Not even the greatest heroes of South American football can overcome the passage of time. With retirement on the horizon, the 2024 Copa América in the United States could be the last for stars like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Arturo Vidal and Ángel Di María.
But these are not the only athletes who will be able to compete in the tournament (which will be held from June 20th to July 14th) for the last time: others, of equal renown, were not called up for what would certainly have been the goodbye cup.
Messi’s farewell?
“As long as I feel good and can continue contributing, I will (continue playing for Argentina). The only thing I’m thinking about today is getting to the Copa América.”
The phrase was said by Messi in the documentary “Campeones, un año despues” (Champions, one year later), released in December.
The number 10 will turn 37 years old on June 24th, in the middle of the tournament, he plays in a league considered smaller (the American MLS) and no longer has the explosion he used to have.
He does not deny that he would like to participate in the 2026 World Cup, but he is aware that by then he will be at an age that is “normally not enough” to compete in it.
If there are doubts about his presence to defend the title at the next World Cup, they are much greater for the next Copa América, which will be held in 2028, when ‘La Pulga’ will be 41 years old.
End of the cycle for Di María
His great partner in the ‘Albiceleste’, who in the United States will defend the title won in the Copa América in Brazil-2021, did not let his imagination fly: “It’s the Copa América and it’s over, it’s the last thing.”
At 36 years old, Ángel Di María will end his brilliant career with his country’s national team at the end of the competition.
Without ‘El Fideo’, Messi would continue to be an experienced card for the three-time world champions who are betting on the talent of young players like Julián Álvarez and Alexis Mac Allister.
Marcelo Moreno, Bolivia’s top scorer in history (31 goals), and Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, 37, had the same conviction regarding the future.
The 36-year-old Bolivian hung up his boots in December and the Uruguayan, second highest scorer in the history of ‘Celeste’ (with 58 goals), announced his retirement from the national team in May.
Time to save the gun
Before Uruguay’s debut in the 2021 Copa América, when he was 34 years old, Luis Suárez announced that that edition would be his last. But now, at 37, he is back in his squad for the 2024 tournament which, yes, could be his farewell.
“It would be the perfect end to the career I had with the national team,” he said in February, now 37 years old, when asked about the competition that will be held in the United States.
With Marcelo Bielsa at the helm, ‘El Pistolero’ (68 goals) will seek to extend his advantage over Cavani as ‘Celeste’s’ top scorer and win the 16th title of the competition, to surpass Argentina (15) as the most champion team in the history of the competition. tournament.
Other veterans, also top scorers for their respective teams, are also approaching retirement: Peruvian Paolo Guerrero (40 years old, 40 goals), Colombian Falcao García (38 years old, 36 goals), Chilean Alexis Sánchez (35 years old, 51 goals) and Venezuelan Salomón Rondón (34 years old, 41 goals).
With the exception of Falcao, who was not called up by Néstor Lorenzo, the rest will be in the United States. The Argentine coach also did not call up another experienced Colombian: winger Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, 36 years old.
‘King’ deposed
Midfielder Arturo Vidal, 37 years old, is in a similar situation to Falcao: Ricardo Gareca did not call him up.
“There is always the hope of being in the selection, but what the coach said must be respected”, said ‘El Rey Arturo’ after the publication of a provisional list in which his name did not appear.
Unlike the current Colo Colo midfielder and the fierce defender Gary Medel (36 years old), also left out by Gareca, other emblematic players from the Chilean ‘golden generation’ are part of the squad.
This is the case of striker Eduardo Vargas, 34, full-back Mauricio Isla, 36, and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, 41.
The Copa América in the United States could be a farewell to the last Chilean players who lifted the tournament trophy in the 2015 and 2016 editions, as well as to a very combative man who always left empty-handed with his team: Venezuelan midfielder Tomás Rincón, 36 years old.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
