Dorival Junior feels Vinicius Junior suffered an "injustice" by not winning the Ballon d'Or, as the Brazil head coach slammed the "unfair situation".

The Real Madrid winger failed to scoop the accolade despite scoring 24 goals and providing 11 assists last season, as Los Blancos won a LaLiga and Champions League double.

The club opted to skip the ceremony after hearing Vinicius Junior would miss out on the top award, which was won by Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri.

Madrid's decision not to attend generated mixed reviews. City head coach Pep Guardiola empathised with Carlo Ancelotti's side, but LaLiga president Javier Tebas accused them of "exaggerated victimhood".

Dorival acknowledges Rodri was deserving of the award, having helped City to an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title before starring Spain's victorious Euro 2024 squad.

However, the Selecao boss believes Vinicius has every right to feel aggrieved at missing out.

"In my opinion, [it's] an unfair situation, especially because it is an individual award," Dorival told reporters during a press conference.

"Nothing against whoever won the award, quite the opposite. It is the recognition of one of the great players of Spanish football, but Vinicius - for the work he did - should have received different attention.

"But the greatest prize that Vinícius won was the recognition and respect of his people. The vast majority of the Brazilian people realised the injustice that was done to the player who could have deservedly received the award."

Dorival Junior expects to see Brazil qualify for the 2026 World Cup following their 2-1 victory over Chile, despite inconsistent form so far.

The Selecao had lost four of their previous five qualifiers before winning this one, which had left them in fifth in the CONMEBOL table but perilously close to dropping out of the top eight.

The three points they earned in Chile saw them move up fourth, but there is still just a three-point gap between themselves and eighth-placed Paraguay, who beat Brazil 1-0 in the previous international break.

Given their recent form, a win in Chile was a welcome relief for Dorival despite a lacklustre performance.

"We are moving step-by-step, with a lot to fix, but little by little finding the way," Dorival said after the game.

"I'm happy to see the team's maturity, even though they're very young. We had balance and tranquility."

Should Brazil fail to qualify for the World Cup, it be the first time in history that they would have been absent from the competition.

Given that it would come after it has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams, giving CONMEBOL a further two qualification spots, would only add to the embarrassment.

But Dorival wanted to make it clear that he has faced selection issues over the course of this campaign.

Of the starters in Chile, only four players - Danilo, Marquinhos, Lucas Paqueta and Raphinha - started in the 2022 World Cup, while Alisson, Eder Militao and Vinicius Junior were all injured.

"A [team] renewal is not simple," Dorival said. 

"We don't have the structure that was set up for the previous World Cup and this ends up making the games even more difficult due to the balance between the youth of these boys and the experience of others that are there.

"We only had four players that finished the last match of the World Cup and that has considerable weight."

Despite the difficulties that both he and the team have faced, Dorival is of the belief that they will make it to the United States, Canada and Mexico in two years.

"We will arrive with a strong team in two years, but we will face some difficulties," he said.

Brazil defender Marquinhos came down on his coach's side when asked to give his thoughts after the match.

"Seeking changes is beside the point," he said. "I'm happy with Dorival, with the work he's been doing."

Dorival has been in the job for less than a year, having only been appointed as Brazil's head coach in January, though the Selecao also failed to impress at this year's Copa America.

The need for patience was something that Marquinhos was quick to point out.

"It's not easy, you have to give him time to understand the group he has in hand and use the pieces," he added.

"We showed that we have quality, many good players. We know the coach's ability, what a great professional and person he is.

"We are fully focused on seeking to improve and grow as a group and team."

Brazil head coach Dorival Junior called for Neymar to be given as much time as he needs to make a full recovery from a knee injury before returning to the national side. 

Neymar ruptured his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while on international duty last October in a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay, missing the Copa America as a result.

The 32-year-old underwent surgery and returned to training with Al-Hilal in July, but he is yet to make his comeback, with head coach Jorge Jesus saying this week the Brazilian was not ready. 

Neymar is Brazil's all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances and is 15 caps shy of breaking Cafu's record for the most outings for the Selecao. 

But the forward is again missing from the Brazil squad for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru next month, with Dorival saying he will wait until the right moment to welcome Neymar back into the fold. 

