Salomon Rondon, seen here during his time with Zenit St. Petersburg, will look  to take charge for  Venezuela at the 2016 Copa America Centennario. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Images

Group B

Schedule:  Jamaica (6/5, Soldier Field  Chicago, IL), Uruguay (6/9, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA), and Mexico (6/13, NRG Stadium, Houston, TX)

Head Coach: Rafael Dudamel

Best previous finish in Copa America: Quarterfinals (2007)

Players to keep an eye on:  GK Dani Hernandez (Tenerife), DEF Roberto Rosales (Malaga), DEF Oswaldo Vizcarrano (Nantes), MID Tomas Rincon (Genoa), MID Alejandro Guerra (Atletico Nacional), and FWD Salomon Rondon (West Bromwich Albion)

Outlook: What a difference a World Cup cycle makes. After being on the precipice of qualification for the 2014 World Cup it seemed as if Venezuela was finally going to become a football country. Long considered a baseball country, Venezuela seemed to be firing on all cylinders and ready to make another run at it for 2018 with a steady set of players plying their craft in Europe.

Oh, how things have changed.

Despite their strong run during World Cup Qualification in 2014 Venezuela has failed to follow up on their strong run. Although there is obviously more important issues going on in Venezuela that require their officials attention, their standing in South American football has not helped. A 0-1-5 in World Cup Qualification has Venezuela searching for answers at this year’s Copa America.

The biggest issue seems to be the lack of production from their forwards. With the retirement of legend Juan Arango (23 goals, 122 appearances-both records in Venezuela) The Burgundy have struggled to find a suitable replacement. Venezuela has just seven goals in World Cup Qualification, which is the second lowest among all teams in CONMEBOL.

If Venezuela has any designs on making past the Group Stage in the Copa America Salomon Rondon has to produce. Rondon does have 16 goals for Venezuela in his international career but he has yet to score for the side during World Cup Qualification. His touch has returned as of late in Venezuela’s recent series of friendlies (he scored in their May 27th loss to Costa Rica and in the 1-1 draw with Guatemala on Wednesday) so that should give coach Rafael Dudamel some hope.

Discipline has also been a major issue for this side. During qualification Venezuela has received eighteen yellow cards. Looking back upon all competitions the last time that Venezuela escaped a match without a booking was in a friendly last September against Honduras. Dudamel has to get his side to play with a cooler if they are to have any designs on making out of the group.

With a side that features Rondon and the Malaga duo of Mikel Villanueva and Roberto Rosales this team should provide a challenge for Uruguay, Mexico, and Jamaica. But their lack of focus on the attack and in defense will make it difficult to receive anything more than a token result against sides that are more composed and can score at will.

Interesting Fact: Despite having the world’s largest oil reserve, Venezuela is currently dealing with an energy and water crisis.