The 20 players to watch in the Copa America Centenario

Copa American Centenario will take place over 24 days across 10 different American cities, where 16 countries will play 32 games. Those teams will bring a total of 368 players.

That's a lot to keep track of.

[ Copa America Centenario | Scores and Schedule | Standings | Teams ]

So let us help you by identifying a handful of players to watch for in all four of the groups.

• Group A: United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay.

James Rodriguez – attacking midfielder, Colombia: The breakout star of the 2014 World Cup had a difficult season with Real Madrid, where he was relegated to the bench when Zinedine Zidane took over as manager halfway through the season. Which is to say he has fresh legs, an ax to grind and perhaps a new club to find.

Christian Pulisic – attacking midfielder, USA: Yes, we should go easy on the 17-year-old, even though the prodigy has already accomplished nearly as much as Freddy Adu ever did. But it's hard to not to be infatuated by his dribbling, intellect and fearlessness.

Patrick Pemberton – goalkeeper, Costa Rica: Yes, Patrick Pemberton. The Ticos have one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Keylor Navas. But he's injured. So is his backup, Esteban Alvarado. So duties likely fall to Pemberton, who started in Costa Rica's only pre-tournament tune-up. His side had a difficult 2015 after a wondrous 2014 World Cup. If Costa Rica is to show well, it needs its third-string goalie to step up.

Juan Cuadrado – winger, Colombia: His is a curious case. After excelling with Fiorentina in Serie A, Cuadrado floundered with Chelsea after his megabucks move. But this past season, he was rejuvenated with Juventus, helping it to a fifth straight title. But he's still on loan from Chelsea, meaning this is a big showcase for him.

Bobby Wood – forward, USA: For a time, Wood looked like he had no business on the national team. And maybe he didn't yet. But after game-winning goals against Germany and the Netherlands, and another that sent the Confederations Cup playoff with Mexico to extra time last year, he broke out with Union Berlin this season. Suddenly, he might be the most dangerous attacking option the U.S. has.

• Group B: Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Peru.

Hulk – forward, Brazil: This is not your usual Brazil squad. For one, the team has fallen off in recent years and looks no better since Dunga's reappointment. For another, several players have been left out of the Copa roster to compete in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro instead. Still others have been ostracized by their inflexible and rigid manager. So Hulk, one of the few bona fide stars left, will have a heavy load to carry.

Felipe Caicedo – striker, Ecuador: Quietly, Ecuador has climbed the ranks of South American soccer, rising to a 13th place in the FIFA rankings and sharing first place in that region's World Cup qualifying with Uruguay. Caicedo, while not quite as famous as his West Ham United striker colleague Enner Valencia, has led the way with four goals. He holds the key to his team's Copa chances as a dark horse.

Gabriel – striker, Brazil: Remember the last major men's tournament on American soil, the 1994 World Cup? Brazil had a teenaged striker on the bench then, too, who would grow into one of the world's best – Ronaldo. This time around, it's "Gabigol." He made his debut – and scored – last week and could see real minutes on a front line that's ever so thin.

Duckens Nazon – striker, Haiti: The 22-year-old Laval striker scored both the goals that unexpectedly pushed the Haitians into the quarterfinals of last year's Gold Cup. The islanders are once again not favored to advance, exactly, but the explosive Nazon is worth watching all the same.

Willian – attacking midfielder, Brazil: His excellent Chelsea season was kind of wasted on his underperforming teammates. Now he finds himself in much the same spot with his national team. He'll have to take a big stake in the Selecao's success, if they are to have any.

• Group C: Jamaica, Mexico, Uruguay, Venezuela

Wes Morgan – defender, Jamaica: Jamaica has many English-born and raised players who have represented their ancestral island, but only their captain is a Premier League champion. Morgan anchored Leicester City's back line and will help solidify one of CONCACAF's rising powers.

Jesus Corona – forward, Mexico: El Tri is looking better than it has in years. And "Tecatito" is one of the new stars. He had a strong first season with FC Porto and his trickery on the ball will dazzle you.

Edinson Cavani – striker, Uruguay: Barcelona star Luis Suarez is injured and will likely miss the group stage. That puts the burden to carry La Celeste on the Paris Saint-Germain man, who remains prolific but is dependent on good service.

Javier Hernandez – striker, Mexico: The relationship of "Chicharito" with the Mexican fans is complicated as he's blown hot and cold for his national team, just as he's lived through highs and lows in his European club career. With seven straight victories under Juan Carlos Osorio and a winner in a 1-0 triumph over Chile on Hernandez's birthday on Monday, Mexico is rolling and Chicharito is once again key to his country.

Salamon Rondon – striker, Venezuela: The peripatetic 26-year-old striker has scored goals in buckets wherever he's gone. And he's by far the most prolific striker on his national team – and indeed its only big name. The Venezuelans will be outgunned in one of the toughest groups in the tournament and badly need Rondon to keep them in games.

• Group D: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Panama

Lionel Messi – forward, Argentina: Wow. What a daring pick. The greatest player the world has ever seen is a player to watch. Uh-huh. Yeah. But consider this: Argentina hasn't won a major prize since the 1993 Copa America. And as such, neither has Messi with the senior national team – although he did win the Olympics and Under-20 World Cup with youth teams. After taking his peers to the 2014 World Cup final and 2015 Copa America final, he'd quite like to win this one.

Arturo Vidal – midfielder, Chile: When Chile finally won Copa America on its 37th try last year, on home soil no less, the Bayern Munich midfielder had an awful lot to do with that, covering acres of ground and forever occupying several opposition players.

Gonzalo Higuain – striker, Argentina: The Napoli man broke the Serie A record for goals in a single season this year, banging in 36 – more than in his two previous seasons combined, even though he'd hardly been a slouch then. His performance is crucial because Higuain's misfiring has cost Argentina dearly over the last two summers.

Alexis Sanchez – forward, Chile: Arsenal's talisman is one of the most dynamic players in the game. And in front of Vidal, he is counted on to create chances for La Roja.

Sergio Aguero – striker, Argentina: With yet another 20-plus-goal-season for Manchester City under his belt, Kun was one of the few things functioning properly on the blue side of Manchester. But if Argentina is finally going to end its trophy drought, he needs to have a year like in 2015, when he scored 10 goals in 10 games for his country – not like in 2014, when he scored just one in 10.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.

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