldest and still running, as well as the third most-watched international football competition in the world. The competition determines the champions of South America. Since the 1990s, teams from North America and Asia have also been invited to participate in it. Brazil and Venezuela are scheduled to kick off the Copa America 2021 at the Mane Garrincha Stadium today, Monday (14) morning Sri Lanka time. The tournament was postponed from last year due to the pandemic. It was initially scheduled to take place in Columbia and Argentina. Last month, Colombia was dropped out after the citizens protested against President Ivan Duque. Later on, Argentina was ruled out due to an increase in Covid-19 cases in the country, thus CONMEBOL shifted the tournament to Brazil. This tournament was originally scheduled to feature 12 teams, 10 members of South American Football Confederation with Qatar and Australia invited as guest nations. However, Qatar and Australia pulled out due to the busy scheduled with the World Cup 2022 qualifiers. Now the ten participating teams are divided into two Groups. The top four of each Group will proceed to the quarter-finals. Group A: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela Group B: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay

GROUP A

[caption id="attachment_142847" align="alignnone" width="464"] Fabian Balbuena (Paraguay)[/caption]

Argentina

Head Coach: Lionel Scaloni

Key Players: Lionel Messi, Serigo Aguero, Leandro Peredes, Lautaro Martinez

Goalkeepers: Agustin Marchesin, Emiliano Martinez, Juan Musso, Franco Armani

Defenders: Nicolas Tagliafico, German Pezzella, Jose Luis Palomino, Nicolas Otamendi, Cristian Romero, Nahuel Molina, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Lisandro Martinez, Juan Foyth, Gonzalo Montiel

Midfielders: Marcos Acuna, Joaquin Correa, Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Mara, Nicolas Domnguez, Giovanni Lo Celso, Guido Rodriguez, Lucas Ocampos, Exequiel Palacios, Leandro Paredes

Forwards: Lionel Messi, Emiliano Buendia, Lucas Alario, Sergio Aguero, Alejandro Gomez, Angel Correa, Nicolas Gonzalez, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez

Bolivia

Head Coach: Cesar Farias

Key Players: Marcelo Moreno, Erwin Saavedra, Carlos Lampe

Goalkeepers: Carlos Lampe, Ruben Cordano, Javier Rojas

Defenders: Jairo Quinteros, Jose Sagredo, Luis Haquin, Luis Barboza, Diego Bejarano, Enrique Flores

Midfielders: Leonel Justiniano, Henry Vaca, Diego Wayar, Jeyson Chura, Erwin Saavedra, Roberto Fernandez, Ramiro Vaca, Erwin Sanchez, Danny Bejarano.

Forwards: Juan Carlos Arce, Marcelo Moreno, Rodrigo Ramallo, Jaume Cuellar, Gilbert Alvarez

Chile

Head Coach: Martin Lasarte

Key Players: Alexis Sanchez, Arturo Vidal

Goalkeepers: Gabriel Arias, Claudio Bravo, Gabriel Castellon

Defenders: Yonathan Anda, Jean Beausejour, Eugenio Mena, Mauricio Isla, Guillermo Maripan, Francisco Sierralta, Gary Medel, Enzo Roco, Sebastian Vegas

Midfielders: Toms Alarcon, Claudio Baeza, Pablo Galdames, Juan Leiva, Clemente Montes, Carlos Palacios, Charles Aranguiz, Cesar Pinares, Erick Pulgar, Arturo Vidal

Forwards: Ben Brereton, Bryan Carrasco, Luis Jimenez, Jean Meneses, Felipe Mora, Fabian Orellana, Alexis Sanchez

[caption id="attachment_142848" align="alignnone" width="357"] Lionel Messi (Argentina)[/caption]

Uruguay

Head Coach: Oscar Tabarez

Key Players: Luis Suarez, Federico Valverde, Diego Godin

Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera, Martin Campana

Defenders: Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez, Sebastian Coates, Damian Suarez, Ronald Araujo, Matias Vina, Martn Caceres

