Historic Copa looms for Roos

LIONEL Messi or Neymar? Luis Suarez or James Rodriguez? The Socceroos will discover today which giants of South American football they will face at next year’s Copa America.

Australia is one of two guest nations competing in the championships, which will be held in Colombia and Argentina from June 12 to July 12.

The 10 South American teams have been drawn into north and south zone groups with Australia and Qatar to discover which zone they will play in at the draw in Cartegena, Colombia, from 11.30am.

If Graham Arnold’s men are put into the south zone, they will play their group matches in Argentina and face Messi’s Albiceleste as well as Suarez’s Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay.

The north zone will play group matches in Colombia with the hosts, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela already locked in.

Each team will play five group matches with the topfour nations from each progressing to the quarter-finals.

Australia is the latest nation to be invited to take part in the championships, which has welcomed countries from North America and Asia since 1993.

The appearance offers a chance for Socceroos players to gain valuable experience leading into the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup.

No guest nation has won the Copa, with Mexico coming closest by reaching the final in 1993 and 2001. Qatar took part in this year’s Copa, won by Brazil, failing to progress past the group stage despite a 2-2 draw with Paraguay in their opening match.