Category Archives: Copa America
100 Percent Soccer Column: MLS back on radar after busy summer of soccer (you haven’t missed much)
100 Percent Soccer Column: Frustrated with the lack of American success on the international level? Get used to it.
Messi miss: Argentine superstar Lionel Messi reacts to his penalty kick miss in the final of the Copa America against Chile (Associated Press).
Failure is far more common than success as even the likes of top-tier soccer nations like Argentina, England and Mexico have discovered — and puts public frustration with the U.S. Men’s National Team into perspective.
Chile wins Copa America, Messi leaving national team after PK miss

Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts after losing 4-2 to Chile in penalty kicks during the Copa America Centenario championship soccer match, Sunday, June 26, 2016, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
The Chilean national team celebrated its second straight Copa America title just a few feet away from a dejected Lionel Messi. The Argentinian striker missed his penalty kick en route to Chile’s 4-2 shootout victory after 120 minutes of scoreless play.
It was the third straight loss for Argentina in the final of a major tournament and the heartbreak was apparently enough to force Messi into retirement from international play. The 29-year-old told reporters in Spanish after the match that “the national team is over for me. It’s not for me after four finals.”
#Messi: “Es difícil, el momento es duro para cualquier análisis. En el vestuario pensé que se terminó para mí la Selección, no es para mí”.
— Selección Argentina (@Argentina) June 27, 2016
AHORA: Messi: “Se terminó para mí la Selección” https://t.co/Nws9kiScoV
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) June 27, 2016
Despite his distinction as one of the best in the world, Messi has yet to win a major tournament for Argentina. Sunday’s final was the second time in as many years that Argentina lost to Chile in the Copa America final on penalty kicks.
Where to watch the USA-Argentina Copa America semifinal tonight in Southern California
With the U.S. scoring their record TV ratings so far in the tournament for the Ecuador game, tonight’s Copa America semifinal against Lionel Messi and Argentina is sure to produce even higher viewership.
More @landondonovan!
LD to provide color commentary on @FS1 for #USAvARG: https://t.co/ZG1lOgeWrO #CopaAmerica pic.twitter.com/b5pxleeIhh
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) June 21, 2016
.@CA2016 front page news @HoustonChron / Portada del Houston Chronicle #CopaAmerica #Copa100 pic.twitter.com/u35cUMuFzJ
— Marisabel Munoz (@MarisabelMunoz) June 21, 2016
Good luck tonight #USMNT #CopaAmerica #USAvARG
— Christen Press (@ChristenPress) June 21, 2016
#USAvARG at @NRGParkFan tonight is completely sold out! You can still watch on @FS1 and @Univision at 9 PM EST! pic.twitter.com/ziiri4vDlF
— Copa América 2016 (@CA2016) June 21, 2016
Oddsmakers: Argentina favorites to win Copa America, just ahead of Mexico
Guess the oddsmakers took notice of Lionel Messi’s three goals in 19 minutes the other night.
2016 Copa América Centenario Winner
Argentina 5/6
Mexico 7/2
Colombia 13/2
Chile 8/1
USA 12/1
Ecuador 25/1
Peru 50/1
Venezuela 100/1
Panama 500/1
Courtesy of www.bovad.lv
U.S. men’s national team wins Copa America Group A

United States’ Clint Dempsey (8) reacts after scoring against Paraguay during the first half of a Copa America Group A soccer match Saturday, June 11, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
One week ago, the U.S. men’s national team was facing elimination. By Saturday night, the United States topped its group.
With a 1-0 win over Paraguay and Costa Rica’s stunning 3-2 win over Colombia, the Americans locked up not only their first Copa America quarterfinal berth since 1995 (and second ever) but also the top spot in Group A. This is the first time the United States has ever advanced out of the group stage at a major tournament after losing the first game.
The United States will play the runner up from Group B, either Brazil, Peru or Ecuador, in Seattle at CenturyLink Field on Thursday in the quarterfinals. Continue reading “U.S. men’s national team wins Copa America Group A” »
Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez meets with Mexican national team

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez met with the Mexican national soccer team before the team’s Copa America Centenario game against Jamaica on Thursday. (Photo courtesy @miseleccionmx/Twitter)
Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez met the Mexican national team in Los Angeles before the team’s Copa America game against Jamaica at the Rose Bowl on Thursday.
See the Mexican-American baseball player’s meet-and-greet with the team via Facebook live.
El Tri clinched a spot in the quarterfinals as Javier Hernandez scored to pull within one of tying Mexico’s all-time scoring record.
Gracias a Dios por estos momentos y poder conocer a uno de mis ídolos! @adrian_eltitan gracias!!! pic.twitter.com/WchbhEjA0v
— Chicharito Hernandez (@CH14_) June 9, 2016
100 Percent Soccer Column: Euro 2016 joins Copa America on U.S. TV this weekend
FOX Sports Scores U.S. Soccer Icon @landondonovan for #CopaAmerica coveragehttps://t.co/rpr7890spa
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) June 9, 2016
1⃣DAY TO GO!1⃣
Remember this piece of @Ibra_official magic in 2012?#EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/Mi5WO3R0yA— UEFA EURO 2016 (@UEFAEURO) June 9, 2016
Mexico, Jamaica finish Rose Bowl’s Copa America Centenario slate

Mexico, seen celebrating a goal during its 3-1 victory over Uruguay on Sunday, has won 20 consecutive international matches. (Ross D. Franklin/The Associated Press)
The Mexican national team will feel right at home in Pasadena on Thursday night in front of what is expected to be a large, overwhelmingly pro-Mexico crowd at the Rose Bowl.
After a 3-1 victory over Uruguay, Mexico will play CONCACAF foe Jamaica at 7 p.m. with a chance to clinch a Copa America Centenario quarterfinal berth. If El Tri wins, they secure a top-two finish in Group C.
The game is a rematch of the 2015 Gold Cup final when Mexico won 3-1 in front of yet another boisterous green, red and white-clad crowd in Philadelphia.
“Every time we play here in the United States, we are very privileged,” Mexico defender Hector Moreno said in Spanish. “We are very blessed to have the support of the people here. Whether it’s in Los Angeles or any major (U.S.) city, they come to support us. We take that as extra motivation rather than that being a disadvantage (for other teams).”
The stakes for Jamaica are high as the island nation would be eliminated from quarterfinal contention with a loss. However, Jamaica forward Giles Barnes, who plays for the Houston Dynamo, said the potential for elimination is not on the team’s radar.
“We’ve got the fire in our belly from the Gold Cup final,” he said. “We’re thinking that we’re going to be here for the long run.”
Mexico has a 20-game unbeaten streak, the longest active streak in the world. The Reggae Boyz have only four wins against Mexico in their history, with the most recent coming in 2008 in World Cup Qualifying. Playing in its second straight Copa America, Jamaica has yet to earn a single point in a Copa match. The team lost 1-0 to Venezuela in its opening game this year and lost all three of its group games in 2015 by the same score.
There is a difficult task ahead, but Jamaica coach Winfried Schaefer said his team is not afraid of the challenge. He remembers how his team was able to sway some of the Mexican supporters at last year’s Gold Cup and earn their applause by the end of the match. He hopes the game in the Rose Bowl will end with similar praise, but a different result.
“I hope after one hour, the Mexico people come to us,” Schaefer said. “It’s possible.”