Copa América

Twenty four players born outside the Americas are playing in the Copa America Centenario, and 23 of them are Europeans, so they might have been able to play in Euro 2016. 

Take Gonzalo Higuain, for example. Higuain was born on December 10, 1987, in France, but barely stayed in Europe a few months before going to Argentina, where he remained throughout his development as a player before signing with Real Madrid in January 2007. Higuain was born in France because his father Jorge, also a footballer, played in Brest.

Remember in the 2014 World Cup when Germany played Brazil in the semifinals and thumped the hosts 7-1, so thorough a defeat that the Brazil's soccer governing body is withholding its two best players (Neymar and Thiago Silva, who, concidentally, both missed the game against Germany) from the Copa America in order to regain its dignity on home soil in the Olympics? Remember that?

The second round of the Copa America Centenario is already underway, but here is a recap of what we learned so far during the first round of group stage matches on American soil. 

Top of the world:

Mexico

El Tri started the tournament flying. 

Practically playing at home, Juan Carlos Osorio and his team took down one of the Copa America favorites in rather impressive fashion. 

The 2015-16 European league season will be remembered for a number of reasons: Leicester City’s improbable Premier League title, Real Madrid’s dramatic Champions League triumph and the brilliant return to form of Mexico’s Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.

The 28-year-old striker enjoyed his finest season since erupting onto the world’s radar with Manchester United in 2010-11. Following four frustrating seasons of being used sparingly as a substitute for both United and Real Madrid, Chicharito seized his opportunity as a regular starter with Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga.

Adidas is one of many brands trying to muscle in on the attention the Copa America Centenario has brought to soccer in the USA. This is a good idea on its face, the only problem is they are not doing a very good job of it.

There is a persistent rumor that Adidas is an acronym for "All day I dream about sports." There is also a less-appropriate version that substututes "sports" for . . . well you get the idea. It doesn't matter anyway, because we alone know what Adidas actually stands for: All Day I Derp About Spelling.

Look what they did with "Colombia" and "Columbia."

Colombia and Paraguay bring with them the soft air of South America and a match that is decades old. These two teams have faced each other 42 times in the course of three generations. It is a soccer display of two different faces of the same continent: the warm Ocean-faring Colombia against the landlocked Paraguay. Two countries as united in their love for soccer as the rest of South America.

A lot was said in the buildup to Tuesday night’s United States versus Costa Rica Copa America group match. For the USA, the stakes were simple enough: win or go stay home. The USA triumphantly answered any questions about their ability to make an impact in this tournament, thrashing the world’s 23rd ranked side 4-0.

Let there be no doubt about it, Mexico’s 3-1 win over Uruguay to open up their Copa America campaign showed Mexico has what it takes to win the competition. The team impressed all around, but there are 6 players we believe will be the most integral to the team’s success.

6 Players That Will Lead Mexico To Victory At The Copa America

Hirving Lozano 

The tension is rising just before the rematch of last year's Copa America final. Argentina and Chile are on the field and the crowd is ready and the players are ready and here comes the national anthem of Chile and everybody's very proud of their country and singing along and—

MR. WORLDWIDE.

OK, that's weird, but no matter we'll just keep singing nice things about Chile and everything will go back to normal—

I SET THE WORLD ON FIRE.