Chile (National Football)

Chile won the Copa America for the first time in its 99-year history as they beat Argentina 4-1 on penalties after a goalless draw in Saturday's final in Santiago.

It was Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez who slotted home the winning goal with the coolest spot-kick under pressure you may ever see:

VINE: Alexis Sanchez wins Chile's first ever Copa América with a panenka. Cool as you like! http://t.co/8llF8rgFIJ

— Transfer HQ (@Transfer__HQ) July 4, 2015

Gonzalo Higuain smashed Argentina's second penalty high over the crossbar:

[Vine] Penalti Higuain, nyasar ke planet mars 😒😒 https://t.co/nE9K6srStC

— JokesBolaFC (@JokesBolaFC) July 4, 2015

Substitute Ever Banega then hit a weak effort that was saved by Claudio Bravo.

Higuain, who replaced Sergio Aguero in the second half, missed a glorious chance to win the match for Argentina with the last kick of normal time:

Gonzalo Higuain rate le but de la victoire pour l'Argentine, à la toute dernière seconde ! http://t.co/vEMgVaZbrX #vine

— Les Meilleurs Vines (@OhWhatTheVine) July 4, 2015

It meant more international misery for Lionel Messi after his country lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany.

If the phrase "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" is true, then it is time for Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez to step up.

Both of those players have overcome adversity to become superstars, and now their country needs them most.

Against Uruguay in the Copa America quarter-final and Peru in the semi, neither of these two players were able to reach their finest level of performance, or anywhere close to it.

In these games, thanks to the limitations of the opposition, Chile were not punished. But in the final, against Argentina, if La Roja are to end their 99-year wait for the trophy, each and every man needs to pull their weight.

And Vidal and Sanchez weigh a lot. These two are the players that everybody else in the team looks to for inspiration.

Vidal is a key part of Juventus' midfield and has won Serie A four times in a row with The Old Lady.

Alexis, meanwhile, earned his place alongside the man he now faces, Lionel Messi, at Barcelona, before moving to Arsenal and becoming the key man in their attack.

Both players came from poor backgrounds but rose up to reach the highest level.

Vidal was unable to afford the bus to his trial at Colo Colo and had to run there and back, per Sport 360. He eventually turned into the breadwinner for his five brothers and sisters and his mother, after his father had left the family.

Sanchez, per the Daily Mail, has also risen up from a background of poverty. Chris Waugh writes:

Alexis Sanchez may now be able to call himself a £30million Premier League footballer but he has not always led such a gilded life.

Arsenal's new forward grew up in poverty-stricken rural Chile in a mining town called Tocopilla - which literally means Devil's Corner - and he used to perform on the street for money at the tender age of six.

While the pair of them have not struggled for some time, thanks to multi-million pound contracts, they will not have forgotten the struggles they went through.

Both need to dig deep and find that level of perseverance to help break down Argentina on Saturday at the Estadio Nacional.

They started the tournament in bombastic form. Vidal struck the first goal of the competition for Chile, from the penalty spot against Ecuador.

Sanchez didn’t score in that game but ran like his shorts were on fire, lighting up the stadium with his effervescent energy.

Vidal struck twice more in the next game, against Mexico, as Chile drew 3-3. That put him to the top of the scoring charts, and there he has remained, alongside Paolo Guerrero and Sergio Aguero on three goals each.

Sanchez didn’t score in that game either, but put in a perfect display, mature and unselfish. He finally got his goal in the 5-0 rout of Bolivia, with a brilliant diving header.

However, that game was the start of Vidal’s bad form. He was involved in a car crash in the days before the game and was taken off at half-time after a mediocre display.

Since then he hasn’t found his level, and Sanchez has appeared tired in the subsequent matches. But Chile need those two players to put everything aside against Argentina on Saturday.

One swallow does not make a summer, but Chile will be extremely wary of Argentina's attacking threat when the two sides meet in Saturday's Copa America final.

Tata Martino's side pummelled Paraguay 6-1 in the semi-final in Concepcion to set up a date with Jorge Sampaoli's Roja at Estadio Nacional.

