Top 15 under the radar players to watch in Copa America

1. Jose Maria Gimenez, D, Uruguay 

Gimenez is not just the top under-the-radar player at the Copa America Centenario, but one of the best players in the tournament period. A strong showing for a potential champion Uruguay side will earn Gimenez the worldwide attention he already deserves.

The 21-year-old is already playing with one of the premier European clubs in Atletico Madrid after moving from Uruguayan side Danubio. Gimenez appeared in 27 games this year and was a big part of the lockdown defense that helped Atletico Madrid all the way to the Champions League Final, where they went down on penalties to rival Real Madrird.

With huge international stars like Juanfran and Filipe Louis also on the Atletico Madrid backline, Gimenez tends to get overlooked. The same can be said of the Uruguayan national team, where many might be more familiar with Chad Godin, also a teammate at Atletico, along with the rest of the veteran backline.

Gimenez certainly has experience in big games with club, in addition to 31 games with the senior national team. The 6-0, 176 pound Gimenez has a combination of strength and power to offset even the best strikers worldwide, is a very good passer, and has shown an ability to be dangerous on set pieces in attack.

Uruguay will have its hands full with Mexico, and will also need to neutralize the sneaky good Venezuela attack. The team needs Gimenez to be a star, and he clearly has the potential to even exceed those expectations.

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