There are only two matches left of Copa America, so it’s time for a bit of fun. Who makes our writers’ team of the tournament?
It won’t surprise you to see players from finalists Argentina and Colombia dominate our selections, with plenty of Uruguayan representation at the back and in midfield and a lot of love for quarterfinalists Venezuela.
Perhaps understandably given the performances of the United States men’s national team, Jamaica and Mexico, very few picks are flying the flag for CONCACAF, with only Canada’s Alphonso Davies and Juan Pablo Vargas from Costa Rica sneaking into a few teams.
No writer has space for Vinicius Junior, and Brazilian names are scarce given the team’s underwhelming displays before a quarterfinal final exit. And then there’s Lionel Messi. Sentiment aside, has he done enough to make the best XI?
One man reigns supreme, however: Colombia’s James Rodriguez, surely the player of the tournament — although Argentina may yet have something to say about that in Sunday’s final.
Let us know your team of the tournament in the comments section below and remember… this is just a bit of fun!
Greg O’Keeffe
Just looking at the quality in my XI gets me daydreaming about how this South American super-unit would eviscerate any contenders. Before losing the semifinal against Colombia on Wednesday, Uruguay looked unassailable at the back and I will stubbornly stick with my defensive choices from Marcelo Bielsa’s boys.
In midfield I have it all: brains (Mac Allister), brawn (Valverde) and the most wonderful bravado of an on-song James Rodriguez loudly raging against that dying light.
James Rodriguez has turned back the clock at Copa America (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
Obviously, Messi had to be involved in my attacking three and then Lautaro Martinez has been far too good in front of goal not to feature as the spearhead centre-forward.
Jeff Rueter
Ohh, Daniel Munoz. It feels odd to pick a player who will be suspended for the final, but the Colombian put in a fine stretch at right-back throughout the tournament. Alphonso Davies just makes it over Piero Hincapie — partially to recognize how much more impactful he was this summer than in his nomadic, do-whatever role at the 2022 World Cup.
Nicolas de la Cruz has often been overshadowed by compatriots like Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur or Lucas Torreira, but his chance creation was vital to Uruguay’s deep run. I’m cheating a bit by throwing Lautaro on a wing, but compared to the rest, no nominal left-winger performed at his level.
Good luck containing Rondon and Martinez. Both were inspired this month.
Rondon scores against Canada (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Felipe Cardenas
I’ve chosen Colombia’s base formation in order to maximize the playmaking abilities of James Rodriguez. What about Messi, you say? He’s free to do as he pleases, and at 37, Messi is no longer a No. 10 like James, but rather a forward. This best XI features Luis Diaz and Lautaro Martinez as well, but you could argue that the strength lies in the back.
The imposing Emiliano Martinez would lead the likes of Colombia’s Daniel Munoz (watch your rib cages, guys), Cristian Romero and Ronald Araujo. That’s not a back line I’d want to mess with. And in the middle, Valverde and De Paul can outwork and outrun most opposing midfielders. Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie is my versatile, ball-playing defender whose technical left foot allows him to move up and down the pitch with ease. Game on.
Stuart James
An attacking line-up. There’s no Brazilian, which is perhaps controversial, but Vinicius Jr’s two goals against Paraguay, plus his rainbow flick, aren’t enough to merit inclusion and I’m struggling to justify anyone else — Raphinha, maybe, ahead of Maxi Araujo?
The full-back position has changed as a result of the Colombia-Uruguay semi-final. Johan Mojica is in after his brilliant display at left-back for Colombia and Daniel Munoz is out after his moment of madness — replaced by Jon Aramburu.
Jhon Arias isn’t really a holding midfielder, but I get the impression that this guy can play anywhere. A really good footballer, full stop.
Arias (No 11), a ‘really good footballer, full stop’ (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Some of the others pick themselves: for example, James Rodriguez, who has been outstanding, and Lautaro Martinez, the leading scorer. I feel a bit bad that there’s no place for Salomon Rondon, who seems to have been around forever (it feels like he should be 43, not 34) and rolled back the years for Venezuela, but we’re in one up top territory.
Jack Lang
A few of these players — Rodriguez, Valverde, Lautaro Martinez — pick themselves. Ugarte and Rios will both emerge from this tournament with their reputations greatly enhanced and you can say the same of Aramburu, the young Venezuela full-back. Salomon Rondon gets an attacking berth and I might have had Jacob Shaffelburg in there if I had played wingers.
Lautaro Martinez has impressed (Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Melanie Anzidei
Selecting a best XI from this tournament is hard! It was tough leaving Julian Alvarez out of this line-up, but it would be foolish to ignore the stellar tournament Lautaro Martinez has had. Let’s just say Alvarez is an honorary 12th member of this team.
It was a no-brainer to include Emiliano Martinez. And, considering he’s performed secularly with a four-player backline, I had no interest in changing that. In choosing the attacking set-up, I mostly wanted to create a formation that would maximize players’ abilities. If it works for Marcelo Bielsa, then it works for me. James Rodriguez, of course, would be the brains in the center of the field. This group would make the rest easy for him.
Thom Harris
Oh, look, the numbers guy is trying to be all hipster again.
Seriously, though, I’m not budging on my Venezuelan trio and I’m glad Jack is on my side – Aramburu made 26 (twenty six) tackles in three games at right-back, also finding the time to win a penalty, provide an assist and block two shots on the line, and Romo was statistically the second-best shot-stopper in the tournament, saving two spot kicks along the way, and almost keeping La Vinotinto alive on his own.
Thom Harris was impressed by Aramburu (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Up top, the ageless Salomon Rondon led the line magnificently: no player won more aerial duels or had more attempts on goal, while he was involved in 28 sequences leading to shots — as many as Lionel Messi and my player-of-the-tournament James Rodriguez before the final.
I think Costa Rica’s Juan Pablo Vargas deserves some credit for anchoring an inexperienced back line and playing a starring role in that heroic 0-0 draw with Brazil, while for me, Colombia’s Richard Rios was the revelation of the competition in midfield.
Paul Tenorio
Watching Argentina through the knockouts, it’s clear how important Martinez is to the team as an emotional leader and also a security blanket in goal. Davinson Sanchez has been superb for Colombia, while James Rodriguez has been the player of the tournament.
Left-back was probably the most difficult position to select, but I think Canada deserved a player on this team and, while Davies wasn’t great against Argentina, he performed well overall for his country while wearing the armband.
I was pleased to see Thom giving a shout to Juan Pablo Vargas in his team. I didn’t squeeze him into mine but thought his performance against Brazil and his work in a young Tico squad was deserving of some love.
Emi Martinez came into his own in Argentina’s shootout win over Ecuador (Logan Riely/Getty Images)
Pablo Maurer
About as uncontroversial an XI as you can get here, with a few players — James Rodriguez, Lautaro Martinez and others — making themselves impossible to overlook. Still, someone out there will criticize Messi’s inclusion in this line-up. He has been deeply involved in Argentina’s attack and sure, why not, there’s a “swan song” element to all of this I won’t deny.
Plenty of players were close to this XI, too, which seems to have a decent bench. A few of those selections: Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg, Costa Rica defender Juan Pablo Vargas and Venezuela goalkeeper Rafa Romo, a man who I watched (and did not rate at all) for a season in MLS, with D.C. United.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
Read the full article here