Summer of Football thread: Euro 2020(1), Copa America, CONCACAF Gold Cup

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This summer promises to be a special one if you follow a National Football (Soccer) team, as three continents (UEFA, representing Europe, CONCACAF, representing North America and the Caribbean and COMMEBOL, representing South America) will have their major showpiece tournaments.

First, we have the long delayed Euro 2020, which will take place from June 11, to July 11, at locations across Europe.

At roughly the same time, we have the equally long delayed Copa America, which will take place in Argentina from June 13, to July 10.

After all this, we have the Gold Cup, taking place, as always in the United States, from July 10 until August 1.

This thread is intended to be the home for discussion of all three tournaments, and for football (soccer) fans to make picks for all three tournaments as well.

[NewYorkExpress]

Copa America suspended as Argentina goes through a COVID surge. A cancellation may be imminent.

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Sunday that Argentina would no longer host the Copa America, throwing the troubled tournament into doubt just 13 days before it was due to kick off.

The tournament, featuring 10 South American nations, had been due to be held in Argentina and Colombia between June 13 and July 10, the first time in its 105-year history with joint hosts.

However, Colombia was removed as co-host on May 20 after a wave of protests demanding social and economic change spread across the country and Argentina has now followed due to what CONMEBOL said was the "present circumstances."

CONMEBOL did not disclose the nature of the circumstances that led to the decision but Argentina is currently experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases.

"CONMEBOL is analysing offers from other countries that have shown interest in hosting the continental tournament," it said in a short statement. "Updates will be announced soon."

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And in a really weird twist Conmebol announced that the 2021 Copa América Will take place in Brazil, despite the Brazilian government still haven't confirmed it officially

I'm sure Bolosonaro would love for South America's biggest football showpiece to take place in his country.

Then again, isn't COVID currently worse in Brazil than it is in Argentina? So there must be something else going on here that we don't know about.

Maybe the U.S would be interested in hosting (could we be able to host Copa America and the Gold Cup back to back?)

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Group F in the Euros is going to be nuts.

That's the France, Germany, Portugal, Hungary group.

We've got Cristiano Ronaldo vs Kylan Mbappe vs Serge Gnabry/Timo Werner.

This should be fun.

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I want to know what Hungary did to have all three of France, Germany and Portugal drawn in their group.

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Less than a half hour until the Euro's kick off.

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And what do you think of the Copa America?

I find the Copa America to generally be a lot harder to predict than the Euro.

It seems to me that any of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay could feasibly win it.

Brazil traditionally has the most overall talent, Uruguay usually is the Dark Horse, and Argentina the past decade or so has been Lionel Messi and then eleven other guys. Messi is a singular talent, but football is a team sport.

Also, I can't help point out that Chile has won two of the last three Copa's (2015, and 2016 Centenario), so it's not like South America only has three teams that are good.

It's not a CONCACAF situation, where every major tournament invariably ends in a U.S/Mexico final.

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Eriksen has is reportedly conscious and stable. Huge respect for the professionalism and courage of the medical staff to revive him under such immense pressure, and for his teammates for shielding him from the prying eyes of the media, and referee Anthony Taylor for immediately spotting the severity of the situation. This is what every football fan hopes they will never have to witness

If I'm the Danish FA, I'm looking at solutions that would allow my team to withdraw from the Euros with no penalty.

They shouldn't be forced to play after watching a teammate nearly die on the pitch.

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Was bullish on the Dutch before this competition, but at this point if you're struggling to stay afloat vs (an admittedly good) Ukrainian squad, how can you fare vs England, France, or Belgium?

Of course it's international football, anything can still happen.

It will be one of those 3 winning the competition.

I'm predicting it will be France, but I could see Belgium or England doing it too. Anything can happen of course, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't one of those 3.

I thought the Netherlands could potentially be a dark horse, but after that, not really no.

If Germany manages to make it out of their group, they certainly could win it all too. They have the talent to do so, they just need to all be in form at the same time.

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Great starts for Brazil and Colombia in Copa America action, as Brazil easily defeats Venezuela, and Colombia defeats Ecuador.

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So in what I would describe as two modest upsets, the Czech Republic easily beat Scotland, 2-0, and Slovakia beat Poland 2-1.

Meanwhile, I'm watching the Spain/Sweden game, and I've got to say, Robin Olsen looks impressive in goal so far for Sweden. He's shut Spain's offense down through 45 minutes, in a scoreless game.

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So, I'm watching the Argentina/Chile game, and while Lionel Messi looks great (he just scored on a free kick to put Argentina up 1-0), the rest of the Argentinean team doesn't look as good. That doesn't bode as well, should Argentina have to face Brazil in the Copa America final, or facing Uruguay later in this group stage (as Uruguay might be a stronger opponent than Chile).

