50 Fun Facts About Copa América

Copa América is described as the oldest extant what?

It began in 1916, 44 years before the first European Championship.

Until 1975 the tournament was known by what name?

The Spanish name was Campeonato Sudamericano de Football; 'Copa América' arrived with the 1975 relaunch.

Argentina holds the record for Copa América titles. How many has it won?

Argentina has also hosted the most editions, nine, including the first in 1916.

Which two CONMEBOL nations have never won the Copa América?

Bolivia (1963), Peru (1939 and 1975), Colombia (2001) and Paraguay have all lifted it at least once.

The first edition in July 1916 was held by Argentina to celebrate what?

An earlier 1910 tournament for the centenary of the May Revolution is not counted as official.

Who won the inaugural 1916 tournament, drawing 0-0 with the hosts in the decisive match?

The match was played at Estadio Racing Club in Avellaneda; Uruguay won again at home the following year.

Which Uruguayan football official proposed founding CONMEBOL during the 1916 tournament?

The confederation was founded on 9 July 1916, Argentina's independence day.

Why was the 1918 tournament cancelled?

Brazil hosted in 1919 instead and won its first title in a playoff.

Which coach led Argentina to three straight titles in 1945, 1946 and 1947, still the record for retaining the trophy?

Basile (1991-93) and Scaloni (2021-24) each retained it once; no other nation has won three in a row.

In the 1959 edition held in Ecuador, Brazil sent what instead of its national side?

There were two tournaments in 1959; the era was marked by indifference and lesser teams being sent.

Bolivia won its only title in 1963, but was beaten in the first match of 1967 by which debutant?

The 1963 win came at home at altitude, a pattern six of the eight winners share: first title on home soil.

When the tournament resumed in 1975 under its new name, how was it staged?

The defending champions got a bye to the semi-finals; this format lasted until 1987.

Which team beat world champions Argentina in the 1987 semi-final, leaving them fourth?

Uruguay retained the title, beating a Chile side that had thrashed Brazil 4-0 in the group stage.

Argentina's 1991 win in Chile, powered by Gabriel Batistuta, ended a title wait of how many years?

The previous title had come in 1959; Alfio Basile retained it in 1993.

Which two CONCACAF nations were the first invited to take part, at the 1993 tournament in Ecuador?

Mexico then played every edition until 2016, and Japan filled the 12th slot in 1999.

Which Asian nation played in 1999 and again in 2019, alongside Qatar?

China accepted an invitation for 2015 and Australia for 2021, but neither ended up appearing.

Which European nation was invited to the 2011 tournament but declined?

Ten non-South American teams have taken part in all, eight of them from CONCACAF.

Which striker joined Leonardo and Denílson on the scoresheet in the 1997 final in Bolivia?

Brazil retained it in 1999 with a 3-0 win over Uruguay in Asunción.

Who knocked Brazil out of the 2001 tournament in the quarter-finals, one of its biggest shocks?

Hosts Colombia went on to win their first title without conceding a goal.

Argentina withdrew from the 2001 edition, the only CONMEBOL absence since 1975, over what?

The reasons were scheduling and security disagreements with the Colombian hosts.

Brazil beat Argentina in the finals of 2004 and 2007. How was the 2004 final decided?

Three years later in Venezuela Brazil won the rematch 3-0.

Who won the 2011 tournament in Argentina, the first with neither Argentina nor Brazil in the semi-finals?

Uruguay beat Paraguay 3-0 in the final for its third title on Argentine soil.

When Brazil sought to offload the 2015 tournament, which CONMEBOL president proposed Mexico?

Instead Brazil and Chile swapped, made official in May 2012, and Chile won its first title at home in 2015.

How was the 2015 final between Chile and Argentina decided?

Chile repeated the trick a year later at the Centenario, again beating Argentina in a shoot-out.

Which country hosted the 2016 Copa América Centenario, the first held outside South America?

It set attendance records with 1.5 million spectators; the USA hosted again in 2024.

