A deflected first-half strike from Rodrygo handed Brazil a crucial 1-0 victory over Ecuador as they halted a three-match losing run in 2026 World Cup qualifying.

Dorival Junior's team approached Friday's game off the pace in the CONMEBOL qualification group, sitting sixth after defeats to Uruguay, Colombia and Argentina in late 2023.

They produced another disjointed performance in Curitiba and were indebted to Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who struck the winner on the half-hour mark.

Taking Lucas Paqueta's pass on the turn 25 yards from goal, Rodrygo cut onto his right foot before seeing his effort strike William Pacho and nestle in the bottom-left corner.

Rodrygo went close to a second six minutes later but it was far from smooth sailing for the hosts, who needed a huge save from Alisson to preserve their lead on the stroke of half-time.

The Liverpool goalkeeper made himself big to deny Moises Caicedo when one-on-one in what proved to be Ecuador's best chance, as Brazil leapfrogged their opponents to go fourth in the table with 10 points from seven matches.

Data Debrief: Selecao still missing their spark

Brazil were flat and unimpressive at the Copa America, and there were few signs of the Selecao rediscovering their attacking spark here.

They enjoyed 57.4% of the possession in Friday's game but could only convert that into 10 shots tallying 0.46 expected goals (xG), to Ecuador's 0.85 xG from nine attempts.

Rodrygo and Alisson stepped up in the moments that mattered for Brazil, but performances like these will ensure even reaching the 2026 World Cup is a slog for the five-time winners. 

Real Madrid centre-back Eder Militao has left Brazil's training camp ahead of World Cup qualifiers versus Ecuador and Paraguay due to a leg injury.

Brazil have made a dismal start to their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign and sit sixth in the 10-team CONMEBOL group after six games, with two wins, one draw and three defeats.

Dorival Junior's side will have to cope without key defender Militao for the first international break of the season, after the Brazilian FA (CBF) confirmed he had suffered an injury.

"Defender Eder Militao complained of muscle pain in his right thigh after training on Wednesday and after medical exams carried out on Thursday, it was identified a small muscle injury in his right thigh," the CBF said in a statement.

"The player has been ruled out of Brazil's next two qualifying matches and the CBF expresses its solidarity with the player at this time and wishes him a speedy recovery."

Militao, who missed most of last season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, is the latest Madrid player to suffer injury problems at the start of this season.

Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and left-back Ferland Mendy both left France's camp ahead of their Nations League clashes against Italy and Belgium due to injuries sustained in Los Blancos' 2-0 win over Real Betis on Sunday.

Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos and Jude Bellingham have also suffered from injuries in the last few weeks, while David Alaba is still recovering from an ACL tear suffered last term.

Victor Wembanyama scored eight of his 18 points in overtime to ensure France edged Japan 94-90 to maintain their unbeaten start at the Paris Olympics. 

Japan looked set to cause an unlikely upset against the hosts, but Matthew Strazel's four-point play with 10 seconds of the fourth quarter remaining spared their blushes.

"The shot of his life," Wembanyama said on Strazel's shot that sent the game into overtime at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille. 

Wembanyama then took centre stage, scoring the first eight points of overtime to give France a 92-84 cushion.

Japan would battle back and got to within two points of their opponents, but the home team were able to close out the contest at the free throw line. 

Wembanyama also finished with 11 rebounds and six assists, and recalled the moment when the encounter changed in overtime. 

"The realisation, the dynamic of the game," Wembanyama said. 

"They were playing like underdogs and we were waiting for them to punch a little bit too much. I wanted to make a point and punch first in overtime. And it worked."

France remained in second place in Group B behind fellow unbeaten nation Germany, with the pair squaring off this Friday to see who will finish on top. 

Dennis Schroder starred for Germany in the final game on Tuesday, as the Brooklyn Nets point guard notched 20 points and six assists in their 86-73 win over Brazil. 

Victor Wembanyama says he "knew it was going to be a good day" after starring for France in their 78-66 victory over Brazil in Group B.

Despite a slow start by the hosts, which saw them trailing early in the second quarter, Wembanyama helped to steady their nerves in Lille.

The NBA Rookie of the Year last season came away with 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots as he inspired his nation in front of a sell-out crowd.

France did not fully seal the victory until late on though, with Nicolas Batum's 3-pointer putting them up by 10 with less than a minute and a half remaining before Wembanyama's dunk made sure of the points in the next possession.

