06/19/2024
The America Cupthat It begins this Thursday in the United States with the Argentina-Canada match (7:00 pm Colombia time)has the luxury of having in competition the current world champion Argentina, the five-time champion Brazil and Uruguay, which added to its two World Cup titles in 1930 and 1950 the two Olympic Games titles recognized by Fifa.
This trio of teams gives status to the oldest national team competition on the planet (on July 2 it will turn 108 years old) and among its rosters there are highly valued players, including one of those who heads the world ranking, the Brazilian Vinícius Jr.
The Real Madrid winger, recent winner of the Champions League and one of the candidates to win the next Ballon d’Or, It has a market value of 180 million euros (M€), Identical figure to that of the Englishman Jude Bellingham and the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé who are currently participating in the Euro Cup and with whom he will share the next season in the merengue team.
In the Copa América ranking, ‘Vini’ is followed in value by the Uruguayan Federico Valverde, also from Real, valued at (€120M) and the Brazilian Rodrygo, from the same club (€110M). And the Argentines Lautaro Martínez, from Inter Milan (€110M) and Julián Álvarez, from Manchester City (€90M). In sixth position appears Bruno Guimaraes, Brazilian from Newcastle (€85M), who surpasses gaucho Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool (€75M).
In that honorable list, Also valued at €75M, is the Colombian Luis Díaz, from Liverpool, as well as the Ecuadorian Moisés Caiccedo, from Chelsea. Closing in tenth place is the Brazilian Douglas Luiz, from Aston Villa (€70M).
Brazil, above €1,000 M
At a collective level, Brazil is worth €1,260M and surpasses Argentina by a wide margin (€856M), Uruguay (€482M), United States (€347M), Colombia (€287M), Ecuador (€229M), Mexico (€195M), Canada (€176M) and Paraguay (€133M).
But beyond the money that its 416 protagonists cost (26 players from 16 teams), in This Copa América the great favorite for the title is Argentinawith Uruguay, Colombia and Brazil also in the deck of candidates.
The mere presence of Messi, who is worth €30M and who from today will go out to defend the title with his team and look for more records, It gives height to the contest.
La Pulga, who will turn 37 on June 24, seeks to become the footballer with the most appearances in this tournament, a mark he shares with Chilean goalkeeper Sergio Livingstone (34 each); Messi has played 6 editions since Venezuela 2007.
Also wants to become the historic scorer (sum 13). He is surpassed by the Brazilian Zizinho and the Argentine Norberto Méndez (17 each). In addition, he seeks to be the first captain to repeat the title.
It’s time to get the ball rolling in this star-studded Copa América, too.
