DALLAS – Sporting Kansas City and US national team defender Matt Besler is looking forward to the challenge presented by the level of competition awaiting him at the 2016 Copa America Centenario which kicks off on Friday, June 3 with the USA vs. Colombia inaugural match.
“As a defender, you look forward to these opportunities,” he told the media before Tuesday training. “It's a big challenge, but you want to see how you stack up against the best players in the world."
The 29-year-old Besler is certainly no stranger to world-class competition. He was the starting center back for all four of the USMNT’s matches at the 2014 World Cup, facing off against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Thomas Müller and Kevin De Bruyne.
The USMNT’s Copa America participation begins with an opening round group stage that includes Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay and Besler is well aware of the attacking talent he’ll be reckoning with.
“We're going to be going up against some of the best attackers in the world, that's why this tournament is so special and such a big deal,” he said. “It's definitely a team effort when you face some of these guys.”
To prepare for the likes of Colombia’s James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado, Besler and the USMNT will tune up against Ecuador on Wednesday night in Frisco, Tex. (8 pm ET, ESPN2, UniMás, UDN).
The match will help to offer some clues as to how the USA will look to replace one of their own world-class strikers, after starter Jozy Altidore fell to a hamstring injury before the tournament. But Besler says the team is confident in the players that will replace him.
“It's the nature of this game that we play and it's part of the business side of things how you just have to move on,” Besler said of the USA's injury situation. "It's an opportunity for someone else to step up.”