"We'll wait, we'll be patient, it doesn't matter if he can't come back in October, November or even February," Dorival said. 

"He needs to be confident, he needs to play and above all he needs to be completely healed from this injury.

"We are starting to realise how important he is.

"If he returns in the coming years, we will have one of the greatest players in world football at a remarkable moment in his career and in our national team."

Dorival recalled Barcelona winger Raphinha and Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli for their upcoming fixtures next month. 

Real Madrid trio Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Endrick were the other attacking options included for the five-time world champions.

Brazil have 10 points from eight qualifiers after losing four of their last five matches, leaving them fifth and just one point above Paraguay, who occupy the play-off spot.

Dorival Junior believes the pressure of being Brazil's main man can sometimes weigh Vinicius Junior down, just as it did Neymar in years gone by.

Brazil beat Ecuador 1-0 to end a three-match losing run in the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Friday, though their performance was far from convincing.

Rodrygo's deflected first-half strike handed Brazil a crucial three points, yet they were indebted to goalkeeper Alisson for making a huge one-on-one save to deny Moises Caicedo on the stroke of half-time.

Having endured a torrid time at the Copa America earlier this year, Vinicius was quiet again on Friday, failing to complete any of his four dribbles and losing possession 14 times – more than any other Selecao player.

Brazil's recent performances have come in for stern criticism at home, but Dorival believes everyone connected with the national team needs to have more patience.

"We want to see players in the condition where he produces at all times, in the same way he does at his club," Dorival said of Vinicius. 

"We always have cycles within the clubs themselves, we have moments when Rodrygo will be featured over a few months, soon Vini will enter this same condition. 

"We have to be very calm. This same expectation was generated around Neymar, that at all times Neymar had to be the solution to our problems."

Neymar himself has not played for either Al-Hilal or Brazil since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during the Selecao's 2-0 defeat to Uruguay last October.

Dorival cited his recovery as yet another area where Brazil's supporters must have more understanding. 

"If we have a little patience and receive Neymar at the moment the team is more balanced, I have no doubt he can make a very big difference with the ability he has, with those who are here," he added.

"We have to learn that these processes are lengthy and require time and patience, which we do not have in our country.

"I say again to the Brazilian fans: have a little calm, let's first regain the confidence of the Brazilian team. We have players of the highest level, who play in the biggest clubs in Europe, as well as in Brazilian football. 

"I have no doubt that we will have an aggressive team like the fans want, playing in a regular way and transmitting even greater confidence."

Brazil go to Paraguay for their next World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, having gone fourth in the 10-team group with Friday's slender victory.

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. 

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.

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.

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."

Brazil head coach Dorival Junior insists his side must learn to play without Vinicius Junior following their 1-1 draw with Colombia in California. 

Junior was shown his second yellow card of the tournament for a challenge on James Rodriguez, and will miss their quarter-final match against Uruguay on Sunday. 

The Real Madrid forward, who has scored twice for Brazil at the Copa America, will be available for their semi-final fixture, should they beat Marcelo Bielsa's side. 

"Unfortunately, we have already lost a key player like Neymar for a long time," he said.

"And we have to learn that in certain moments, we will not have important players in a game. Others will have to step up. And I think that is the way. We will have a difficult game against Uruguay."

For Colombia, their impressive unbeaten run continued, and they have now failed to lose in 26 straight matches (W20 D6), marking the second-longest unbeaten streak in their history. 

Nestor Lorenzo's side will face Panama in the quarter-finals at the State Farm Stadium on Saturday. 

Despite failing to win the match against Brazil, the Colombia head coach was happy with his side's performance against the nine-time Copa America champions. 

"We know that we are in a good moment as a team and we know that we are growing. But it's not easy," Lorenzo said.

"Brazil has great players. They play very well. You can not neglect the team for a second and I think we played a great game.

"We did not win, but whatever the result, my feeling would have been the same. I am satisfied because the team gave a little more and it was difficult to play a rival like Brazil."

Dorival Junior will get things right despite Brazil's underwhelming start to the Copa America, believes left-back Guilherme Arana, as the Selecao prepare to face Paraguay.

