Forget silky skills...it's the Copa A-meme-ica

A Chilean proctologist masquerading as a central defender. The brick wall guarding the Colombian goal. The handball player who snuck into the centre of Brazil's defence. Thanks to the internet, these are the endearing images from the 2015 Copa America, a tournament that has offered up far more of the ridiculous than the sublime.

Gonzalo Jara's foul on Edinson Cavani has been immortalised by the internet. (@FutebolTerra) Source: Twitter

It is meant to be a showcase of the South America's best footballing talent. It is meant to rival Europe as the best continental tournament on the planet. It is meant to leave the football world breathless at the audacious skill on display.

But the 44th edition of the Copa America has left the football world giggling at the shear ridiculousness of the moments that have easily taken our attention away from the dour play unfolding on the field.

From Chile defender Gonzalo Jara's journey into Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani's unknown, to Thiago Silva's handball, the tournament has treated fans to some truly bizarre incidents. 

The internet has reacted accordingly, dishing out a memorable collection of meme-entos to offset the sleep-inducing play.

For example, social media relished Silva's 'superman-like' leap in Brazil's quarter-final against Paraguay. The resulting penalty allowed the 'Selecao's' 2011 conqueror back into a match - which it won on penalties.

Silva's team-mates appeared to lambast him for the gaffe, once they had overcame their shock that a central defender, other than David Luiz, had made a costly mistake.

Then the Twitter memes started appearing.

Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer statue got yet another makeover, and the observation that Brazil is merely average without its (this time suspended) star forward, Neymar, did the rounds.

Silva and company can rest easy, most of the internet's merriment has been directed at Jara, who has been the butt of jokes since he used his fingers to see what Cavani was hiding beneath his shorts. 

Comparisons with Spiderman's web-thrusting motion were drawn, and a momument to Jara was suggested for the nation's capitol.

¡Jajajajajajaja! El mejor 'meme' que he visto de Gonzalo Jara pic.twitter.com/nlXZFzsLbP — Robert Jhonson (@torresluis23) June 26, 2015

There was a brief ray of light for fans of the beautiful game and it came in the form of Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina, who denied both Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi in one moment of brilliance that sent the internet into meltdown.

The tournament is in rest mode ahead of this week' semi-finals but it remains to be seen whether the endearing memories will include actual moments of brilliance on the pitch, or merely a comical series of brain explosions, mistakes and errors on and off it.

One this is certain, the internet will be ready to pounce the moment anything sublime or ridiculous happens.

Follow @tomfin