Although Peru surpassed expectations by reaching the Copa America semi-finals in 2011, any thoughts of a similar run this time around are likely to prove wildly optimistic.
Coach Ricardo Gareca’s decision to include old favourites Claudio Pizarro, Jefferson Farfan and Juan Vargas, even though they have featured little for their clubs this season, is a worrying sign about the standard of the new generation.
Those weaknesses were on show last year when a team of home-based players slumped to a 3-0 defeat against England and a 2-0 loss to Switzerland on a miserable European tour.
Photo gallery: 12 Copa America players to watch
Gareca, an Argentine who was leading scorer at the 1987 Copa America, replaced Pablo Bengoechea in March and began with a dispiriting 1-0 debut defeat against Venezuela.
That clearly persuaded him to bring back the old faithfuls even though their record for Peru has often fallen way short of their club form.
Pizarro, for example, has mustered a meagre 19 goals in 71 appearances for his country, a sad comparison to his prolific record in the Bundesliga where he has the highest all-time total of any non-German player.
Thirteen members of the squad are home-based, a worrying statistic given the poor standard of the Peruvian championship.
Peru’s most realistic goal in Group C is to beat Venezuela and hope to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Previous appearances 29 (first in 1927)
Best performance Winners 1939, 1975
Draw Group C with Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela
Fifa world ranking 61
Coach: Ricardo Gareca
Former Argentina forward Gareca scored the goal which took his country to the 1986 World Cup, although he was not part of the squad that went to Mexico and won the tournament.
Known as the Tiger for his tenacity, he was part of the America team which dominated Colombian football in the 1980s and was also top scorer in the Copa America in 1987.
Widely travelled as a coach, the 57-year-old made his name during a four-year spell with Velez Sarsfield when they won three Argentine league titles.
He replaced Pablo Bengoechea as Peru coach in March.
Key player: Paolo Guerrero
Top scorer in the last Copa America tournament with five goals, Guerrero is also the leading marksman in the current Peru squad with 21 goals, outstripping even Claudio Pizarro.
The 31-year-old has found a new lease of life since joining Corinthians, where he is a cult figure after scoring the winning goal in the 2012 Club World Cup final against Chelsea.
Guerrero, who has a well-documented fear of flying, has also played for Bayern Munich, and had six seasons with Hamburg SV.
A fiery character, he was once given a six-month international ban for insulting a referee and was suspended in Germany for throwing a bottle at a fan who insulted him.
Squad
Goalkeepers Pedro Gallese (Juan Aurich), Diego Penny (Sporting Cristal), Salomon Libman (Cesar Vallejo)
Defenders Luis Advincula (Vitoria Setubal), Carlos Zambrano (Eintracht Frankfurt), Pedro Requena (Cesar Vallejo), Hansell Riojas (Cesar Vallejo), Christian Ramos (Juan Aurich), Yoshimar Yotun (Malmo), Jair Cespedes (Juan Aurich)
Midfielders Josepmir Ballon (Sporting Cristal), Carlos Lobaton (Sporting Cristal), Carlos Ascues (Melgar), Joel Sanchez (Universidad San Martin), Christian Cueva, (Alianza Lima), Juan Vargas (Fiorentina), Paolo Hurtado (Pacos de Ferreira), Edwin Retamoso (Real Garcilaso)
Forwards Andre Carrillo (Sporting Lisbon), Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich), Jefferson Farfan (Schalke 04), Yordy Reyna (Salzburg), Paolo Guerrero (Corinthians)
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