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Copa America 2024 is just a fortnight away and teams are in the middle of their last-minute preparations. The tournament kicks off on Thursday (June 20), with Lionel Messi's Argentina taking on Canada at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Georgia.
By this time, most teams have already released their 26-man squads and fans have a fair idea of each side's starting XI. As usual, big names like Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay will be favorites to go deep in the competition. However, dark horses like Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico cannot be ruled out.
A good team's signature strength lies in its ability to carry the ball forward with speed and deliver it to the striker in the penalty box. This is why pacey and skillful wingers are crucial to any team's structure.
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Ranking the top 5 left-wingers in Copa America 2024
5. Angel Di Maria
At number 5, we have Argentina's veteran winger Angel Di Maria. Although he is 36, the Benfica man has always turned up for La Albiceleste when they have needed him the most.
He may not have an electric pace like some other members on the list, but Di Maria can weave past opposition defenders with his immaculate ball control. He often switches wings with Lionel Messi and makes it an ordeal for the opposing team to mark him out of the game.
Angel Di Maria has scored some of the most crucial goals for Argentina. He scored a solitary goal in the Copa America 2021 final to defeat Brazil in Brazil and clinch the title for his side. The 36-year-old also scored against France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. Argentina will be hoping for the forward to turn up in crucial stages once again in Copa America 2024.
4. Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli will be the perfect super sub to complement Brazil's world-class attacking trio of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Endrick. The Arsenal man is a slippery customer and a master of getting in between the defensive lines. He is excellent at functioning as the perfect hole player for midfielders to deliver a through ball.
Moreover, Martinelli is good with his feet. He will be difficult to stop if he starts running up the flanks to deliver a cross to Endrick or Rodrygo waiting inside the penalty box.
The winger has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 44 games for Arsenal this season, as the Gunners finished second in the Premier League, just two points behind Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
3. Luis Diaz
Luis Diaz is one of the key players in the Colombian lineup in Copa America 2024. The quick-paced left-winger can run up and down the pitch incessantly without breaking a sweat. His pace and lateral runs to evade the offside trap have been effective in Liverpool and will be the same in Copa America 2024.
Diaz's dribbling is his greatest strength. The winger has a low center of gravity which helps him change directions in a giffy while keeping control of the ball. The constant acceleration and deceleration help Diaz create spaces to take a shot or provide a lethal through ball inside the penalty box.
Finally, Luis Diaz's off-the-ball movement and pressing will help Colombia deal with teams like Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. The 27-year-old winger defends with ferocity and his pressurizing skills will be helpful for Colombia in Copa America 2024.
He has registered 13 goals and five assists in 51 games for Liverpool this season, with an impressive 3.4 ball recoveries per game.
2. Alejandro Garnacho
Alejandro Garnacho has transformed into a ball-carrying machine under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. The 19-year-old winger is electric and has great ball control and an eye for goal.
Garnacho will provide the added pace that Argentina's lineup desperately needs. Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria will be the think tanks of the Albiceleste attack, but they don't have the speed required to outpace the opposition in a counterattack. That's when Garnacho's ball-carrying ability will be paramount for Lionel Scaloni's team.
The winger has been a rare positive for Manchester United's otherwise underwhelming season. In 50 games, he scored 10 goals and provided five assists.
1. Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior will be the left-winger to look out for in Copa America 2024. The 23-year-old has the perfect combination of electric pace, ball control, and the ability to read the game. He was one of the most important players in Real Madrid's Champions League-winning campaign this year and will have to step up if Brazil are to advance in the upcoming tournament.
Brazil's front three include Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Endrick, and they have the potential to be the most lethal attack in Copa America 2024. Vinicius Junior has the confidence required to turn a match on its head at any given time. His ability to dribble in extremely tight spaces and finish with precision is what makes him the most lethal left winger in Copa America 2024.
The Brazillian winger has scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 games for the Los Blancos, with an impressive G/A ratio of 0.89 per game.