Brazil were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Costa Rica in their opening Group D match on Monday, losing ground on Colombia, who started with a win over Paraguay.

While Dorival praised aspects of his team's performance in that match, he acknowledged more will be needed in the final third if the Selecao are to challenge for a 10th South American crown. 

Atletico Mineiro full-back Arana, who played the full 90 minutes last time out, praised Dorival's approach as he opened up on the coach's reaction to the result. 

"As soon as we entered the dressing room, he praised our pressing after we lost the ball, it was very good, we didn't concede anything defensively," Arana said.

"He encouraged us, gave us morale. I think that's the thought not only of him but of all the players.

"The result of the debut was bad, but we still have two games to go. In other words, two great opportunities. That's the thinking. 

"Of course it's a new job, Dorival arrived recently, the players are new too, but we're focused together with him.

"Dorival knows what he's doing, he's an excellent coach and he's going to help us a lot."

Paraguay were beaten 2-1 by Colombia in their opener, leaving them likely needing to cause an upset to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals.

Head coach Daniel Garnero believes there were plenty of positives to take from that match, saying: "We have a clear idea of our gameplan and the feeling is that we competed at all times.

"I think it was an even game, we did not manage to bring home the points but we tried to match our opponents. 

"With Argentina [and Colombia], these were the two teams that arrived at the Copa with great superiority. 

"There were many positive elements and when we take stock of this match we'll see this."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Paraguay – Julio Enciso 

Enciso attempted 11 dribbles against Colombia in Paraguay's Copa America opener, the joint-most of any player in the opening round of fixtures at the tournament (tied with Richard Ríos of Colombia). 

The Brighton and Hove Albion player completed six of them, the second-highest figure in the first round, behind Rios' eight.

By netting his nation's consolation goal, he became the second-youngest player to score for Paraguay at a major tournament this century (20 years, 153 days), after Ernesto Cristaldo versus Chile at the 2004 Copa America (20 years, 117 days).

Brazil – Vinicius Junior

Brazil failed to make their superiority count against Costa Rica, making more passes (695) than any other team across the first matchday of the competition, but only registered three shots on target from the 19 they attempted. 

Vinicius was withdrawn for future Real Madrid team-mate Endrick 71 minutes in after failing to register a single shot, though he did create a game-high three chances.

He has been substituted in each of the Selecao's last six competitive matches, versus Costa Rica and in three World Cup qualifiers last year, as well as their last two fixtures at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

After scoring 24 goals and adding nine assists for Los Blancos last season, Vinicius will be expecting to produce a better display on Friday.

MATCH PREDICTION: BRAZIL WIN

Brazil recorded 49 entries into Costa Rica's penalty area on matchday one, their joint-highest figure in a Copa America match since such data began being recorded in 2011 (also versus Paraguay in 2019).

More penetration – and better finishing – will be required next time out.

Paraguay have not lost any of their last five matches against Brazil at the Copa America, recording one win and four draws.

This equals the second-longest unbeaten streak against Brazil in the history of the tournament, behind Argentina's eight-match run between 1923 and 1946 (seven wins, one draw), tied with Paraguay's own streak between 1963 and 1983 (two wins, three draws).

However, Paraguay have only won one of their last six games in all competitions (two draws, three defeats), so Dorvial's team go into the match as strong favourites.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Paraguay – 13.4%

Brazil – 69.6%

Draw – 17%

Vinicius Junior acknowledged that he and his team-mates must improve following their goalless draw with Costa Rica in their opening game of the Copa America. 

The nine-time champions were frustrated by their opponents at the SoFi Stadium, with Los Ticos becoming only the third CONCACAF side to keep a clean sheet against the Selecao Canarinho at the tournament after Mexico (2001 and 2007) and Honduras (2001).

Brazil registered 19 attempts at Patrick Sequeira's goal, but only three were on target, with Rodrygo (6) and Lucas Paqueta (5) having the majority of those chances. 

Vinicius failed to make an impact on proceedings in Los Angeles and was replaced by future Real Madrid team-mate Endrick for the final 20 minutes. 

The 23-year-old has now been substituted in Brazil's last six competitive matches and knows Dorival Junior's side must improve to achieve success at the tournament. 

