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The 2021 Copa America kicked off last night and we are set to see quite a few familiar faces from European clubs in the coming weeks. Defending champions Brazil kicked off the tournament against Venezuela last night to inaugurate the championship to crown the best team in South America.
The tournament is structured into two groups of five teams each, after guest teams Australia and Qatar pulled out due to COVID-19 concerns. Argentina are grouped alongside heavyweights Uruguay and Chile, as well as Paraguay and Bolivia in Group A.
Defending champions and hosts Brazil headline Group B which also contains Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
The top 4 from each group will make it to the quarterfinals, while the final is set to take place at the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio da Janiero on July 10th.
While Brazil's Neymar Jr. and Argentina's Lionel Messi will hog the headlines, there are a bunch of talented English Premier League players who have made it to their nations' squads and are sure to light up the competition.
Here, we take a look at the top five Premier League stars who are likely to make their presence felt during the course of the Copa.
#5-Richarlison (Forward, Brazil & Everton)
24-year-old Everton forward Richarlison is expected to partner Neymar, Roberto Firmino and Gabriel Jesus to make up a star studded attacking quartet for Tite's Brazil.
Since making his Brazil debut in 2018, the América Mineiro academy product has grown from strength to strength, registering nine goals and four assists in 26 caps.
He provides Tite with multiple options, being equally adept at being the target man up-front as well as drifting wide to create chances for his teammates. Richarlison had a sub-par season with Everton in 2020-21 by his standards, but still managed to register seven goals and three assists in the league as the Toffees finished a dismal 10th.
He remains one of the hottest prospects in the Premier League and is rumored to be wanted by his former Everton boss, a certain Carlo Ancelotti, who is now at Real Madrid.
Having started both of Brazil's FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June as well as Brazil's game against Venezuela last night, the Everton man is bound to be one of the first names on the Brazilian teamsheet for the rest of the tournament.
#4-Emiliano Martinez (Goalkeeper, Argentina & Aston Villa)
Emiliano Martinez's rise to prominence has been nothing short of miraculous. An unexpected injury to first-choice keeper Bernd Leno provided the 28-year old an opportunity to shine with Arsenal in the 2019/20 season.
The late bloomer grabbed his chance, putting in a string of sensational performances enroute to Mikel Arteta's men winning the FA Cup.
In the summer of 2020, the Argentine made a £20 million transfer to Aston Villa, where he has established himself as one of manager Dean Smith's most reliable players.
Despite suffering a small injury scare in the recent FIFA World Cup qualifier against Colombia due to a clash of heads, the Villa player has managed to recover and has rejoined the Argentina squad.
He is expected to start between the posts for Argentina's opening Copa America game, a tough fixture against Alexis Sanchez's Chile on Tuesday.
#3-Davinson Sanchez (Centre-back, Colombia and Tottenham Hotspur)
25-year-old Davinson Sanchez has displayed that he has a matured head on young shoulders, having started 17 of Spurs games in the Premier League in the 2020/21 season. Having made a big money transfer (£42 million) from Dutch giants Ajax in 2017, Sanchez has grown to become a mainstay at Spurs.
For Colombia, he forms a formidable centre-back partnership with Everton's Yerry Mina. While Mina acts as the hammer, dominating the box with his aerial presence and physicality, Sanchez is very much the scapel, surgically intercepting opposition attacks and tracking the forwards with his pace.
Sanchez didn't start the match as Colombia began their 2021 Copa America journey with a 1-0 victory over Ecuador, but helped them see out the result after being brought on in the 82nd minute. There is optimism, however, that coach Reinaldo Rueda will use him more as the tournament progresses.
#2-Thiago Silva (Centre-back, Brazil and Chelsea)
The vastly experienced Thiago Silva was one of the driving forces behind Chelsea's triumphant UEFA Champions League campaign in 2020/21. The former Paris Saint-Germain captain infused much-needed experience and fantastic ball carrying ability into Thomas Tuchel's defense, which became a key hallmark of their success.
Despite Tite naming Real Madrid's Casemiro as Brazil's official team captain for the tournament, the 36-year-old Silva still remains the most senior member in the team and the leader that everyone will look to in times of crisis.
His stellar first season for Chelsea was rewarded with a contract extension which will see the veteran stay on for another season at Stamford Bridge.
The UCL winner was an unused substitute in A Selecao's opening game against Venezuela as he was not a 100% fit, but O Monstro, as he is affectionately called by his fans, is sure to make his presence felt as the tournament progresses.
#1-Edinson Cavani (Forward, Uruguay & Manchester United)
In Atletico Madrid's La Liga winner Luis Suarez and Manchester United's Edinson Cavani, Uruguay boast one of the most formidable strike forces in the Copa America.
Cavani, or El Matador as he is known among fans, has made a strong impression at Old Trafford in his first season, netting 17 goals across all competitions in 2020/21. He has plugged a major gap in attack for United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has become an able foil for club talisman Bruno Fernandes to work off of. Cavani was particularly excellent in United's run to the Europa League final.
The Uruguayan's exploits saw the Red Devils extend his stay for another season. His national team manager, Oscar Tabarez will be extremely happy that his star man is arriving at the Copa in a rich vein of form and will be looking to formulate a system that plays to his strengths.
Uruguay begin their 2021 Copa America journey with a blockbuster clash against Lionel Messi's Argentina, with kickoff set for 5:30 AM (IST), on Saturday, the 19th of June.