"I knew it was going to be a good day," he said.

"You can't underestimate the power of the crowd, the home crowd. I think it's really going to be the sixth man for this whole tournament."

Meanwhile, team-mate Evan Fournier was quick to heap praise on the 20-year-old after the game.

"I think he did pretty damn good," he said. "He can do so many things that sometimes it's like a burden because he doesn't focus on just one thing."

France will face Japan in their second game of Group B on Tuesday before their final match against Germany. 

Manchester City have completed the signing of Savinho from Troyes on a five-year deal.

The Brazil international is Pep Guardiola's first arrival ahead of the 2024-25 season, in which City will look to extend their unprecedented four-year hold on the Premier League trophy.

Savinho played a key role during a loan spell with Girona last term, his 11 goals and 10 assists helping them to a third-place finish in LaLiga and qualification to the Champions League for the first time in their history.

The 20-year-old, who was part of Brazil's recent Copa America campaign, will wear the number 26 shirt at the Etihad Stadium, and could make his debut in the Community Shield clash with Manchester United on August 10.

"I'm so happy to be joining Manchester City, the Premier League champions and Club World Cup winners," he told the club's official website. "Everyone knows they are the best team in the world right now, so to be here is very exciting for me. 

"I'm excited about the chance to work under Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest coaches ever, and someone I know will help me improve even more.

"I had an amazing time in Spain, and I'm looking forward to a new challenge of playing in the Premier League and alongside some of the best players in the world.

"I can't wait to meet the fans and my new team-mates and hopefully be a part of bringing more success to City."

Argentina are Copa America champions once again.

They were the pre-tournament favourites according to Opta's supercomputer, and they lived up to the billing in the United States, retaining their title and winning the Copa America for a record 16th time.

Lionel Scaloni's team beat Colombia 1-0 in Sunday's final, despite Lionel Messi going off injured and in tears, with Lautaro Martinez sealing victory in extra time.

Martinez was one of the standout positives from the Copa America, but who were the others, and which teams and players failed to impress?

THE TOPS

Argentina

Let's start with the champions. They won the Copa America while only conceding one goal in their six matches, with Scaloni's success built on a mean defence, rather than just the magic of Messi.

Indeed, Messi's magic was in somewhat short supply. He was a creative fulcrum in Argentina's opening win over Canada, and then scored his only goal of the tournament against Jesse Marsch's team in a semi-final reunion, but injuries plagued his campaign.

He was in tears as he made his way to the bench in Sunday's final, but nevertheless bowed out of what will surely be his final Copa America as a back-to-back champion.

Argentina were not always pretty, but with the now-retired Angel Di Maria and Golden Boot winner Martinez picking up the slack, along with Emiliano Martinez in fine form between the sticks, they got the job done.

Lautaro Martinez

Argentina's hero was not Messi in the end, but instead it was Martinez, who completed something of a redemption arc after he endured a poor World Cup on a personal level in Qatar, where he failed to convert any of his 14 attempts at goal.

Indeed, Martinez headed into the Copa America without having scored for Argentina in World Cup 2026 qualifying, and he was not going to be a regular starter.

Well, he wasn't a regular starter, playing only 221 minutes, but he scored five times to clinch the Golden Boot, matching the best tally by Argentine players at the Copa America since the turn of the century (Messi in 2016, Juan Roman Riquelme in 2007).

Martinez scored every 44 minutes on average, having 11 shots and outperforming his 3.26 xG.

James Rodriguez

Messi might have been unable to take a starring role, but James Rodriguez ensured there was one number 10 who took centre-stage at this edition of the tournament.

James was not picked for Colombia's squad in 2021, yet he has been made his team's main man again by Nestor Lorenzo, who was rewarded by some quite sensational displays.

The 33-year-old provided six assists, breaking the record Messi set in 2021 (five), while creating a tournament-leading 20 chances, six more than any other player.

James wanted the ultimate prize, but ultimately had to settle with being named the Copa America Player of the Tournament.

Marcelo Bielsa

El Loco is back in business, and even though Uruguay didn't reach the final, falling short in the semis, they are a team moulded in their coach's profile.

Bielsa has his side playing front-foot, fast-paced football, but they are also stern defenders, as they proved in a goalless draw with Brazil, which they then won on penalties despite having gone down to 10 men.

The future is bright with Bielsa at the helm.

