The best XI from the Copa América group stage 🔥 | OneFootball

The Copa América group stage is finally in our rearview mirror, and now the drama can truly begin. But first, we’ll look back at the eleven players who excelled the most in their groups.

GK: Maxime Crépeau (Canada)

The Portland Timbers man was perhaps the sole reason Canada qualified from a very tough Group A. Crépeau showed his one-on-one ability by denying Lionel Messi on multiple occasions as Jesse Marsch’s side advanced to the knockouts having conceded only twice in the group stage.

RB: Daniel Muñoz (Colombia)

The full-back has been making name for himself in the Premier League, and now he has shown up on the biggest stage for his nation. With two goals in the group stage from his right-back position, the second of which was the equaliser against Brazil that won the group for his side, he was an easy pick for the XI.

CB: Willian Pacho (Ecuador)

The Eintracht Frankfurt defender is wanted by Liverpool this summer, and we saw exactly why with his superb showing in the Ecuadorian rearguard alongside Félix Torres.

Pacho finished the group stage with a stunning 9 clearances per 90 minutes, far and away the best in that category. His solidity was key in Ecuador’s qualification out of a closely-run Group B.

CB: Cristian Romero (Argentina)

Argentina look just as formidable as they did in Qatar. Cristian Romero and his rearguard are becoming impenetrable, keeping clean sheets in all three Group A games. If they go the whole tournament without conceding, would anybody truly be surprised?

LB: Jon Aramburu (Venezuela)

Remember the name Jon Aramburu – the Venezuelan youngster was crucial in his side’s stunning nine-point finish in Group B. Finishing top of the chart for successful tackles per 90 minutes, Aramburu was a one-man wrecking crew down the left-flank for La Vinotinto.

LW: Luis Díaz (Colombia)

Díaz was the perfect counter-punch to James Rodríguez’s forays on the right-wing during the group stage. And while he only finished with one goal, he was a constant nuisance to opposition defenders down the flank, causing chaos wherever he went.

CM: Federico Valverde (Uruguay)

Uruguay were perhaps the cream of the crop in the group stage, and Federico Valverde was a major reason why. The Real Madrid man showed off his perfect mix of long-range passing and tempo-setting leadership in the engine room for Marcelo Bielsa.

La Celeste may just go on and win the while thing, but they won’t be able to do it without Valverde.

CM: Manuel Ugarte (Uruguay)

Ugarte’s partnership with the aforementioned Fede Valverde has formed into one of the most formidable centre midfield pairings that we’ve seen for some time at Copa América.

RW: James Rodríguez (Colombia)

Don’t we just love watching James don the Colombia shirt? He always seems to show up for Los Cafeteros when they need him most, and he has done that once again at this tournament.

The former Real Madrid man created 11 big chances during the group stage, the most of any player in the competition, and should continue to pull the strings for Néstor Lorenzo’s high-flyers in the knockout rounds.

ST: Salomón Rondón (Venezuela)

Like James before him, you may have believed that Salomón Rondón was a name of the past, but he is still banging in the goals for club and country.

Venezuela impressed mightily in Group B with Rondón’s two goals and general physical prowess being key reasons.

ST: Lautaro Martínez (Argentina)

Last, but certainly not least, Lautaro rounds off our XI and rightly so. The Argentine leads the competition in goals scored with four, and has all but wrestled his starting role back from Julián Álvarez.

Messi may have been playing the group stage with a slight knock, but Lautaro was seemingly the perfect cover for the great man.

What do you make of the XI? Let us know below.