Who has won the most Copa America titles? Team records, most goals, appearances and where Lionel Messi stands | Sporting News
The Copa America holds the proud record of being the longest running continental tournament in world football, dating back to its inauguration in 1916.
The tournament had undergone plenty of changes and updates in the 100 years and more that have followed — including a name change from the South American Championship — with major expansions to include more teams from the CONMEBOL federation and its neighbors in CONCACAF.
Changes in format and greater global attention has elevated the Copa America to rival the European Championships as a major international tournament.
Teams from South America have dominated the majority of Copa America tournaments as the wait for a CONCACAF winner now stretches on beyond the 2024 tournament in the USA.
AS IT HAPPENED: Relive the 2024 Copa America final between Argentina and Colombia
Which team has won the most Copa America titles?
After victory in the 2024 Copa America final against Colombia, back-to-back holders Argentina have now overtaken Uruguay as the single most successful nation in the competition’s history, with 16 titles.
Argentina won their first title since 1993 when they edged past Brazil in the 2021 final and then reclaimed the crown this year after a thrilling final in Miami. Uruguay’s most recent success came in 2011.
Brazil are third on the overall list, with nine titles, while Paraguay, Chile and Peru have two each.
| Nation | No. of Titles | Years Won |
| Argentina | 16 | 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941,1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021, 2024 |
| Uruguay | 15 | 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011 |
| Brazil | 9 | 1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2019 |
| Chile | 2 | 2015, 2016 |
| Paraguay | 2 | 1953, 1979 |
| Peru | 2 | 1939, 1975 |
| Bolivia | 1 | 1963 |
| Colombia | 1 | 2001 |
Which player has won the most Copa America titles?
With Uruguay and Argentina dominating the list of most titles won, the list of players with the most individual Copa America winners’ medals is packed with players from the Uruguay side that won six tournaments from 1916 to 1926.
Angel Romano is the outright leader in terms of winners’ medals as he featured in all six of those aforementioned tournaments.
| Name | Nation | No. of Titles | Years Won |
| Angel Romano | Uruguay | 6 | 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926 |
| Pascual Somma | Uruguay | 4 | 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923 |
| Alfredo Zibechi | Uruguay | 4 | 1916, 1917, 1920, 1924 |
| Hector Scarone | Uruguay | 4 | 1917, 1923, 1924, 1926 |
| Jose Nasazzi | Uruguay | 4 | 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935 |
Which coach has won the most Copa America titles?
The pattern of success for either Uruguay or Argentina continues for coaches with multiple titles and Albiceleste legend Guillermo Stabile is the most successful coach in the competition’s history.
Stabile led Argentina to six Copa America titles between 1941 and 1957, with Juan Carlos Corazzo the only coach to win it with different nations, as he won it as part of bi-annual tournament in 1959 for both Argentina and Uruguay.
| Name | Nation | No. of Titles | Years Won |
| Guillermo Stabile | Argentina | 6 | 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957 |
| Juan Carlos Corazzo | Argentina/Uruguay | 3 | 1959, 1959, 1967 |
| Alfio Basile | Argentina | 2 | 1991, 1993 |
| Ernesto Figoli | Uruguay | 2 | 1920, 1926 |
| Lionel Scaloni | Argentina | 2 | 2021, 2024 |
Most Copa America goals and appearances
Lionel Messi had a record-breaking tournament in 2024, with the Argentina captain now top of the all-time appearances list.
Messi was tied with Chile’s Sergio Livingstone with 34 games played at the Copa America across six tournaments heading into 2024, and he appeared in five more to finish on 39 appearances overall.
The Inter Miami star also has 14 Copa America goals – one more than Argentina legend Gabriel Batistuta – but the record stands at 17.
| Name | Nation | No. of matches | No. of tournaments |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 39 | 7 |
| Sergio Livingstone | Chile | 34 | 6 |
| Zizinho | Brazil | 33 | 6 |
| Victor Ugarte | Bolivia | 30 | 4 |
| Maximo Mosquera | Peru | 28 | 4 |
| Name | Nation | No. of goals |
| Norbert Martinez | Argentina | 17 |
| Zizinho | Brazil | 17 |
| Lolo Fernandez | Peru | 15 |
| Severino Valera | Uruguay | 15 |
| Pablo Guerrero | Peru | 14 |
| Eduardo Vargas | Chile | 14 |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 14 |
| Ademir | Brazil | 13 |
| Gabriel Batistuta | Argentina | 13 |
| Jair | Brazil | 13 |
| Jose Manuel Moreno | Argentina | 13 |
| Hector Scarone | Uruguay | 13 |
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