Jesse Marsch and Canada

Not much was expected of tournament debutants Canada, but two years in advance of co-hosting the World Cup, the Reds went on a great run to the semi-finals.

Sure, they only won one match in normal time, but a penalty shoot-out victory over Venezuela in the quarters teed up a rematch against Argentina and the champions just had too much quality (again).

Jesse Marsch's stock was low after he was sacked by Leeds United, but after a spell out of the game, this job looks to be the perfect fit for the confident American.

And with Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David spearheading Canada's hopes in 2026, perhaps something special is on the cards.

THE FLOPS

Brazil

Dorival Junior, who took over as Brazil head coach in January, has asked for time and patience to complete a rebuild, having left several big names out due to a lack of form or fitness. Neymar, of course, was also absent, having missed pretty much all of last season due to injury.

But the Selecao really did flop at this Copa America.

Their only win came against Paraguay (4-1) in the group stage, and their failure to top Group D meant they went up against Uruguay in the last eight.

Vinicius Junior scored a double against Paraguay but then got himself suspended for the clash with La Celeste. If he had been available, maybe matters might have been different, but as it was, the nine-time Copa America champions crashed out.

United States

The USA were meant to go far at what was a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup. Instead, they slumped out in the group stage and Gregg Berhalter was fired.

It is the first time the Stars and Stripes have failed to advance after winning their opening group-stage match of a tournament, having previously advanced all 23 times they had won their opener.

After beating Bolivia, USA lost to Panama and Uruguay in a damp squib of a campaign.

US Soccer must now try and move on from the Berhalter era. They have a talented squad at their disposal, but a golden generation could be wasted if they do not get their next appointment right.

Jurgen Klopp has reportedly been approached, and reportedly turned that offer down, too.

The organisers

From poor pitches to poor organisation, CONMEBOL did not come out of this tournament well.

Bielsa and Marsch both lambasted the governing body during their final press conferences, while Messi and Scaloni were critical of the quality of the playing surfaces.

And then, before the final, crowd trouble outside Miami's Hard Rock stadium forced the postponement of the showpiece. Oh, and there was also that matter of fighting in the stands between Uruguay players and Colombia fans.

There's work to do on that front.

Mexico 

Only twice in 10 previous participations at the Copa America had Mexico gone out in the group stage, failing to win a game in back-to-back editions in 2011 and 2015.

El Tri did manage a victory this time around, beating Jamaica 1-0 in their Group B opener, but that was as good as it got as a 1-0 loss to Venezuela and a goalless draw with Ecuador saw them edged out on goal difference, finishing third in their pool.

Mexico scored just once from chances totalling 4.86 xG, their forwards letting them down as they recorded the second-worst underperformance at the tournament (behind Canada, - 4.36).

Darwin Nunez

Nunez was wasteful for Liverpool throughout the 2023-24 season, and things did not change for him at the Copa America despite Uruguay entertaining en route to the semi-finals.

His two goals, both of which came in the group stage, came from a total of 21 shots worth 2.68 xG, and only five of those efforts saw him hit the target.

His figure of 1.93 expected goals on target (xGoT), meanwhile, demonstrated the way in which his sub-par finishing made opportunities less likely to result in a goal.

Nunez's tournament then ended with the forward being involved in violent clashes with Colombia fans after La Celeste's semi-final defeat. 

Where did it all go wrong for Brazil at the Copa America?

The Selecao went into the tournament as the second favourites, with the Opta supercomputer rating their chances of lifting the trophy at 23.2%.

Yet the nine-time Copa America champions were instead left licking their wounds after losing 4-2 to in-form Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals.

Brazil could have avoided that tie with Marcelo Bielsa's team, and instead have faced Panama, had they shown more in the group stage.

But as it was, an opening 0-0 draw with Costa Rica and a closing 1-1 draw with Colombia, another of the Copa America's most impressive teams, meant a 4-1 win over Paraguay marked the only bright spark in a disappointing campaign.

Dorival Junior, who took over as head coach in January, has asked for time and patience to complete a rebuild, having left several big names out due to a lack of form or fitness. Neymar, of course, was also absent, having missed pretty much all of last season due to injury.

But with Brazil also sixth in the CONMEBOL qualifying standings for the 2026 World Cup, what do the underlying metrics from the Copa America suggest about the Selecao?

Vini the Neymar replacement... Or not?

