Chile have named their 26-man squad for Copa America, with Alexis Sanchez, Erick Pulgar and Ben Brereton Diaz among those included.
Manager Ricardo Gareca had initially named a 55-player provisional squad, but this has now been cut to the allotted 26 ahead of Chile’s tournament opener against Peru on June 21.
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Experienced pair Arturo Vidal, 37, and Gary Medel, 36, are among those omitted.
Former Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan midfielder Vidal, now of Chilean side Colo Colo, has been capped 137 times at international level since his senior debut in 2007.
Medel, now of Boca Juniors following spells with Inter Milan, Sevilla and Cardiff City, is Chile’s second most-capped player of all time behind Sanchez, having represented his country 161 times.
Watford defender Francisco Sierralta and 37-year-old midfielder Marcelo Diaz are also among those cut from the preliminary squad.
📋 𝐋𝐀 𝐍𝐎́𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀
Los 2️⃣6️⃣ seleccionados por Ricardo Gareca para representar a #SomosLaRoja pic.twitter.com/pNjW8HDzwo
— Selección Chilena (@LaRoja) June 13, 2024
Villarreal striker Brereton Diaz, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Sheffield United, has been selected despite not being included in Gareca’s March squad after the Chile manager emphasised the need for him to improve his Spanish.
He joins a forward line that includes the experienced Sancez and Eduardo Vargas, who were both part of the Chile side who won consecutive Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, plus exciting 20-year-old winger Dario Osorio.
Former Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, 41, is selected alongside Brayan Cortes of Colo-Colo and Gabriel Arias of Racing Club, with Burnley’s Lawrence Vigouroux and Vicente Reyes of Norwich the two goalkeepers cut from the provisional squad.
Chile have been drawn alongside Peru, Argentina and Canada in Group A.
![go-deeper](https://cdn.theathletic.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=128,height=128,fit=cover,format=auto/app/uploads/2024/06/13012606/COPA_NationGuides_Chile-1024x683.png)
GO DEEPER
Chile Copa America 2024 squad guide: Pessimism reigns for squad of fading veterans
Chile’s Copa America 2024 squad
Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Betis), Brayan Cortes (Colo-Colo), Gabriel Arias (Racing)
Defenders: Matias Catalan (Talleres), Mauricio Isla (Independiente), Gabriel Suazo (Toulouse), Guillermo Maripan (Monaco), Paulo Diaz (River Plate), Igor Lichnovsky (Club America), Benjamin Kuscevic (Fortaleza), Thomas Galdames (Godoy Cruz), Nicolas Fernandez (Audax Italiano)
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Midfielders: Erick Pulgar (Flamengo), Marcelino Nunez (Norwich City), Rodrigo Echeverria (Huracan), Cesar Perez (Union La Calera), Diego Valdes (Club America), Esteban Pavez (Colo-Colo)
Forwards: Ben Brereton Diaz (Villarreal), Alexis Sanchez (Inter Milan), Dario Osorio (Midtjylland), Eduardo Vargas (Atletico Mineiro), Victor Davila (CSKA Moscow), Marcos Bolados (Colo-Colo), Maximiliano Guerrero (Universidad de Chile)
(Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images)