Midfielders: Nahitan Nandez, Lucas Torreira, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mauro Arambarri, Matias Vecino, Federico Valverde, Fernando Gorriaran, Nicolas de la Cruz

Forwards: Brian Rodriguez, Jonathan Rodriguez, Luis Suarez, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Cristhian Stuani, Darwin Nunez, Maxi Gomez

Paraguay

Head Coach: Eduardo Berizzo

Key Players: Fabian Balbuena, Miguel Almiron

Goalkeepers: Antony Silva, Gerardo Ortiz, Juan Espinola

Defenders: Robert Rojas, David Martinez, Omar Alderete, Gustavo Gomez, Junior Alonso, Fabian Balbuena, Juan Escobar

Midfielders: Gaston Gimenez, Andres Cubas, Oscar Romero, Robert Piris da Motta, Miguel Almiron, Angel Romero

Forwards: Carlos Gonzalez, Braian Samudio, Alejandro Romero Gamarra, Gabriel Avalos

GROUP B

[caption id="attachment_142849" align="alignnone" width="463"] Luis Suarez (Uruguay)[/caption]

Brazil

Head Coach: Tite

Key Players: Gabriel Jesus, Neymar, Thiago Silva, Danilo

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton

Defenders: Emerson, Danilo, Alex Sandro, Renan Lodi, Eder Militao, Lucas Verissimo, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva

Midfielders: Casemiro, Douglas Luiz, Everton Ribeiro, Fabinho, Fred, Lucas Paqueta

Forwards: Everton, Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Barbosa, Gabriel Jesus, Neymar, Richarlison, Vinicius Junior

Colombia

Head Coach: Reinaldo Rueda

Key Players: Miguel Angel Borja, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, Yerry Mina

Goalkeepers: David Ospina, Camilo Vargas, Aldar Quintana

Defenders: Carlos Cuesta, Daniel Munoz, Davinson Sanchez, Oscar Murillo, William Tesillo, Stefan Medina, Yairo Moreno, Yerry Mina

Midfielders: Baldomero Perlaza, Gustavo Cuellar, Jefferson Lerma, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, Mateus Uribe, Juan Fernando Quintero, Sebastin Perez, Wilmar Barrios

Forwards: Alfredo Morelos, Duvan Zapata, Luis Diaz, Luis Muriel, Miguel Angel Borja, Rafael Santos Borre

Ecuador

Head Coach: Gustavo Alfaro

Key Players: Pervis Estupinan

Goalkeepers: Alexander Dominguez, Pedro Ortiz, Hernan Galindez

Defenders: Angelo Preciado, Robert Arboleda, Xavier Arreaga, Pervis Estupinan, Fernando Leon, Mario Pineida, Felix Torres

Midfielders: Alan Franco, Jhegson Sebastian Mendez Carabali, Carlos Gruezo, Ayrton Eduar Preciado Garcia, Damian Diaz, Dixon Arroyo, Juan Cazares, Christian Noboa

Forwards: Enner Valencia, Angel Israel Mena Delgado, Michael Steveen Estrada Martinez, Jordy Caicedo, Fidel Martinez

Peru

Head Coach: Ricardo Gareca

Key Players: Renato Tapia

Goalkeepers: Renato Solis, Jose Carvallo, Pedro Gallese

Defenders: Luis Abram, Luis Advincula, Miguel Araujo, Alexander Callens, Aldo Corzo, Marcos Lopez, Jhilmar Lora, Christian Ramos, Anderson Santamaria, Miguel Trauco

Midfielders: Pedro Aquino, Christian Cueva, Martin Tavara, Sergio Pea, Edison Flores, Christopher Gonzales, Yoshimar Yotun, Renato Tapia

Forwards: Luis Ibrico, Andre Carrillo, Paolo Guerrero, Gianluca Lapadula, Alex Valera, Raul Ruidiaz

Venezuela

Head Coach: Jose Poseiro

Key Players: Josef Martinez, Romulo Otero

Goalkeepers: Joel Graterol, Rafael Romo, Wuilker Farinez, Yhonatann Yustiz, Giancarlo Schiavone and Luis Romero