Argentina's 2016 final loss followed defeats to Chile in 2015 and which team in the 2014 World Cup final?

The run drove Messi to a brief international retirement.

Roughly how much did the 2016 Centenario's special gold-covered trophy weigh?

Chile won it on penalties; the 61 cm trophy was made by Thomas Lyte in London and carried both CONMEBOL and CONCACAF emblems.

Brazil beat which team 3-1 in the 2019 final at the Maracanã to win a ninth title?

The opening match was at São Paulo's Morumbi and the semi-finals in Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte.

COVID-19 cases rose in Argentina, so the 2021 tournament moved to Brazil how many days before kickoff?

Co-host Colombia had already dropped out amid protests; most matches were played behind closed doors.

Argentina's 2021 final win over Brazil ended a title drought of how many years?

It was the first time Brazil had failed to win a Copa América on home soil; Messi and Neymar shared the Best Player award.

The 2024 final, won 1-0 by Argentina over Colombia after extra time, was played in which city?

Security incidents at Hard Rock Stadium delayed kick-off by 82 minutes.

What did Argentina's Lionel Scaloni and Emiliano Martínez call a 'disaster' after the 2024 opening match in Atlanta?

Vinícius Júnior, James Rodríguez and Chile coach Ricardo Gareca also complained about field conditions.

The Copa América trophy was bought in 1916 from a jeweller in Buenos Aires for how much?

The 9 kg silver ornament stands 77 cm tall and now sits on a three-level wooden base engraved with every winner.

The silver runners-up trophy awarded since 1997 has what attached to one side?

It is called the Copa Bolivia after the 1997 host nation.

Gardelito, the first Copa América mascot, appeared at which tournament?

Every edition since 2005 has had its own mascot.

Who was the first player officially named best player of the tournament, in 1987?

The Best Goalkeeper and Fair Play awards were only added in 2011.

Messi and which Brazilian great share the record for scoring in six Copa América tournaments?

Zizinho's run spanned 1942 to 1957; Messi's ran from 2007 to 2024, and he also holds the records for assists and man-of-the-match awards.

The oldest player in Copa América history, at 41 years and 73 days in 2024, was which goalkeeper?

At the other end, Humberto Elgueta played against Brazil in 1920 aged just 16 years and one day.

Luis Suárez became the tournament's oldest goalscorer in 2024, aged 37, against which team?

The youngest scorer remains Colombia's Johnnier Montaño, 16, against Argentina in 1999.

Who scored a hat-trick inside ten minutes in 1942, still the fastest in tournament history?

It came the year Argentina beat Ecuador 12-0, the biggest win the tournament has seen.

Which team has made the most Copa América appearances (46) and played the most matches?

Uruguay has also played, won and lost the most penalty shoot-outs.

Since 1995, how many points has a group-stage win been worth?

Before that, winners received two points, as in most competitions of the era.

How many editions of the Copa América has record host Argentina staged?

The United States is the only non-CONMEBOL nation ever to host, doing so in 2016 and 2024.

Which Chilean city staged the 1920 championship, won by Uruguay?

A year earlier Brazil had won its first title on home soil, beating the holders 1-0 in a play-off.

Whose goals carried Argentina to its first title in 1921?

Paraguay made its debut in that same 1921 tournament after joining CONMEBOL earlier in the year.

Argentina's 1929 win avenged a defeat to Uruguay in the final of which event?

The Amsterdam final had gone Uruguay's way; Argentina took the 1929 title in the last, decisive match.

Which country hosted and won the tournament for the first time in 1939?

Ecuador made its debut in that edition, the first official one after a long hiatus.

Chile's 1941 tournament celebrated the 400th anniversary of the founding of which city?

The new Estadio Nacional had its capacity expanded from 30,000 to 70,000 for the occasion.

Roughly how many total spectators attended the record-breaking 2016 Centenario?

Crowds averaged about 46,000 per match through the semi-finals.

Bolivia first appeared in the tournament in which year?

Peru followed a year later, in the era when Uruguay dominated what was then the world's largest football tournament.