SEATTLE - They say that the United States is the land of opportunities, and that couldn't be more true for Chile and its aspirations during Copa América 2024. After failing to qualify to both the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups, the Chilean national team has lived a completely different reality than when they won back-to-back Copa América titles between 2015 and 2016.
Since Juan Antonio Pizzi left the job in 2017, four different managers tried their luck to revive Chile, until Ricardo Gareca was given the responsibility of managing Chile in January.
After spending seven years as the Peruvian national team coach, Gareca seeks to implement the dynamic and attacking game he managed to bring out of Peru. With the 'Blanquirroja,' Gareca made at least the quarterfinals in each of the four Copa América tournaments he managed. In 2019, he guided Peru to its first Copa América final since 1975.
Since January, Gareca has managed three games with Chile yielding two wins and one loss, a 3-2 defeat to France back in March.
Chile's Copa América quick facts
Group: A
Best result: champions (2 times); Chile has reached the quarterfinals in every Copa América edition since 2004
Coach: Ricardo Gareca (appointed January 2024); 2-1-0 W-L-D record
Chilean top scorer in Copa América: Eduardo Vargas (14 goals)
Where is Chile playing?
Chile will share Group A with Argentina, Peru and Canada. They will make their debut against the Peruvian national team at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington on June 21. Four days later, a rematch of the 2016 Copa América final against Argentina will take place at MetLife Stadium, the same venue where Chile won their second continental title.
June 21: Peru vs Chile - AT&T Stadium, Arlington
June 25: Chile vs Argentina - MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
June 29: Canada vs Chile - Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando
26-man list for Copa América
Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Betis), Brayan Cortés (Colo Colo), Gabriel Arias (Racing Club).
Defenders: Matias Catalán (Talleres), Guillermo Maripán (AS Monaco), Paulo Díaz (River Plate), Igor Lichnovsky (Club América), Gabriel Suazo (Toulouse), Thomas Galdámes (Godoy Cruz), Mauricio Isla (Independiente), Benjamín Kuscevic (Fortaleza), Nicolás Fernández (Audax Italiano)
Midfielders: Erick Pulgar (Flamengo), Marcelino Núñez (Norwich City), Rodrigo Echeverría (Huracán), Diego Valdés (Club América), César Pérez (Unión La Calera), Esteban Pavez (Colo Colo).
Forwards: Alexis Sánchez (Internazionale), Darío Osorio (Midtjylland), Victor Dávila (CSKA Moscow), Eduardo Vargas (Atlético Mineiro), Ben Brereton Díaz (Sheffield United), Marcos Bolados (Colo Colo), Maximiliano Guerrero (Universidad de Chile), Cristián Zavala (Colo Colo).
Notable absence
Charles Aranguíz
The veteran midfielder missed the cut for this year's Copa América. Aranguíz was part of the Chilean team during the first four World Cup Qualifying matches, but has fallen out of luck due to injuries and a lack of play time at the club level.
He is one of nine Chileans to have at least 100 caps with the national team, with 23 of those coming at Copa América. This year will be first time since the 2010 World Cup that Aranguíz won't be part of the team for a major tournament.
Player to watch
Ben Brereton Díaz
The tall Chilean striker had a successful semester with English team Sheffield United. Ben Brereton Díaz moved back to England after his loan with Villarreal expired and quickly became one of the most important players for a Sheffield United team that ended up getting relegated at the end of the season.
Since he made his debut for the Blades in January, no other player scored more goals than the Chilean in league play. In 16 games in all competitions, the 25-year-old scored six goals including a brace against Fulham and a lone strike against Manchester United.
Díaz was part of the Chilean team that competed at Copa América 2021 and has started all but one World Cup Qualifying game for Chile this cycle.
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