Uruguay at the Copa América explained

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.

Uruguay won the inaugural tournament in Argentina, making them the first nation to hold an international football title worldwide. They are the second-most successful team in tournament history with fifteen titles, behind rivals Argentina by one.

Until 1927, the South American Championship was held annually, and Uruguay were the dominating team during this early era, winning six out of eleven tournaments. Part of all six victorious squads was inside-forward Ángel Romano, who holds the record for most titles and for most tournament participations (9).

Overall record

South American Championship / Copa América record
width=100Yearwidth=95Roundwidth=60Positionwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=60Squad
1916Champions1st 3 2 1 0 6 1Squad
1917Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 9 0Squad
1919Runners-up 2nd 4 2 1 1 7 5Squad
1920Champions 1st 3 2 1 0 9 2Squad
1921Third place 3rd 3 1 0 2 3 4Squad
1922Third place 3rd 4 2 1 1 3 1Squad
1923Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 6 1Squad
1924Champions 1st 3 2 1 0 8 1Squad
1925Withdrew
1926Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 17 2Squad
1927Runners-up 2nd 3 2 0 1 15 3Squad
1929Third place 3rd 3 1 0 2 4 6Squad
1935Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 6 1Squad
1937Third place 3rd 5 2 0 3 11 14Squad
1939Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 13 5Squad
1941Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 10 1Squad
1942Champions 1st 6 6 0 0 21 2Squad
1945Fourth place 4th 6 3 0 3 14 6Squad
1946Fourth place 4th 5 2 0 3 11 9Squad
1947Third place 3rd 7 5 0 2 21 8Squad
1949Sixth place 6th 7 2 1 4 14 20Squad
1953Third place 3rd 6 3 1 2 15 6Squad
1955Fourth place 4th 5 2 1 2 12 12Squad
1956Champions 1st 5 4 1 0 9 3Squad
1957Third place 3rd 6 4 0 2 15 12Squad
1959Sixth place 6th 6 2 0 4 15 14Squad
1959Champions 1st 4 3 1 0 13 1Squad
1963Withdrew
1967Champions 1st 5 4 1 0 13 2Squad
1975Semifinals 3rd 2 1 0 1 1 3Squad
1979Group stage 6th 4 1 2 1 5 5Squad
1983Champions 1st 8 5 2 1 12 6Squad
1987Champions 1st 2 2 0 0 2 0Squad
1989Runners-up 2nd 7 4 0 3 11 3Squad
1991Group stage 5th 4 1 3 0 4 3Squad
1993Quarter-finals 6th 4 1 2 1 5 5Squad
1995Champions 1st 6 4 2 0 11 4Squad
1997Group stage 9th 3 1 0 2 2 2Squad
1999Runners-up 2nd 6 1 2 3 4 9Squad
2001Fourth place 4th 6 2 2 2 7 7Squad
2004Third place 3rd 6 3 2 1 12 10Squad
2007Fourth place 4th 6 2 2 2 8 9Squad
2011Champions 1st 6 3 3 0 9 3Squad
2015Quarter-finals 7th 4 1 1 2 2 3Squad
2016Group stage 11th 3 1 0 2 4 4Squad
2019Quarter-finals 6th 4 2 2 0 7 2Squad
2021Quarter-finals 5th 5 2 2 1 4 2Squad
2024Third place 3rd 6 3 2 1 11 4Squad
Total 15 Titles 46/48 212 115 40 57 421 226

Decisive matches and finals

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 Uruguay the respective titles.

