Who has the guns to win this year's Libertadores title?

	Boca Juniors, with Rodrigo Palacio (left), and Alex Silva's São Paulo both are headstrong enough to add to their Libertadores crowns. AP
	RELATED • Full Libertadores pairings, schedule
	MAILBAG Submit a comment or question for Gregory Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

Forget the UEFA Champions League. If you want a competition that boasts the future of world soccer, look no further than South America's Copa Libertadores.

The Champions League may have the glamour, money and superstars, but South America -- in particular, Brazil and Argentina -- is where much of its success started.

The world's two best players in history -- Pelé and Diego Maradona -- have stood out in past editions of the Libertadores. More recently, star turns have included Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Romário -- players that have won seven of the last 13 FIFA World Player of the Year awards.

Brazilian and Argentine clubs have almost completely dominated the Libertadores since its inception in 1960, and the fact that together they have won 13 of the last 15 competitions means it won't be any different this year -- they still produce the most talented players.

Predicting the clubs that will excel in the competition each year is no big task -- just pick the teams from these two countries. That'll win you a buck or two, but unlike Europe's Champions League, the quality of the Libertadores is never predictable. Don't get me wrong -- I'm a big fan of European soccer, and in particular the Champions League, but every year, it's the same old, same old.

The Libertadores promises the emergence of new talent and allows us to witness soccer's new trends first-hand: the new stars, the new styles and all the latest tricks. (Ronaldinho first made his magic at Grêmio, not Barcelona). The 48th edition, which kicks off Tuesday night, promises to be a huge success. Here's what we can expect from the competition.

The Group of Death

Pity Ecuador's little Emelec, finding itself in a Group 4 that includes three former Libertadores champions: Nacional, Vélez Sársfield and reigning title-holder Internacional. Inter is looking particularly strong and is a repeat candidate despite some heavy changes. Nacional of Montevideo, Uruguay, is one of the most respected clubs on the continent, but is in a crisis of late. Still, it did eliminate Boca Juniors from last season's Copa Sudamericana by playing some outstanding soccer.

Who will emerge on top? I'm going with '94 champ Vélez, a serious candidate I've become particularly fond of for its attractive style of soccer under Ricardo La Volpe. Look for Mauro Zárate to compete for player of the tournament. I can't stress it enough that this youngster is simply amazing.

First-round matchups to watch

Brazil-Argentina clashes are always one-of-a-kind, no matter the clubs. These soccer nations are arguably the two most exciting in the world and happen to be geographical neighbors. Translation: They absolutely hate each other. Most games are played passionately, as if a grand final of some sort and a bonus for fans is that an after game brawl is always guaranteed, especially from the losing Argentine side. Internacional-Vélez promises all this, plus great soccer.

Another interesting matchup is the one between heavyweight clubs River Plate and Colo-Colo. The Chileans get particularly carried away when they host such high-key games, and this will be no different. The sad thing is they always end up on the losing side. Other potential classics: Boca-Toluca, Nacional-Vélez, Gimnasia La Plata-Santos and Grêmio-Cerro Porteño.