Argentinian National Soccer Team Warms Up for Copa America Quarterfinal at Harvard

Just a few days before its Copa America Centenario quarterfinal matchup against South American rival Venezuela at Gillette Stadium, the Argentinian National Soccer Team stationed itself at Harvard’s Ohiri Field to partake in training this week.

The Argentinian “La Albiceleste” team, one of the favorite teams to win the trophy in the 100-year anniversary of the prolific South American competition, began practicing on the Harvard field Wednesday afternoon and will continue to practice through Friday, according to a press release from the Argentine Football Association prior to the team’s arrival.

The quarterfinal matchup is the final of three matches hosted at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, a venue that normally hosts the New England Patriots. Other matchups featured at Gillette included Brazil vs. Peru and Chile vs. Bolivia.

One hundred years after Uruguay won the first-ever title in 1916, the Copa America is being hosted outside of South American soil for the first time in its history as part of the commemorative celebration.

The Copa America, which is normally hosted every four years, is an internationally renowned competition between the national teams of the South American countries who make up CONMEBOL, the continent’s governing soccer body. Since 1993, CONMEBOL has invited other nations, predominantly North and Central American or Caribbean countries such as Mexico, USA, and Costa Rica, to partake in the tournament as well.

Though the last tournament was held in 2015, a special edition of Copa America is being held in the United States this summer as part of a deal between CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, the governing soccer body for North America, Central American, and Caribbean countries, where the Copa was hosted by a non-CONMEBOL member for the first time to celebrate the 100-year anniversary. Officials have also expanded the field to 16 teams, as opposed to the normal 12.

Argentina, a historically dominant soccer team, won all three of its games in the group stages to top Group D with a maximum nine points and will face Group C runner-up Venezeula, who finished behind Mexico.

Featuring a roster full of soccer stars including Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, Paris Saint-Germain’s Angel DiMaria, and FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi—considered by many to be the best player in the world and one of the best of all time­—the Argentines will be favorite to walk away with the victory.

The winner between Argentina and Venezuela will face off against the United States, who won its quarterfinal matchup against Ecuador by a 2-1 margin, in a semi-final clash in Houston, Texas.

–Staff writer Julio Fierro can be reached at julio.fierro@thecrimson.com.