Argentina at the Copa América

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.[1]

Members of the 1945 tournament-winning Argentina squad. (Standing from left to right: René Pontoni, Norberto Méndez, Rinaldo Martino, Juan Carlos Muñoz on the guitar, and Rodolfo de Zorzi)
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.

Argentina has won the tournament 14 times, trailing only one behind record holder 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 1993. 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).

Record at the Copa América
South American Football Championship
Year Round Position GP W D L GS GA
1916Runners-up2nd312072
1917Runners-up2nd320153
1919Third place3rd310277
1920Runners-up2nd312042
1921Champions1st330050
1922Fourth place4th420263
1923Runners-up2nd320166
1924Runners-up2nd312020
1925Champions1st4310114
1926Runners-up2nd4211143
1927Champions1st3300154
1929Champions1st330091
1935Runners-up2nd320185
1937Champions1st6501145
1939Withdrew
1941Champions1st4400102
1942Runners-up2nd6411216
1945Champions1st6510225
1946Champions1st5500173
1947Champions1st7610284
1949Withdrew
1953Withdrew
1955Champions1st5410186
1956Third place3rd530253
1957Champions1st6501256
1959Champions1st6510195
1959Runners-up2nd421199
1963Third place3rd63121510
1967Runners-up2nd5401123
Copa América
Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA
1975Group stage5th4202174
1979Group stage8th411276
1983Group stage6th413054
1987Fourth place4th411254
1989Third place3rd723224
1991Champions1st7610166
1993Champions1st624064
1995Quarter-finals5th421186
1997Quarter-finals6th412143
1999Quarter-finals8th420266
2001Withdrew
2004Runners-up2nd6411166
2007Runners-up2nd6501166
2011Quarter-finals7th413052
2015Runners-up2nd6330103
2016Runners-up2nd6510182
2019Third place3rd631276
2021Qualified
2024Qualified
Total14 Titles42/461951224033462179

* Draws include matches decided on penalties.

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 Goal Scorer(s) Final Location
1921Round Robin Uruguay1–0 Pedro CalominoJ. LibonattiBuenos Aires
1925Round Robin Brazil2–2 Américo TesoriereA. Cerroti, M.SeoaneBuenos Aires
1927Round RobinPeru5–1 José Lago MillánM. Ferreira (2), J. Maglio (2), A. CarricaberryLima
1929Round Robin Uruguay2–0 Francisco OlazarM. Ferreira, M. EvaristoBuenos Aires
1937Play-off Brazil2–0
(a.e.t.)		 Manuel SeoaneV. De la Mata (2)Buenos Aires
1941Round Robin Chile1–0 Guillermo StábileE. GarcíaSantiago de Chile
1945Round Robin Uruguay1–0 Guillermo StábileR. MartinoSantiago de Chile
1946Round Robin Brazil2–0 Guillermo StábileN. MéndezBuenos Aires
1947Round Robin Uruguay3–1 Guillermo StábileN. Méndez (2), F. LoustauGuayaquil
1955Round Robin Chile1–0 Guillermo StábileR. MicheliSantiago de Chile
1957Round Robin Brazil3–0 Guillermo StábileA. Angelillo, H. Maschio, O. CruzLima
1959Round Robin Brazil1–1 Victorio SpinettoJ. PizzutiBuenos Aires
1991Final Round Robin Colombia2–1 Alfio BasileD. Simeone, G. BatistutaSantiago de Chile
1993Final Mexico2–1 Alfio BasileG. Batistuta (2)Guayaquil

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.

CONCACAF Championship/Gold Cup matches (by team)
Opponent Wins Draws Losses Total Goals Scored Goals Conceded
 Bolivia112215469
 Brazil15810335240
 Chile21*70286014
 Colombia743143816
 Costa Rica100130
 Ecuador1050155212
 Jamaica100110
 Mexico211463
 Panama100150
 Paraguay1960257723
 Peru1223174019
 Qatar100120
 Uruguay14413314236
 United States201384
 Venezuela6006303

* includes a 0-0 victory awarded to Argentina in 1942.

Record Players
Javier Mascherano is Argentina's most-capped player of all time. Only five players of other nations have played more Copa América matches than him.
No. Name Matches Tournaments
1Lionel Messi272007, 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2019
2Javier Mascherano252004, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2016
3Javier Zanetti221995, 1999, 2004, 2007 and 2011
4 José Salomón211941, 1942, 1945 and 1946
Oscar Ruggeri211987, 1989, 1991 and 1993
6 Américo Tesoriere201920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924 and 1925
Sergio Agüero202011, 2015, 2016 and 2019
8 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 an 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 in 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.
No. Name Goals Tournaments
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)
4Herminio Masantonio111935 (4) and 1942 (7)
5Ángel Labruna101946 (5), 1955 (3) and 1956 (2)
6 Humberto Maschio91957
Lionel Messi92007 (2), 2015 (1), 2016 (5) and 2019 (1)
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 rejected it.[3]

Team Records

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

Individual Records

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