Ranking the 7 Top Scorers in the History of Copa America, Including Messi and Ronaldo Nazario

Since its inception in 1916, the Copa America tournament has showcased some of the most remarkable talents in the history of football.

Originally called the South American Football Championship until 1975, this prestigious competition has seen many legendary goalscorers.

Lionel Messi, with 13 goals for Argentina, currently holds fourth place in the all-time Copa America goalscoring list.

With another outstanding performance in the 2024 tournament, the Argentine maestro has the opportunity to become the leading goalscorer in the tournament's history.

The 36-year-old needs just four more goals to match the current record and five to claim the top spot outright.

Sports Brief takes a look at the top scorers in the history of Copa America.

Copa America top scorers

Ronaldo Nazario (Brazil - 10 goals)

Ronaldo's inclusion on this list is no surprise. Before his knee injury in April 2000, he was an unstoppable striker with pace, power, and natural finishing ability.

Named Player of the Tournament in the 1997 Copa America, he also finished as joint-top scorer in the 1999 Copa America with five goals alongside Rivaldo.

Brazil won the Copa America in 1997 and 1999, and Ronaldo was key to these victories. He also scored twice in the 2002 World Cup final, securing a 2-0 win over Germany, per ESPN.

6. Herminio Masantonio (Argentina - 11 goals)

The second player on the list never lifted the trophy but was the Copa America's top scorer twice. In 1935, he scored four goals, and in 1942, he netted seven as Argentina reached the final but lost 1-0 to Uruguay.

Masantonio ranks 10th among Argentina's all-time top scorers, with 21 goals in just 19 appearances, giving him the best goalscoring ratio, surpassing legends like Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Gabriel Batistuta.

5. Roberto Porta (Uruguay - 12 goals)

Roberto Porta notched five goals in the 1942 Copa America, helping Uruguay win the final against Argentina 1-0, securing their eighth title. Porta, who made 34 appearances for Uruguay and scored 14 goals, also played one match for Italy in 1935 and was part of their Central European International Cup-winning team.

Ranked 13th among Uruguay's all-time leading goalscorers, Porta later managed Uruguay in the 1974 World Cup. However, his managerial stint was brief as the team did not advance past the group stage.

4. Lionel Messi (Argentina - 13 goals)

Lionel Messi had an unforgettable run, winning the Copa America in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022. He shares the record for most Copa America appearances (34) with Chile's Sergio Livingstone.

In his sixth Copa America in 2021, Messi finished as joint-top scorer with four goals and was named best player alongside Neymar, per GOAL.

He is just five goals shy of becoming the tournament's all-time leading scorer, and with the 2024 tournament potentially being his last, he might break the record. Argentina's 2021 Copa America win marked their 15th title.

3. Eduardo Vargas (Chile - 14 goals)

Eduardo Vargas played a key role in Chile's consecutive Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, ending both tournaments as the top scorer.

In 2015, he scored four goals, sharing the top scorer title with Peru's Paolo Guerrero, leading Chile to their first-ever Copa America victory.

In 2016, Vargas scored six goals, including four in a 7-0 quarter-final win over Mexico, as Chile won their second Copa America, defeating Argentina 4-2 on penalties in the final.

2. Lolo Fernandez (Peru - 15 goals)

Teodoro "Lolo" Fernandez won the Copa America in 1939, finishing as the top scorer and best player with seven goals. The tournament used a league format, with teams earning two points for a win and one for a draw.

Peru topped the table with eight points, winning all four of their matches against Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, and Ecuador.

Fernandez is third on Peru's all-time goalscorer list with 21 goals in 26 appearances, behind Jefferson Farfan and Paolo Guerrero. He spent his entire club career at Universitario de Deportes, scoring 156 goals in 180 appearances.

1. Zizinho & Norberto Mendez (Brazil/Argentina - 17 goals)

The number one spot is shared by Zizinho of Brazil. He won the Copa America in 1949, scoring five goals and forming a strong partnership with Jair, who scored nine. In 53 appearances for Brazil, Zizinho scored 30 goals, ranking 12th on Brazil's all-time goalscorer list.

Zizinho played for six South American clubs and was Flamengo's first idol, helping them win three consecutive state championships. Pele praised Zizinho as the best player he had seen.

Zizinho also played for São Paulo, scoring 27 goals in 67 appearances and helping them win the Campeonato Paulista in 1957. Despite his success, Flamengo fans were saddened by his transfer to Bangu before the 1950 World Cup.

Norberto "Tucho" Mendez, tied with Zizinho, leads the Copa America scoring charts with 17 goals. The Argentine midfielder played 33 times for his country, scoring 19 goals and winning three Copa America titles (1945, 1946, 1947).

Mendez also won the 1945 Copa America Golden Boot with six goals. He ranks 13th on Argentina's all-time goalscorer list.

Mendez spent his club career in South America with Huracan, Racing Club, and Tigre. He made over 200 appearances for Huracan, scoring 78 goals and winning three National cups. At Racing Club, he won three Primera Division Championships, cementing his legacy as one of Huracan's greatest players.

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