Copa America 2019: Top 5 contenders for the Golden Boot

For those who're the internet to discover more football action in the coming days to binge on, look no further than the Copa America 2019.

It may not be quite as glittering and glamorous as the Euros, but it's nevertheless the oldest international competition in world football and will also feature an array of superstars, from those in the Premier League to the ones in Ligue 1.

Now in its 46th edition, Brazil is set to turn hosts for the three-week jamboree starting from 14th June, as the likes of Japan and Asian champions Qatar will be repping up the invitees for this year's tournament.

With so many attacking talents on board, let's look into our crystal balls and make a few predictions about the Golden Boot, namely the top five contenders in line for the silverware:

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#5 Edinson Cavani (Uruguay)

Cavani is better shaped to eclipse Suarez again this year

If La Celeste were to emulate the glory of 2011 and bring the trophy back to Uruguay, then it's imperative to have El Matador at his prolific best.

In a season blighted by recurring injuries, the striker regardless managed to strike 23 times in 33 games for PSG, including 18 in the league as Les Parisians retained the Ligue 1 title. So he's essentially ticked the required box.

He will also be complimented in the attack by his Barcelona counterpart Luis Suarez, who had a season of a mixed bag.

Scoring 21 times and finishing as the most prolific in the league behind only Lionel Messi is no mean feat, but El Pistolero was desperately lacking in consistency and underwhelmed for a majority of the second half of the season.

Unless he could somehow rediscover his shooting boots again, the onus will largely be on Cavani to deliver. He fired a blank in 2016 as Uruguay bowed out in the group stages, but went some way in redeeming himself by playing a crucial role in the World Cup last year, which includes delivering a mortal blow to Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in the last 16.

Also see : Copa America 2019 Schedule

#4 Paolo Guerrero (Peru)

Remember him?

A Copa America veteran, Guerrero is set to partake in the competition for a fifth time with La Blanquirroja. And even at 35 years of age, he continues to lead the line for his side as he will once again be the sole fulcrum of Peru in the upcoming tournament proper.

A Golden Boot winner in the 2011 and 2015 editions, Guerrero has developed a knack for delivering in this competition. In fact, his 11 goals in the competition make him one of the highest active scorers in history.

He also bagged apiece in 2016's Centenario edition as well as in last year's World Cup, but Guerrero's international career hit a speed bump after being imposed with a 14-month doping ban.

He hasn't represented Peru since netting the winner against Australia last June, though that embargo is now due and he's been named in Peru's 23-man squad, which is a huge boost for the side ahead of the opener against Venezuela.

#3 Sergio Aguero (Argentina)

Aguero's rich vein of form means he can play a crucial role for Argentina

Strikers hardly come any deadlier than Sergio Aguero, who's coming off the back of another stellar campaign with Manchester City.

Having fired 32 times in all competitions in 43 appearances, he looks ready for another highly productive campaign in Brazil.

Aguero's record in the Copa America of only seven goals in 14 appearances over the years leaves the jury still out on his international prowess, though with the Albiceleste, he's had to fight off challenges from Gonzalo Higuain and Carlos Tevez in the past, and also play second-fiddle to Messi at times.

But all that's going to change now. In all likelihood, the City ace will spearhead Argentina's attacking vanguard in the tournament proper and would be licking his fingers at the prospect of going against the likes of Paraguay and Qatar, who've been drawn in the same group as Argentina.

#2 Duvan Zapata (Colombia)

Replicating the club form would be a big boost in Zapata's international career

Serie A's breakout star of the year, Duvan Zapata's meteoric rise to prominence in the last 10 months or so, earned him a place in manager Carlos Quiroz's 23-man squad as Copa America 2019 is set to be his first international outing with the Cafeteros.

Zapata set Serie A's 2018/19 campaign alight with his remarkable run, netting 23 times in 37 appearances, two more than Cristiano Ronaldo, as the 28-year old finished as the second most prolific scorer of the season and helped Atalanta secure a Champions League place for the very first time in the club's history.

He's now heading to Brazil in the most ideal form and it will take some stopping from Colombia's veteran striker Radamel Falcao in the jostle to lead the line in the starting XI.

On the flip side, this could also be a double-edged sword for Zapata, who's oblivious to the pressures of international competitions. But in a group comprising of Qatar and Paraguay, he could be off to a convincing start.

#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Unlike us, Messi would put the premium on winning the Copa America instead

The Golden Boot has become Messi's raison d'etre. He recently picked up the sixth of his career after finishing as the most prolific in LaLiga as well as in the whole of Europe.

With another half a century of goals in all competitions, the Barcelona ace literally dragged his side through the thick and thin for a majority of the season as most of the others around him constantly veered between the sublime and the substandard.

However, Messi has not been able to shoulder this responsibility with as much aplomb in the Argentinian colours. He failed to make a mark in any of the three finals that he and Co. made between 2014 and 2016, and also cut a frustrating figure in the World Cup last year.

He has assumed more of a creative role for the Skyblues these years, but if he were to replicate even a scintilla of his barnstorming prowess of last season, then Messi will simply canter to another piece of Golden Boot.