"We know we can improve, we have to improve," Vinícius said. "I also know what I can improve, evolve and do for our team."

Vinicius, who scored 24 goals in 39 appearances for Los Blancos this season, arrived at the tournament with the weight of a nation on his shoulders with all-time leading scorer Neymar, out of the Copa America due to injury. 

The Real Madrid winger has registered just one assist in his last five appearances for his nation, but has called for patience from the Brazil fans. 

"New coach, new players, everything takes time," Vinícius said. "Our fans want everything immediately done, but we're going little by little. In the next game, I'm sure we'll play much better because we now already understand what the competition will be like, what the pitch, what the referees will be like.

"Every time I enter the field for the national team, I have three or four players marking me."

Brazil face Paraguay in Las Vegas on Saturday before concluding their Group D campaign against Colombia, who beat the Albirroja on Matchday 1. 

Dorival Junior bemoaned a lack of end product after Brazil were frustrated in a goalless draw with Costa Rica in their Copa America opener on Monday.

Despite enjoying 73.5% of the possession and firing off 19 shots to their opponents' two, Brazil failed to win their first game at a Copa America for the first time since 2016.

The Selecao's 49 final-third entries throughout the match were the joint-most since such data began being recorded in 2011, alongside their own tally versus Paraguay in 2019, yet they only registered a paltry three shots on target.

The result means Brazil have lost early ground on Colombia, who lead Group D following their 2-1 win over Paraguay earlier on Monday.

Speaking after the game, Dorival said: "We rotated the ball well, went from side to side and got our attackers one-versus-one. 

"We have a smaller field and that makes it easier for those who defend and difficult for those who attack. Vini received the ball with two men on him and a third approaching. 

"We tried with Savio and were successful in some moments. The detail and definition were lacking, but freedom was given, everyone had the opportunity. 

"We lacked some in-depth moves. It was the aspect that we intensified the most in training, this dirty work to find space between the opposing lines.

"Our ball recovery was impressive. In my opinion, what was missing too much was that we failed to do this job of spreading the opponent's backline more."

Vinicius Junior endured an underwhelming performance, being replaced by future Real Madrid team-mate Endrick with 71 minutes gone after failing to record a single shot and only managing five touches in the Costa Rica area.

Asked about the decision to withdraw the winger, who shone as Madrid won a Champions League and LaLiga double in 2023-24, Dorival said: "We put him on the side, on the inside, we didn't find the way with either. 

"He was well marked and we had to look for a solution, to make a change. 

"I believe the game was well played within a context. We played closely, we created good chances, but we weren't happy with the finishing. 

"The games will be like this, we have to find ways to improve. It is natural that if the result does not come, questions arise, but I know what we are developing." 

Brazil began their Copa America campaign with a frustrating goalless draw against Costa Rica at the SoFi Stadium.

The Selecao dominated large periods of the Group D clash. Marquinhos saw a goal ruled out following a VAR review, while Lucas Paqueta rattled the woodwork from distance.

Yet despite enjoying just under three-quarters of the possession and registering 19 shots to their opponents' two, they could not find the breakthrough and failed to win their opening match in the competition for the first time since 2016.

Dorival Junior's side subsequently lost early ground on Group D leaders Colombia, who beat Paraguay 2-1 earlier in the day.

Brazil quickly asserted their authority on proceedings in California as they sought the game's opening goal.

Rodrygo steered a shot wide following a jinking run into the penalty area, while Raphinha was denied by Patrick Sequeira after latching onto a diagonal ball over the top of the Costa Rica defence.

The Selecao thought they had broken the deadlock on the half-hour mark when Marquinhos applied the finishing touch after Rodrygo glanced Raphinha's free-kick towards the far post, only for the strike to be ruled out for offside following a VAR review. 

Rodrygo fired narrowly over in first-half stoppage time and, then on 63 minutes, Lucas Paqueta saw his ferocious 25-yard drive crash against Sequeira's left upright.

Dorival withdrew the quiet Vinicius Junior in favour of Endrick and Savinho for the final 20 minutes, and both looked dangerous upon their introductions.

