June 30 (Reuters) - Factbox on the teams in Group A at the Copa America in Argentina starting on Friday:
ARGENTINA
* Winners: 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993.
FORM
COACH
* Sergio Batista, central midfielder in Argentina’s 1986 World Cup-winning side, took charge last year after Diego Maradona was not retained following Argentina’s 4-0 World Cup quarter-final defeat by Germany.
* Alfio Basile was the last Argentine coach to win the tournament, in 1991 and 1993 in his first spell in charge. He returned to steer Argentina to the 2007 final in Venezuela.
LEADING PLAYERS
* Lionel Messi, who has scored 17 goals in 57 internationals and 180 in 269 matches for Barcelona.
* Most capped: Javier Zanetti 140
* Argentina boast a wealth of attacking riches with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Angel Di Maria and Diego Milito at their disposal as well as Messi.
* There is also a growing balance in midfield where Batista’s ideal trio are Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Mascherano and Ever Banega.
* Despite good ball players in centre backs Nicolas Burdisso and Gabriel Milito, the defence is the weakest area
TACTICS: 4-3-3
- - - -
BOLIVIA
* Winners in 1963, runners-up in 1997, both when Bolivia hosted the tournament.
FORM
* Poor scoring record with only two goals in six friendlies this year
* Since reaching the final of the 1997 tournament which they hosted, Bolivia have gone through four Copa America tournaments without winning a game.
* First team to arrive in Argentina on June 10, Bolivia are determined to end a long run of disappointing results.
COACH
* Argentine-born Gustavo Quinteros, a midfielder in the last Bolivia side to reach the World Cup finals in 1994.
LEADING PLAYERS
* Striker Marcelo Martins of Shakhtar Donetsk.
* Portugal-based Edivaldo, whose father is Brazilian, is a very recent discovery by Bolivia having made his debut this month
* Goalkeeper Carlos Arias has shone this year in a mediocre team
TACTICS: 5-3-2
- - - -
COLOMBIA
* Winners: 2001
FORM
* Colombia burst on to the scene in dramatic style in the 1990s, appearing at three successive World Cups but they have slumped since their last appearance at the finals in 1998.
* With a mix of veterans and exciting attacking prospects, Colombia are regarded as dark horses while the coach’s eye is more on the World Cup qualifiers starting in October.
* Colombia no longer have a traditional number 10 playmaker in the Carlos Valderrama mould but have the potential to do damage with fast breaks down the flanks in support of a central striker.
COACH
* Hernan Dario Gomez, recalled in a new national teams structure headed by former coach Francisco Maturana
* Gomez was Maturana’s assistant at the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States and was in charge at France 98. He also steered neighbours Ecuador to their first ever finals in Asia in 2002.
LEADING PLAYERS
* Striker Radamel Falcao Garcia, whose goals helped Porto win the Europa League, and his club mate, right winger Fredy Guarin, and Mexico-based striker Jackson Martinez, a fine header of the ball.
* Veteran central defenders Mario Yepes and Luis Perea
TACTICS: 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-2
- - - -
COSTA RICA
* Three previous appearances as a guest side from the CONCACAF region. Best finish quarter-finals in 2001 and 2004.
FORM
* Reached the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finals in the United States in June before losing on penalties to Honduras. Will not be playing the Copa America with the same squad but rather an Olympic team reinforced by five over-age players although half of them were at the tournament in the United States.
COACH
* Argentine former Mexico 2006 World Cup coach Ricardo La Volpe, often called El Bigote (the moustache) and noted for his dress style of jeans and jacket and tie.
* Has quickly run into media criticism for his team’s failure to get past the quarter-finals at the Gold Cup but argues it will take time to build a team and that the young mainly under-23 squad he is taking to Argentina is part of a process aimed at qualifying for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
LEADING PLAYERS
* Striker Joel Campbell, who shone in the qualifiers for the Under-20 World Cup to be played in Colombia from July 29. Has been compared by local media to Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o although he says his role model is Brazilian Ronaldo.
TACTICS: 4-4-2
ARGENTINA
* Winners: 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993.
FORM
* Argentina went into the last two finals against Brazil as favourites but lost on penalties in 2004 after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser and were crushed 3-0 in 2007 by lethal counter-attacks. At home for the first time since 1987, when as world champions they finished fourth, they are again favourites.
