Get to know the stories behind all six teams that will be playing in Orlando this June when the Copa America Centenario comes to town. Secure your tickets here to see these teams in action.
Brazil
The most successful footballing nation in the world hasn’t enjoyed the same success at Copa America as they have in the World Cup, but that’s a pretty high bar to reach. Brazil has, however, won Copa eight times, most recently in 2007 in Venezuela.
The Seleção also won the tournament in 2004, defeating rival Argentina in both Finals. Their 2004 Copa América title made it the second time that Brazil were World Cup and South American champions at the same time, with the first coming after the 1997 Copa América. Current Orlando City forward Júlio Baptista opened the scoring in the fourth minute of the 2007 Final, which proved to be the game-winner in their 3-0 victory.
Brazil will play Ecuador on June 4 in Pasadena, Calif., Haiti in Orlando on June 8 and Peru on June 12 in Foxborough, Mass.
Bolivia
There’s an interesting history to Bolivia’s team kit. It started out all white for the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, when Bolivia’s starting XI each painted one letter of “Viva Uruguay” on their jerseys. Their next opponent, Brazil, wore white jerseys, forcing Bolivia to borrow Uruguay’s jerseys. The players again painted their jerseys with “Viva Chile” during the 1945 South American Championship.
As far as their actual play, Bolivia has one Copa America title to their name in 1963 when they hosted. They hosted again in 1997, but fell to Brazil in the final. It’s no wonder they’ve done so well at home; with its high altitude, Bolivia is a notoriously difficult country to play in.
Bolivia will play Panama in Orlando on June 6, Chile on June 10 in Foxborough, Mass., and Argentina on June 14 in Seattle.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the more successful teams in CONCACAF. They’ve won three Gold Cups (1963, 1969, 1989) and made a miraculous run to the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup. They shocked the world by even making it out of their group of Uruguay, Italy and England, who combine for seven World Cup titles, and in fact won the group. They fell in a heartbreaking penalty kick shootout to the Netherlands.
Los Ticos have played in four Copa Americas, reaching the quarterfinals in 2001 and 2004.
They will play Paraguay on June 4 in Orlando, the United States on June 7 in Chicago and Colombia on June 11 in Houston.
Haiti
As a member of CONCACAF, this will be Haiti’s first appearance in Copa America. They’ve appeared in the Gold Cup 13 times and won their only championship in 1973.
Haiti plays Peru on June 4 in Seattle, Brazil on June 8 in Orlando and Ecuador on June 12 in East Rutherford, NJ.
Panama
Panama is another CONCACAF team making its first appearance in Copa America. They’ve never won the Gold Cup, but were successful in the confederation tournament of CONCACAF’s predecessor, the CCCF, which only included Central American and Caribbean teams. They hosted and won the CCCF championship in 1951.
They had an incredibly surprising showing at the 2013 Gold Cup, in which they won their group and ousted Mexico in the semifinal before falling to the United States 1-0 in Chicago.
Panama will play Bolivia on June 6 in Orlando, Argentina on June 10 in Chicago and Chile on June 14 in Philadelphia.
Paraguay
Paraguay are two-time champions of Copa America, in 1953 and 1979. Their most recent Copa America run had them advance to the semifinals after defeating heavily favored Brazil in a penalty kick shootout before falling to eventual runners-up Argentina.
Their most capped player is defender Paulo da Silva, who has represented his country 133 times. Roque Santa Cruz is Paraguay’s all-time leading scorer, with 32 goals in 111 caps. He currently plays for Málaga in La Liga while on loan from Liga MX’s Cruz Azul
Paraguay plays Costa Rica on June 4 in Orlando, Colombia on June 7 in Pasadena, Calif., and the United States on June 11 in Philadelphia.
