The USMNT has a great opportunity to enter the world's elite hierarchy by winning the 2016 Copa America. It will be hosted in the US for the first time, celebrating the hundred year anniversary, where all the top teams of North and South America will compete. Should the US place well it would be seen as a great accomplishment by the US Soccer Federation. And it should. However, winning it all would be outstanding, to say the least. Argentina and Brazil will likely have their top players available. Injuries would be the only reason they wouldn't. For some reason, tournaments like this are more important to Brazil and Argentina than the Olympics, which is hosted by Brazil this summer. The history of the South American Cup is prestigious and generally it has been won by either Brazil, Argentina or Uruguay. And really, those are the true threats from the south. Columbia and Chile would be the other two, with arguments made on behalf of Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Paraguay. Yet, it's hard to argue that they're top teams. Columbia and Chile, yes. But the others are hit or miss, depending on what crop of talent they happen to have. So, with that said, the US has a good chance to show the world they belong in the conversation of the top teams of America. Currently, this is the case, however the US is considered to be the same caliber as Chile, which is no disrespect, but at the same time it's placing the US in a second tier category. A team which can win on any given day, but a team that is struggling to be as consistent as the top powers around the world, which would include Spain, Italy, Germany and Holland. And, that's where CONCACAF currently resides as a conference. Of course, it's less talented than Europe but any of the teams can give a good game for whoever they're playing. Which leaves the 2016 Copa America an interesting tournament which will provide the South American favorites a real challenge.
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