Top 5 performing Premier League players during the Copa América group stages
By Ben Gray
16 Premier League clubs are represented at Copa América, with Everton as well as newly-promoted trio Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton the only teams who are not, so we're assessing the five English-based players who've performed best during the tournament's group phase.
5) Michail Antonio: Jamaica & West Ham United
The only player to have made it onto this list, despite their team having been eliminated, is West Ham United's Michail Antonio. In a bid to qualify for a first World Cup since France '98, the JFF have prioritised the recruitment of dual-nationals in recent years, hence why 14 of their 25-man squad were born in England.
This summer, the Reggae Boyz made their third Copa América appearance, having previously lost all six matches they'd played at the competiton, these in 2015 and 2016, all without scoring a goal. Well, defeats to Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela did see that trend continue, but Jamaica did get their historic first-ever Copa goal, with Michail Antonio on target during the 3-1 reverse against Ecuador in Las Vegas, firing in a rebound from close-range.
That goal aside, Antonio was generally terrific throughout their three games, the perfect striker for an underdog team, as West Ham supporters can testify. There are plenty of problems at the JFF right now, star player Leon Bailey being on strike to name but one, but this team has a genuine chance of qualifying for the newly-expanded World Cup and, if they do, Antonio will be front-and-centre.
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