On June 24 at 6:00 AM, the Copa América will kick off with a Group C match between the United States and Bolivia. The hosts, USA, enter the tournament with confidence against the perennial South American underdog, Bolivia, raising curiosity about their performance.
This marks the USA’s fifth Copa América participation. In their previous four outings, they achieved two fourth-place finishes, indicating a competitive edge. Their last appearance was in 2016, where they equaled their best result of fourth place. They missed the following two editions of the Copa América.
The US team has won only one of their last six matches, including a humiliating 1-5 defeat to Colombia, casting doubt on their Copa América prospects. However, the squad boasts a balanced age structure, with an average age of just 25.2 years. For the USA, the Copa América serves as preparation for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. The team is expected to peak during that event.
The American squad can field a nearly all-European lineup, with 23 of their 26 players plying their trade in European leagues, including those from top clubs like Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Tim Weah (Juventus), and Josh Sargent (AC Milan). In terms of both market value and player ability, the team has reached the level of a solid second-tier international side.
Bolivia, on the other hand, has a solitary Copa América triumph in 1963 and a runner-up finish in 1997. Since the 1999 edition, their performances have been lackluster. In the last nine Copa América tournaments, they have qualified from the group stage only once and won just one of their 29 matches, becoming a consistent underdog in South America. Overcoming the hosts in this opening clash will be a tall order for Bolivia.
In their recent six fixtures, Bolivia has managed only one victory and five losses, with their solitary win coming against minnow Andorra 1-0. Most of Bolivia’s squad plays domestically, with only six players based abroad. According to Transfermarkt, their most valuable player, Roberto Fernández, is valued at €1 million, the only player in the squad to reach that milestone.
Historically, the two nations have met eight times, with each side claiming two victories and drawing four times. However, Bolivia’s wins date back to the 1990s. In this century, the USA has dominated their encounters, winning 4-0 and 3-0 in their two clashes, highlighting the current disparity between the teams.
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