Scene from the opening match of the 2011 Copa América against Argentina which ended in a 1–1 draw.
Ramiro Blacut (here in 2004) was the player of the tournament in 1963. Playing in Argentina at the time, he was one of only two Bolivian squad members who played outside of Bolivia.

The Copa América is South America's major tournament in senior men's soccer 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.

Bolivia participated for the first time in 1926, but it took 23 years (26 matches) until their first victory.

1963 was a special year for Bolivia in tournament history. The country not only hosted the South American Championship for the first time. The two host cities, Cochabamba and La Paz, both lie in Andean valleys and are at a much higher altitude than large parts of the continent. With the thin air as a major home advantage, Bolivia won the tournament unbeaten and earned their first and only international title. Forward Ramiro Blacut is the only Bolivian to be awarded an individual trophy when he was honoured as best player of the tournament that same year.

With a notable exception in 1997, when Bolivia reached the final in their second-ever home tournament, the team has been hugely unsuccessful in the past decades. From 1999 to 2021, they only won a single match (3–2 vs Ecuador in 2015).

Overall record

Bolivia missed out on the first nine South American championships (1916–1925) because the FBF was only founded in 1926.

South American Championship / Copa América record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad
Argentina 1916 Did not participate
Uruguay 1917
Brazil 1919
Chile 1920
Argentina 1921
Brazil 1922
Uruguay 1923
Uruguay 1924
Argentina 1925
Chile 1926 Fifth place5th4004224 Squad
Peru 1927 Fourth place4th3003319 Squad
Argentina 1929 Did not participate
Peru 1935
Argentina 1937
Peru 1939
Chile 1941
Uruguay 1942
Chile 1945 Sixth place6th6024316 Squad
Argentina 1946 Sixth place6th5005423 Squad
Ecuador 1947 Seventh place7th7025621 Squad
Brazil 1949 Fourth place4th74031324 Squad
Peru 1953 Sixth place6th6114615 Squad
Chile 1955 Did not participate
Uruguay 1956
Peru 1957
Argentina 1959 Seventh place7th6015423 Squad
Ecuador 1959 Withdrew
Bolivia 1963 Champions1st65101913 Squad
Uruguay 1967 Sixth place6th501409 Squad
1975 Group stage8th410339 Squad
1979 Group stage6th420247 Squad
1983 Group stage8th402246 Squad
Argentina 1987 Group stage7th201102 Squad
Brazil 1989 Group stage9th402208 Squad
Chile 1991 Group stage9th402227 Squad
Ecuador 1993 Group stage10th302112 Squad
Uruguay 1995 Quarter-finals8th411256 Squad
Bolivia 1997 Runners-up2nd6501105 Squad
Paraguay 1999 Group stage9th302112 Squad
Colombia 2001 Group stage11th300307 Squad
Peru 2004 Group stage9th302134 Squad
Venezuela 2007 Group stage10th302145 Squad
Argentina 2011 Group stage12th301215 Squad
Chile 2015 Quarter-finals8th4112410 Squad
United States 2016 Group stage14th300327 Squad
Brazil 2019 Group stage12th300329 Squad
Brazil 2021 Group stage10th4004210 Squad
United States 2024Qualified
Total1 Title28/47119202673108298—

1963 South American Championship

Bolivia's 1963 squad which won the title at their first home tournament.

Bolivia played their first match of the tournament against Ecuador. After they had given away an early 2–0 leading to a 2–4 deficit after 50 minutes, the match ended in a 4–4 draw. Subsequently, the Bolivian hosts won their matches against Colombia (2–1), Peru (3–2), Paraguay (2–0) and Argentina (3–2).

The table after five out of six match days looked as follows.

Position Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Bolivia 5410149+59
2 Paraguay 5401126+68
3 Argentina 5302149+56
4 Brazil 521288+05
5 Peru 6213811−35
6 Ecuador 50231015−52
7 Colombia 5014715−81

Still to play:  Ecuador -  Colombia,  Argentina -  Paraguay,  Bolivia -  Brazil

Because a victory gave two points at the time, only Paraguay was able to put pressure on Bolivia on the last day of the tournament. In case of equal points, a play-off would have been held. In order to secure the title, Bolivia would have to earn at least as many points in their match against Brazil as Paraguay would in their match against Argentina.