Defenders: Roberto Rosales, Wilker Angel, Jhon Chancellor, Mikel Villanueva, Nahuel Ferraresi, Luis Mago, Jose Cumana, Eduardo Ferreira, Diego Osorio, Francisco La Mantía

Midfielders: Junior Moreno, Alexander Gonzalez, Cristian Casseres, Tomas Rincon, Romulo Otero, Jefferson Savarino Quintero, Jose Martinez, Edson Castillo, Bernaldo Manzano, Leonardo Flores, Christian Rivas, Christian Larotonda, Abraham Bahachille

Forwards: Richard Celis, Jhonder Cadiz, Josef Martinez, Fernando Aristeguieta, Richard Figueroa, Daniel Pérez, Eric Ramírez, Robinson Flores, Jan Hurtado

[caption id="attachment_142850" align="alignnone" width="462"] Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (Brazil)[/caption]

COPA AMERICA 2021 SCHEDULE

GROUP-STAGE 

Match 1: Brazil vs. Venezuela, Group B at Brasilia (2.30 a.m.*) Match 2: Colombia vs. Ecuador, Group B at Cuiaba (5.30 a.m.)

June 15 (Tuesday) Match 3: Argentina vs. Chile (Group A) at Rio de Janeiro (2.30 a.m.) Match 4: Paraguay vs. Bolivia (Group A) at Goiania (5.30 a.m.)

June 18 (Friday) Match 5: Colombia vs. Venezuela (Group B) at Goiania (2.30 a.m.) Match 6: Brazil vs. Peru (Group B) at Rio de Janeiro (5.30 a.m.)

June 19 (Saturday) Match 7: Chile vs. Bolivia (Group A) at Cuiaba (2.30 a.m.) Match 8: Argentina vs. Uruguay (Group A) at Brasilia (5.30 a.m.)

June 21 (Monday) Match 9: Venezuela vs. Ecuador (Group B) at Rio de Janeiro (2.30 a.m.) Match 10: Colombia vs. Peru (Group B) at Goiania (5.30 a.m.) June 22 (Tuesday)

Match 11: Uruguay vs. Chile (Group A) at Cuiaba (2.30 a.m.) Match 12: Argentina vs. Paraguay (Group A) at Brasilia (5.30 a.m.)

June 24 (Thursday) Match 13: Ecuador vs. Peru (Group B) at Goiania (2.30 a.m.) Match 14: Brazil vs. Colombia (Group B) at Rio de Janeiro (5.30 a.m.)

June 25 (Friday) Match 15: Bolivia vs. Uruguay (Group A) at Cuiaba (2.30 a.m.) Match 16: Chile vs. Paraguay (Group A) at Brasilia (5.30 a.m.)

June 28 (Monday) Match 17: Ecuador vs. Brazil (Group B) at Goiania (2.30 a.m.) Match 18: Venezuela vs. Peru (Group B) at Brasilia (5.30 a.m.)

June 29 (Tuesday) Match 19: Uruguay vs. Paraguay (Group A) at Rio de Janeiro (2.30 a.m.) Match 20: Bolivia vs. Argentina (Group A) at Cuiaba (5.30 a.m.)

KNOCKOUT STAGE

Quarter-finals:

July 3 (Saturday)

No. 2 Group A vs. No. 3 Group B – 4.30 a.m.

June 4 (Sunday)

No. 1 Group A vs. No. 4 Group B – 4.30 a.m.

July 5 (Monday)

No. 2 Group B vs. No. 3 Group A – 3.30 a.m.

No. 1 Group B vs. No. 4 Group A – 6.30 a.m.

Semi-finals:

July 7 (Wednesday)

QF 1 Winner vs. QF 2 winner – 4.30 a.m.

July 8 (Thursday)

QF 3 Winner vs. QF 4 winner – 6.30 a.m.

Third-place Play-off:

July 11 (Sunday)

Semi-final 1 loser vs. Semi-final 2 loser – 3.30 a.m.

Final:

July 11 (Sunday)

SF 1 Winner vs. SF 2 Winner – 5.30 a.m.

* All times in Sri Lanka Time