(Sports Focus) Copa America preview: Can Messi and Tevez finally click?

The Copa America is the world's oldest continental football competition, its first edition in 1916 predating the European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League) by 39 years.

Uruguay, with 16 titles, are the most successful team, having dominated the competition in its early years. Argentina are next with 14 titles followed by Brazil with eight.

The 2015 tournament - which begins in Santiago on Thursday - includes each of the 10 teams from the South American football confederation (Conmebol), plus Mexico and Jamaica. The winner of the competition will qualify for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. Here Xinhua provides a preview of the June 11-July 4 tournament in Chile.

THE HOLDERS

Uruguay are the reigning Copa America champions, having lifted the trophy after a 3-0 victory over Paraguay in the 2011 final in Buenos Aires. But much has changed since then. Luis Suarez, Uruguay's leading scorer in that tournament with four goals, will be missing this time round as he continues to serve a nine-match suspension for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during last year's World Cup.

Also absent will be the Celeste's most capped player and 2010 World Cup Golden Ball winner Diego Forlan, who has retired. In their absence Uruguay's attack will be carried by Paris Saint-Germain forward Edison Cavani and Bordeaux youngster Diego Rolan. Both were on the scoresheet in Uruguay's 5-1 victory over Guatemala in a friendly on Saturday.

THE MESSI-TEVEZ INTRIGUE

While question marks may hang over Uruguay's attack, there are no such concerns for Argentina. Lionel Messi, fresh from leading Barcelona to their fourth Champions League victory in the past decade, scored 58 goals in 57 matches last season, despite often being deployed in a deeper-lying playmaker role. In front of him will be Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, the Premier League's leading scorer last season with 26 goals from 33 matches, Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain and Juventus talisman Carlos Tevez.

It is the former Manchester United and Manchester City forward's inclusion that has arguably created the most intriguing subplot to this year's tournament. Can Tevez and Messi finally click while on the same pitch for Argentina? Evidence from previous major tournament's would suggest the answer is no.

At the 2006 World Cup in Germany and 2007 Copa America in Venezuela, the pair played bit-part roles in teams that also included Hernan Crespo, Diego Milito and Juan Roman Riquelme (who, despite playing in midfield, was Argentina's top scorer with five goals in Venezuela). Their time to shine was at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and the Copa America the following year.

The double act was an abject failure on both occasions. At the World Cup, Tevez scored twice while Messi failed to find the net, often drifting into the opposition half to help a defence that looked all at sea under coach Diego Maradona's stewardship. In the Copa America a year later the pair fared even worse, both ending the tournament without a goal as the hosts were bundled out by Uruguay in the quarterfinals.

Having had the national team door shut by Alejandro Sabella, Argentina's current coach Gerardo Martino has given Tevez another chance, recalling him for the first time in three years last October. Tevez has rejuvenated his career at Juventus, with 50 goals in two seasons at the Turin club.

But doubts linger over his compatibility with Messi. In recent media interviews, both players have denied suggestions of a rift between the pair. But they - and Martino - will know that only joint success on the pitch in Chile will silence the doubters.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

This is a tournament brimming with world-class players at their peak. Apart from Messi and Tevez, other marquee names include Brazil forward Neymar, Chile's Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal, and Colombia's Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez. All are coming off outstanding seasons for their respective clubs in Europe. Then there is the case of Rodriguez's national teammate Radamel Falcao, who will captain the team.

Many question whether Falcao is the same player that terrorized defenses during his prolific spells at Porto and Atletico Madrid. The 29-year-old netted just four times in 29 appearances for Manchester United last season after a serious knee injury that forced him out of the World Cup.

Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said this week the tournament would help Falcao regain his flagging confidence. "In the national team he feels good and he transmits that in the way he plays and integrates with his teammates," Pekerman told reporters.

MEXICO'S PRIORITIES

While South American teams have made no secret of how seriously they take this competition, the same cannot be said of Mexico. Coach Miguel Herrera's squad does not include Javier Hernandez (Real Madrid), Andres Guardado (PSV Eindhoven), Hector Herrera (Porto), Diego Reyes (Porto) and brothers Giovani Dos Santos and Jonathan Dos Santos (Villareal).

It can only be surmised that the players are being saved for CONCACAF Gold Cup, to be played from July 7 to 26. Victory in the competition's final in Philadelphia would take Mexico into a playoff with the US for a berth in the 2017 Confederations Cup.

WHO WILL WIN?

Argentina and Brazil are the perennial favorites for any major international competition and it will be no difference here. While Argentina's attack will evoke anxiety for any opposition defense, Brazil's new steely resolve under coach Dunga - added to Neymar's creative spark - makes them equally formidable. Colombia will look to continue their rapid ascent under Pekerman, who steered the Cafeteros to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time last year.

As hosts, Chile cannot be discounted. Jorge Sampaoli's team were unlucky to be defeated on penalties by Brazil in the World Cup round of 16. Led by Sanchez and Vidal, they will fancy their chances of at least going a step or two further here. Endi