As a player and a coach, Jurgen Klinsmann has been a part of many international tournaments, and the U.S. Men’s National Team head coach believes the one his team currently faces will be more rigorous than the one across the Atlantic.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s friendly against Ecuador, Klinsmann said he believes that the upcoming Copa America will be just as, if not more, competitive than Euro 2016.
“If you compare this Copa America with these 16 nations, compared to the 24 going into the Euros,” Klinsmann said on Tuesday, “then I almost think you have more quality in this Copa America than you have in this diluted, 24-team version of the European Championship.
“The six CONCACAF nations are very good, very strong and obviously the South Americans are all powerhouses. If you look at the World Cup qualifying campaign in South America and who is fighting for spot four, five, six, it’s impressive.”
While the Euros obviously boast reigning World Cup champions Germany, the upcoming Copa America features eight teams that qualified for the 2014 World Cup’s knockout rounds compared to just five from Europe. The two tournaments also split the top 10 teams in the current FIFA rankings, with Argentina currently maintaining the top spot.
“It’s not easy to go to Argentina and Brazil,” Klinsmann said. “So what we’re going to see in this Copa America is very special, and it can easily compete with the European Championship.”
What do you think of Klinsmann’s comments? Do you agree that the Copa America features more quality? Which tournament are you most looking forward to?
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