Copa America gets moving

Moving the Copa America to Brazil has proven unpopular, but a player boycott seems to have been quelled and the event is going ahead.

The spread of coronavirus was why Argentina decided not to stage the competition and the new hosts taking it on seems folly, given the COVID-19 death toll in Brazil is nearing half a million.

The competition starts on Sunday in Brasilia, where Brazil have an easy game against Venezuela. They share Group B with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, while Group A sees Argentina as favourites with stiff opposition from Uruguay. Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay are the other countries in the pool.

Only one team is eliminated after the group stage and the top four go onto the quarter-finals for what could be an exciting group phase.

For Lionel Messi this is another opportunity to win a major trophy with Argentina, although with home advantage Brazil are favourites to retain the title they claimed two years ago when they also hosted the competition.

Despite boasting 10 La Liga crowns and four Champions League winner’s medals with Barcelona, plus six Ballon d’Or awards as the best player in the world, Messi has yet to win anything with his country.