Chile at the Copa América

Chilean players with president Michelle Bachelet after the opening match of their home tournament in 2015, a 2–0 win against Ecuador.
Claudio Bravo was Chile's captain in 2015 and 2016, winning two Copa titles. In addition, he was honoured as the tournament's best goalkeeper both times.

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.

Chile are one of the four national teams that participated in the inaugural South American Championship in 1916. During their first six participations, they always ranked last, until they recorded their first match wins in 1926.

It took 99 years for them to win their first continental title, which they defended at the Copa América Centenario in 2016.

Chile won both the 2015 and 2016 final against Argentina on penalties, even though they have never defeated the Albiceleste over regular time in tournament history (30 attempts).

Overall record

South American Championship / Copa América record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad
Argentina 1916 Fourth place 4th 3 0 1 2 2 11 Squad
Uruguay 1917 Fourth place 4th 3 0 0 3 0 10 Squad
Brazil 1919 Fourth place 4th 3 0 0 3 1 12 Squad
Chile 1920 Fourth place 4th 3 0 1 2 2 4 Squad
Argentina 1921 Withdrew
Brazil 1922 Fifth place 5th 4 0 1 3 1 10 Squad
Uruguay 1923 Withdrew
Uruguay 1924 Fourth place 4th 3 0 0 3 1 10 Squad
Argentina 1925 Withdrew
Chile 1926 Third place 3rd 4 2 1 1 14 6 Squad
Peru 1927 Withdrew
Argentina 1929 Did not participate
Peru 1935 Fourth place 4th 3 0 0 3 2 7 Squad
Argentina 1937 Fifth place 5th 5 1 1 3 12 13 Squad
Peru 1939 Fourth place 4th 4 1 0 3 8 12 Squad
Chile 1941 Third place 3rd 4 2 0 2 6 3 Squad
Uruguay 1942 Sixth place 6th 6 1 1 4 4 15 Squad
Chile 1945 Third place 3rd 6 4 1 1 15 5 Squad
Argentina 1946 Fifth place 5th 5 2 0 3 8 11 Squad
Ecuador 1947 Fourth place 4th 7 4 1 2 14 13 Squad
Brazil 1949 Fifth place 5th 7 2 1 4 10 14 Squad
Peru 1953 Fourth place 4th 6 3 1 2 10 10 Squad
Chile 1955 Runners-up 2nd 5 3 1 1 19 8 Squad
Uruguay 1956 Runners-up 2nd 5 3 0 2 11 8 Squad
Peru 1957 Sixth place 6th 6 1 1 4 9 17 Squad
Argentina 1959 Fifth place 5th 6 2 1 3 9 14 Squad
Ecuador 1959 Did not participate
Bolivia 1963
Uruguay 1967 Third place 3rd 5 2 2 1 8 6 Squad
1975 Group stage 6th 4 1 1 2 7 6 Squad
1979 Runners-up 2nd 9 4 3 2 13 6 Squad
1983 Group stage 5th 4 2 1 1 8 2 Squad
Argentina 1987 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 9 3 Squad
Brazil 1989 Group stage 5th 4 2 0 2 7 5 Squad
Chile 1991 Third place 3rd 7 3 2 2 11 6 Squad
Ecuador 1993 Group stage 9th 3 1 0 2 3 4 Squad
Uruguay 1995 Group stage 11th 3 0 1 2 3 8 Squad
Bolivia 1997 Group stage 11th 3 0 0 3 1 5 Squad
Paraguay 1999 Fourth place 4th 6 2 1 3 8 7 Squad
Colombia 2001 Quarter-finals 7th 4 2 0 2 5 5 Squad
Peru 2004 Group stage 10th 3 0 1 2 2 4 Squad
Venezuela 2007 Quarter-finals 8th 4 1 1 2 4 11 Squad
Argentina 2011 Quarter-finals 5th 4 2 1 1 5 4 Squad
Chile 2015 Champions 1st 6 4 2 0 13 4 Squad
United States 2016 Champions 1st 6 4 1 1 16 5 Squad
Brazil 2019 Fourth place 4th 6 2 1 3 7 7 Squad
Brazil 2021 Quarter-finals 7th 5 1 2 2 3 5 Squad
United States 2024 Group stage 12th 3 0 2 1 0 1 Squad
Total 2 Titles 41/48 191 67 35 89 291 317 —

Winning tournaments

2015 Copa América

Matches

Round Opponent Score Result Scorers Venue
Group stage  Ecuador 2–0 W A. Vidal, E. Vargas Santiago
 Mexico 3–3 D A. Vidal (2), E. Vargas
 Bolivia 5–0 W C. Aránguiz (2), A. Sánchez, G. Medel, R. Raldes (o.g.)
Quarter-finals  Uruguay 1–0 W M. Isla
Semi-finals  Peru 2–1 W E. Vargas (2)
Final  Argentina 0–0
(a.e.t.)
(4–1 p)		 W

