Copa America 2019: 5 reasons why Argentina will not win the Copa America
The 46th edition of the Copa America is upon us, as all 10 member nations of CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) alongside two guest nations (Japan and Qatar) battle it out for glory.
The tournament would run from June 14 through July 7 2019 across six venues in five cities in host nation Brazil and would have on display some of the finest players on the planet.
One country which would be entering the competition with high hopes of triumphing would be Argentina, as the 14-time winners would be looking to go one better than their consecutive runners-up finishes in the last two editions.
However, they might find themselves falling short in the tournament. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at five reasons why Argentina aren't likely to win the 2019 Copa America.
Also see : Copa America Standings, Barcelona Transfer News.
#5 Overdependence on Messi could cost them
Ever since making his professional debut in November 2003, Lionel Messi has played his way into being considered debatably the greatest player in the history of the game.
The 31-year-old's numbers are well documented, so it is futile to repeat them. But, over the years, he has shown a pristine ability to decide the outcome of matches on his own, with his talent level far above what we have ever seen.
Any side facing a team that has Messi in its side almost goes into every match with an advantage. The Argentine maestro is more than capable of causing harm to his opponents either with his sublime passing, otherwordly dribbling or pin-point finishing.
Argentina has the luxury of having him within its ranks and this gives them an edge over other teams at the tournament, as the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has the ability to lead his nation to glory.
However, for all of his seemingly superhuman abilities, Messi is not without his shortcomings and there are instances (rather few of them) of the Barcelona talisman not stepping up to the challenge when required.
Beyond Lionel Messi, there are not many other players in the current Argentine squad who inspire confidence and as such, La Albiceleste's chances of success hinge almost squarely on their captain's ability to deliver for them.
There is a chance that Messi might not step up to the plate (as has happened too often by his standards on the international scene in the past). In the event that this does happen, are there any other players in the Argentine setup who would carry the mantle and lead their team to glory?