Copa America best XI picks: King James (Rodriguez) but does Lionel Messi make the cut?

“There are only two matches left of Copa America, so it’s time for a bit of fun. Who makes our writers’ team of the tournament? It won’t surprise you to see players from finalists Argentina and Colombia dominate our selections, with plenty of Uruguayan representation at the back and in midfield and a lot of love for quarterfinalists Venezuela. Perhaps understandably given the performances of the United States men’s national team, Jamaica and Mexico, very few picks are flying the flag for CONCACAF, with only Canada’s Alphonso Davies and Juan Pablo Vargasfrom Costa Rica sneaking into a few teams. No writer has space for Vinicius Junior, and Brazilian names are scarce given the team’s underwhelming displays before a quarterfinal final exit.And then there’s Lionel Messi. Sentiment aside, has he done enough to make the best XI?One man reigns supreme, however: Colombia’s James Rodriguez, surely the player of the tournament — although Argentina may yet have something to say about that in Sunday’s final. …”
NY Times/The Athletic