Both teams will be desperate to win the trophy, with Chile having never lifted it in its 99-year history, while Argentina last won in 1993.

Two goals from Gabriel Batistuta helped them see off Mexico in the final 22 years ago, and La Albiceleste have not won a single major trophy since.

Of course, they have a new hero now in Lionel Messi. By his own high goalscoring standards, this has been a below-par tournament for him, with the Barcelona magician only netting once in five games.

That was a penalty in Argentina's opening match against Paraguay, but if you look beyond the numbers, you will see he has been playing at a high level.

In the semi-final, he created three goals and played significant parts in the others Argentina scored.

Messi is the best player in the world, and Paraguay need to deal with the threat he poses.

Claudio Bravo, his club team-mate in Catalonia, should know that better than most, but he insisted La Roja were not going to focus only on shackling him and midfield powerhouse Javier Mascherano.

Bravo said, per the official Copa America website:

The truth is that it is not easy, seeing the quality that Leo has and what he has done throughout his career, it's been amazing.

I think that our focus is the team—that as a team we can control Leo and the other class players.

Javier is a very valuable player who gives character to your team, is the heart of the side. The performance of the team does not only go through Javier or Leo.

Perhaps that's just for show. But Chile would be making a mistake if they do not try to stifle Messi's threat with force.

Of course, even if he's heavily marked, the forward can still make fools of veteran defenders, but it's better to try than to let him exert his influence.

Portugal were the last side to beat Argentina, winning 1-0 in a friendly in November, and their manager, Fernando Santos, said Chile should use zonal marking to reduce Messi's impact.

He told El Mercurio (h/t the Copa America site):

Argentina is a very strong opponent, they have great players. To win, you have to play the perfect match and have a little luck.

You cannot mark [Messi] man to man, because the only thing you gain is a problem. He is so good that he always finds a way of having more freedom.

It is better to use zonal marking. You have to prevent him from receiving the ball.

Argentina managed just four goals in their first four games but exploded into life against Paraguay in the semi-finals.

Of the 10 goals they have scored at the tournament, eight have been against Paraguay over two games.

In their matches with Uruguay, Jamaica and Colombia, Argentina only scored twice.

As well as being defensively adroit, Chile must take their chances on the break.

Sampaoli's side are fascinating to watch when they pile forward, and the coach has to help Alexis Sanchez recover the form he showed in the first three games of the tournament.

Like Messi, Chile's star forward has only one goal this Copa, but his influence stretches farther than that.

Alexis was key in all of Chile's group games, but he seems to have tired as the tournament has gone on.

Against Uruguay in the quarter-final he was subpar, and he delivered an even worse display in the semi-final clash with Peru.

Chile will need the Arsenal man to rest and recover and arrive at the game in the same explosive form in which he kicked off the Copa America.

Juventus star Arturo Vidal must improve, too; after two good games at the start of the tournament, his form has dropped off.

He was taken off at half-time against Bolivia in Chile's final group game and didn't impress against either Uruguay or Peru.

As well as motivating the stars to perform, Sampaoli will hope the likes of Eduardo Vargas—who has been outstanding up front for Chile this tournament—do not wilt under the glare of the spotlight.

The Napoli man, who spent last season on loan at Queens Park Rangers, struck twice in the semi-final to put his side 90 minutes from glory.

They may be 90 of the toughest minutes of these players' lives, but Chile have the tools at their disposal to beat Argentina.

ESTADIO NACIONAL, SANTIAGO, Chile — The numbers don't show it, but Chile were lucky to reach the Copa America Final after a weak performance in a 2-1 win over rivals Peru on Monday.

Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal were off their games, just as they were in the quarter-final against Uruguay. And if a team's two biggest stars don't shine, it means trouble.

Luckily for the hosts, they had Eduardo Vargas and what some would call a kind referee to help them out on a brisk night in the national stadium before a crowd that expected more.

Whether Chile play Paraguay or Argentina in the final, they know that they need to raise their game to back where it was a week ago.

Statistically, Chile are impressive, as they've reached their third Copa America Final and are hoping to win the competition for the first time since it began 99 years ago.

