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Copa America
will blow 100 candles next year, as the South American football tournament will
mark the 100 years since its formation back in 1916. In 1916 the inaugural
tournament took place in Argentina, with the only participating teams being the
hosts Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Chile. Uruguay ended up winning the competition
in a round robin tournament.
Copa America is
the oldest continental competition and has since been played 44 times. It is an
interesting fact that the tournament resumed throughout the first and second World
war, but was paused from 1967 and 1975 due to organizational disputes. Until
1967 the tournament was known as South American Championship and its current
name was formed in 1975.
Uruguay is the
most successful team in the Copa America history, after they won the title in
2011 and thus surpassed Argentina with 15 titles. Argentina with fourteen and
Brazil with “only” eight title follow the absolute ruler of the South American
continent. 2015 event was won by the hosts Chile, which was their first ever
victory.
The CONCACAF and
CONMEBOL continental federation decided to make a drift and host a special
tournament in 2016. Although the Copa America regularly takes place every four
years, to commemorate the 100-year anniversary a special tournament named Copa
America Centenario will take place in the United States, with ten teams from
South American federation and six from North American federation.
This will be
the most important football event ever to be hosted by the US after the 1994
World cup. If we look at the fact that the practical introduction to soccer in
the States came only in the 90’s, this is quite a success. In the 1994
tournament, the attendance averaged over 60.000 on many stadiums, such as
Orlando Citrus Bowl, which is due to host several games in the 2016 Copa
America Centenario.
While the United
States is set to host the tournament and the North American teams to offer some
participants, it is really about the CONMEBOL teams and stars like Leo Messi,
Neymar, Luis Suarez and more. While in 1994 the media in the US was very much
divided over soccer popularity, nowadays the MLS has grown to be a very
respectful league and the interest has incredibly risen.
With a tournament like
this, the United States as a country can profit enormously but also make a
significant boost to the soccer culture in the States. The Gold Cup has a great
tradition and has immensely improved over the years, but this event will
outshine the CONCACAF tradition undoubtedly. The Unites States national team is
starting to look really good at the World cup, but more quality tournaments and
quality games can give them experience they need to push even more forward.
Although the
tradition of football is huge in the US, the general belief is that it way
behind some traditional sports like baseball, basketball, ice hockey or
American football. The truth is that football (soccer) is actually third in
popularity and growing every year.
Football was never really much an issue with
the fans, as the United States has one of the largest fan bases in the world,
but this tournament could bring the players closer to the audience and also
enrich the experience of the whole continent.
Copa America
Centenario is scheduled to take place from June 3rd to June 26th
and it is easily one of the most anticipated events of the calendar year. With
Euro 2016 taking place at the same time, it will be a crazy soccer/football
oriented summer.