There was plenty of responsibility placed on Vinicius Junior heading into the tournament, with the Real Madrid winger tasked with being the player to take over the mantle from the absent Neymar, who will be 34 by the time the next World Cup rolls around.

Yet Vinicius could not light this tournament up.

In Brazil's opening match against Costa Rica, Vinicius did not manage to get a shot off, though he did create three chances for his team-mates, registering a respectable expected assists (xA) figure of 0.46. Essentially, there was a 46% chance the opportunities he created could have ended up as a goal.

Vinicius did take centre stage in the second group match, scoring twice in that victory over Paraguay. His double came from three shots with an expected goals (xG) value of 0.81.

The winger attempted 17 dribbles in that match, completing seven of them; it was the second-most dribbles attempted by a Brazil player at the Copa America since Opta began recording such data in 2011, behind Neymar's 19 against Peru in 2015.

Yet that was really the only glimpse of what Vinicius can truly do, and a reckless booking against Colombia in Brazil's third match saw him suspended for the tie with Uruguay.

Without their talisman, and even with a man advantage for the last chunk of the second half, Brazil were limited to just seven shots and only 0.58 xG.

Sure, Raphinha, Rodrygo and Endrick - who is a superstar in the making, though he was unable to make his mark at this tournament - are quality attackers in their own right, but with Vinicius unable to wield the same amount of influence he has at Madrid, there was definitely some cutting-edge missing from Brazil's attack.

Does Dorival deserve time?

Dorival urged Brazilian fans to show his team patience in the wake of their exit.

"We are undergoing a very important renovation or reinvention of this team," he said. "I have only coached this team for eight matches and this is a process that we have to go through.

"We are aware of the difficulties we will come across throughout the path, but we now lost a match in the knockouts and that wasn't what we expected."

But was there really enough promise shown for fans to show that patience?

Brazil scored five goals across their four matches, which is a tally bettered only by five teams, though of course, it has to be noted that four of those came in one match.

What about the xG? Well, Brazil accumulated 6.33 during their stay in the United States, which is the fourth-highest figure in the tournament as it stands.

Yet we must again take that Paraguay game into account, with 3.74 xG coming in that match alone, over half of their total amount.

So, that leaves just 2.59 xG across the other three matches, an average of 0.86 per game. The Selecao have also been held to two goalless draws.

They mustered 50 shots (12.5 per 90), which is less than Ecuador (51), Venezuela (55) and Mexico (58) - who dropped out in the group stage. 

Defensively, Brazil were stingy, conceding only twice, though they did offer up 3.24 xG against.

And even in that game against Paraguay, Alisson made five saves, the most by a Brazilian goalkeeper in a Copa America match since detailed data began being recorded in 2011. 

In midfield, Bruno Guimaeres and Lucas Paqueta were industrious, with the latter winning 12 of 15 attempted tackles, but that area of the pitch is becoming increasingly workmanlike. 

That's not something Dorival can particularly control, with Brazil sides seemingly now less about flair and more about tenacity, but it does not feel like the Selecao without that sprinkling of stardust.

It's definitely not time to call time on the Dorival project just yet, but Brazil did look largely disjointed at times, and that is on the coach to resolve.

Uruguay showed their character and the national team's "style" in their penalty shootout win over Brazil, so says Marcelo Bielsa.

Fifteen-time Copa America champions Uruguay progressed to the semi-finals at Brazil's expense with a 4-2 victory in the shootout after a 0-0 draw in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Uruguay, who have quickly adapted to Bielsa's full-throttle attacking approach, had to play out the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Nahitan Nandez was sent off for a lunge on Rodrygo.

It meant the usual offensive tactics had to make way for defensive ones, though from Nandez's red card onwards, Uruguay limited Brazil to just two attempts.

"Everything that happens, happens Uruguayan style, because the players are the ones that give their all to the team," Bielsa said.

"It was a match with very little goal opportunities, highly contested, very close, even with very little changes in possession.

"When we were one man down, we decided to dedicate ourselves to defending in our half.

"So holding on to that result as the Uruguayan team did shows the profile of Uruguayan football.

"They were very calm in the penalty shootout that demands not only accuracy but also character."

Uruguay have now kept three successive clean sheets, while they limited Brazil to 0.58 expected goals (xG), and their defensive resilience has pleased Bielsa.

"I am a bit more drawn to the offensive than the defensive game, but in a match that was as tight as this one, we created one more opportunity than our opponent and we defended well," Bielsa added.

