Primarily organized by South America’s governing soccer body CONMEBOL, Copa America is the oldest continental competition on the planet. The third-most watched international soccer tournament in the world — behind FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO — is set to commence its 48th edition on June 20, with 16 teams from CONMEBOL and CONCACAF clashing in 14 venues across the United States.
As we count down the hours to see Lionel Messi, Vinicius Jr., and Co. in action in the US, let’s quickly jog our Copa America statistics, starting with the most successful nations in the competition’s illustrious history. Continue reading to check out the five teams that have the most Copa America honors to their name.
#5 Chile: 2 Wins
Kicking off this list are the mighty Chile, who have won the illustrious tournament twice in their history. Their victories came in consecutive editions of the tournament in 2015 and 2016, both times on penalties against heavyweights Argentina.
Chile have reached the Copa America semi-finals a total of 22 times. They have finished second four times, third five times, and fourth on a whopping 11 occasions.
#4 Paraguay: 2 Wins
Level on Chile with titles won, two-time Copa America victors Paraguay are in fourth place. The fallen giants of South American soccer have edged out Chile due to their higher number of runners-up finishes, with them claiming the silver medal on six occasions. Paraguay also have seven bronze medals to their name.
Paraguay’s last Copa America triumph came 45 years back in 1979. They contested the two-legged final against Chile, beating them 3-0 at home and then losing 1-0 away. A third match was organized at a neutral venue but the game ended goalless at the end of extra time. With nothing separating the two, Paraguay won the title due to their aggregate score (3-1).
#3 Brazil: 9 Wins
Arguably the finest international team in history, Brazil have won a record five FIFA World Cups. However, they have not been nearly as dominant in Copa America. So far, the Selecao have conquered the continent nine times, which is poor by their lofty standards. They have lost 12 finals and finished third on seven occasions.
Brazil last won the Copa America in 2019. At the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, they claimed a 3-1 win over Peru in an engrossing final. Everton, Gabriel Jesus, and Richarlison scored one goal each for the home side.
#2 Uruguay: 15 Wins
One of the grittiest South American soccer teams on the planet, Uruguay are in second place. They have lifted the cup an impressive 15 times, including the first one in 1916. They also have six runners-up medals and nine third-placed finishes.
Uruguay have not won the competition since 2011. That year, they beat Paraguay 3-0 in the final, thanks to Luis Suarez’s sensational strike and a brilliant Diego Forlan brace.
#1 Argentina: 15 Wins
Reigning champions Argentina are the most successful nation in the history of Copa America. They have won the competition a whopping 15 times, finished runners-up on 14 occasions, claimed the bronze medal five times, and finished fourth two times. In total, they have reached the semi-finals an impressive 36 times, more than any other nation in history.
In Copa America 2021, Argentina beat arch-rivals Brazil 1-0 in the final. Angel Di Maria scored the winner in the 22nd minute to secure La Albiceleste’s first Copa victory since 1993.
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