The 2015 Copa America gets under way this week, with the 10 South American sides joined by invited guests Mexico and Jamaica in Chile.
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Argentina are worthy favourites to end their long wait for another title
The 12 teams have been split into three sections of four, with the top two from each group and two best third-place teams advancing to the quarter-finals. You can check out the full schedule here.
We've looked through the Sky Bet markets and picked out our top tips for the three-week football jamboree...
Argentina/Chile straight forecast at 6/1
Argentina look worthy favourites in this event as they bid to finally land another Copa America title after a 22-year wait. They boast an embarrassment of attacking riches, and a host of players coming into the tournament on the back of stellar club campaigns. Lionel Messi needs no introduction and has fellow Barca treble winner Javier Mascherano with him here, while Carlos Tevez has been superb for Champions League runners-up Juventus, Sergio Aguero was once again the standout striker in the Premier League, Javier Pastore and Ezequiel Lavezzi had more success with PSG and Ever Banega’s Sevilla won the Europa League. Then there’s Gonzalo Higuain, Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Pablo Zabaleta, Erik Lamela and more. The group draw looks decent enough for this star-studded squad, with the weakest team in the competition, guests Jamaica, in their pool alongside Paraguay (bottom of the pile in World Cup 2014 qualifying) and a Luis Suarez-less Uruguay. The 15/8 about an Argentina win is not the biggest price but neither is it prohibitive given the strength of their claims. But let’s try and get something bigger by having a go at identifying the team Argentina might face in the final. Hosts Chile fit the bill. They have genuine world-class talent, led by Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, and, crucially, Chile avoid Argentina and Brazil’s half of the draw should those three, as expected, emerge as the three group winners. The first-round draw has been kind to the hosts too. Bolivia and Ecuador do their best work at altitude (although the latter showed at the World Cup they are not to be entirely ruled out) while Mexico’s main focus is the CONCACAF Gold Cup and they’ve sent a second-string squad for this tournament. A likely semi-final against Colombia is no freebie, but we’d favour the hosts to get through it as they chase a first Copa America crown. An Argentina-Chile final is 4/1, but the straight forecast with Argentina victorious makes more appeal at 6/1 given the wealth of talent available to Gerardo Martino.
Enner Valencia top goalscorer each-way at 50/1
With the likes of Messi, Neymar and Aguero dominating the top of this book there could be a spot of each-way value further down the list and West Ham striker Enner Valencia could repay your faith at a juicy price. He scored all three of Ecuador’s goals at last year’s World Cup and has 10 goals in his last 15 internationals. Ecuador are in arguably the weakest first-round pool alongside Chile, Bolivia and a second-string Mexico side and should be confident of reaching at least the last eight. Three or four goals in that run looks well within Valencia’s compass against this standard of opposition and that could well be enough to secure some each-way profit.
Angel di Maria top Premier League goalscorer at 18/1
For those not entirely au fait with South American football, the market on which Premier League star scores most goals at the Copa America may hold some appeal. No surprise to see Aguero and Sanchez head the betting, while the aforementioned Valencia at 12/1 is another worth considering. The price that jumps out, though, is 18/1 for Angel di Maria to prevail. His Manchester United move may not have worked out thus far, but his class is beyond doubt. He pouched two goals in Argentina’s recent 5-0 friendly win over Bolivia and could benefit from the potential for Argentina to rack up the goals in the group game against a Jamaica team beaten 8-0 by France and 3-1 by football powerhouses Canada last year.
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