"I do think that defensively, not because I achieved it but because the players are inherently good at defending, that they are very good at keeping a clean sheet."

This is the first time Uruguay have reached the semi-finals of the Copa America since the last time they won the trophy in 2011.

La Celeste had endured three consecutive quarter-final appearances without advancing, with two of those being decided by penalties (2019 and 2021).

Uruguay will face in-form Colombia, who hammered Paraguay 5-0, in the last four.

Dorival Junior has asked for time to complete his revamp of the Brazil national team after the Selecao's Copa America exit.

Brazil, nine-time Copa America champions, lost 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw with 10-man Uruguay in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Eder Militao and Douglas Luiz were unsuccessful from 12 yards, as a disappointing and often disjointed campaign for Brazil, who were without the suspended Vinicius Junior, came to a halt.

Dorival left out some big names for the tournament, while Neymar was absent through injury, and the coach, who was appointed in January, has reiterated the rebuild will require some patience.

He said: "We are undergoing a very important renovation or reinvention of this team.

"I have only coached this team for eight matches and this is a process that we have to go through.

"We are aware of the difficulties we will come across throughout the path, but we now lost a match in the knockouts and that wasn't what we expected."

Brazil are sixth in the South American qualification standings for the 2026 World Cup, and Dorival knows the Selecao must sharpen up.

"We have a lot of room to continue growing, evolving, improving and our main objective now is to qualify for the World Cup," he continued.

"Right now we are sixth in the standings, we are not comfortable with that."

Dorival did, however, point to Uruguay's rise back to form under Marcelo Bielsa as evidence that long-term projects can come to fruition.

"I think the Uruguayan national team has a pattern, a very well-defined pattern," he said.

"They have been working for a long time together. They had some problems at first, they corrected them.

"Now they are finding great results. I think we will achieve all that as well, not a doubt about it, but we need some time to make such corrections.

"We had some issues at the beginning of the tournament. I think we corrected plenty of mistakes. 

"It is tough given the period of time that we had to work to try to speed up the process. I think we'll have some more time in the future."

Brazil were dumped out of the Copa America by 10-man Uruguay, who survived Nahitan Nandez's red card to win on penalties after a bad-tempered, goalless quarter-final.

Marcelo Bielsa's team played the final 16 minutes a man down after Nandez was dismissed for a reckless lunge on Rodrygo, but with star winger Vinicius Junior suspended, Brazil were unable to find a winner and were made to pay in the shoot-out.

Sergio Rochet saved from Eder Militao before Douglas Luiz struck the post, and though Jose Gimenez squandered Uruguay's first chance to win it, Manuel Ugarte made no mistake with their next attempt.

They will now face Colombia in the last four after James Rodriguez inspired Los Cafeteros to a 5-0 rout of Panama, while Brazil's wait for a 10th Copa title goes on.

Brazil struggled to match Uruguay's intensity early on and survived a couple of close calls. Darwin Nunez saw a header hit Militao and drop just wide of the left-hand post before Mathias Olivera powered over the crossbar from the resulting corner.

The Selecao's first opening came just before the half-hour mark as Endrick intercepted a loose back pass from Matias Vina before finding Raphinha, who was just unable to get his shot off.

Uruguay lost Ronald Araujo to a hamstring injury 33 minutes in, and though the game became littered with fouls, both sides carved out chances before the interval.

Nunez should have done better when he headed Nandez's glorious right-wing cross over, then Raphinha twice shot straight at Rochet after scampering in behind.

Federico Valverde fired over after the break as the blood-and-thunder nature of the game continued. Referee Dario Herrera repeatedly dipped into his pocket as the challenges became ever more rugged, and with 74 minutes played, he brandished a red card.

Originally booked for catching Rodrygo in full flight with his studs high on his opponent's ankle, Nandez was given his marching orders following a VAR review. 

Penalties were Uruguay's goal from then on as they sacrificed Nunez for an extra defensive body and sat deep, and they got over the line as Endrick sent a tame effort straight at Rochet, making it three of four Copa quarter-finals to go to a shoot-out this year.

While Uruguay's first three kicks were perfect, Rochet got down to palm Militao's effort away and Luiz struck the left post, putting La Celeste on the brink.

Captain Gimenez was denied by a fine stop by Alisson, but Ugarte kept his nerve to blast his kick home and win the tie.

Uruguay battle through 

Alongside the vibrant atmospheres and silky skills on display at the Copa America, the tournament is often characterised by a little rough and tumble.