The Paraguay match in La Paz ended 1–1, which meant Bolivia also needed at least a draw.

Match details

Bolivia 5–4 Brazil
Ugarte 15', 58'
Camacho 25'
García 62'
Alcócer 86'		 Report Marco Antônio 26'
Almir 28'
Flávio 63', 66'
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Ovidio Orrego (Colombia Colombia)
GKArturo López
DFRoberto Cainzo
DFEduardo Espinoza
MFMáximo Ramírez
MFWilfredo Camacho
MFEulogio Vargas
FWRamiro Blacut
FWMáximo Alcócer
FWVíctor Ugarte
FWAusberto García
FWFortunato Castillo
Manager:
Brazil Danilo Alvim
GKSilas
DFCláudio Danni
DFJorgedownward-facing red arrow
MFProcópio
MFGeraldino
MFHilton Vaccari
FWTião
FWAlmir
FWFlávio
FWMarco Antônio
FWOswaldo
Substitutions:
DFMassinhaupward-facing green arrow
Manager:
Brazil Aymoré Moreira

In spite of Brazil equalizing a two-goal lead twice, Bolivia secured the victory and the tournament title, two points ahead of Paraguay.

Record by opponent

Bolivia's highest victory at a Copa América is a 4–0 win against Colombia in 1949. A 1–10 defeat against Brazil in the same tournament, along with a 0–9 defeat against Uruguay at the 1927 edition, are Bolivia's highest defeats of all time.

Copa América matches (by team)
Opponent W D L Pld GF GA
 Argentina2212161050
 Brazil209111342
 Chile2211*151749
 Colombia354121414
 Costa Rica002206
 Ecuador25181213
 Honduras001102
 Japan010111
 Mexico120331
 Panama001112
 Paraguay12811831
 Peru349161728
 Uruguay211316650
 United States100110
 Venezuela122559
Total202673119108298

* Includes a 2–2 draw awarded to Chile in 1953.

Record players

Rank Player Matches Tournaments
1Víctor Ugarte301947, 1949, 1953, 1959 and 1963
2José Bustamante241945, 1946, 1947, 1949 and 1953
3 Alberto Achá231945, 1946, 1947 and 1949
Carlos Borja231979, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1995
5José Milton Melgar221993, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997
6Marco Etcheverry211989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999
7Vicente Arraya201945, 1946, 1947 and 1949
8 Julio César Baldivieso191991, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 2001
Juan Manuel Peña191991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2007
10 Severo Orgaz171945, 1946 and 1947
Marco Sandy171993, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Goals Tournaments (goals)
1Víctor Ugarte91949 (5), 1953 (2), 1963 (2)
2Máximo Alcócer71959 (2), 1963 (5)
3Benigno Gutiérrez51947 (2) and 1949 (3)
Erwin Sánchez51991 (1), 1997 (3) and 1999 (1)
5 Ausberto García41959 (1) and 1963 (3)
Wilfredo Camacho41963
Marco Etcheverry41993 (1), 1995 (1) and 1997 (2)
8 Zenón González31945, 1946 and 1947
Ricardo Alcón31953 (2) and 1959 (1)
Fortunato Castillo31963
Ovidio Mezza31975
Jaime Moreno31997 (1) and 2007 (2)
Marcelo Moreno32015 (2) and 2019 (1)

Awards and records

Team Awards

  • Champions 1x (1963)
  • Second Place 1x (1997)

Individual Awards[1]

Team Records

  • Victory with highest number of goals conceded (5–4 vs Brazil, 31 March 1963. Tied with Brazil 6–4 Chile in 1937).
  • Highest draw (4–4 vs Ecuador, 10 March 1963)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Copa América Archive". July 19, 2007. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
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