2024 Copa América Team Preview: Chile
The 2024 Copa América begins on June 20th in the United States, with six CONCACAF teams and 10 CONMEBOL teams set to compete in the tournament. Over the next couple of weeks, we will preview every team playing in the competition. Up next is Chile.
It has been a rough time as of late for Chile. Since June of last year, “La Roja” (The Red One) have won just three of their 10 matches. With the end of their golden generation approaching its end, the 2024 Copa América may be their last chance to win South American glory. It has been an abysmal qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup for Chile as they sit in 8th place of ten teams having won just a single match. Chile is ranked 42nd in the latest FIFA rankings which sees them ahead of seven other Copa América sides.
Copa América Appearances
Chile has competed in 40 straight tournaments with the 2024 Copa América set to be their 41st. This summer’s edition will also be the 20th consecutive appearance for “La Roja” since missing back-to-back tournaments in 1959 and 1963. Chile has hosted the Copa Américas seven times with their most recent being the 2015 Copa América.
Best Finish at the Copa Américas
The last time “La Roja” hosted the tournament they had their best finish. The 2015 Copa América saw Chile lift their first-ever title after beating Argentina in the final on penalties after a 0-0 draw. A year later on the 100th anniversary of the first Copa América, Chile won it all again. Once again they took down Argentina in the final on penalties after the match finished 0-0 after extra time. Their back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016 were the last time a nation won consecutive Copa América titles.
Key players
Chile has an aging side with 41-year-old goalkeeper Claudio Bravo once again wearing the captain’s armband. Bravo is one of three players heading to the U.S. that is in the top five of caps in Chile’s history. He sits in third with Alexis Sánchez leading the way with 163 caps and Mauricio Isla sitting in fifth with 139 caps. Sánchez is the nation’s leading goalscorer with 51 goals. The Inter Milan forward, however, played in just 23 of the 38 Serie A matches this season. He will be joined up top by 34-year-old Eduardo Vargas, who is the second-leading goalscorer for Chile with 42 goals.
Because of the veteran squad “La Roja” may have to rely on some young players to make a splash at the 2024 Copa América. One of those players is 20-year-old Darío Osorio. The young midfielder spent the past season at Danish side FC Midtjylland and scored eight goals in 23 appearances. Another player on the younger side who could see plenty of minutes is 26-year-old Gabriel Suazo. The defender for Toulouse played in all but two of their 34 Ligue 1 matches. He is also the fourth most capped defender on Chile.
Manager
Argentine Ricardo Gareca has managed in half of the South American nations. He got his start in Argentina before bouncing through Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. In January 2024, he was named the manager of Chile. Gareca had previously managed the Peru national team and qualified them for the 2018 World Cup which was their first since 1982. It has been a rocky start for Chile under Gareca having won two of their three matches under him.
Biggest Group Game – vs Peru on June 21
Argentina is the clear favorite in Group A which leaves Chile, Peru, and Canada battling it out for the second spot. Since this is a South American tournament, the match with Peru has more on the line. Not only is it a tough match against a Peru side that has made the semifinals at the last two Copa Américas, but the two neighboring countries have just once in the last three years, a 2-0 win for “La Roja” in 2023.
Prediction
I believe that Chile will surprise people at the 2024 Copa América as they have done in the past. They will get out of Group A after beating Peru and Canada. However, this will give “La Roja” a quarterfinal matchup against the runner-up from Group B which I predict to be Mexico. Despite a subpar Mexican side, this is where I see the 2024 Copa America ending for Chile.
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