That was certainly the case on Saturday, with Uruguay's 26 fouls committed the highest figure recorded by any team at this year's tournament, the previous high being 20 (by three teams).

Endrick and Rodrygo were bullied out of the contest, even failing to make their mark after Nandez's terrible challenge on the latter gave the Selecao a one-man advantage. 

While Uruguay have won plaudits for their free-flowing approach under Bielsa at this tournament, it was their old grit that got them over the line on Saturday, with South America's great overachievers punching above their weight once again.

Penalty pain for toothless Brazil

Penalties were Brazil's nemesis at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as they were stunned by Croatia at the quarter-final stage, and it was a similar story here.

It was their failings in regulation time, however, that cost them.

After Nandez's 74th-minute dismissal, Brazil only managed two shots of any description. The first came from the free-kick that resulted from Nandez's foul, and the second was a tame 20-yard attempt from Endrick.

Endrick, remarkably, played the full 90 minutes and only completed one pass, from kick-off.

In total, the two teams managed just 21 touches in the opposing penalty areas, the joint-fewest in any game at this tournament, alongside Costa Rica versus Paraguay.

Luis Suarez admitted that "the flame is dying out" as he edges towards the end of his career.

Suarez is currently at the Copa America with Uruguay, who topped their group with three wins from three and are preparing for a quarter-final against Brazil.

Unlike in previous tournaments where he was the main man, the 37-year-old has been limited to just two substitute appearances so far, with Marcelo Bielsa steering the side towards younger talents.

Despite only playing for eight minutes in total, Suarez, who is Uruguay's all-time top scorer with 68 goals, is determined to enjoy what is likely his final major tournament for his country.

"I'm enjoying every moment very much," Suarez told AUF TV.

"It is something that at my age, as you get older, you enjoy it more and more whether you're playing a lot or playing a little, because you know that the flame of football is dying out.

"I'm just one more [player in the squad], you've already seen it. Playing or not playing, I'm happy with the part I'm doing and trying to help as much as I can."

While Suarez was at Atletico Madrid, head coach Diego Simeone described a crucial period in the 2020-21 title race as entering the 'Luis Suarez zone', as they used his experience to get them over the line.

With Uruguay, though, Suarez is putting his faith in the young players to get the job done against Brazil.

"I hope [the zone] doesn't appear in this Copa because that would mean that Uruguay is doing well and that it's not necessary," the forward added.

"If it's needed, we'll be there because we hope to write another chapter in the national team.

"This group gave a very big blow in the World Cup qualifiers by beating Brazil and Argentina. They earned that power on the pitch by showing that they can beat anyone.

"The time has come to prove it, and it's a great test for us."

Marcelo Bielsa has urged Uruguay to go out on the front foot when they face Brazil in the Copa America quarter-final on Saturday.

Uruguay topped Group C after winning all three of their games, scoring nine goals and conceding just once.

They come up against a stuttering Brazil side, who only won one of their matches to finish as runners-up behind Colombia in Group D.

Bielsa is determined to keep the team's focus on their own game plan, as they will try to catch Selecao out with their high-pressure approach from the start.

"Normally I focus on the sector of the pitch we play in, how we recover the ball, whether we threaten and how we threaten, and whether the way we build the attack is the style I want the team to play," Bielsa said in a press conference on Friday.

One player Uruguay will not come up against is Vinicius Junior, who has scored twice for Brazil at the tournament, as he is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

However, the former Leeds United manager, who will be back on the touchline after serving a one-match ban against the USA, believes Brazil have strength in depth that can cause just as many problems as the winger.

"Personally, I don't think [Vinicius'] absence will affect us," Bielsa said.

"Brazil are a country that has a lot of wingers at both ends of the pitch at the moment, and they play in big teams all over the world.

"Brazil's replacement, Endrick, will not be easy to neutralise in Vinicius' absence."

Dorival Junior confirmed Endrick will earn his first start for Brazil ahead of their Copa America quarter-final with Uruguay. 

Endrick will replace future Real Madrid team-mate Vinicius Junior after the Ballon d'Or hopeful picked up his second yellow card of the tournament against Colombia. 

The teenager, who has scored three goals in nine appearances for the Selecao Canarinha, will join Raphinha and Rodrygo in attack for the fixture at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

"The attack has already been decided. Raphinha, Endrick and Rodrygo. I hope we can continue finding the way to goals," Junior said.