In the first half, they only played 21 bad passes, recording a 91.3 per-cent accuracy rate, per Opta. They have also recorded the fifth-highest goal tally in the competition's history en route to the final. They have scored 13, only outscored by Argentina in 2004 and 2007, and Brazil in 1997 and 1999.

But of those strikes, Alexis has only scored one.

The Arsenal man put in a limp display and in fact it was Napoli forward Vargas, who spent last season on loan with Queens Park Rangers, who took control.

To be fair to Alexis, he had an important part in the first goal, with his low cross hitting the post and falling nicely for Vargas to squeeze home.

A key moment in the buildup was a cunning step-over by Charles Aranguiz, who let the ball bypass him en route to hitting the base of Pedro Gallese's left-hand post.

Chile were playing against 10 men after referee Jose Argote dismissed Carlos Zambrano for leaving his boot high on Aranguiz.

It was a controversial moment, with some believing the referee had overstepped the mark by dismissing the defender. Others argued that having his boot high enough to hit Aranguiz's back was in itself reason for punishment.

Vargas' first goal was also later shown to be offside, although he was denied a strike in the second half for that reason when he was in line with the defence.

Peru had started the game well and created more chances than Chile, playing with purpose and intent on the break.

Jefferson Farfan hit Claudio Bravo's post after slipping away from the defence, and it looked for a moment like the pressure was getting to Chile in front of a stadium filled with their own fans.

But the red card after 20 minutes left Peru in a tight spot, and Vargas eventually proved too much, netting twice to sink Ricardo Gareca's plucky side.

An own goal from Gary Medel in between the Vargas strikes briefly blew the game open, but a spectacular strike from a player who has really taken advantage of the chances given to him ended the Peruvian dream.

So Chile will contest the final in front of their own fans and have another chance to finally quench their thirst for glory. But they will need their best players to find their best form.

Host nation Chile will look to continue their march towards a maiden Copa America triumph when they take on Peru in the tournament semi-final.

Jorge Sampaoli’s side have been the standout team at the competition so far and will be the big favourites for this one after getting the better of Uruguay in the quarter-finals. But Peru, who finished third at the competition four years ago, have proven already that they are no pushovers, turning in some strong performances.

With a raucous Santiago crowd set to provide a compelling and colourful backdrop to this one, this is a match not to be missed. With that in mind, here are the key viewing details for this last-four encounter and a closer examination of what to expect from this match.

Date: Monday, June 29

Time: 8:30 p.m. (Local), 7:30 p.m. (ET), 12:30 a.m. (BST, June 30)

Live Stream: Premier Sports Player (UK), beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)

La Roja Big Favourites to Progress

If Chile do go on and win this competition, manager Jorge Sampaoli deserves masses of credit. Under his tutelage, La Roja have evolved from an entertaining but erratic team into a side that can dominate the top outfit around. But crucially, Sampaoli has refined this team’s identity and that’s been vital to their success here.

La Roja play with an intensity and ferocity that surpasses almost any side in world football. They are a cohesive unit, press with ambition and when they do have the ball, probe with pace and incision. But now they can do all off those enamouring things while preserving an underpinning steeliness too.

As we can see here courtesy of OptaJavier, Chile completely dominated a capable Uruguay team in the quarter-final:

244 - #CHI made 244 passes in the final 1/3 yesterday, while #URU only attempted 76. Squashed. pic.twitter.com/iTPfYmeb7Q

— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) June 25, 2015

Although they only won 1-0 after the Celeste lost Edinson Cavani to a red card, this was a performance which pointed towards Sampaoli’s men going the whole way. Uruguay are nasty, gnarly and extremely difficult to break down, but La Roja kept their cool in high-pressure circumstances before carving out the goal their play deserved.

It’s these kind of displays which fuel the players and supporters with a real belief too. This is the first time Chile have been back in the semi-final since 1999 after all, and as noted here by sports journalist Tariq Panja, the whole country is united behind their cause:

https://twitter.com/tariqpanja/status/613891484715237376

It’d be naive to rule out Peru, though. Already in this competition they’ve given scares to Brazil and Colombia, and although they were expected to get the better of surprise-package Bolivia in the last-16, there’s a lot to like about Ricardo Gareca’s side.

