| The oldest National Teams tournament in
the World, the Copa America was created in 1916, when Argentina
decided to organize a soccer tournament to celebrate the first
centennial of its independence. With the participation of
Brazil, Chile and Uruguay the event attracted the spotlights of
that time being decisive for the foundation of the South
American Football Confederation (Conmebol) in the same period.
In this way then, the first National Teams competition was
created.
Uruguay, one of the greatest Teams of the beginning of last
century, ruined the Argentinean party and conquered the first
South American title. The tournament´s success made Conmebol
schedule the competition for the following years, in each of the
four participating countries of the first event. This way, in
1917, the tournament was played again. Uruguay, that once again
won the title, also won the Copa America Trophy, created by
Conmebol that year.
Since then, the competition happened another 38 times, and
now reaches its 41st edition. Argentina and Uruguay, with 14
titles each, are the greatest winners of the main Tournament in
the Americas. Brazil, with 6 triumphs, Paraguay and Peru with 2
trophies each, and Bolivia and Colombia, with one title each are
the other winners of Copa America.
In 1975, the competition – known as South American National
Teams´ Competition – had its name officially changed to Copa
America. In the same year, the tournament stopped being played
with only one host. Surprisingly, Peru played the final against
Colombia, and conquered the Copa for the first time. In the two
following editions, the competition system remained the same and
Paraguay and Uruguay win the tournament.
In 1987, the Copa América adopted a single host system, and
would be played every two years. In Argentina, Uruguay beat
Chile and retains the previously won championship. In the
following edition, in 1989, the host, Brazil, broke a
non-winning streak of 40 years, and won the Copa America. Since
then, Conmebol decided that the tournament would be played in
rotating venues, in each of the ten affiliated countries.
Since 1993, the Copa América has been receiving two invitees
per edition, looking to take the tournament to the whole Latin
America. Mexico and USA, from Concacaf, joined the tournament
and already in their first participation, got good results.
Mexico, with a nice campaign reached the finals, but ended up
being beaten by the strong Argentinean team, twice champion by
then. In the following years Japan, Honduras and Costa Rica were
some of Conmebol´s invitees.
In 2004, in Peru, the tournament reaches its 41st edition,
with the presence of 12 countries (ten in South America plus
Mexico and Costa Rica). Programmed to be played between the 6th
and 25th of July, Copa America will be this year´s main event,
side by side with the Eurocup.
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