Best XI not picked for Copa América 2024; Casemiro, Paulo Dybala & more

Neymar and Dybala make it to the line-up.

Copa América is a tournament organized by South America’s football ruling body, CONMEBOL. The last edition was held in 2021 to align the schedule with the UEFA Euro, holding it every four years. This year’s Copa América will be the 48th edition of the tournament.

Argentina will enter the competition as the defending champions. The tournament will be held from June 20 to July 14, 2024, and will be hosted by the USA. Many star players have graced the tournament in its illustrious history.

However, every time a tournament of this stature begins, some star players inevitably miss out. In this article, we will take a look at the Best XI not picked for the 2024 Copa América. The formation we will use is 3-4-3.

Ederson (GK)

Ederson featured prominently in the last edition of the Copa América. He has mostly played as a backup to Alisson for the last seven years. Alisson has been the first-choice goalkeeper for the Brazil national team, forcing Ederson to sit on the bench.

However, Ederson has been a regular for his club side Manchester City and has performed exceptionally well. With the new coach for Brazil coming in, he hoped to get more playing time in the starting XI. Unfortunately, Ederson suffered an eye socket fracture against Tottenham towards the end of the last season, preventing his participation.

Gary Medel (CB)

Gary Medel has played about 160 games for the Chile national team. He has been a feisty character for the teams he has played for, notably remembered for his chest-to-chest confrontation with Lionel Messi. He began his career as a midfielder but was converted to a center-back by Marcelo Bielsa. However, this could mark the end of his international career as he was not called up by Chile head coach Ricardo Gareca.

Robert Arboleda (CB)

Robert Arboleda has been a very good center-back. He is agile and quick and has been a fixture in the Ecuador national team for the last seven years. Arboleda has played in the previous three Copa Américas and also featured in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, he did not earn a call-up for this year’s edition, possibly as punishment from coach Felix Sanchez for taking 16-year-old Kendry Paez to a New York nightclub.

Pervis Estupiñán (CB)

While Arboleda’s absence is due to a punishment, Pervis Estupiñán is missing out on the Ecuador squad due to an ankle injury he suffered during his club season with Brighton & Hove Albion. He is a crucial player for the Ecuador squad, controlling the left flank and contributing to attacks. He is expected to be fit for the World Cup qualifiers later this year. However, Ecuador will immensely miss his services in Copa América 2024.

Casemiro (CDM)

Casemiro has been one of the most crucial players for his club and national team for the last seven to eight years. He has made the defensive midfield position his own and can be termed one of the greatest defensive midfielders. At his best, Casemiro breaks up attacks and counters, and helps distribute passes to the offensive third. However, he had a dismal 2023/24 season with Manchester United. Consequently, Brazil head coach Dorival Junior has opted to trust younger players to take on the mantle.

Matías Vecino (CM)

Matías Vecino has played with pride in the Uruguay midfield for the last eight years. He has been an integral part of that midfield and has been crucial for the better performance of his team’s midfield plays. However, he announced his retirement at the relatively young age of 32, even though he was expected to secure a place in the squad. Reports suggest he might not have liked losing his spot to Manuel Ugarte in the international team.

Also read: Where and how to watch Copa America 2024 around the world?

Arturo Vidal (CM)

Arturo Vidal has been a crucial part of the Chile midfield since 2007. He has a tremendous work rate, contributing to both attack and defense. Vidal has always been one of the best players for the team in all their successes. However, his inconsistent form of late and injury issues have led Chile manager Ricardo Gareca to step into such an important tournament without Vidal’s services.

Paulo Dybala (CAM)

Paulo Dybala has not found his place regularly in the playing XI due to a certain Lionel Messi. He has been unfortunate as he plays the same position as Messi. As long as Messi is in the team, dropping him is impossible because of his class and impact in every game. However, Dybala’s performances in the national jersey have not matched his club career achievements. Additionally, he has suffered persistent injury problems. Dybala has been left out of the squad for this Copa América edition.

Neymar (LW)

Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, Neymar, has always been a different beast while playing with the yellow jersey. He can literally change any game in any moment. However, injuries have always been a part of his career. He suffered a severe injury during the international break last year and is still sidelined. This injury has led to him missing Copa América 2024. Moreover, during his time at Santos, Neymar clashed with Dorival Junior, who is now the head coach of Brazil.

Antony (RW)

Antony missed out on the right-wing spot in the Brazil team for Copa América 2024. The 24-year-old has immense talent and skills. However, he had a dismal season and poor run of form in the 2023/24 season with Manchester United. With the rise of wingers like Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior at the peak of their powers, Antony has lost his place for Copa América 2024.

Richarlison (CF)

Richarlison has not lived up to his £60m price tag while playing for his club Tottenham. However, he has been a regular starter in the striker position for the Brazil national team and has performed his duties efficiently. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury during practice sessions for Tottenham on the morning of the national team selection for Copa América 2024. This injury ended his hopes of featuring for Brazil in Copa América 2024.

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