The Argentina squad that contested the first Copa América (then "South American Championship") held in 1916

The Copa América is South America's major tournament in senior men's football and determines the continental champion. Until 1967, the tournament was known as "South American Championship". It is the oldest continental championship in the world with its first edition held in 1916.[1]

Argentina has won the tournament fifteen times, the joint-record holder with Uruguay. However, they do lead the all-time table, have the highest number of victories and hold various other records.

Argentina are the only team to win the title three consecutive times (1945–1947). The last time they won the tournament was in 2021. In 2015 and 2016, they proceeded to the final, only to lose to Chile in a penalty shoot-out on both occasions, even though they have never once lost to Chile over regular time in tournament history (28 matches).

Overall record

Américo Tesoriere was Argentina's first choice goalkeeper in six tournaments in the 1920s. In 1921, he became the first goalkeeper, and the first Argentinian to receive the best player award.
South American Championship / Copa América record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
Argentina 1916Runners-up2nd312072 Squad
Uruguay 1917Runners-up2nd320153 Squad
Brazil 1919Third place3rd310277 Squad
Chile 1920Runners-up2nd312042 Squad
Argentina 1921Champions1st330050 Squad
Brazil 1922Fourth place4th420263 Squad
Uruguay 1923Runners-up2nd320166 Squad
Uruguay 1924Runners-up2nd312020 Squad
Argentina 1925Champions1st4310114 Squad
Chile 1926Runners-up2nd4211143 Squad
Peru 1927Champions1st3300154 Squad
Argentina 1929Champions1st330091 Squad
Peru 1935Runners-up2nd320185 Squad
Argentina 1937Champions1st6501145 Squad
Peru 1939Withdrew
Chile 1941Champions1st4400102 Squad
Uruguay 1942Runners-up2nd6411216 Squad
Chile 1945Champions1st6510225 Squad
Argentina 1946Champions1st5500173 Squad
Ecuador 1947Champions1st7610284 Squad
Brazil 1949Withdrew
Peru 1953
Chile 1955Champions1st5410186 Squad
Uruguay1956Third place3rd530253 Squad
Peru 1957Champions1st6501256 Squad
Argentina 1959Champions1st6510195 Squad
Ecuador 1959Runners-up2nd421199 Squad
Bolivia 1963Third place3rd63121510 Squad
Uruguay 1967Runners-up2nd5401123 Squad
1975Group stage5th4202174 Squad
1979Group stage8th411276 Squad
1983Group stage6th413054 Squad
Argentina 1987Fourth place4th411254 Squad
Brazil 1989Third place3rd723224 Squad
Chile 1991Champions1st7610166 Squad
Ecuador 1993Champions1st624064 Squad
Uruguay 1995Quarter-finals5th421186 Squad
Bolivia 1997Quarter-finals6th412143 Squad
Paraguay 1999Quarter-finals8th420266 Squad
Colombia 2001Withdrew
Peru 2004Runners-up2nd6411166 Squad
Venezuela 2007Runners-up2nd6501166 Squad
Argentina 2011Quarter-finals7th413052 Squad
Chile 2015Runners-up2nd6330103 Squad
United States 2016Runners-up2nd6510182 Squad
Brazil 2019Third place3rd631276 Squad
Brazil 2021Champions1st7520123 Squad
United States 2024Qualified
Total15 Titles43/472021274233474182—

Winning finals

In the era of the South American Championship, Round robins were more commonly played than knock-out tournaments. Listed are the decisive matches which secured Argentina the respective titles.

