National Team Overview: Chile

The national football team of Chile will play this year’s Cpoa América with great expectations.

Chile will give venue to the Copa América 2015 and so football enthusiasts in the small country next to the Pacific Ocean expect great spectacles and terrific matches while their team will be playing against the rivals. And online gambling sites in Chile believe that Jorge Sampaoli’s men will do everything in their power in order to make their supporters’ wishes come true.

Chile has never won the Copa

Chile is not among the most successful teams in the history of the Copa América as they are a small country with some great football players in the past, but not a real outstanding team. However, La Roja used to have major successes in the continental tournament even though they have never been named as the best team in South América.

• Chile aims to win its first golden medal
• They always do well at home
• Alexis Sanchez will be key figure

The Chilean national team has claimed the 4th place 10 times and they have received the bronze medal 5 times. In addition, they have also reached the final 4 times, only to lose them all – once against Argentina in 1955, then one year later against Uruguay, after that against Paraguay in 1979 and eventually against Uruguay again. That latter one has happened in 1987, Chile hasn’t played a final ever since.

Jorge Sampaoli’s men are aiming to win their first golden medal this year. Chile has been host nation of the event 7 times until now and they have always reached at least the semi-finald during these years when they gave venue to the event. At first it was in 1920 when they finished as fourth, while 6 years later they improved 1, they finished on the third place, according to the reports of mobile betting sites.

In 1941 and 1945, Chile hosted Copa América again, and they got the bronze medal on both occasions. Another improvement was noticed in 1955, when Chile once again gave venue to the event and reached the final, only to lose it against Argentina. Copa América was in Chile in 1991 for the last time until now, they have once again been third back then. They expect not to break this great series of getting good results at home.

Chile has a chance to do well again

The squad of the Chilean national team is quite strong this year which makes it completely possible for them to reach a great place in the end of the event. Jorge Sampaoli’s army has strong forces in all positions of the field and they are not lacking the required extra of the top class players, because they also have that.

Football experts usually highlight that a good goalkeeper is the most important thing when building a team that aims to be successful. Chile has that. Their team captain is Barcelona’s 29-year-old Claudio Bravo, who plays very well in his club as they have won both the Spanish Cup and the La Liga this season, and they will play the Champions League final just before the beginning of the Copa América, even though the fact that probably Ter Stegen will start for Barcelona.

Chile might have some minor problems when it comes to the defensive line as Internazionale’s Gary Medel and Juventus’ Mauricio Isla are the biggest name in these positions. However, they will be able to defend well against their rivals if they move together as a team – all in all, it is not individuals who win matches, but the collective cooperation, and that is also what wins the trophies.

On the midfield, Arturo Vidal is one of the most popular name and one of the best players in the world in his position. He plays for Italian champion Juventus and he had huge part of the Turin-based side reaching the final of the Champions League upon knocking out Real Madrid in the semi-finals. Vidal will face his national team captain Claudio Bravo in Berlin on te 6th of June.

Alexis Sánchez is the star who has the shiniest name among the strikers, according to the reports of Chilean gambling news. He plays for Arsenal now, he was member of FC Barcelona before joining Wenger’s side. He is expected to give top class performances as he has 26 goals in 79 international encounters. His pair in the attacking third could be either Napoli’s Eduardo Vargas or Atalanta’s Mauricio Pinilla.