Lionel Messi and Argentina will kick off their Copa America campaign on Thursday in Atlanta, Georgia against Canada. On paper, Argentina are heavy favourites to defeat Canada.
Will our AI-powered score prediction forecast an Argentina win?
🏆 #SelecciónMayor ¡Aquí están, estos son los 26! A continuación, los futbolistas convocados por Lionel Scaloni para disputar la @CopaAmerica en Estados Unidos. ¡Vamos @Argentina! 🩵🤍🩵#OtraVezJuntos pic.twitter.com/5eqyql6W0g— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) June 15, 2024
🏆 #SelecciónMayor ¡Aquí están, estos son los 26! A continuación, los futbolistas convocados por Lionel Scaloni para disputar la @CopaAmerica en Estados Unidos. ¡Vamos @Argentina! 🩵🤍🩵#OtraVezJuntos pic.twitter.com/5eqyql6W0g
Argentina and Canada are joined by Chile and Peru in Copa America Group A. It will be a difficult group, with only the top two teams progressing.
This year’s Copa America features 16 teams, with the top two in each group going through to the quarterfinals. The 2024 Copa features all 10 CONMEBOL national teams plus six teams from CONCACAF.
Argentina and Canada have not met often in recent years. Indeed, their last head-to-head match was in 2010. Argentina smashed Canada 5-0 in the fixture.
Although Canada are not a world power in football, they have improved over the last decade. Canada played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They will co-host the 2026 World Cup in North America, showing their progression in football.
Coach Jesse Marsch took over the national team this year, but it has been a bumpy road for the former Leeds United manager. Canada lost 4-0 to the Netherlands in Rotterdam before a spirited nil-nil draw with France.
Marsch has failed to get the most out of his attack – which many critics will say about him at Leeds. There is quality in the Canada squad, which is anchored by captain Alphonso Davies.
Of course, Argentina will rely on Messi to be the creative and goal scoring spark. La Albiceleste are on a fine run of form in all competitions. They won their last five matches, posting wins over Brazil, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala by a combined score of 12-2.
Argentina won the previous edition of the Copa America. They conceded just three times in 2021, while scoring 12 goals in seven fixtures. For this Copa America tournament, they will play only six matches, making it a slightly shorter tournament.
La Albiceleste went on to win the 2022 World Cup following the previous Copa. The tournament provided a springboard to become world champions.
Argentina are the record winners of the Copa America, with 36 all-time trophies – five more than archrivals Brazil. This year’s tournament could see Messi break Norberto Mendez’s tournament record for goals.
Mendez scored 17 goals, and Messi needs just five more to break the record.
Will Messi lead Argentina to a matchday No. 1 win? Absolutely. However, Canada will keep this game close. Our algorithm score prediction is for an Argentina 1-0 win.