Final

Chile 0–0 (a.e.t.) Argentina
Report
Penalties
Fernández soccer ball with check mark
Vidal soccer ball with check mark
Aránguiz soccer ball with check mark
Sánchez soccer ball with check mark		 4–1 soccer ball with check mark Messi
soccer ball with red X Higuaín
soccer ball with red X Banega
Attendance: 45,693[1]
Chile
Argentina
GK 1 Claudio Bravo (c)
CB 5 Francisco Silva Yellow card 24'
CB 21 Marcelo Díaz Yellow card 34'
CB 17 Gary Medel Yellow card 44'
RM 4 Mauricio Isla
CM 20 Charles Aránguiz Yellow card 87'
CM 8 Arturo Vidal
LM 15 Jean Beausejour
AM 10 Jorge Valdivia downward-facing red arrow 75'
CF 11 Eduardo Vargas downward-facing red arrow 95'
CF 7 Alexis Sánchez
Substitutes:
MF 14 Matías Fernández upward-facing green arrow 75'
FW 22 Ángelo Henríquez upward-facing green arrow 95'
Manager:
Argentina Jorge Sampaoli
GK 1 Sergio Romero
RB 4 Pablo Zabaleta
CB 15 Martín Demichelis
CB 17 Nicolás Otamendi
LB 16 Marcos Rojo Yellow card 55'
RM 6 Lucas Biglia
CM 14 Javier Mascherano  Yellow card 56'
LM 21 Javier Pastore downward-facing red arrow 81'
RW 10 Lionel Messi (c)
CF 11 Sergio Agüero downward-facing red arrow 74'
LW 7 Ángel Di María downward-facing red arrow 29'
Substitutes:
FW 22 Ezequiel Lavezzi upward-facing green arrow 29'
FW 9 Gonzalo Higuaín upward-facing green arrow 74'
MF 19 Éver Banega Yellow card 91'  upward-facing green arrow 81'
Manager:
Gerardo Martino

Man of the Match: Arturo Vidal (Chile)[2]

2016 Copa América Centenario

Matches

Round Opponent Score Result Scorers Venue
Group stage  Argentina 1–2 L J. Fuenzalida Santa Clara
 Bolivia 2–1 W A. Vidal (2) Foxboro
 Panama 4–2 W E. Vargas (2), A. Sánchez (2) Philadelphia
Quarter-finals  Mexico 7–0 W E. Vargas (4), E. Puch (2), A. Sánchez Santa Clara
Semi-finals  Colombia 2–0 W C. Aránguiz, J. Fuenzalida Chicago
Final  Argentina 0–0
(a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)		 W East Rutherford

Final

Since the implementation of the new FIFA ruling that a fourth substitute would be allowed in overtime,[3] the Copa América Centenario final was the first match this rule applied to. However, neither team used a fourth substitute.

Argentina 0–0 (a.e.t.) Chile
Report (CONMEBOL)
Report (CONCACAF)
Penalties
 2–4
Attendance: 82,026[4]
Referee: Héber Lopes (Brazil)
Argentina
Chile
GK 1 Sergio Romero
RB 4 Gabriel Mercado
CB 17 Nicolás Otamendi
CB 13 Ramiro Funes Mori
LB 16 Marcos Rojo Red card 43'
CM 6 Lucas Biglia
CM 14 Javier Mascherano Yellow card 37'
CM 19 Éver Banega downward-facing red arrow 111'
RF 10 Lionel Messi (c) Yellow card 40'
CF 9 Gonzalo Higuaín downward-facing red arrow 70'
LF 7 Ángel Di María downward-facing red arrow 57'
Substitutions:
MF 5 Matías Kranevitter Yellow card 94' upward-facing green arrow 57'
FW 11 Sergio Agüero upward-facing green arrow 70'
MF 18 Erik Lamela upward-facing green arrow 111'
Manager:
Gerardo Martino
GK 1 Claudio Bravo (c)
RB 4 Mauricio Isla
CB 17 Gary Medel
CB 18 Gonzalo Jara
LB 15 Jean Beausejour Yellow card 52'
CM 8 Arturo Vidal Yellow card 37'
CM 21 Marcelo Díaz Yellow card 16' Yellow-red card 28'
CM 20 Charles Aránguiz Yellow card 69'
RW 6 José Pedro Fuenzalida downward-facing red arrow 80'
LW 7 Alexis Sánchez downward-facing red arrow 104'
CF 11 Eduardo Vargas downward-facing red arrow 109'
Substitutions:
FW 22 Edson Puch upward-facing green arrow 80'
MF 5 Francisco Silva upward-facing green arrow 104'
FW 16 Nicolás Castillo upward-facing green arrow 109'
Manager:
Spain Juan Antonio Pizzi

Man of the Match:
Claudio Bravo (Chile)[5]

Record by opponent

Chile's biggest victories at Copa América tournaments were a 7–0 win against Venezuela in 1979, and a 7–0 win against Mexico in 2016.

