The Copa Centenario is building to be a very special occasion as the American nations prepare for the occasion. Argentina will be out for revenge right from day one as their first opponent will be Chile, the team that dramatically destroyed their hopes in 2015 final.
The United States and Mexico have also been invited to participate in the tournament with the former hosting the tournament. There will be a few who will not be playing but most of the biggest stars will be on show.
Here are 5 players who will be under the spotlight during the tournament.
5) James Rodrguez
James Rodriguez had a season to forget with Real Madrid. The Portuguese international was constantly struggling for form and did not make much of an impact on the field. Zinedine Zidane was forced to play youngsters like Lucas Vasquez ahead of the Colombian.
James did win the UEFA Champions League, but he will be aware of the lack of contribution on his part. James played 26 matches in La Liga this season scoring only 7 times. Madrid were hoping the Colombian would take his game to the next level after an impressive debut season but it has not turned out that way.
Rodriguez is still a very important part of his national team. With Radamel Falcao’s fall from grace, teammates will turn to the 24-year-old for inspiration in the tournament. James earned a move to Los Blancos when he caught the eye in the World Cup when his country reached the quarter-finals.
Since that wonderful tournament, Colombia have not performed at the same level. They managed to make it to the quarter-finals in Copa America last time out but lost to Argentina on penalties. More is expected of the nation after their heroics in the World Cup and James will have to provide that spark if they are to win the tournament.
4) Javier Hernandez
Hernandez’ Manchester United career was over in 2015 when Louis van Gaal decided he was surplus to requirements at the club. The Mexican was out of favour when the Dutchman first arrived in 2014.
He was loaned out Real Madrid for some unknown reason, where understandably he didn’t get much of a run-out. Not many would have disagreed with van Gaal’s decision to sell Chicharito to Bayer Leverkusen last summer but the Red Devils fans would be scratching their heads right now.
The forward has been a revelation in Germany. Hernandez has shown in the last one year why Sir Alex Ferguson spent all that money to bring him to Old Trafford in the first place. The striker scored 17 goals in 28 appearances managing a goal every 128 minutes in the league.
Chicharito has always been prolific for his country as well. He has 44 goals in 82 appearances and is closing in on all-time top scorer Jared Borgetti who has 46 in 89 to his name. There is no doubt all eyes will be on Hernandez as Mexico try and upset the big nations in the tournament.
3) Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez was the reason Arsenal finished as high as they did in the 2014/15 season. The Chilean had a brilliant campaign and was miles ahead of any other Gunners’ player in terms of performance.
Sanchez ended the 2014/15 season in style by winning the Copa America with Chile beating finalists Argentina. But since then the forward hasn’t had the best of times for his club. He endured his longest ever period on the sidelines in 2015/16 season.
Arsenal missed out big time last campaign as Leicester City were crowned champions of England in May. Sanchez’s poor form was one of the key reasons the Gunners couldn’t cross the finish line in 1st place. Sanchez was left frustrated at times and once went straight down the tunnel after being substituted early.
But despite several anonymous performances, he still managed to finish as the club’s second highest scorer with 17 behind Olivier Giroud.Sanchez is a very important man for his national side. Their former coach Jorge Sampaoli holds him in high regards.
Sampaoli played Sanchez even when he was at risk of getting injured after Arsenal requested him not to play their star man. But the coach had no choice because he knew the importance of his talisman. Chile will be hoping they can retain their crown but a lot will depend on whether Alexis Sanchez turns up.
2) Gonzalo Higuain
Gonzalo Higuain was always on the cusp of becoming a great goalscorer at Real Madrid but never really received the complete support and faith of the club and the manager when he was there.
So it became inevitable that the Argentine would eventually make the move to another club and that club was Napoli. Although he managed decent tallies of 17 and 18 goals in his first two seasons you could tell he was capable of much more.
The 28-year-old finally unleashed his inner goalscoring fire as he took Serie A by storm in the 2015/16 campaign. The striker plundered 36 goals in 35 appearances which made him the highest ever scorer in a single season in the league, a record that was broken after 66 long years.
For all that he has achieved so far at the domestic level, he is yet to fully display that talent for his home country. Leo Messi you could say has been carrying that burden all by himself for several years now and it about time Higuain came to the fore.
With only 26 goals in his 57 international appearances, this Copa America has to be the tournament he comes to life. At 28, he probably only has a few more years where he will be in his prime and if Argentina have to end their 23-year wait for a trophy a lot rides on Higuain’s form.
1) Luis Suarez
Is there any doubt that Luis Suarez will be at the centre of attention at the Copa America? The Uruguayan outdid both Lionel Messi and Neymar at Barcelona in what was just his second full season at the club.
Suarez broke countless records en-route to his 40 goal tally at the end of last season. The prolific hitman finished as top scorer not only in La Liga but also in Europe as he took home the Pichichi and the European Golden shoe.
Suarez also finished as the top assist provider for the Catalans as they managed to retain the La Liga title and also win the Copa Del Rey. The 29-year-old managed to break the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly in the Golden Shoe award and he might as well have a strong case for the Ballon d 'Or this year as well.
But more than anything he would want to achieve something for the national team. Despite being the country's all-time top scorer he is known more for his antics on the pitch rather than his goalscoring exploits.
The striker recently returned to the national team after a long ban following his bite on Chiellini and his timing could not be more perfect. Suarez would no doubt want to right those wrongs in the 100th Copa America as he prepares to put his past behind him.
