Pressure on Brazil, Argentina as Copa America draw looms

SAO PAULO, Jan 23 (AFP): They may boast seven World Cup victories between them and two of the game's biggest stars in Lionel Messi and Neymar, but Argentina and hosts Brazil will be under immense pressure when the Copa America begins in June.

First they have a nerve-wracking wait ahead of Thursday's draw in Rio de Janeiro to see who they will face in the group stages. Argentina haven't lifted a major tournament trophy in 26 years and while it has only been a dozen years for hosts Brazil, the trauma of their 2014 World Cup humiliation on home soil is still fresh in their collective memory.

The 7-1 thrashing inflicted by Germany in the semi-finals left a wound that only trophies could heal.

The two South American giants can ill afford a false step in such a competitive tournament.

Brazil failed to even make it out of the group stages last time around, their only victory coming against Haiti, while a 1-0 defeat to Peru sent them packing.

They haven't gone beyond the quarter-finals since last lifting the trophy in 2007.

As for Argentina, they have lost four of the last five finals, three of those in penalty shoot-outs, meaning Barcelona great Messi has never won a major international honor with his country.