After Argentina officially withdrew from hosting the tournament due to covid-19 surge, South American Football Confederation Conmebol moved the tournament from Argentina on 1 June to Brazil barely a weak and a half to it’s start.

Brazilian players have criticised the decision to hold the Copa America in their country but say they wouldn’t boycott.

“For different reasons, be they humanitarian or professional, we are not satisfied with the way the Copa America has been handled by Conmebol,” the players said.

According to Brazilian media reports, the team were unhappy at not being consulted about the decision. But the players’ statement said they had never considered boycotting the tournament.

Reports from BBC sports states that, the statement, was posted on the players’ personal social media accounts, appeared soon after the team beat Paraguay 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Asuncion – the first time they had won in the country since 1985.

Brazil has recorded the second highest number of deaths attributed to coronavirus more than 475,000 in the world after the US. Meanwhile, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro has defended the decision to allow the tournament to go ahead in his country, insisting it did not pose a health risk.

The 10-nation tournament kicks off on Sunday June 13 with the new hosts facing Venezuela in Brasilia. All 28 games will be shown live on the BBC as the tournament ends on July 10.