Copa America's top scorers: Find out who the leading goal machine for Copa America is

Copa America is one of the most popular international football tournaments globally. The competition featured exceptionally talented and skilled footballers like Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Neymar, and Luis Suarez. But are they among the best Copa America top scorers in history?

The competition's history dates back to 1916, when the first event occurred in Argentina. Uruguay won the inaugural edition. Since then, nine nations have won it. Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are the most successful teams in the tournament. This article lists renowned Copa America's top scorers and assists providers.

Copa America's top scorers all time

Argentine star Lionel Messi is widely considered the greatest footballer of all time. He is also among the leading Copa America top scorers now and of all time. Messi's trailing another Argentine legend, Norberto Méndez, who is the Copa America top scorer as of 2022.

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Copa America's top scorers' list consists of players who have retired from the sport. Most played in the 20th century and have retired from the sport. Eduardo Vargas, Paolo Guerrero, and Lionel Messi are the only active players on the list as of 2023. Legendary Brazilian forward Ronaldo bagged ten goals in 13 matches during his career.

South America's top scorers all time

Here is a breakdown of Copa America's most prolific goal scorers, including their Copa titles and games played in the tournament as of February 2022.

11. Lionel Messi

Messi joins Norberto Méndez, Gabriel Batistuta, and José Manuel Moreno as Argentina's Copa America's top scorers of all time. He also lifted the World Cup (2022) and an Olympic Gold Medal (2008).

• Goals: 13
• Matches: 34
• Copa titles: 1 (2021)

10. Héctor Scarone

The Uruguayan is one of the most decorated players, having won four Copa America titles, two Olympic Gold medals (1924, 1928) and a World Cup (1930). Hector played for Nacional and later coached Real Madrid.

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• Goals: 13
• Matches: 17
• Copa titles: 4 (1917, 1923, 1924, 1926)

9. Jairzinho

Jair Ventura Filho formed a great partnership with Zizinho and Ademir during the 1940s and 1950s. He was one of the stars in the 1950 World Cup after winning the Copa America in 1949, where he also finished as the best scorer. Jairzinho also won the 1970 World Cup.

• Goals: 13
• Matches: 18
• Copa titles: 1 (1949)

8. José Manuel Moreno

The Argentine legend played in Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Columbia. As a result, he became the first footballer ever to win league titles in four different countries. Jose was the top scorer of the 1942 edition and won the tournament's best player in 1947.

• Goals: 13
• Matches: 16
• Copa titles: 3 (1941, 1942, 1947)

7. Gabriel Batistuta

Batistuta ranks among the best strikers of his generation. He won the 1991 Copa America golden boot and joint top scorer in 1995.

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• Goals: 13
• Matches: 16
• Copa titles: 2 (1991, 1993)

6. Paolo Guerrero

The Peru international is quite unpopular to fans globally, but he has scored incredible goals for his country in the continental showpiece. His 14 goals for Peru in Copa America rank him fifth in the tournament's all-time scorers.

• Goals: 14
• Matches: 25
• Copa titles: 0

5. Eduardo Vargas

The two-times Copa America winner has also found the net 14 times for his country Chile. Vargas is one of the most talented strikers of his generation.

• Goals: 14
• Matches: 23
• Copa titles: 2 (2015, 2016)

4. Teodoro Fernández

Teodoro scored numerous goals in his career, including 15 in Copa America. The Peru international scored 15 times in the tournament and won it once. He also won the golden boot in the 1939 edition with seven goals.

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• Goals: 15
• Matches: 24
• Copa titles: 1 (1939)

3. Severino Varela

Legendary Uruguayan striker Severino Varela is the joint third-highest scorer in Copa America with 15 goals. He bagged five in the 1937, 1939, and 1942 tournaments.

• Goals: 15
• Matches: 15
• Copa titles: 1 (1942)

2. Zizinho

The iconic Brazilian midfielder was a prolific goal scorer who scored more goals than the top strikers of his generation. Zizinho won one Copa America title and the World Cup golden ball in 1950. He scored 30 goals in 53 games for the national team.

• Goals: 17
• Matches: 33
• Copa titles: 1 (1949)

1. Norberto Méndez

Norberto Méndez is a former Racing & Huracan star and the joint all-time highest scorer of Copa America. He helped Argentina clinch three consecutive Copa titles and won the golden boot in 1945. Norberto scored 19 goals in 31 games for Argentina.

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• Goals: 17
• Matches: 17
• Copa titles: 3 (1945, 1946, 1947)

Copa America's top assists all-time

Lionel Messi tops the list of Copa America top assists of all time. The Argentine has recorded 17 assists in the 34 matches he has played. Carlos Tevez follows him with six assists in 19 games, and Angel di Maria with six in 20 matches.

Copa America top scorer list by country

Argentina is the most prosperous nation in the tournament and the highest team scorer, with 474 goals. They have played 202 matches in 43 editions out of 47. Brazil is second with 430 goals in 191 games.

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Copa America top scorers by year - Highest scorers

Humberto Maschio, Javier Ambrois, and Jair are the top scorers in a single competition with nine goals. Maschio and Ambrois tied with nine in 1957, while Jair won the golden boot with nine in 1949. Here is a list of those who scored over five goals in an edition.

Over the years, the Copa America top scorers have scored a few goals because of the physicality of South American football. Lionel Messi was the joint-highest scorer of the latest edition in 2021, alongside Luis Díaz of Colombia, with four goals. Therefore, getting even three goals in the tournament is an outstanding achievement.

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