Considering the Blanquirroja boss only took on the job earlier this year, the manner in which they’ve played to this point is very impressive, as noted by Bleacher Report’s Nick Dorrington:

Continue to be highly impressed with work Ricardo Gareca is doing with #PER. His side are confident in possession & well-organised out of it

— Nick Dorrington (@chewingthecoca) June 26, 2015

They have a few star performers. Schalke’s direct winger Jefferson Farfan was back to a level approaching his best last time out having suffered with allergy problems at this tournament, while the creative talents of Christian Cueva on the other flank offer Peru balance.

But the player Chile will have to be most wary of is Paolo Guerrero, who scored a hat-trick in the 3-1 win over Bolivia in the quarters. As we can see here courtesy of WhoScored.com, it was a pretty accomplished display all round from the Flamengo striker:

Paolo Guerrero: MotM vs Bolivia, Rating 10.0, Shots(OT) 11(4), Goals 3, Key passes 4, Aerial duels won 8 #chile2015 pic.twitter.com/37HXgyVQkl

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) June 26, 2015

Given the attacking talent available to Gareca, don’t expect Peru to sit in a la Uruguay. They may try to soak up pressure and play against Chile on the counter-attack, but when they do get a chance to go forward, the Blanquirroja will commit players in support of Guerrero and Claudio Pizarro.

It’s an ambition that’s likely to cost Peru, though. Players likes Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal will revel in the added space they’re likely to be afforded and as they’ve showcased already at this tournament, they are major attacking forces. Expect the angles and ingenuity in Chile’s attack to keep them on course for a glorious end to a gripping Copa.

Prediction: Chile 3-1 Peru

ESTADIO NACIONAL, Santiago — After conducting his post-match interview, on the pitch, Alexis Sanchez walked towards Chile fans gathered in the stand by the tunnel and hurled his shirt into their midst.

They went wild, grabbing at what would be a wonderful souvenir from their 1-0 win over Uruguay—a brutal, combative clash that saw Chile overcome the side that has turfed them out three times in the past five editions of the Copa America.

Arsenal forward Alexis had been chosen as the man of the match, but the star admitted after the game that he was far from his whirlwind best.

He said, per Chilean network Teledoce, that he felt tired in the first half but managed to pick himself up in the second half after some words with his teammates.

Alexis was right to acknowledge his performance was below the level that we have come to expect from him. Bar a five-minute spell in which he headed wide and curled an effort fractionally off target, he had a quiet game.

That was in part thanks to the kicking that Uruguay made sure he received. Rough treatment by the Celeste saw them eventually reduced to nine men.

Edinson Cavani ended a terrible tournament for him, in which he played three games and scored no goals, by getting sent off for two idiotic yellow cards.

The first was for remonstrating with a linesman, while the second came when he raised his hand to Gonzalo Jara’s face after the Chilean had touched a sensitive and, shall we say, private area of Cavani’s body.

And then Jorge Fucile, who had a wretched game, was given a second booking for a reckless, high challenge on Alexis, which sparked a mass brawl.

Uruguay were playing badly and creating little, but their defence was holding out against Jorge Sampaoli’s men. Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez were having exceptional games, giving Eduardo Vargas little time to breathe.

Arturo Vidal still doesn’t look half the player he was before he crashed his Ferrari, and Alexis was off his game too.

With just 10 minutes left on the clock it seemed like we were heading for penalties, with the Copa America not using extra time until the final.

This would have been harsh on Chile in many ways, as they were by far the better team and didn’t deserve to face a near 50 per cent chance of elimination from the spot.

However, Mauricio Isla and Jorge Valdivia had other ideas. Both these two players have enjoyed wonderful tournaments and, unlike Alexis, carried their form on into this game.

Valdivia played many sumptuous passes, but the one he teed up Isla with was more sensible than silky.

The playmaker nudged it to his right, after weighing up the options. Isla took one touch to set himself and another to fizz a firecracker into the bottom right corner.

The goal was deserved, not just for his impressive display in this game, but over the past fortnight.

Not bad for the man Joey Barton described as a "bad egg" while on loan at QPR from Juventus last season, according to Darren Lewis in the Mirror.