YearMatch typeOpponentResultManagerUruguay scorersFinal location
1916Round Robin0–0 Alfredo FoglinoAvellaneda
1917Round Robin1–0 Ramón PlateroH. ScaroneMontevideo
1920Round Robin2–1 Ernesto FígoliÁ. Romano, J. PérezVina del Mar
1923Round Robin2–0 Leonardo De LuccaP. Petrone, P. SommaMontevideo
1924Round Robin0–0 Ernesto MelianteMontevideo
1926Round Robin6–1 Ernesto FígoliH. Castro (4), Z. Saldombide (2)Santiago
1935Round Robin3–0 Raúl BlancoH. Castro, J. Taboada, A. CioccaLima
1942Round Robin1–0 Pedro CeaB. ZapirainMontevideo
1956Round Robin1–0 Hugo MagnuloJ. AmbroisMontevideo
1959Round Robin4–1 Juan Carlos CorazzoGuayaquil
1967Round Robin1–0 Juan Carlos CorazzoP. RochaMontevideo
1983Final, Second Leg1–1 Omar BorrásC. AguileraSalvador da Bahia
1987Final1–0 Roberto FleitasP. BengoecheaBuenos Aires
1995Final1–1
Héctor NúñezP. BengoecheaMontevideo
2011Final3–0 Óscar TabárezL. Suárez, D. Forlán (2)Buenos Aires

Record by opponent

Copa América matches (by team)
Opponent
13415323643
141217556
999274037
010122
1957316329
634131810
110232
1413186611
011223
200240
010122
1236711
100131
1566275533
1236214225
200220
6219216
Total1154057212421226

Record players

RankPlayerMatchesTournaments
1Fernando Muslera222011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
2Ángel Romano211916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924 and 1926
Schubert Gambetta211941, 1942, 1945 and 1947
José Giménez212015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024
5Roberto Porta201939, 1941, 1942 and 1945
Obdulio Varela201939, 1941, 1942, 1945 and 1946
Diego Pérez202001, 2004, 2007 and 2011
8Pascual Somma191916, 1917, 1920, 1921, 1922 and 1923
William Martínez191953, 1955, 1956 and 1959 (ARG)
Diego Godín192007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
Edinson Cavani192011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
Luis Suárez192011, 2019, 2021 and 2024

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerGoalsTournaments (goals)
1Severino Varela151937 (5), 1939 (5) and 1942 (5)
2Héctor Scarone131917 (2), 1919 (1), 1923 (1), 1926 (6) and 1927 (3)
3Ángel Romano121917 (4), 1920 (3), 1921 (2), 1924 (2) and 1926 (1)
Roberto Porta121939 (3), 1941 (1), 1942 (5) and 1945 (3)
5Pedro Petrone101923 (3), 1924 (4) and 1927 (3)
Héctor Castro101926 (6), 1927 (2) and 1935 (2)
Javier Ambrois101956 (1) and 1957 (9)
8Nicolás Falero91945 (1) and 1947 (8)
9Luis Suárez82011 (4), 2019 (2), 2021 (1) and 2024 (1)
10José María Medina71946
Guillermo Escalada71956 (3), 1959 [ARG] (2) and 1959 [ECU] (2)
José Sasia71957 (1), 1959 [ARG] (3) and 1959 [ECU] (3)

Players with multiple titles

RankPlayerChampionships
1Ángel Romano6 (1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926)
2Pascual Somma4 (1916, 1917, 1920, 1923)
Héctor Scarone4 (1917, 1923, 1924, 1926)
José Nasazzi4* (1923, 1924, 1926, 1935)
5Alfredo Foglino3 (1916, 1917, 1920)
José Pérez3 (1916, 1917, 1920)
Antonio Urdinarán3 (1916, 1917, 1920)
José Piendibene3 (1916, 1917, 1920)
Alfredo Zibechi3 (1916, 1920, 1924)
José Vanzzino3 (1916, 1917, 1926)
José Leandro Andrade3 (1923, 1924, 1926)
Alfredo Ghierra3 (1923, 1924, 1926)
Andrés Mazali3 (1923, 1924, 1926)
Santos Urdinarán3 (1923, 1924, 1926)
Enzo Francéscoli3 (1983, 1987, 1995)
1628 players2

Awards and records

Team awards

Individual awards[1]

Team records

Individual records

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Copa América Archive. July 19, 2007. April 4, 2019.