Their biggest defeats were 0–6 losses, one against Brazil in 1919 and one against Uruguay in 1947.

Copa América matches (by team)
Opponent W D L Pld GF GA
 Argentina 0 8 22 30 15 62
 Bolivia 11 2 2 15 49 17
 Brazil 3 2 17 22 25 61
 Canada 0 1 0 1 0 0
 Colombia 7 3 2 12 20 11
 Costa Rica 0 0 1 1 1 2
 Ecuador 13 1 1 15 47 15
 Japan 1 0 0 1 4 0
 Mexico 2 2 3 7 13 9
 Panama 1 0 0 1 4 2
 Paraguay 7 2 13 22 31 38
 Peru 8 7 7 22 27 31
 United States 0 0 1 1 1 2
 Uruguay 7 5 19 31 29 63
 Venezuela 7 2 1 10 25 4
Total 67 35 89 191 291 317

Record players

With 34 matches, Sergio Livingstone is the tournament's joint-record appearance maker. He won the award for best player in 1941, when Chile finished third.
Rank Player Matches Tournaments
1 Sergio Livingstone 34 1941, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1949 and 1953
2 Claudio Bravo 27 2004, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2021 and 2024
Mauricio Isla 27 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024
Gary Medel 27 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
5 Alexis Sánchez 26 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024
Eduardo Vargas 26 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024
7 Arturo Vidal 24 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
8 Charles Aránguiz 23 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021
9 Manuel Álvarez 20 1947, 1949, 1953, 1955 and 1956
10 Gonzalo Jara 19 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2019

Top goalscorers

Eduardo Vargas was the tournament's top scorer in both 2015 and 2016.
Rank Player Goals Tournaments (goals)
1 Eduardo Vargas 14 2015 (4), 2016 (6), 2019 (2) and 2021 (2)
2 Enrique Hormazábal 10 1955 (6) and 1956 (4)
3 Raúl Toro 9 1937 (7), 1939 (1) and 1941 (1)
4 David Arellano 8 1924 (1) and 1926 (7)
Iván Zamorano 8 1991 (5) and 1999 (3)
6 Francisco Molina 7 1953
Alexis Sánchez 7 2011 (1), 2015 (1), 2016 (3) and 2019 (2)
Arturo Vidal 7 2011 (1), 2015 (3), 2016 (2) and 2019 (1)
9 Juan Alcántara 6 1945 (5) and 1946 (1)
Jaime Ramírez 6 1955 (1), 1956 (2) and 1957 (3)

Players with multiple titles

Fifteen players were part of both the 2015 and 2016 Copa América squads, winning consecutive titles. Johnny Herrera as reserve goalkeeper was a non-playing squad member in both tournaments.

Player Championships Player Championships
Charles Aránguiz 2 Gary Medel 2
Jean Beausejour Eugenio Mena
Claudio Bravo Mauricio Pinilla
Marcelo Díaz Alexis Sánchez
José Pedro Fuenzalida Francisco Silva
Johnny Herrera Eduardo Vargas
Mauricio Isla Arturo Vidal
Gonzalo Jara

Awards and records

Team Awards

  • Champions: 2 (2015 and 2016)
  • Runners-up: 4 (1955, 1956, 1979 and 1987)
  • Third place: 5 (1926, 1941, 1945, 1967 and 1991)

Individual Awards[6]

Team records

  • Victory with highest number of goals conceded (5–4 v Peru in 1955; tied with Brazil 6–4 Chile in 1937 and Bolivia 5–4 Brazil in 1963)

Individual Records

See also

References

  1. ^ "Chile's long wait for Copa América glory over as Argentina pay the penalty". Copa America Chile 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  2. ^ "Vidal named MasterCard Man of the Match in Copa América final win". Copa América Chile 2015. 4 July 2015. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Copa America Centenario To Be First Around The World To Implement New Regulations Based On 2016/2017 Laws Of The Game". Copa América Centenario. 3 June 2016. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Chile, campeón de la Copa América Centenario" [Chile, champion of the Copa América Centenario] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 26 June 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Match 32 : Argentina vs Chile". Copa América Centenario. 26 June 2016. Archived from the original on 27 June 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  6. ^ "The Copa América Archive". July 19, 2007. Retrieved April 4, 2019.