Besides Messi, there is Vinicius Júnior, Valverde, Garnacho and Pulisic to watch at Copa America

SAO PAULO (AP) — Lionel Messi is undoubtedly the face of this year's Copa America.

But there are other players to watch when the South American soccer championship starts this month in the United States with 16 teams from the Western Hemisphere competing.

With Neymar out injured, Vinicius Júnior will have his first chance to be Brazil's main focus during a major tournament. The Real Madrid player has become a better striker, rather than just a great dribbler, in 2024, which has made him a serious candidate for this year's Ballon d'Or award. He scored 15 goals in the Spanish league this season, five more than in the previous campaign. The 23-year-old Vinicius also scored key goals in his team's Champions League title campaign, including one in the final, and combines to help Rodrygo excel up front. Vinicius will also have another opportunity to spread his anti-racism message, which has given him more fans back home.