CONCACAF history's in Copa America (2024)

• Argentina beat Canada 2-0 at the Copa America
• Julian Alvarez scored the opening goal of the game
• Lionel Messi missed a number of chances, suffers injury scare
• Lautaro Martinez scored a late second goal to make sure of win

Canada are making their first appearance in the Copa America after having been invited to participate in the 2001 edition but withdrawing due to issues with host country Colombia.

They'll be the eighth CONCACAF nation to participate in the tournament, joining the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Haiti, Panama and Honduras.

CONCACAF sides have sporadically achieved success in this competition, most notably Mexico who finished as runners-up in 1993 and again in 2001. Honduras achieved third place in 2001, while the US came in fourth place in 1995 and again in 2016.

Since winning the 2022 World Cup Argentina have remained on a strong run of form, winning 13 of 14 matches since lifting the trophy in Qatar. The sole loss came against Uruguay at home in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in November 2023.

Speaking ahead of this tournament, Lionel Messi alluded to his side's strength: “Argentina are always favourites. I think it is going to be a very eventful tournament because national teams are becoming better and better.

“Today we are the best because we won the World Cup, but the Copa America is going to be difficult. It will be even, and our team is aware that we are going to have to continue doing the same and more to win again.”

Thanks to their Copa America win in 2021 – their first in 28 years – Argentina sit tied with Uruguay atop the all-time winners list for this tournament.

Argentina and Uruguay have each won Copa America 15 times. Brazil ranks third with nine titles, while no other nation has won it more than twice.

Copa America all-time winners

• Argentina: 15
• Uruguay: 15
• Brazil: 9
• Paraguay: 2
• Chile: 2
• Peru: 2
• Colombia: 1
• Bolivia: 1

Lionel Messi is set to appear in his 35th career match at the Copa America tonight, which will set a new record for the most all-time.

Messi, who made his Copa debut in 2007, is currently tied on 34 appearances with Chile's Sergio Livingstone, who appeared in six editions of the tournament from 1941 to 1953.

This is the second meeting between Argentina and Canada all-time. The first came in a friendly in 2010 at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, a warmup match before that year's World Cup.

Led by manager Diego Maradona Argentina rolled to a 5-0 victory, getting a pair of goals from Maxi Rodriguez and one apiece from Angel Di Maria, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero.

Among those goalscorers, Di Maria is still in Argentina's squad today.

Lionel Scaloni wasn’t given anything away when he was quizzed on his potential line-up for today’s game. But he did say he has an entire squad to pick from.

“All players are available for tomorrow, and we decide who plays depending on what's best for the team in the moment,” Scaloni said. “I have no doubts with the starting 11, but I will tell my players first. They still don't know it yet.”

Lionel Scaloni also made sure to say that his world champions will not underestimate Canada in Jesse Marsch’s first competitive match in charge.

Scaloni added: “Canada is a really good team, they have a lot of quality players. They have a new coach that brings in new ideas.

“They are a difficult rival, whoever thinks it's easy would be wrong. We are prepared to play against them they are a difficult rival, and it's the first game of the tournament.”

Lionel Messi was also on Lionel Scaloni’s mind when the Argentina head coach faced the press on Wednesday.

“I am not worried about the future of Messi and Di María. It doesn't make much sense to think about when they're gone,” he said. “Let's enjoy them now, we'll see what happens later.

“Messi is fine, he's happy. I have renewed ideas and strength. It's a nice challenge to defend the title.”

Jesse Marsch added: “I've played against him (Messi), coached against him a few times and had some successes, but he always finds ways to make a difference because his quality is so amazing. So that'll be the challenge for us.

“The key I think is to really be always aware of where he is and make sure that he's not in open space and that we're able to close space and try to make it difficult for him.”

Jesse Marsch has said he wants his Canada team to play “aggressively” against Lionel Messi later today.

Marsch was speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of his first competitive game in charge of Canada.

“An organised and disciplined team will be important. We've talked a lot about that, and then an aggressive team that plays fearless, a team that goes after the game," March said on Wednesday.

“The challenge with Messi is not just his quality but his ability to kind of move around in the game. He doesn't just show up in the same places all the time.

“He's very clever about coming underneath at times, about how he moves off the back line. Obviously, anytime he gets on the ball, the way that he can start to create combinations and really provide confidence and poise and quality for the team is very unique, right? This is what makes him the best player to ever play the game.”

Copa America kicks off today, with the United States as hosts. Reigning champion Argentina takes on Canada in the first game on Thursday.

