Copa America: The story so far

The Copa America knockout phase does not kick off until Wednesday, but the tournament has already provided its share of major headlines. Here are a selection of some of the biggest talking points so far.

BEST PLAYER

Arturo Vidal has more than lived up to his pre-tournament billing as one of the Copa America's key players. The Juventus midfielder is the competition's leading scorer with three goals and also has an assist to his name. But he is not the only Chilean to be vying for player of the tournament honors. Others include fellow midfielders Jorge Valdivia and Charles Aranguiz, as well as attacker Eduardo Vargas. Valdivia has been particularly impressive. Having been struck down by a series leg muscle injuries in recent years, the 31-year-old looks rejuvenated here. His two assists in the first three matches are only a small reflection of his worth to Jorge Sampaoli's team. Valdivia has proven himself to be an indispensable part of La Roja's midfield with his speed, vision and long-range passing.

BEST GOAL

Alexis Sanchez gets the nod for a goal that combined pure skill with breathtaking ingenuity in Chile's 5-0 victory over Bolivia. The Arsenal forward went on a mazy run to the edge of the penalty area before laying off a pass to Valdivia. The Palmeiras man then chipped a first-time return pass two yards in front of Sanchez and at an awkward height. The 26-year-old instinctively launched himself horizontally and arrowed a header between two defenders and into the far corner.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Along with Chile and Argentina, Paraguay are the only side to go through the group stage without losing a match. With some more good fortune they could have snatched victories against both Uruguay and Argentina. Ramon Diaz's team will fancy their chances against Brazil on Saturday in what will be a repeat of their 2011 Copa America quarterfinal encounter, which Paraguay won on penalties. The other team to impress has been Bolivia, who entered the tournament having not won a Copa America match since 1997. With a win and a draw from their opening three matches in arguably the tournament's toughest group, they have already exceeded the expectations of many pundits.

BEST TEAM

Despite lingering doubts about their defence, Sampaoli's men have shown why some rate them Chile's best ever national team. La Roja have an ideal balance of youth and experience and, in Vidal and Alexis Sanchez, they boast two genuine world class players. Crucially, Chile don't seem to have been weighed down by the pressure of being tournament hosts.

< BIGGEST SCANDAL

As good as Vidal has been in this tournament so far, he has made more headlines for his off-field behavior than for his deeds on the pitch. Last Tuesday Vidal was arrested for drink-driving after crashing his Ferrari on the outskirts of Santiago. He suffered only minor bruising in the incident, despite the fact his car was left with extensive damage. After being briefly held in custody, police said Vidal was free to continue playing while investigations into the incident continue. The 28-year-old later made a tearful apology to Chile's fans and they seem to have forgiven him, regularly chanting his name during the team's 5-0 victory over Bolivia at the Estadio Nacional on Friday.

HERO TO ZERO

While Vidal's indiscretion hasn't prevented him from playing at the Copa America, Brazil star Neymar has had no such luck, despite having committed a misdemeanor that most would agree is far less serious. If Vidal has been accused of putting the lives of himself and others at risk, Neymar was guilty of no more than petulance when he kicked a ball at Pablo Armero and then clashed with Carlos Bacca after Brazil's 1-0 loss to Colombia. The outburst earned him a red card and subsequent four-match suspension, ruling him out for the rest of the tournament. He will have been left to mull how quickly things can change in football. Less than three weeks ago, the 23-year-old played a key role in Barcelona's victory over Juventus in the Champions League final.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Mexico have already departed Chile without a win and some would say that is all they deserved, even before their first match against Bolivia. Coach Miguel Herrera's decision not to bring a full strength side came after he evidently chose to prioritize the little known CONCACAF Gold Cup in July ahead of football's oldest continental trophy. Among those who didn't make the trip to Chile were Javier Hernandez (Real Madrid), Andres Guardado (PSV Eindhoven), Hector Herrera (Porto), Diego Reyes (Porto) and brothers Giovani Dos Santos and Jonathan Dos Santos (Villareal). Endi