The 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América is underway on FOX and the United States men's national team has an opportunity to stake its claim in soccer's oldest tournament.
Here are my round-by-round predictions for Copa América:
Alexi Lalas gives his Copa America round by round predictions | SOTU
Group A
1. Argentina
2. Canada
3. Chile
4. Peru
I have Argentina winning the group, and then I have my good friends — led by Jesse Marsch up there in the Great White North — coming in second. I've got Chile third, followed by Peru in fourth.
Group B
1. Mexico
2. Jamaica
3. Ecuador
4. Venezuela
I have my friends, Mexico, as much as it pains me, coming in good in the tournament — a different version of El Tri coming into the tournament — and finishing first in the group. And then — more CONCACAF coming at you — I have Jamaica coming in second, which means Ecuador and the Vino Tinto come in third and fourth, respectively.
Group C
1. USA
2. Uruguay
3. Panama
4. Bolivia
I have the USA completely throwing out the results from before the tournament and finishing first — keep in mind that they play Uruguay in the third game. Then Uruguay finishes second, with Panama and Bolivia filling out the group.
Group D
1. Brazil
2. Colombia
3. Paraguay
4. Costa Rica
I have Brazil winning and Colombia finishing second. I toyed with some things going on, like goal differential, happening with Colombia and Brazil, but I'm still going with Brazil then Colombia.
Quarterfinals
1. Argentina vs. Jamaica
2. Canada vs. Mexico
3. Brazil vs. Uruguay
4. USA vs. Colombia
Argentina will go through and Jamaica, for their efforts in the group stage, get to play Argentina! Argentina beats Jamaica, and then Mexico, in an all-CONCACAF affair, beats Canada; the U.S. gets a second bite at the apple after that horrendous pre-tournament 5-1 drubbing against Colombia and actually beats them in the quarterfinals; and then Brazil beats Uruguay.
Semifinals
1. Argentina vs. Mexico
2. Brazil vs. USA
This is where the perception of Gregg Berhatler could fundamentally and completely change. This is his moment; this is his stand. I talked about him putting all of his chips in at Copa América and this is what this is. We know he's going to have a big result, and going over Colomiba would be a big result, but it couldn't get any bigger, could it? Oh yes, it could — USA over Brazil in semifinals of the 2024 Copa América and Argentina over Mexico in the other semifinal, which gives us an Argentina vs. USA final.
Final
Argentina vs. USA
This is where the train ends for Gregg Berhalter but he's already playing with house money. Argentina beats the United States to win the Copa América and claims its second consecutive Copa América title.
Alexi Lalas is a soccer analyst for FOX Sports and host of "Alexi Lalas' State of the Union Podcast." He represented the USMNT at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and had a nine-year professional career. In 2006, he became the president of the LA Galaxy and helped bring David Beckham to Major League Soccer.