What can we expect? Will Argentina complete a storybook last dance with Angel Di Maria as he plays one more major tournament with Lionel Messi? Will Vinicius Junior find a way to lead Brazil to a title? And how will the U.S. do in its fifth invitation to the oldest national team tournament?

Below, six of The Athletic’s writers give their predictions…

Seth W: “Good result for Canada and Jesse. And it's nice to see a Concacaf nation have something positive after a rough few days.”

Mike P: “At least Canada has a coach that will play Davies in his proper position and not expect him to do everything. Hopefully he can also check the egos and keep the team playing in a united fashion.”

Bruce V: “For a player nicknamed ‘The Iceman,’ Jonathan David has serious butterflies in the biggest moments. Part of the miracle of WC22 qualification just to get into the hex/octagon was the ramping up that Herdman was able to do, running up the score and getting his players habituated to scoring against minnows as they formed an identity. Now I think a similar process has to evolve against top tier opponents.

“I think it was on the Northern Fùtbol pod I heard that Canada’s xG against top opponents is exactly equal to their xGA yet their GD is abysmal. Gotta get past the pinch-me sensibility and start learning to demand better in the box.”

It was always the plan for Marsch to split starts between Dayne St Clair and Maxime Crepeau in Canada’s two friendlies before the Copa America.

St Clair did well against the Netherlands, keeping Canada in the match with his shot-stopping and athleticism as the players in front of him tired. His start was a surprise, though, considering Crepeau’s experience.

Against France, Crepeau showed what that know-how looked like. He shut out the World Cup finalists — how many Canadian goalkeepers can put that on their CV? Not only was Crepeau’s positioning against a hungry French side in the first half excellent, but he also played far higher up the pitch to aid Canada’s press. Crepeau’s distribution helped put Canada’s midfielders in good spots.

It’s going to be a debate moving forward: St Clair’s superior shot-stopping and aggression versus the more composed and cerebral Crepeau?

But after none of France’s shots on target made it past Crepeau, he might have put himself in the driver’s seat for the starter’s spot for Copa America. And deservedly so.

Jesse Marsch’s first friendly in charge of Canada presented a tale of two halves: against the Netherlands, Canada looked dynamic and aggressive in the first half but deflated in the second and ran out of steam, eventually losing 4-0.

But against France, in a goalless draw, Canada’s press was not nearly as uncompromising. They slowed things down and looked intelligent in their movement. As a result, Marsch’s side were far more organized and looked capable of holding their own against France for longer spells into the second half.

Canada deserve credit for shutting down France but also testing them with their limited chances. This performance and result should build confidence in the Canadian camp for Copa America.

There were questions about whether Marsch was a single-tooled manager who would be able to get his team to press and press alone. The fact Marsch got his players to shift their approach suggests Canada could be capable of showing different looks against different sides. Could Canada press aggressively to catch out Argentina and then back off and try to own possession against Chile?

Some of Canada’s best players against the Netherlands had strong showings again: Derek Cornelius and Ismael Kone in particular helped dictate the pace of play in a more composed manner for Canada. After flirting with a role for Canada for years, Cornelius will be relied upon by Marsch from here on in: of Canada’s players, he made the most passes into the final third (nine).

Lionel Messi once again captains the side as he did in Qatar two years ago as they went on to win the World Cup. He also led his country to the last Copa America title, in 2021.

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez are also headline inclusions.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez underwent hernia surgery that ended his domestic season early to ensure he would be available for his national team this summer.

But Valentin Barco of Brighton & Hove Albion, Atletico Madrid’s Angel Correa and Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi all miss out.

Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Geronimo Rulli (Ajax), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)

Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), German Pezzella (Real Betis), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon),

Midfielders: Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Leandro Paredes (Roma), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards: Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Valentin Carboni (A.C. Monza), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), , Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)

Davies said ahead of the tournament that he is welcoming the challenge that comes with leading a team both on and off the field.

“I’m very proud. I hold myself to a high standard and the team does as well. I want to show my leadership on and off the pitch and definitely try to lead the right way,” Davies said.

Alphonso Davies has been named as the new captain of the Canada men’s national team ahead of Copa America.

New head coach Jesse Marsch has confirmed the Bayern Munich defender as his new captain with Stephen Eustaquio, of Porto, the vice-captain.

“Alphonso is a young and experienced professional who has all the tools to be an excellent captain,” Marsch said.

“He has been in the spotlight from a young age and handled it very well, I know that he is up to the challenge of taking on a more expanded role with more responsibility.

“Stephen is also a great leader who has already formed a partnership with Alphonso, along with the leadership council, that will lead us into a home FIFA World Cup in 2026.”