Year Match type Opponent Result Manager Goalscorer(s) Final location
Argentina 1921Round robin Uruguay1–0Argentina Pedro CalominoJ. LibonattiBuenos Aires
Argentina 1925Round robin Brazil2–2Argentina Américo TesoriereA. Cerroti, M. SeoaneBuenos Aires
Peru 1927Round robinPeru Peru5–1Spain José Lago MillánM. Ferreira (2), J. Maglio (2), A. CarricaberryLima
Argentina 1929Round robin Uruguay2–0Argentina Francisco OlazarM. Ferreira, M. EvaristoBuenos Aires
Argentina 1937Play-off Brazil2–0 (a.e.t.)Argentina Manuel SeoaneV. De la Mata (2)Buenos Aires
Chile 1941Round robin Chile1–0Argentina Guillermo StábileE. GarcíaSantiago de Chile
Chile 1945Round robin Uruguay1–0Argentina Guillermo StábileR. MartinoSantiago de Chile
Argentina 1946Round robin Brazil2–0Argentina Guillermo StábileN. MéndezBuenos Aires
Ecuador 1947Round robin Uruguay3–1Argentina Guillermo StábileN. Méndez (2), F. LoustauGuayaquil
Chile 1955Round robin Chile1–0Argentina Guillermo StábileR. MicheliSantiago de Chile
Peru 1957Round robin Brazil3–0Argentina Guillermo StábileA. Angelillo, H. Maschio, O. CruzLima
Argentina 1959Round robin Brazil1–1Argentina Victorio SpinettoJ. PizzutiBuenos Aires
Chile 1991Final Round robin Colombia2–1Argentina Alfio BasileD. Simeone, G. BatistutaSantiago de Chile
Ecuador 1993Final Mexico2–1Argentina Alfio BasileG. Batistuta (2)Guayaquil
Brazil 2021Final Brazil1–0Argentina Lionel ScaloniÁ. Di MaríaRio de Janeiro

Record by opponent

Argentina has only positive head-to-head-records at the Copa América. Four out of nine CONMEBOL-members have never beaten the Albiceleste in regular time in a combined 74 attempts.

Copa América matches (by team)
Opponent W D L Pld GF GA
 Bolivia1222165010
 Brazil16810345340
 Chile21*80296115
 Colombia753153917
 Costa Rica100130
 Ecuador1150165512
 Jamaica100110
 Mexico211463
 Panama100150
 Paraguay2060267823
 Peru1223174019
 Qatar100120
 Uruguay15413324336
 United States201384
 Venezuela6006303
Total1274233202474182

* includes a 0–0 draw awarded to Argentina in 1942.

Record players

Lionel Messi is the top appearance-maker in the Copa America. He is also the first and only Argentine to feature in six different editions of the competition.
Rank Player Matches Tournaments
1Lionel Messi342007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
2Javier Mascherano262004, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2016
3Sergio Agüero242011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
4Ángel Di María232011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
5Javier Zanetti221995, 1999, 2004, 2007 and 2011
Nicolás Otamendi222015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
7 José Salomón211941, 1942, 1945 and 1946
Oscar Ruggeri211987, 1989, 1991 and 1993
9 Américo Tesoriere201920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924 and 1925
10 Diego Simeone191991, 1993, 1995 and 1999
Roberto Ayala191995, 1999, 2004 and 2007
Carlos Tevez192004, 2007, 2011 and 2015

Seven Argentinian players have won the South American Championship three times each. Manuel Seoane (1925, 1927 and 1929) also won the title as coach in 1937. The others are Vicente de la Mata (1937, 1945, 1946), José Salomón (1941, 1945, 1946), Mario Boyé, Félix Loustau, Norberto Méndez and René Pontoni (all 1945, 1946, 1947).

Top goalscorers

Norberto Méndez scored at least five goals at each of the three tournaments from 1945–1947 where Argentina remained unbeaten. With 17 goals total, he holds the shared record for top scorer at the Copa América along with Brazil's Zizinho
Rank Player Goals Tournaments (goals)
1Norberto Méndez171945 (6), 1946 (5) and 1947 (6)
2 José Manuel Moreno131941 (3), 1942 (7) and 1947 (3)
Gabriel Batistuta131991 (6), 1993 (3) and 1995 (4)
Lionel Messi132007 (2), 2015 (1), 2016 (5), 2019 (1) and 2021 (4)
5Herminio Masantonio111935 (4) and 1942 (7)
6Ángel Labruna101946 (5), 1955 (3) and 1956 (2)
7 Humberto Maschio91957
Sergio Agüero92011 (3), 2015 (3), 2016 (1) and 2019 (2)
9 Manuel Seoane81925 (6) and 1927 (2)
René Pontoni81945 (4) and 1947 (4)
Rodolfo Micheli81955
Antonio Angelillo81957

Awards and records

Team awards

Individual awards[2]

In 2015, no award for Most Valuable Player was given after Lionel Messi reportedly rejected it.[3]

Team records

  • Most victories (120)
  • Most goals (455)
  • Most consecutive titles (3, 1945–1947)
  • Highest victory (12–0 over Ecuador on 22 January 1942)

Individual records

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Copa América". Encyclopædia Britannica. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  2. ↑ "The Copa América Archive". July 19, 2007. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Messi rejects MVP award". 24 July 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
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