* Best results in friendlies since last year’s World Cup are a 1-0 win over Brazil in Qatar, 2-1 against Portugal in Geneva and 4-1 at home to world champions Spain last September. They crushed Albania 4-0 in their final warm-up at home on June 20.COACH
* Sergio Batista, central midfielder in Argentina’s 1986 World Cup-winning side, took charge last year after Diego Maradona was not retained following Argentina’s 4-0 World Cup quarter-final defeat by Germany.
* Alfio Basile was the last Argentine coach to win the tournament, in 1991 and 1993 in his first spell in charge. He returned to steer Argentina to the 2007 final in Venezuela.
LEADING PLAYERS
* Lionel Messi, who has scored 17 goals in 57 internationals and 180 in 269 matches for Barcelona.
* Most capped: Javier Zanetti 140
* Argentina boast a wealth of attacking riches with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Angel Di Maria and Diego Milito at their disposal as well as Messi.
* There is also a growing balance in midfield where Batista’s ideal trio are Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Mascherano and Ever Banega.
* Despite good ball players in centre backs Nicolas Burdisso and Gabriel Milito, the defence is the weakest area
TACTICS: 4-3-3
- - - -
BOLIVIA
* Winners in 1963, runners-up in 1997, both when Bolivia hosted the tournament.
FORM
* Poor scoring record with only two goals in six friendlies this year
* Since reaching the final of the 1997 tournament which they hosted, Bolivia have gone through four Copa America tournaments without winning a game.
* First team to arrive in Argentina on June 10, Bolivia are determined to end a long run of disappointing results.
COACH
* Argentine-born Gustavo Quinteros, a midfielder in the last Bolivia side to reach the World Cup finals in 1994.
LEADING PLAYERS
* Striker Marcelo Martins of Shakhtar Donetsk.
* Portugal-based Edivaldo, whose father is Brazilian, is a very recent discovery by Bolivia having made his debut this month
* Goalkeeper Carlos Arias has shone this year in a mediocre team
TACTICS: 5-3-2
- - - -
COLOMBIA
* Winners: 2001
FORM
* Colombia burst on to the scene in dramatic style in the 1990s, appearing at three successive World Cups but they have slumped since their last appearance at the finals in 1998.
* With a mix of veterans and exciting attacking prospects, Colombia are regarded as dark horses while the coach’s eye is more on the World Cup qualifiers starting in October.
* Colombia no longer have a traditional number 10 playmaker in the Carlos Valderrama mould but have the potential to do damage with fast breaks down the flanks in support of a central striker.
COACH
* Hernan Dario Gomez, recalled in a new national teams structure headed by former coach Francisco Maturana
* Gomez was Maturana’s assistant at the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States and was in charge at France 98. He also steered neighbours Ecuador to their first ever finals in Asia in 2002.
LEADING PLAYERS
* Striker Radamel Falcao Garcia, whose goals helped Porto win the Europa League, and his club mate, right winger Fredy Guarin, and Mexico-based striker Jackson Martinez, a fine header of the ball.
* Veteran central defenders Mario Yepes and Luis Perea
TACTICS: 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-2
- - - -
COSTA RICA
* Three previous appearances as a guest side from the CONCACAF region. Best finish quarter-finals in 2001 and 2004.
FORM
* Reached the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finals in the United States in June before losing on penalties to Honduras. Will not be playing the Copa America with the same squad but rather an Olympic team reinforced by five over-age players although half of them were at the tournament in the United States.
COACH
* Argentine former Mexico 2006 World Cup coach Ricardo La Volpe, often called El Bigote (the moustache) and noted for his dress style of jeans and jacket and tie.
* Has quickly run into media criticism for his team’s failure to get past the quarter-finals at the Gold Cup but argues it will take time to build a team and that the young mainly under-23 squad he is taking to Argentina is part of a process aimed at qualifying for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
LEADING PLAYERS
* Striker Joel Campbell, who shone in the qualifiers for the Under-20 World Cup to be played in Colombia from July 29. Has been compared by local media to Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o although he says his role model is Brazilian Ronaldo.
TACTICS: 4-4-2
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