Lionel Messi will lead a 28-man Argentina squad this summer for the 2021 Copa America, provided the tournament does take place in Brazil. The Albiceleste will be hoping to better their performances this time, after a third-place finish in 2019.
Argentina will begin their 2021 Copa America campaign against rivals Chile on June 14. Lionel Messi and Co have faltered at the final hurdle several times over the past decade, which has resulted in an uncharacteristic streak for the Albiceleste. Head coach Lionel Scaloni will hope that his youthful-looking team can break the trend this time around by winning the tournament that was initially scheduled to take place in their own country.
The two-time FIFA World Cup winners have been drawn alongside Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay in Group B of the 2021 Copa America. However, a major change in the tournament format has increased their chances of progressing to the next round. Four out of the five teams will qualify for the knockout stage, with the tournament organizers adding a last-8 round. Unquestionably, Argentina are the favorites to progress as the group winners.
There weren’t any major surprises or omissions in Scaloni’s 28-man squad. The biggest name left out was Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos, while Europa League winner Juan Foyth also failed to make the cut. Udinese was the best-represented club in the squad announcement, with the Serie A outfit sending in three players.
Argentina’s Copa America 2020 Schedule:
Chile – June 16
Uruguay – June 19
Paraguay – June 22
Bolivia – June 29