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I don't know if it's an upset or not, but Wales beat Turkey easily, 2-0.

With the draw against Switzerland, and the victory against Turkey, all Wales has to do against Italy is get one point, and they're through to the knockout round.

Hell, they might be through with a loss, provided it isn't a blowout, and either Turkey beats Switzerland, or Wales finishes as one of the best third place teams.

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My Euro Round of 16 Predictions:

Wales defeats Denmark

Italy defeats Austria

Netherlands defeats the Czech Republic

Portugal defeats Belgium (on penalty kicks)

Spain defeats Croatia

France defeats Switzerland

England defeats Germany (on penalty kicks)

Ukraine defeats Sweden (in extra time)

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Over in Copa America, we had a pretty healthy upset this evening, as Paraguay dominated Chile, 2-0 in Group A action.

That said, with Bolivia's loss to Uruguay today, both teams are going to advance to the quarterfinals anyways.

The big drama in the in the Copa America Group Stage is in Group B, where every team in the group that isn't Brazil has four or fewer points (Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela), setting up a dogfight for the the three non-Brazil quarterfinal spots.

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Denmark just destroyed Wales, 4-0.

Shades of 1992 all over again?

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Quarterfinal predictions:

Spain defeats Switzerland

Belgium defeats Italy (In Extra Time)

Denmark defeats the Czech Republic

England defeats Ukraine

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U.S Gold Cup squad list out

It's a very MLS-heavy squad (no Pulisic, McKennie, Musah, Reyna). The only players based outside of the United States on the team for the Gold Cup will be Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen) and Matthew Hoppe (Schalke).

The United States does come into the Gold Cup riding high, having defeated rivals Mexico to win the CONCACAF Nations League last month, but that was with a very different squad.

[NewYorkExpress]

U.S Gold Cup squad list out

It's a very MLS-heavy squad (no Pulisic, McKennie, Musah, Reyna). The only players based outside of the United States on the team for the Gold Cup will be Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen) and Matthew Hoppe (Schalke).

The United States does come into the Gold Cup riding high, having defeated rivals Mexico to win the CONCACAF Nations League last month, but that was with a very different squad.

Why did the likes of Pulisic not make the squad?

I imagine Gregg Berhalter wanted to give Pulisic, McKennie, Musah, Reyna etc. a rest. It's been a long club season in Europe.

For the United States, the priority is very different here than say...Mexico. They don't need to win, necessarily, their focus is on qualifying for the World Cup.

For Mexico, the situation is very different. El Tri isn't in good form lately (their only wins in their last four matches are against Panama, and the Nations League Semifinals against Costa Rica, and they didn't look good at all in the latter game). They probably need to win the Gold Cup if they want to save Gerardo Martinez's job. Doing that and qualifying for the World Cup would be even better.

[NewYorkExpress]

U.S Gold Cup squad list out

It's a very MLS-heavy squad (no Pulisic, McKennie, Musah, Reyna). The only players based outside of the United States on the team for the Gold Cup will be Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen) and Matthew Hoppe (Schalke).

The United States does come into the Gold Cup riding high, having defeated rivals Mexico to win the CONCACAF Nations League last month, but that was with a very different squad.

Why did the likes of Pulisic not make the squad?

Because not even US Soccer cares about the Gold Cup.

Under normal circumstances, we might care a bit more. However, you are right that having failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018, the USSF is putting all of their chips on qualifying for the World Cup in 2022.

The Gold Cup is going to be a lot more important to Mexico than anyone else playing, and that could lead to an interesting dynamic.

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My picks for the Copa America Quarterfinals (which begin tonight)

Peru defeats Paraguay

Brazil defeats Chile

Uruguay defeats Colombia (in extra time)

Argentina defeats Ecuador

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Peru survives against Paraguay on penalties in Copa America play, as all eyes tonight turn to the Brazil/Chile game.

Meanwhile, final qualifying for the Gold Cup concludes tonight. Haiti flattened St. Vincent and the Grenadines earlier today, 6-1, with Bermuda still to face Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago still to face Montserrat tonight.

Three teams will advance out of the Gold Cup Qualifying.

One team will be in Group A, and will face Mexico El Salvador and Curaco. One team will be in Group B, and will face the United States, Canada and Martinique, and one team will be in Group C and will face Costa Rica, Jamaica and Suriname.

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My Euro Semifinal picks:

Spain defeats Italy (on Penalty Kicks)

England defeats Denmark


Euro Finals Pick:

England defeats Spain (In Extra Time)

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My Copa America Semifinals Predictions:

Brazil defeats Peru

Argentina defeats Colombia

Copa America Finals Prediction:

Argentina defeats Brazil (On Penalty Kicks)

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How ******* blind does the referee have to be to not notice that there are two footballs on the pitch?