The latter's cross almost saw Costa Rica defender Haxzel Quiros head into his own net with his blushes spared by Sequeira, who then beat away Guilherme Arana's fierce volley.

Savinho was involved again in stoppage time as he teed up one final opportunity for Bruno Guimaraes, who bent his first-time shot narrowly wide to compound a frustrating start to the tournament for the nine-time winners.

Selecao stutter on return to States

It is fair to say Brazil do not boost particularly fond recent memories of playing in the United States in recent years.

After all, the Selecao crashed out in the group stages when the Copa America was last held in this nation eight years ago.

Neymar, who was part of that side, watched on from the stands having been ruled out of this tournament through injury.

Try as they may, his team-mates just could not break down their opponents and turn their dominance into the elusive goal, with just three of their 19 attempts on target.

Fresh from playing a starring role in Real Madrid’s LaLiga and Champions League double, Vinicius Junior was unable to inspire his nation – his tallies of 45 touches and 23 passes were the lowest recorded by any of Brazil’s outfield starters.

On a brighter note, Marquinhos made his 16th Copa America appearance – with only Dani Alves (19) and Thiago Silva (18) playing more times for the Selecao in the competition since 2000 – though a VAR review prevented him from marking the occasion with a goal.

Another clean sheet for repellent Costa Rica

Costa Rica were heavy underdogs on their return to the Copa America for the first time in eight years.

Not since 2004 have Los Ticos progressed from the group stages of this competition, but they certainly know what it takes to claim a scalp on the big stage.

Exactly 10 years ago, they beat Uruguay and Italy to top Group D, which also featured England, on the way to reaching the World Cup quarter-finals.

Fast forward a decade and Joel Campbell, who was part of that side, came off the bench for his 140th cap as his nation halted a run of nine successive defeats by Brazil. 

More impressively, Costa Rica have kept clean sheets in each of their last four competitive games.

Their failure to record a single shot on target for the first time in a Copa America match since 2011 will be a slight concern, but that defensive stubbornness will stand them in good stead as they look to progress in this tournament.

Brazil head coach Dorival Junior insists his team is yet to find the right balance and consistency but is hoping to discover the right mix against Costa Rica in their Copa America opener on Monday. 

The 62-year-old, who succeeded interim boss Fernando Diniz in January, is yet to taste defeat in his four games in charge (W2 D2), identified areas of improvement as they look to claim their 10th tournament success. 

"I have to find a balance for a team that was put together only three months ago, and after a certain period of 15 or 20 days of work they have to find themselves again," Junior said.

"In football you don't skip preparation phases in training, but that's why we try to accelerate each one of them to have a consistent and confident squad that can then use the individuality of its players to create opportunities."

Much of the talk heading into their opener with Costa Rica is the inclusion of 17-year-old Endrick, who officially becomes a Real Madrid player next month. 

Endrick has scored three goals in his last four international appearances, but Dorival called for patience in rushing him into the starting line-up, revealing he is expected to play his part from the bench. 

"It's something that will happen naturally. It might not take long because he is extremely skillful. I'm in a hurry to get him on the pitch, but you have to have a certain balance. He has excellent skills and is one of the most promising players."

For Costa Rica head coach Gustavo Alfaro, he aims to build on his previous success in the Copa America having guided Ecuador to the quarter-finals in 2021. 

Los Ticos have lost 10 of their 11 meetings against their opponents, with their last victory coming in the Panamerican Championship in March 1960 (3-0). 

But Alfaro insisted his side would not be intimidated by the challenge awaiting them, saying: "The hierarchy (of Brazil) is respected, but not feared. If you're afraid to play, you don't show up.

"The difference in hierarchy can be fought, first with order, with a lot of determination and a lot of conceptual clarity about what needs to be done, and basically by running. If there are two Brazilians, there must be three Costa Ricans," he added.

It took 28 years, but Argentina finally ended a long wait for a major international trophy when they triumphed at the 2021 Copa America.

Lionel Messi starred throughout that tournament in Brazil, which was played partly behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, scoring four goals and laying on five more, though it was Angel Di Maria who proved Argentina's hero in the final, scoring the winner against the Selecao.

