Copa America's history: The complete history of the competition highlighted

Copa America's history is a rich, colourful canvas of football success stories, which display the best of South America's talent far beyond the constraints of borders. With roots dating back from 1916 to the present, where highly anticipated spectacles are, the tournament is still a celebration of football, passion, and national pride.

With the 2024 tournament approaching, many are curious about which team has the most trophies, the top scorers, and other aspects of Copa America's history. Let's explore the detailed history of this prestigious competition, drawing from reliable sources.

The Copa America's history

According to the Athletic, the Copa America began in 1916, 14 years before the first World Cup and 44 before the Euros. This inaugural tournament took place in Argentina. This event was organized to celebrate the country's centenary of the May Revolution.

It is the oldest continental football competition and the third most watched in the world. Four national teams—Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay—participated in this first tournament.

The inaugural tournament was known as the Campeonato Sudamericano de Football. It concluded with Uruguay winning after a 0-0 draw with hosts Argentina at Estadio Racing Club in Avellaneda.

This success paved the way for the establishment of CONMEBOL later in the same year, 1916. The event was officially named Copa América in 1975.

Development and expansion

The Copa America was held sporadically in the early years, with no fixed schedule. The tournament later expanded in terms of the number of participating teams and frequency.

By the mid-1970s, the tournament had regular participants from all ten CONMEBOL members—Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Guest teams, such as Mexico and the United States, were later included. Goal.com reveal that some teams from Asia are also invited to compete when a gap is needed to be filled. In 2024, the tournament welcomed six additional teams from CONCACAF.

Format changes

Over the years, the Copa America has undergone various format changes. Initially, it was a round-robin tournament, where the team with the most points at the end was declared the winner.

If a tie-in point was at the top of the standings, a playoff match (or matches) would be held to determine the champion. From 1975 to 1983, the tournament had no fixed host nation and was held in a home-and-away format.

The current tournament features all the national teams competing in a host nation. The tournament consists of a group stage followed by knockout rounds, including quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final.

Copa America's facts and records

The competition is known for producing some great moments and amazing records in football history. One of the fascinating facts about Copa America is that Uruguay and Argentina hold the record for the most titles, having won the tournament 15 times. Brazil follows with 9.

The highest goal scorers in tournament's history are Zizinho of Brazil and Norberto Méndez of Argentina, both with 17 goals. Sources indicate that Messi, with 13 so far, needs four goals to tie the record and five to set a new record.

Lionel Messi holds the record for the most assists in competition's history, with 17 in 34 games. The Argentine star averages an assist every 171 minutes. Messi is poised to enhance this record further in the 2024 edition.

Argentina's history in Copa America

Argentina has a great history in competition, winning their first title in the inaugural tournament in 1921. Over the years, they have produced greats like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

Argentina is the only team to have won the title three consecutive times, from 1945 to 1947. Their most recent tournament victory was in 2021.

Argentina also suffered heartbreak in 2015 and 2016, reaching the final but losing to Chile in penalty shootouts on both occasions. Interestingly, Argentina has never lost to Chile in regular time in Copa America's history, having played 28 matches against them.

Brazil's history in Copa America

Brazil's history in Copa America is equally impressive, with the nation known for its attacking players. Brazil won its first title in 1919 and has since added eight more, with its latest triumph in 2019 on home soil.

Brazil experienced great success in the competition from 1997 to 2007, winning four out of five tournaments. Notably, Brazil withdrew from the tournament for nearly a decade between 1926 and 1935.

Uruguay's history in Copa America

Uruguay won the inaugural tournament in Argentina, becoming the first nation to hold an international football title worldwide. Later, winning the second edition set the tone for their success.

Until 1927, the South American Championship was held annually, except in 1918, due to a flu epidemic in Brazil. Uruguay were the dominant team during this early era, winning six out of eleven tournaments. Ángel Romano, who was part of all six victorious squads, holds the record for the most titles and the most tournament participation (9).

Mexico's history in Copa America

Mexico is by far the most frequent guest team in Copa America's history, set to make its 11th appearance since their debut in 1993. The team has reached the semifinals five times and the final twice. However, they have yet to progress beyond the quarterfinals since 2001.

USA's history in Copa America

With the 2024 tournament starting, the United States will have participated in the Copa America five times. Their involvement has boosted the tournament's visibility and popularity in North America. Notably, the United States hosted the competition in 2016 and will do so again in 2024, making them the only non-CONMEBOL ever to host a Copa match.

Trivia

All ten registered national federations of CONMEBOL automatically qualify for the tournament. Since the competition was rebranded in 1975, only one team has ever missed a tournament: Argentina, which withdrew from the 2001 edition due to scheduling and security issues.

Why is Copa America every year?

Historically, the tournament was held almost annually, but it has shifted to a more structured schedule in recent years. The tournament is now held every four years, in alignment with other major international competitions like the UEFA European Championship.

Do the Copa America use VAR?

Copa America uses the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. VAR was first introduced in the 2019 edition of the tournament, which was held in Brazil.

Who has the most goals in Copa America history?

Zizinho of Brazil and Norberto Méndez of Argentina jointly hold the record for the top scorers. Both players scored 17 goals during their respective careers.

Who won the first Copa America?

When was the first tournament?

Final word

Tremendous changes are made each time, and the tradition of this prestigious competition continues to flourish. Beyond football, Copa America's history is steeped in rich culture and strong leadership.

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Football

Sports Brief published an article about Which is the bigger and better football competition between Copa America and Euros. The debate of Copa America vs Euros has been longstanding and created a rift in the football community for years.

It is a common practice that both championships attract viewers from all around the world who fervently follow the matches. Click on the above link to read more!