Chile wishes to repeat the success of the 2016 edition, the last time the tournament was hosted in the USA, in Copa America 2024. The Red Ones have improved under the new boss Ricardo Gareca with the motivation of creating another underdog story. However, the team faces a strong challenge from defending champions Argentina in Group A with Gareca’s former side Peru and CONCACAF nation Canada also part of the group. Chile will start their Copa America 2024 campaign on 22 June in Texas. The team will rely upon experience again with eight players aged 30 or over.
History
Chile has appeared for Copa America 40 times and was one of the four teams to take part in the 1916 inaugural edition. It took 99 years for them to claim their first title in this competition and defended it in the Centenario year, beating record-winners Argentina both times. Both the successes came through tie-breakers with captain Claudio Bravo taking the best goalkeeper award each time. Eduardo Vargas became an important player behind those triumphs with his 14 goals over four editions in Copa America making him the top-scorer for Chile in the tournament’s history. The joint record for the most appearances in the contest belongs to the country’s legendary keeper Sergio Livingstone with 34 games played in seven Copa America from 1941 to 1953.
Preparation for Copa America 2024
After just one win in seven games at the end of 2023, Chile have started this year on a better note picking up two 3-0 wins against Albania and Paraguay while suffering just a narrow 3-2 defeat to France in friendlies. The main reason is their new coach Ricardo Gareca who was appointed to his job in January after his success with Peru. Under his guidance, the team scored eight goals in those three matches as many as they managed in their previous eight combined.
Chile squad for Copa America 2024
Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Betis), Gabriel Arias (Racing), Brayan Cortés (Colo-Colo)
Defenders: Gabriel Suazo (Toulouse), Guillermo Maripán (Monaco), Mauricio Isla (Independiente), Paulo Díaz (River Plate), Thomas Galdames (Godoy Cruz), Igor Lichnovsky (Club América), Matías Catalán (Talleres), Benjamín Kuscevic (Fortaleza), Nicolás Fernández (Audax Italiano)
Midfielders: Marcelino Núñez (Krasnodar), Erick Pulgar (Flamengo), Diego Valdés (Club América), Esteban Pavez (Colo-Colo), Rodrigo Echeverría (Huracán), César Pérez (Unión La Calera), Yáser Asprilla (Watford)
Forwards: Darío Osorio (Midtjylland), Víctor Dávila (CSKA Moscow), Alexis Sánchez (Inter Milan), Eduardo Vargas (Atlético Mineiro), Cristián Zavala (Colo-Colo), Marcos Bolados (Colo-Colo), Maximiliano Guerrero (Universidad de Chile), Ben Brereton Díaz (Sheffield United)
Captain: Claudio Bravo
Manager: Ricardo Gareca
How will Chile Lineup at Copa America 2024?
Chile Fixtures for Copa America 2024
Saturday, 22 June 2024
Peru vs Chile - AT&T Stadium, Texas (05:30)
Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Chile vs Argentina - Metlife Stadium, New Jersey (06:30)
Sunday, 30 June 2024
Canada vs Chile - Levi's Stadium, California (06:30)
Prediction
Despite facing a difficult group, Chile should be good enough to secure the top-two spot behind predictable group winners Argentina. La Roja face the Albieceste in the second group game so taking at least four points in the fixtures against Peru in the opener and Canada in the final match will be enough to secure a spot in the knockouts. If Chile makes it to the quarterfinals, they will face the Group B winners Ecuador or Mexico. The squad could make it to the semifinals but the journey will likely end for them at the stage as a strong possibility to face Argentina once again.