Sampaoli hailed him after the game, as noted by Richard Martin in the Mirror. He said: “Isla is having an incredible Copa America. He has performed at the highest level in all four games. He interprets what is asked of him very well, in defence, and in attack.”

While Valdivia and Isla shone under the lights at a rowdy, electric Estadio Nacional, Alexis found things tough going.

This Uruguay game was a different beast than the matches they played in the group against Ecuador, Mexico and Bolivia, the latter of whom they beat 5-0.

Bolivia play Peru on Thursday night, and the winner of that game faces Chile in the semi-final, which gives La Roja and Alexis a fine chance of reaching the final.

Although they got past Uruguay here, it had more to do with Cavani’s sending-off than any great mass of clear goalscoring chances.

And that’s why they need Alexis to return to his best soon, as Chile try to end their trophy drought. They have not lifted the Copa America once in 99 years; this time around they finally have the tools to do it.

Chilean hearts will be in Chilean mouths on Wednesday night, when they take on Uruguay at Estadio Nacional in Santiago.

It's the tournament's strongest attacking force pitted against the meanest central defensive partnership.

Statistically speaking, tournament hosts La Roja do have the most fearsome forward line, having fired 10 goals past Ecuador, Mexico and Bolivia.

Colombia technically have the best defensive unit as a whole, but Uruguay have only shipped two goals and no centre-back pair are better than Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez.

The pair have forged a strong relationship at club level, with Atletico Madrid, and that is paying dividends now for Oscar Tabarez and the Celeste.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone used the 20-year-old 26 times last season, despite how effective the combination of Godin and Joao Miranda was the season before.

Gimenez struck a better bond with his compatriot Godin than the Brazilian and that now looks to be Atletico's most impressive defensive pairing.

It's what Chile have to break down in the Copa America quarter-final clash, and it won't be easy.

They are ably assisted by Fernando Muslera behind them, with Maxi and Alvaro Pereira offering support from the sides.

Uruguay's defence and midfield are solid, but where they fall short is up front.

Edinson Cavani had endured an awful tournament with Christian Stuani and Abel Hernandez equally disappointing when asked to feature.

Diego Rolan is the only forward who has impressed, but he's been playing in a deeper role and was responsible for a dreadful miss against Argentina.

With the news that Cavani might not be selected against Chile because of a traffic accident involving his father, per the Daily Mail, Rolan might get a chance further up the field.

Chile will be confident about keeping their opponents at bay but know that scoring themselves might prove difficult.

Some of the interplay between Jorge Valdivia, Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal has been quite phenomenal and if they continue, then even Godin and Gimenez will suffer.

Alexis is the figurehead, the explosive player who can change a game with one burst forward, one long-range effort.

He has found goals tough to come by, only directly responsible for one of his team's many strikes.

That was a beautiful play, stooping to head home a Valdivia cross from a move he started himself, but his overall influence extends far beyond his goalscoring contribution.

Valdivia, too, has been a crucial part of Chile's attacking verve. He plays with flair and style, but also sense.

It must be a dream for his team-mates to be on the end of so many clever, perfectly weighted passes.

And Chile's best player so far this tournament, Arturo Vidal. Bar one shameful off-field drink-driving indiscretion, which saw him crash his Ferrari, it has been a wonderful fortnight for the midfielder.

He was the man that scored Chile's first goal of the tournament, in the 2-0 win over Ecuador, before adding two more against Mexico in the 3-3 draw.

Vidal only played half of La Roja's last group game, against Bolivia, but with the team already in the quarter-finals, coach Jorge Sampaoli gave him a rest.

There have been other excellent performers in this Chile side, from Claudio Bravo in goal to Mauricio Isla, to Gary Medel.

But Vidal, Valdivia and Alexis carry the hopes of the nation on their shoulders and by keeping the momentum going against Uruguay, they can return those Chilean hearts from mouths to chests.

Chile and Bolivia knew they had both qualified for the Copa America quarter-finals before they played, after Ecuador beat Mexico earlier in the evening.

