With the creation of the South American National Team Championship in 1916, one of the most prestigious and coveted tournaments in world football began.
Over the years, the competition developed into the Copa America. Argentina hosted the first edition, although it was Uruguay who won that inaugural title.
Throughout the history of the tournament, a total of eight teams have lifted the trophy. Argentina's 2024 triumph saw them become the most successful side in the competition's history, now boasting 16 titles to their name.
With Messi and Co. victorious once again, we look back at the previous title matches, and all the champions throughout history.
Copa America finals: Complete list of all title matches
The format of the Copa America from 1916 to 1967 was a league and round-robin competition, but in some editions a tiebreaker match was used to define the champion.
From 1975 to 1983 the tournament did not have a fixed venue and was played with round-trip matches.
Starting in 1987, it returned to a single venue and with the introduction of playoffs, although the finals of 1989 and 1991 returned to the league format between the best four sides.
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Result | Final Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | Argentina | Uruguay |
— |
— | — |
| 1917 | Uruguay | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1919 | Brasil | Brasil | Uruguay | 1-0 (extra time) | Das Laranjeiras (Rio de Janeiro) |
| 1920 | Chile | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1921 | Argentina | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1922 | Brasil | Brasil | Paraguay | 3-0 | Das Laranjeiras (Rio de Janeiro) |
| 1923 | Uruguay | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1924 | Uruguay | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1925 | Argentina | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1926 | Chile | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1927 | Peru | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1929 | Argentina | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1935 | Peru | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1937 | Argentina | Argentina | Brasil | 2-0 (extra time) | Gasometro (Buenos Aires) |
| 1939 | Peru | Peru | — | — | — |
| 1941 | Chile | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1942 | Uruguay | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1945 | Chile | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1946 | Argentina | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1947 | Ecuador | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1949 | Brasil | Brasil | Paraguay | 7-0 | Sao Januario (Rio de Janeiro) |
| 1953 | Peru | Paraguay | Brasil | 3-2 | Nacional (Lima) |
| 1955 | Chile | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1956 | Uruguay | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1957 | Peru | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1959 I | Argentina | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1959 II | Ecuador | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1963 | Bolivia | Bolivia | — | — | — |
| 1967 | Uruguay | Uruguay | — | — | — |
| 1975 | Sudamerica | Peru | Colombia | 0-1, 2-0, 1-0 | El Campin (Bogota), Nacional (Lima), Olimpico (Caracas) |
| 1979 | Sudamerica | Paraguay | Chile | 3-0, 0-1, 0-0 | Defensores del Chaco (Asunción), Nacional (Santiago), Jose Amalfitani (Buenos Aires) |
| 1983 | Sudamerica | Uruguay | Brasil | 2-0, 1-1 | Centenario (Montevideo), Fonte Nova (Bahía) |
| 1987 | Argentina | Uruguay | Chile | 1-0 | Monumental (Buenos Aires) |
| 1989 | Brasil | Brasil | — | — | — |
| 1991 | Chile | Argentina | — | — | — |
| 1993 | Ecuador | Argentina | Mexico | 2-1 | Monumental (Guayaquil) |
| 1995 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Brasil | 1-1 (5-3 pens) | Centenario (Montevideo) |
| 1997 | Bolivia | Brasil | Bolivia | 3-1 | Hernando Siles (La Paz) |
| 1999 | Paraguay | Brasil | Uruguay | 3-0 | Defensores del Chaco (Asuncion) |
| 2001 | Colombia | Colombia | Mexico | 1-0 | El Campin (Bogota) |
| 2004 | Peru | Brasil | Argentina | 2-2 (4-2 pens) | Nacional (Lima) |
| 2007 | Venezuela | Brasil | Argentina | 3-0 | Jose Encarnacion Romero (Maracaibo) |
| 2011 | Argentina | Uruguay | Paraguay | 3-0 | Monumental (Buenos Aires) |
| 2015 | Chile | Chile | Argentina | 0-0 (4-1 pens) | Nacional (Santiago) |
| 2016 | Estados Unidos | Chile | Argentina | 0-0 (4-2 pens) | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford) |
| 2019 | Brasil | Brasil | Peru | 3-1 | Maracana (Rio de Janeiro) |
| 2021 | Brasil | Argentina | Brasil | 1-0 | Maracana (Rio de Janeiro) |
| 2024 | USA | Argentina | Colombia | 1-0 (aet) | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami) |
MORE: Full FIFA Ranking for all Copa America 2024 teams
All-time winners and most Copa America titles
| Team | Titles | Years | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 16 | 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959-I, 1991, 1993, 2021, 2024 | 14 |
| Uruguay | 15 | 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959-II, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011 | 6 |
| Brasil | 9 | 1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2019 | 12 |
| Paraguay | 2 | 1953, 1979 | 6 |
| Chile | 2 | 2015, 2016 | 4 |
| Peru | 2 | 1939, 1975 | 1 |
| Colombia | 1 | 2001 | 1 |
| Bolivia | 1 | 1963 | 1 |
| Mexico | 0 | 2 |