That triumph marked Messi's first piece of silverware on the international stage, while Argentina won a trophy for the first time since 1993.

It paved the way for Argentina to go from continental champions to world champions less than 18 months later, as Messi inspired them to glory in Qatar.

And now the world champions will look to cement this era of dominance by retaining the Copa America crown.

With the help of Opta data, we preview the key storylines ahead of the Copa America.

THE HOSTS

USA

This year's Copa will be held in the United States, which was also the host nation for the 2016 edition, which was won by Chile.

Like in 2016, 16 teams will feature at the tournament this year, with the USA one of six CONCACAF nations involved.

Gregg Berhalter left his role after the 2022 World Cup, but was then reappointed. While he has a talented group at his disposal, it does feel as though he cannot quite get the required level of consistency out of them.

The two sides of the USA were on show in their warm-up matches: A 5-1 hammering at the hands of Colombia was followed by a 1-1 draw with heavyweights Brazil.

In Christian Pulisic, the USA have an influential playmaker who comes into the tournament on the back of his best goalscoring season, having netted 15 times in all competitions for Milan.

Folarin Balogun has netted three times for the Stars and Stripes since switching allegiance from England, while Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah have plenty of top-level experience. But Berhalter has to find a way to put it all together.

THE FAVOURITES

Argentina

It is easy to see why La Albiceleste are the big favourites. They are the best team in the world, according to the FIFA rankings, and in Messi, they still have a player who is arguably the best in the world, even heading into his late thirties.

Messi has already been involved in 21 MLS goals for Inter Miami this season, and everything is set to revolve around him once again for Argentina.

As soon as he features for Argentina at this tournament, Messi will become the Copa America’s all-time record holder for appearances – he is tied with Chile great Sergio Livingstone on 34, as it stands.

Messi has scored 13 Copa America goals, which puts him joint-seventh on the all-time list, alongside fellow Argentina great Gabriel Batistuta. If he is able to replicate his four goals from the 2021 edition, then Messi could join Norberto Mendez and Zizinho at the top of the all-time charts – that is unless Peru's Paolo Guerrero and/or Chile's Eduardo Vargas were to net at least four times each to set a new record.

Since the start of the 2011 Copa, Messi has had 102 shots – more than any other player. Surprisingly, his conversion rate stands at just 10.78 per cent, which is the second-lowest out of any player to have netted at least five goals in the competition in that time.

With 15 titles to their name, Argentina are the joint-record winners of the Copa America, alongside Uruguay. They have played more Copa matches (201) and scored more goals in the tournament (474) than any other team, too.

They are clearly the team to beat.

Brazil

This Brazil is not exactly the vintage of the 1990s or 2000s. With no Neymar, there's less flair, and more streetfighter grit, in Dorival Junior's squad.

Vinicius Junior does provide a flavour of the archetypal Brazilian international, though, and he is set to be the Selecao's talisman at this Copa.

He comes into the tournament on the back of an exceptional season with Real Madrid, having scored 24 goals across all competitions.

Vinicius outperformed his 20.96 xG, while also providing nine assists and creating 56 chances for his team-mates.

The forward spent much of the domestic campaign playing down the middle for Carlo Ancelotti's team, whereas for his country, he is likely to play wide left.

Who occupies that centre-forward spot is perhaps up for debate. Endrick is a superstar in the making, though will Brazil's coach trust the youngster to lead the line from the off?

Gabriel Martinelli is better on the flanks, though could do a job if required. However, with no Richarlison or Gabriel Jesus, that striker position does seem a possible weakness.

There's no Casemiro, following his poor performances for Manchester United, but Douglas Luiz, Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta form a steely midfield trio with genuine quality.

With Ederson injured, Alisson is the clear number one, with Eder Militao and Marquinhos seemingly set to pair up at the back, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Bremer quality options in reserve, too.

They face Colombia, Paraguay and Costa Rica in their group, and despite their struggles in World Cup qualifying, they are still the favourites to top that pool.

Uruguay

Now under the guidance of the enigmatic Marcelo Bielsa, Uruguay are being tipped by many to emerge as serious challengers in the United States. 