That meant their game carried less weight, but Chile's victory over the minnows means they finish top of the group and will have an easier fixture, in theory, in the next round.

Chile beat Bolivia 5-0 at Santiago's Estadio Nacional, after Ecuador saw off Mexico 2-1 at El Teniente in Rancagua.

Both games saw the better team win, with Jorge Sampaoli's La Roja significantly better than their opponents.

Two goals from Charles Aranguiz, an own goal by Ronald Raldes and one each for Alexis Sanchez and Gary Medel were more than enough for the tournament hosts to progress.

In the other game, Miller Bolanos and Enner Valencia were on target for Ecuador, while Raul Jimenez struck one back for Mexico.

Here are the takeaways from the two games on Friday night.

1. This is Alexis Sanchez's tournament for the taking

Each of the big teams have a star. Argentina's is Lionel Messi, Brazil's was Neymar, before his head-butt on Jeison Murillo, and Chile's is Alexis.

He was one of the best players on the pitch in the previous two games but didn't find the net, with Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas hogging all the goalscoring glory.

This, though, was finally Alexis' turn to get on the scoresheet, producing a wonderful diving header from Jorge Valdivia's cross.

Alexis had started the move with a burst forward, before finding the playmaker who served it back to him with pleasure.

Obviously, Chile have strength in many areas, with Vidal, Claudio Bravo and Valdivia top-class players too, but Alexis has the sheer dynamism and drive to move La Roja up to the next level.

They finished top of the group and will play one of the two third-placed teams in the quarter-finals.

Alexis can make the difference in tight games and can help Chile push their advantage home in games like these.

The Arsenal man has enjoyed being the "king" at club level this season after years at Barcelona out on the right and is having fun being the star of his international side too.

Plenty of Chile's success is based on the work of coach Jorge Sampaoli, a great team intensity and the other excellent players, but Alexis is the jewel in the crown. Acting and playing like a leader. A winner.

2. Bolivia will be in demand

First thing's first, let's praise Mauricio Soria's team. Bolivia won their first game since 1997 in the Copa America against Ecuador, and their first game out of their own country since 1995.

They have played with spirit and passion, and this is the first time they have reached the second phase of the tournament for 20 years.

But they were taken apart by Chile at the Estadio Nacional, and they will be the team that everybody wants to play in the tournament quarter-finals.

They will play against the team that finish second in Group C, so Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela will all wonder if winning their group is actually the best way forward.

Against Ecuador, Bolivia nearly let a three-goal lead slip, and they looked lacking in finesse in their 0-0 opener against Mexico.

Marcelo Martins is a threat up front, but there is not enough substance behind him to sustain a deeper tournament.

Their only hope is to try and play like Paraguay did in last year's tournament, scraping their way to the final. They are, however, less organised than Tata Martino's team was then, and it's difficult to imagine that happening.

3. Ecuador waiting in purgatory

The Copa America's group phase is a little bit odd. Ecuador have three points and finished third, but they don't know if they will reach the next round yet.

Two teams go through from each group, plus the best two third-placed teams from the three groups.

That means Ecuador, who have three points and a goal difference of minus two (four scored, six conceded), will be hoping that either Uruguay lose badly against Paraguay or there are two heavy beatings in Group C.

That might be the best chance of success, with all three teams on three points, ahead of Brazil against Venezuela and Peru's clash with Colombia.

They would need two teams to win by some distance to damage the goal differences of the sides that lose.

Ecuador's triumph in Rancagua was Ecuador’s first Copa America win in 11 matches. Last time they won was in 2001 against Venezuela.

So they will be praying that results go their way, and they can get the chance to prolong their winning "run."

Miller Bolanos, who scored the opener against Mexico, is also the first Bolivian to score in two consecutive games at the Copa America since Ivan Kaviedes in 1999, so he too will be desperate for the chance to continue in the same vein of form.

4. Mexico deserve early elimination

If you bring a shadow squad to a tournament like this, don't expect many people to be on your side.

With the Gold Cup coming up, Miguel Herrera left out many of his stars, such as Javier Hernandez, Guillermo Ochoa and Carlos Vela.

The team he brought to the tournament wasn't good enough to win a single match, drawing with Chile and Bolivia and losing to Ecuador.

