Uruguay at the Copa América
The Copa América is South America's major tournament in senior men's soccer 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 most successful team in tournament history with 15 titles, leading their rivals from 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.
Record at the Copa América
- Draws include matches decided on penalties.
Winning Finals
Year | Match Type | Opponent | Result | Manager | Goal Scorer | Final Location |
1916 | Round Robin | 0-0 | Alfredo Foglino | Avellaneda | ||
1917 | Round Robin | 1-0 | Ramón Platero | H. Scarone | Montevideo | |
1920 | Round Robin | 2-1 | Ernesto Fígoli | Á. Romano, J. Pérez | Vina del Mar | |
1923 | Round Robin | 2-0 | Leonardo De Lucca | P. Petrone, P. Somma | Montevideo | |
1924 | Round Robin | 0-0 | Ernesto Meliante | Montevideo | ||
1926 | Round Robin | 6-1 | Ernesto Fígoli | H. Castro, Z. Saldombide | Santiago | |
1935 | Round Robin | 3-0 | Raúl Blanco | H. Castro, J. Taboada, A. Ciocca | Lima | |
1942 | Round Robin | 1-0 | Pedro Cea | B. Zapirain | Montevideo | |
1956 | Round Robin | 1-0 | Hugo Magnulo | J. Ambrois | Montevideo | |
1959 | Round Robin | - | 4-1 | Juan Carlos Corazzo | Guayaquil | |
1967 | Round Robin | 1-0 | Juan Carlos Corazzo | P. Rocha | Montevideo | |
1983 | Final, Second Leg | 1-1 | Omar Borrás | C. Aguilera | Salvador da Bahia | |
1987 | Final | 1-0 | Roberto Fleitas | P. Bengoechea | Buenos Aires | |
1995 | Final | 1-1 | Héctor Núñez | P. Bengoechea | Montevideo | |
2011 | Final | 3-0 | Óscar Tabárez | L. Suárez, D. Forlán | Buenos Aires |
Record by Opponent
Record Players
No. | Name | Matches | Tournaments |
1 | Ángel Romano | 21 | 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924 and 1926 |
1 | Schubert Gambetta | 21 | 1941, 1942, 1945 and 1947 |
3 | Roberto Porta | 20 | 1939, 1941, 1942 and 1945 |
3 | Obdulio Varela | 20 | 1939, 1941, 1942, 1945 and 1946 |
3 | Diego Pérez | 20 | 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2011 |
6 | Pascual Somma | 19 | 1916, 1917, 1920, 1921, 1922 and 1923 |
6 | William Martínez | 19 | 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1959 |
8 | Héctor Scarone | 18 | 1917, 1919, 1923, 1924, 1926 and 1927 |
8 | Diego Forlán | 18 | 2004, 2007 and 2011 |
8 | Maxi Pereira | 18 | 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2016 |
Top Goalscorers
No. | Name | Goals | Tournaments |
1 | Severino Varela | 15 | 1937, 1939 and 1942 |
2 | Héctor Scarone | 13 | 1917, 1919, 1923, 1926 and 1927 |
3 | Ángel Romano | 12 | 1917, 1920, 1921, 1924 and 1926 |
3 | Roberto Porta | 12 | 1939, 1941, 1942 and 1945 |
5 | Pedro Petrone | 10 | 1923, 1924 and 1927 |
5 | Héctor Castro | 10 | 1926, 1927 and 1935 |
5 | Javier Ambrois | 10 | 1956 and 1957 |
8 | Nicolás Falero | 9 | 1945 and 1947 |
9 | José María Medina | 7 | 1946 |
9 | Guillermo Escalada | 7 | 1956, 1959 and 1959 |
9 | José Sasia | 7 | 1957, 1959 and 1959 |
Players with several titles
No. | Name | Championships |
1 | Ángel Romano | 6 |
2 | Pascual Somma | 4 |
2 | Héctor Scarone | 4 |
2 | José Nasazzi | 4* |
5 | Alfredo Foglino | 3 |
5 | José Pérez | 3 |
5 | Antonio Urdinarán | 3 |
5 | José Piendibene | 3 |
5 | Alfredo Zibechi | 3 |
5 | José Vanzzino | 3 |
5 | José Leandro Andrade | 3 |
5 | Alfredo Ghierra | 3 |
5 | Andrés Mazali | 3 |
5 | Santos Urdinarán | 3 |
5 | Enzo Francéscoli | 3 |
16 | 28 players | 2 |
- Additionally, José Nasazzi won the title once as head coach of Uruguay in 1942.
Awards and Records
- Champions 15x
- Second Place 6x
- Third Place 8x
- Fair Play Award 1x
- MVP 1916: Isabelino Gradín
- MVP 1917: Héctor Scarone
- MVP 1920: José Piendibene
- MVP 1923 and 1935: José Nasazzi
- MVP 1924: Pedro Petrone
- MVP 1926: José Leandro Andrade
- MVP 1942: Obdulio Varela
- MVP 1956: Oscar Míguez
- MVP 1959 : Alcides Silveira
- MVP 1967: Pedro Rocha
- MVP 1983 and 1995: Enzo Francéscoli
- MVP 1989: Ruben Sosa
- MVP 2011: Luis Suárez
- MVP 2019: Dani Alves
- Top scorer 1916: Isabelino Gradín
- Top scorer 1917: Ángel Romano
- Top scorer 1920: Ángel Romano+José Pérez '
- Top scorer 1923: Pedro Petrone '
- Top scorer 1924: Pedro Petrone
- Top scorer 1927: Pedro Petrone+Héctor Scarone+Roberto Figueroa '
- Top scorer 1946: José María Medina
- Top scorer 1947: Nicolás Falero
- Top scorer 1957: Javier Ambrois '
- Top scorer 1983: Carlos Aguilera '
- Best Young Player 2011: Sebastián Coates
- Most titles: 15
- Most matches played: 201
- Most goals in one tournament: Javier Ambrois
- Most tournament participations: Ángel Romano