Five U21 players to look out for at the Copa America
By Daniel Anwar
Posted on June 11, 2015
The club season may be over now, but there’s still plenty of football to watch over the summer months, and the Copa America will be particularly fascinating.
Brazil are looking to recover from their traumatic defeat against Germany on home soil in last year’s World Cup, while Argentina and Lionel Messi will be looking to taste international success after losing in the final. Chile are hosting the 12-team tournament, and they will fancy their chances of winning their first-ever title, with the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal in their ranks.
Your go-to guide on how to become a Copa America hipster
There are always a few breakout stars in international tournaments, and South America is a hotbed of footballing talent.
There plenty of promising young players eager to make a name for themselves, and we’ve selected five of the best players aged 21 or under to watch out for:
Jose Gimenez – Uruguay
Miranda played an integral role in Atletico Madrid’s title win in 2013/14, but he is no longer an automatic choice in Diego Simeone’s side, and that’s largely due to the rise of Jose Gimenez.
The 20-year-old has been a very commanding presence at the back for Atletico, and despite his young age, he’s established himself as an important member of the Uruguay side. He won 63 aerial duels and made 120 clearances in league action last term.
The absence of Luis Suarez through suspension is a major blow to Uruguay’s hopes of defending the trophy, but if Gimenez can replicate his club form, their opponents will have to work very hard to break them down.
Geferson – Brazil
Real Madrid left-back Marcelo had to pull out of the Brazil squad last month after suffering a back injury, and his loss could be Geferson’s gain.
The 21-year-old has only represented the Selecao at Under-17 level to date, but he’s impressed for Internacional in the Copa Libertadores.
Chelsea’s Filipe Luis will go into the tournament as Dunga’s first choice on the left side of defence, but Geferson is composed on the ball, and he has a chance to make a real name for himself if he gets a chance.
Angelo Henriquez – Chile
Manchester United fans will be particularly keen to see how Angelo Henriquez fares for Chile this summer, as he signed for the club in 2012, but he has yet to play in a competitive game for them.
The 21-year-old demonstrated his promise with his displays on loan at Dinamo Zagreb last term, and he scored 29 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions, helping them to win the domestic double. Henriquez is an instinctive finisher, and he’s also scored two goals in five senior international appearances.
United have sent Radamel Falcao back to Monaco, and there are doubts over the future of Robin van Persie. They could do with reinforcements in attack, and a good showing at the Copa America could convince Louis van Gaal that Henriquez can play a role at Old Trafford.
Jhon Murillo – Venezuela
It didn’t take Jhon Murillo long to make his mark at international level, and the 20-year-old scored just a minute after coming on to make his debut for Venezuela in February, sealing a 2-1 win against Honduras.
The striker scored 19 goals in 59 appearances for Venezualan side Zamora FC, and Benfica signed him in May, tying him down to a five-year contract.
Benfica tend to have a pretty good eye for talent, having brought the likes of Angel Di Maria, David Luiz, Nicolas Gaitan, and Ramires to Europe, so he could be worth keeping an eye on.
Derlis Gonzalez – Paraguay
Derlis Gonzalez is only 21, but the winger will be vital to Paraguay’s hopes of causing a few surprises this summer.
His skill and speed brings some much-needed vitality to the team’s attacking play, and he was one of Basel’s better performers in the Champions League last term.
He was the Swiss side’s top scorer with three goals, including a strike against Real Madrid. He is also prepared to work hard for the team, and he won more tackles in Europe’s leading club competition than any of his teammates (1
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