A hat-trick from Liverpool's Darwin Nunez helped them thrash Mexico 4-0 in a pre-tournament friendly last week, while they also sit second in the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualification standings, having beaten Brazil and Argentina last year.

That latter victory makes them the only team to defeat La Albiceleste since they won the World Cup in Qatar. Messi and company have won the other 13 of their 14 matches as world champions.

Nunez, who ranked joint-fifth in the Premier League for total shots (108) and eighth for xG (16.39) in 2023-24, is an ideal fit for the all-action attacking approach favoured by Bielsa, while tireless midfielder Federico Valverde brings balance alongside enforcer Manuel Ugarte and the cultured Rodrigo Bentancur.

Luis Suarez, meanwhile, has received a surprise call-up despite not featuring in Uruguay's pre-tournament friendlies, having scored 12 goals and assisted five in 16 MLS appearances for Inter Miami this term.

Neutrals should expect entertainment from a side that leads all teams in South American World Cup qualifying for xG (9.05), but as is so often the case with Bielsa's teams, there are questions at the other end. 

Ecuador (4.52) and Venezuela (4.78) are among those to have allowed opponents a lower xG total in the CONMEBOL qualifiers than Uruguay (4.97 xGA), and goalkeeper Sergio Rochet can expect to be worked after usurping Fernando Muslera, who helped La Celeste finish fourth at the 2010 World Cup and win the Copa America one year later.

Panama and Bolivia look unlikely to offer much of a challenge in Group C, making Uruguay's final match against the United States vital. Should they top their pool, they will land on the opposite side of the bracket to the Group A victors, widely expected to be Argentina. 

Uruguay held the record for most Copa America victories outright between 2011 (their 15th title) and 2021 (Argentina's 15th). If we see Bielsa-ball in full flow, they could be contenders to reclaim their status as South America's top dogs.

Colombia

Colombia are the form team heading into the Copa America.

They are unbeaten in 23 games, winning the last eight of those, including hammerings of the USA and Bolivia in pre-tournament friendlies.

Luis Diaz scored one and set up another in that latter match - a 3-0 win - and he was the breakout star of the 2021 Copa America, scoring four goals to finish level with Messi at the top of the charts.

Those four goals came from a combined xG of just 1.0, with Diaz netting an overhead kick against Brazil in the group stage, and lashing in a supreme strike from outside the area as Colombia beat Peru in the third-placed play-off.

Diaz is Colombia's most potent goalscoring threat, but they also have James Rodriguez to rely on further back.

James' club career has become a nomadic one, but for his country, the former Madrid playmaker is a superstar once again under coach Nestor Lorenzo, who has made the 32-year-old the main man.

Having been left out of Colombia's squad for the 2021 edition, James will be eager to make up for lost time.

Colombia are more than just dark horses. They should be considered among the very best teams at this tournament.

THE BREAKOUT STARS

Endrick is the obvious pick here. The teenager looks set for stardom, and he'll be linking up with Vinicius, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid next season. He has scored three goals in his last four outings for Brazil, including a late winner against Mexico earlier in June.

Alejandro Garnacho is now an established Premier League player, but he is only just finding his way for Argentina. He is yet to score for his country, but has stepped up in big moments for Manchester United this season, none more so than in the FA Cup final, in which he scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Manchester City.

Colombia forward Jhon Duran  is reportedly of interest to Chelsea, and the Aston Villa attacker could be something of a wildcard for Lorenzo off the bench. His five Premier League goals in 2023-24 came from just 2.0 xG.

THE OPTA SUPERCOMPUTER SAYS...

As mentioned, Argentina are the clear favourites, with Opta's model handing them a 31 per cent chance of winning their 16th Copa crown.

Brazil, as would be expected, rank second - their win likelihood is 23 per cent .

Uruguay come in with a 13 per cent chance, ahead of the USA ( seven per cent ), Colombia ( six per cent ) and Mexico ( six per cent ).

Two teams - Jamaica and Bolivia, who are the worst-ranked side in this year's edition of the tournament - are given a zero per cent chance of winning the trophy.

Panama, who reached the CONCACAF Gold Cup final last year, can perhaps consider themselves hard done by to be given just a one per cent chance, however.