The Copa América is South America's major tournament in senior men's football 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.
The teams walking out of the tunnel for the 2007 semi-final against Uruguay in Maracaibo.The squad that won Brazil's first international title: The South American Championship 1919. The final play-off against Uruguay was standing 0-0 after regular overtime and another 30 minutes of overtime were added. Star player Arthur Friedenreich (kneeling, middle), scored the decisive 1-0 goal.Ronaldo was Player of the Tournament in 1997 and Top Scorer in 1999. He scored in the finals of both tournaments.
Brazil have won the tournament nine times, which makes them the third-most successful team in tournament history behind Argentina and Uruguay (15 each).
Brazil withdrew from Copa America for almost ten years between 1926 and 1935.
They were particularly successful from 1997 to 2007, winning four out of five Copas during that time. Zizinho, who competed in the 1940s and 1950s, is both the player with the most matches (34) and the most goals (17) in tournament history, though he shares both records. After winning the 2019 Copa América, Brazil were the defending champions before losing the 2021 final to Argentina.
Pelé, the "Player of the Century", has never won the continental title and only competed in one South American Championship in 1959. However, he did present his impressive scoring abilities with eight goals in six matches, becoming that edition's top scorer and most valuable player.
Overall record
More information South American Championship / Copa América record, Year ...
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 Brazil the respective titles.
Brazil's highest victories at continental championships were a 10–1 win against Bolivia in 1949 and a 9–0 win against Colombia in 1957 with Evaristo scoring five goals. Their highest defeat was a 0–6 loss against Uruguay in 1920.
In their first seven matches against Venezuela, Brazil always scored a different number of goals (0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).
More information Copa América matches (by team), Opponent ...
With 17 goals in 33 matches, Zizinho is both Brazil's all-time record player and most successful scorer at the tournament. He won the title once, in 1949.
Former defensive midfielder Dunga is the only Brazilian who has won the Copa América three times: Twice as a player (1989 and 1997) and once as head coach (2007).
In spite of Brazil winning four Copa Américas within ten years from 1997 to 2007, no single player has been part of more than two victorious squads. Twenty-three players, however, have won two tournaments each:
* Additionally, Dunga won the title as head coach in 2007. Another Brazilian with two titles is Danilo Alvim, who won the South American Championship as player (1949) and as head coach of Bolivia (1963).
Champion as coach of another nation: Danilo Alvim (with Bolivia 1963)
Team records
Most goals in one tournament (46, in 1949)
Victory with highest number of goals conceded (6–4 v Chile in 1937, tied with Chile 5–4 Peru in 1955 and Bolivia 5–4 Brazil in 1963)
Only team to simultaneously hold the Copa América and the FIFA World Cup title (1997-1998 and 2004–2006. During both spells they additionally won the FIFA Confederations Cup.)