That said, the game against hosts Chile, which finished 3-3, will live long in the memory and may end up being the game of the tournament.

The likes of Raul Jimenez, who scored twice, Jesus Corona and veteran Matias Vuoso did well, but the team as a whole wasn't impressive.

If anything, this poor overall performance will put more pressure on their shoulders ahead of the Gold Cup.

You could argue that the younger players in the side got some worthwhile experience, but then again they would benefit a lot more from playing with the actual first XI.

It is understandable that they cannot bring the same squad to both tournaments; it wouldn't be fair on the players and their clubs to fill up their whole summer with fixtures.

El Tri wouldn't turn down the opportunity to play, so perhaps they shouldn't have been offered it this year, with the Gold Cup on the horizon.

This is the second tournament running Mexico have been knocked out in the group stage. Hopefully at the centenary tournament next year, they come back at full force.

5. Arturo Vidal is still "El Rey"

The king's crown slipped this week, and so did his £230,000 Ferrari, off the motorway and into trouble.

Arturo Vidal's car was wrecked by his accident on Tuesday night, which saw him total his vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

But when the teams came out, Vidal got the loudest cheer from the Chilean supporters who know that without him their Copa America bid would be jeopardised.

Chile haven never won the tournament, and if the kingpin of their midfield had been taken out of action, it would have been a disaster for the country.

Of course there are moral issues with the message keeping him in the side sends, but as ever in the football world, they are brushed under the carpet.

Vidal was taken off at half-time, but the reception the fans gave him shows that his indiscretion will soon be forgotten in his homeland.

Even after his substitution, he was hailed by supporters as he warmed down, while his colleagues secured their victory.

Brazil, who play Honduras on Wednesday night in a warm-up friendly, will be the last team to arrive in Chile for the Copa America. Jamaica, who flew in late last week, were the first—apart, it may seem obvious enough, from the hosts.

The fact is, though, that Chile had originally planned on turning up late for their own party.

Their coach is Jorge Sampaoli, a hyperactive little Argentinian who seems to run on batteries as he paces up and down the touchline. He has spent months musing on the double-edged nature of playing a tournament at home, on how it can either inspire or intimidate.

Concerned about the latter, he was thinking of holding a training camp in Spain, then bringing the squad back home as close as possible to the big kick-off—a plan only recently abandoned when it became clear that some of his most important players would be in action for their European clubs right up until the end of May or even early June.

Instead, he has been jealously guarding the privacy of his team in a former monastery an hour outside Santiago.

Sampaoli’s fears emerge from the fact that he had a front-row seat a year ago to observe the effects of hosting the 2014 World Cup on the Brazil team. He saw how much the pressure put lead in their legs and tears in their eyes.

Chile met Brazil in the second round—and had Mauricio Pinilla’s last-gasp shot flown two inches lower, the hosts would have been out. Instead it went to a shootout—where Brazil captain Thiago Silva refused to take a penalty and sat on his own in a distraught heap. Before the tournament he had confessed that he was losing sleep.

It is hardly surprising, then, that Sampaoli wanted to shield his men from that kind of psychological torture.

True, the Copa America is small change compared to the World Cup. But it is Chile’s big chance. In 99 years and 43 Copas, they have never lifted the trophy—unlike Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru.

Now could be the time.

Their last two World Cups have been their best ever—with the exception of the one they hosted in 1962, when, with playing at home clearly not overwhelming to them, they finished third.

By popular consensus, Chile can now count on the best side in their history. It is an experienced team, with almost all the key players in their late-20s primes. They have a highly rated coach and a well-defined identity of play—the high energy, pressing and quick-passing attacking style that makes them so attractive to watch.

This is their moment. Can they seize it?

Many Chileans are optimistic, and some are looking to Europe for a precedent. The Champions League final was billed over here as the moment when a Chilean would finally win the world’s most prestigious club prize—it would be either Claudio Bravo of Barcelona or Arturo Vidal of Juventus.

This was a bit of a stretch: Bravo, the national team captain, has to sit on the bench for Champions League games and does not even receive a winner’s medal. Nevertheless, the goalkeeper played a full part in his club’s triumphant league season.

