Raul Ruidiaz has been named on the 50-man roster released by Peru ahead of the 2021 Copa America tournament this summer. The list of players for the tournament was confirmed by the country’s football association.
This year’s Copa America tournament has been changed in comparison to the format from the previous editions. The usual format is a group stage consisting of three groups with four teams in each group. The top two teams from each group qualify for the quarterfinals alongside the best two of the three teams in third place.
For the new format, there are two groups of five teams each. Unlike the previous format where each team will play three group games, each team will play four games in the new format.
The top four teams from each group will advance into the quarterfinals at the end of the group stage for the new format.
In addition to the 2021 Copa America tournament, Peru also have to worry about two Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers in June. They have amatchday seven qualifier to navigate at home to Colombia on June 3 before travelling to take on hosts Ecuador on June 8.
Peru are the beaten finalists of the last Copa America tournament after losing to hosts and eventual winners Brazil in the final of the 2019 edition.
For the 2021 edition, Peru have been drawn in the South Zone alongside defending champions Brazil, host nation Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Their first game is against Brazil on June 18.
Seattle Sounders player Raul Ruidiaz would be hoping to be a part of both the qualifiers for Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 Copa America tournament having made the preliminary list of players for the two assignments.
Ruidiaz is expected to miss up to six Seattle Sounders games in the MLS if he is selected for the aforementioned assignments. He has four goals for his country though the player has not scored for Peru in three years.