"I think the work focuses on giving athletes the possibility of attacking the opponent's last line. We hope Endrick is very well prepared to deliver on everything we expect from him.

“We lost an important player, but we gained a player who has been emerging, looking for an opportunity. Who knows, this could be Endrick's moment."

Brazil scored five goals in their group fixtures at the tournament, four of which came in the first half, their highest tally since 1999 at that stage of the competition (5).

Raphinha netted his seventh international goal in Brazil's final Group D fixture against Colombia, but insisted that Endrick's arrival in the starting line-up would not affect his role in the side. 

“My role on the field does not change. Endrick plays another position. We have that profile of adapting quickly to any position," he said. 

"My position on the field is not going to change. It will change depending on one or another player and the circumstances of the game.”

Dorival, meanwhile, said Brazil were under no illusions about the challenge of facing a Uruguay team who finished top of their first round group with a 100% record.

"They are a team that deserves all our respect," the Brazilian coach said.

"This could be a semi-final or the final of the Cup. We are rivals who know each other and respect each other and it will be a great match."

Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay are the only team capable of stopping Argentina from defending their Copa America crown, so says Sergio Aguero.

First, though, Uruguay will have to overcome nine-time Copa America champions Brazil.

Uruguay, who topped Group C with nine points from their three games, face the Selecao in Las Vegas on Saturday. They scored nine times across those three group contests, which is three goals more than any other team in the competition.

Brazil finished second in Group D, behind Colombia, drawing two and winning one of their matches. Not securing top spot means they now have to overcome a huge quarter-final test.

Former Argentina striker Aguero feels that Uruguay, not Brazil, are the favourites to challenge the reigning champions, who scraped past Ecuador on penalties to reach the last four.

In an interview with Stake.com, Aguero said: "I think Uruguay have a lot to give now with Bielsa. They should go far in the tournament.

"I think Argentina are their own biggest threat, and we shouldn't be overconfident. But Uruguay are the only team that could beat us, because Bielsa knows Lionel Scaloni very well.

"Let's not forget that Uruguay is the only team that has beat us since becoming world champions."

As well as beating Argentina in World Cup qualifying, Uruguay have also defeated Brazil.

And their achievement in winning 100% of the available points in the group stage was the first time they had done that in the Copa since 1942, when they won all six of their matches and were crowned champions.

In a further boost to Bielsa's team, Brazil's talisman Vinicius Junior will miss the game due to suspension.

"Vini is a top player who can win games for us," Brazil defender Danilo said.

"But we have other players with a lot of quality and potential, and let's try to make up for Vini's absence."

Real Madrid forward Vinicius is Brazil's leading scorer at the tournament, with both of his goals having come in the 4-1 win over Paraguay on Matchday 2.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Uruguay - Sergio Rochet

Goalkeeper Rochet has kept a clean sheet in six of the last seven matches he has played for Uruguay across all competitions.

The only team that managed to score against him during this period was Panama, in Uruguay's 3-1 victory in the group stage.

Brazil - Raphinha

Raphinha scored Brazil's goal in their 1-1 draw with Colombia last time out, and with Vinicius out of action, the onus will be on the Barcelona man to provide the spark in attack.

Against Colombia, he attempted six dribbles, completing three of them, with both figures being team highs. His direct free-kick goal was the first scored by a Brazil player since 2019.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW (IN 90 MINUTES)

We have already had one penalty shootout in the Copa America quarters, and Opta's model is suggesting we could have another, with the supercomputer finding it hard to separate these sides.

Brazil and Uruguay are two of the three teams who have not fallen behind at any point of the tournament, alongside Argentina, so it may not come as a surprise to see the system predicting a tight contest.

Uruguay have lost only one of their 10 quarter-final matches at the Copa America (W4 D5), since this round was first played in 1993. Half of these games have been decided by penalty shootouts, with Uruguay winning two of those.

This will be the first knockout meeting between these nations at the Copa America since the 2007 semi-finals, when Brazil won on penalties en route to becoming champions.

Knocking out Brazil is no mean feat. They have never lost a knockout match against Uruguay in the Copa America, with two wins and three draws (W2 L1 of the penalty shootouts). 

And, in a streak that is ongoing since 2011, Brazil have not conceded more than one goal in any of their last 24 Copa matches.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Uruguay - 35.6%

Brazil - 37.4%

Draw - 27%