It may well be a stretch to hold up his exploits as a symbol that this is Chile’s year—but such mental gymnastics are permissible when the national team can count on a striker as elusive and committed to the cause as Alexis Sanchez.

A local TV campaign refers to the Arsenal man as "the miracle of the desert." He comes from Tocopilla in the arid north of the country, territory as bare as Chile’s trophy cabinet. Now 26, he was shining in the local first division a decade ago. "The wonder kid," as he is known, has detected that along with the hope there is a fair dose of worry in the hearts of his compatriots.

"It didn’t seem like we were playing in Chile," he said after Friday’s 1-0 warm-up win over El Salvador in Rancagua, one of the Copa host cities.

Chile took an early lead with a goal that highlighted their virtues. A quick exchange of passes, with plenty of attacking ambition and movement off the ball, between Jorge Valdivia, Sanchez and Jean Beausejour galloping up from left back was rounded off by Valdivia’s cute finish.

The crowd sat back in expectation of a landslide victory—which never came.

The silence that Sanchez complained about was initially one of quiet expectation. But as the night wore on it became one of quiet worry. If Chile could not put El Salvador to bed in a friendly, then what might happen against far more threatening opponents when the real stuff starts?

The goals have dried up. At the end of March, Chile lost 2-0 to Iran and 1-0 to Brazil. When the second goal refused to go in against El Salvador, the analyst on Chilean TV compared the team to an old school colleague who would dance all night at parties but never seemed to get the girl.

The local press have warmed to the theme. “We’re struggling to score,” wrote former international Rodrigo Goldberg. “This is an important subject, and a worrying one from my point of view.”

Any excuse to watch Alexis Sanchez’s goal again 👌#FACupFinal official highlights

VIDEO ▶️ http://t.co/O7yr3oYrbE pic.twitter.com/B1q0jW5ss2

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 31, 2015

The concern is general, because Chile can leave themselves very open.

As the old phrase goes, trying to get the balance of a team right is like having a small blanket on a cold night—pull it over your neck, and your feet freeze; cover your feet, and your neck gets cold. With their bold approach, Chile pull the blanket as high as it goes—and as winter sets in, the Chilean nights are getting colder.

A good example of Chilean nerves is the fact that when the squads were named, one local newspaper took a measure of all the players to find the average height. This is because Chile have the smallest squad (the tallest, by the way, is Jamaica), meaning that every set piece for the opposition near the Chilean goal is a heart-stopping moment.

Rather than looking for height, Sampaoli gives priority to defenders who can pass the ball out from the back—one of the reasons there are so many midfielders improvised in the Chilean rear guard. It is an option with risks, as well as rewards.

If Chile are to make history and put their name on the trophy, then it is going to be an exciting ride—not least because of the calibre of opposition.

It is true that many of the teams in the 2015 Copa America suffer from a lack of preparation, firstly because there are so many new coaches going into their first competitive matches with players they barely know. But adding pressure are the demands of a club calendar that obliged key players to be in action on the other side of the Atlantic as recently as last Saturday, just five days before the big kick-off.

The #CopaAmerica 🏆 starts this week—@stighefootball's scouting report on the top 50 players http://t.co/OHtCQUbR1X pic.twitter.com/ZofAFHw2mm

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 8, 2015

Nevertheless, the 2015 field looks impressively strong. A comparison with the last Copa, four years ago in Argentina, provides food for thought.

In 2011, Argentina had still yet to find a way to get the best out of Lionel Messi. Neymar was nothing more than a promising, callow youth for Brazil. James Rodriguez had yet to be promoted from Colombia’s under-20 side. All three would now seem to be at the top of their games. Uruguay appear to be rebuilding nicely, and Ecuador, Chile’s first opponents, carry a considerable threat.

The 2015 Copa America, then, promises to be full of great football and gripping storylines—one of which will be whether Chile can cope with the pressure of hosting and the burdens of expectation.

All quotes obtained firsthand and translated by the author unless otherwise noted.

Tim Vickery will be contributing in text and video to Bleacher Report during the Copa America tournament.