Young star Alphonso Davies is Canada's captain for the Copa America, which begins Thursday with a match against Lionel Messi's top-ranked Argentina.
CBC Sports' daily newsletter previews the Copa America, a big test for Canada as it prepares for the 2026 World Cup.Young star Alphonso Davies is Canada's captain for the Copa America, which begins Thursday with a match against Lionel Messi's top-ranked Argentina. What a time for soccer fans.
With the United States hosting this year, six teams from the CONCACAF confederation were invited to play. The top qualifiers from the region are the 11th-ranked United States and No. 15 Mexico. They're joined by Canada, ranked 49th, and Panama, Costa Rica and Jamaica . Now that Messi has silenced his Maradona-worshipping critics in Argentina, there's speculation that the Copa could be the final international tournament for the almost-37-year-old superstar. But with the 2026 World Cup taking place mostly in the United States, and Messi still playing brilliantly for Inter Miami of U.S.-based Major League Soccer it seems like there's a good chance he'll stick around.An Argentina-Brazil rematch is expected for the final.
The Canadians ducked into the Copa by defeating 98th-ranked Trinidad and Tobago in a last-chance play-in game in March. They later replaced interim head coach Mauro Biello with Jesse Marsch, a 50-year-old American who has guided teams in the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga and Major League Soccer. Biello filled the role after John Herdman left for Toronto FC after guiding Canada to its first World Cup appearance in 36 years.
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