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Venezuela are a proud sporting nation who have continuously produced some of the world’s greatest stars. But the thing is, unlike other South American nations who religiously follow football, their deepest affections have always been reserved for baseball. Yes, they are an anomaly and the only records they hold in football are dubious ones like being the only South American nation to have never participated or qualified for the World Cup. But that is now solely in the past.
Previously seen as the whipping boys of South America, La Vinotinto (nicknamed after the traditional burgundy colour of their shirts) are going through a golden period in their footballing history. They are one of the most steadily improving teams in South America and came agonizingly close to qualifying for the past two editions of the FIFA World Cup.
Their impressive fourth-placed finish in the 2011 Copa America (their most successful campaign yet) stand testament to their rapid development in a sport which was mostly an after thought in a country which still holds baseball as their priority.
Squad
The Venezuela squad for the tournament is primarily made up of players based in the continent sprinkled with quite a few plying their trade in Europe. As a sign of their continuous improvement and development in the game, as many as 11 players in the 23-man squad are based in Europe, which is always a good sign as it gives a competitive edge to their team.
Not a lot of players stand out or are well-known except the impressive Salomon Rondon from Zenit St. Petersburg who scored 20 goals this season for the Russian club and Nicolas Feder from Rayo Vallecano. But the success of the team will be dependent more on their collective strength and a strong work ethic which has served them well so far.
Goalkeepers: Alain Baroja (Caracas), Wuilker Faríñez (Caracas), Daniel Hernández (Tenerife)
Defenders: Gabriel Cichero (Mineros de Guayana), Grenddy Perozo (Ajaccio), Andrés Túñez (Buriram United), Wilker Ángel (Deportivo Táchira), Roberto Rosales (Málaga), Fernando Amorebieta (Middlesbrough), Oswaldo Vizcarrondo (Nantes)
Midfielders: Rafael Acosta (Mineros de Guayana), Ronald Vargas (Baliskersirspor), Franklin Lucena (Deportivo La Guaira), César González (Deportivo Táchira), Tomás Rincón (Genoa), John Murillo (Zamora), Luis Manuel Seijas (Santa Fe), Juan Arango (Tijuana), Alejandro Guerra (Atlético Nacional)
Forwards: Gelmín Rivas (Deportivo Táchira), Nicolás "Miku" Fedor (Rayo Vallecano), Josef Martínez (Torino), Salomón Rondón (Zenit)
Coach
Their current manager Noel Sanvicente is by far the most decorated manager in the country having achieved unprecedented success with clubs like Caracas FC and Zamora FC. Aside from domestic glory, he also led Caracas FC to the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores in 2009.
His role in the fate of the national team in the tournament is going to be very crucial as he is familiar with most of the players in the squad having been a manager in the domestic scene for quite a while now. He also commands a certain level of respect in the dressing room as the most successful manager in the domestic league. He has also shown that he is not afraid of taking bold decisions having left out the likes of Juanpi (Malaga), Franco Signorelli (Empoli) and Darwin Marchis (Granada) from the squad.
Formation and Tactics
We can bet on the Venezuelans to stick to their tried and tested 4-4-2 formation during the tournament. They do not have the luxury of playing free-flowing expansive football and should most likely be expected to have a very conservative approach to games, defending in banks of four.
Much of the attacking onus will be on Rondon, who will spearhead their attack, having just completed an impressive season in Russia, with Josef Martinez playing just off his shoulder as a supporting striker. Arango, the most capped Venezuelan player, will provide a shield in the midfield alongside the hard-working Rincon.
The full backs should maintain their positions and their ventures forward will be limited especially against the likes of Brazil and Colombia. Their centre-back pairing is quite experienced and should provide solidity to the team.
Expect the Venezuelans to be highly reliant on quick counters and breaks for goals.
History at Copa America
| YEAR | RESULT |
|---|---|
| 1967 | Round 1 (overall 10th place) |
| 1975 | Round 1 (overall 10th place) |
| 1979 | Round 1 (overall 10th place) |
| 1983 | Round 1 (overall 10th place) |
| 1987 | Round 1 (overall 10th place) |
| 1989 | Round 1 (overall 10th place) |
| 1991 | Round 1 (overall 10th place) |
| 1993 | Round 1 (overall 1!th place) |
| 1995 | Round 1 (overall 12th place) |
| 1997 | Round 1 (overall 12th place) |
| 1999 | Round 1 (overall 12th place) |
| 2001 | Round 1 (overall 12th place) |
| 2004 | Round 1 (overall 11th place) |
| 2007 | Round 1 (overall 6th place) |
| 2011 | Semi-Final (4th Place) |
Predictions
Having been placed in a tough group alongside favourites Brazil and Colombia, it will surely be a tough ask for them to qualify for the knockout stages. Even Peru boast a strong squad and, on paper, Venezuela appear the weakest team in the group.
But, pardon the cliche, matches are won and lost on the field and we can never be sure until the final whistle. The Venezuelans can take heart from their strong run in the last edition of the Copa America when they beat the likes of Chile en-route to their fourth place finish, but it’s tough to see them successfully navigate this group.
Expect them to be fighting for the third spot in the group with Peru.
Prediction: Group stage exit, 3rd or 4th in the group.
