Top 12 Goalscorers in Copa America History (Ranked)

• The Copa America, which has been held since 1916, has seen many of the greatest footballers in history compete.
• Surprisingly, legends like Pele, Diego Maradona, and Neymar don’t make the list of the top goal scorers in this tournament.
• Lionel Messi, however, is on the verge of becoming the highest scorer in Copa America’s long history.

The Copa America tournament, established in 1916, has showcased some of the greatest football talent. Initially called the South American Football Championship until 1975, this competition has seen various formats, from round-robin leagues to traditional knockout stages, making it notoriously challenging to win.

Despite their illustrious careers, legends like Neymar and Diego Maradona have scored only nine Copa America goals between them, while Pele netted eight in his limited appearances. Lionel Messi, however, has surpassed double digits for Argentina and is on track to potentially become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer at the 2024 Copa America, as the world champions aim to defend their title.

Here’s a closer look at how Messi compares to the most prolific scorers in the history of the Copa America.

12. Hector Scarone (Uruguay)

Goals scored: 13

Hector Scarone won the Copa America an impressive four times, two shy of fellow Uruguay international record holder, Angel Romano. During the 1917 Copa America final against fierce international rivals Argentina, Scarone scored the winning goal to clinch the title. He was just 19 years old at the time. Along with Uruguay’s triumph in 1917, Scarone lifted the title in 1923, 1924, and 1926 as the relatively tiny nation consistently punched above its weight. Scarone had a fantastic goal-scoring record for his country, netting 31 times in 51 appearances for Uruguay. The striker’s goal tally places him fourth on Uruguay’s all-time leading goalscorer list.

11. Jose Manuel Moreno (Argentina)

Goals scored: 13

Jose Manuel Moreno, known as El Charro, which translates to cowboy, is regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. He became the first player to win trophies in four different countries and paved the way for other remarkable some of South America’s greatest players in the shape of Pele and his compatriot Diego Maradona. During his international career with Argentina, he scored 19 goals in 34 appearances. Moreno lifted the Copa America on two occasions, in 1941 and 1947. The prolific River Plate forward boasted an impressive overall goal-scoring record for his various clubs, racking up 224 strikes in 489 appearances.

10. Jair da Rosa Pinto (Brazil)

Goals scored: 13

Jair da Rosa Pinto was one of the leading figures in Brazilian football during the 1940s and 1950s and is best remembered for his performances during the 1950 World Cup as part of a frightening attack with Zizinho and Ademir. Jair helped Brazil win the Copa America in 1949, finishing as top scorer in the tournament with nine goals.

Jair scored 22 times in 39 appearances for his national team and is held in high regard in his native Brazil for his stellar performances. His selflessness in supporting other Brazilian strikers before becoming the main forward is remembered fondly, but Jair is seen as a player who does not get the credit he deserves.

9. Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina)

Goals scored: 13

Gabriel Batistuta is quite rightly regarded as one of the very best strikers in football history. Nicknamed Batigol as well as El Angel Gabriel, Batistuta scored with ease. He lifted the Copa America on two occasions, in 1991 and 1993, and plundered 56 goals in 78 appearances for his country. A goal tally that places him second behind Lionel Messi in Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer list.

His club career was as impressive as his record with Argentina. Batistuta scored 248 times in 444 appearances across seven different teams, with over half of those appearances coming for Serie A side, Fiorentina.

8. Ademir de Menezes (Brazil)

Goals scored: 13

Ademir de Menezes is seen as a Brazilian legend. His record for the national team was nothing short of incredible, scoring 32 times in only 39 appearances. He was a vital part of the Brazil side that lifted the 1949 Copa America and narrowly missed out on the 1950 World Cup, losing 2-1 to Uruguay in the final game of the tournament held on home soil. Ademir remained in South America for his entire playing career, appearing for the likes of Sport Recife, Vasco da Gama and Fluminese.

Ademir’s 32 goals for his country place him in the top 10 all-time goalscorers for Brazil, three behind legends in the form of Rivaldo and Jairzinho. Ademir was a natural-born finisher and influenced many prominent figures in Brazilian football.

7. Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Goals scored: 13

Lionel Messi had a memorable few months for Argentina, finally lifting the Copa America trophy in 2021 and the World Cup in Qatar a year and a half later. The Argentina captain is joint top with Chile’s Sergio Livingstone when it comes to all-time appearances in the competition, appearing 34 times for their respective countries. Messi’s Copa America triumph in 2021 was the sixth time he has appeared in the competition, and he is just five goals away from becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in the competition. With the 2024 tournament potentially his last, it would be no surprise if Messi breaks the record.

Messi finished the 2021 tournament as joint-top scorer with Colombia’s Luis Diaz, scoring four goals. The Argentina captain was also named the tournament’s best player alongside Brazil’s Neymar. Messi’s stellar performances for his country saw Argentina lift their 15th Copa America title.

6. Paolo Guerrero (Peru)

Goals scored: 14

Paolo Guerrero’s wild career was too crazy not to be committed to camera. When a biopic of the legendary Peruvian forward was released in 2016, it boasted the biggest opening of any film in the country. Half a million of his adoring public squashed into their nearest theatre to soak up the forward’s best work on the first weekend of its debut alone.

The sequel will also undoubtedly be well attended. The outspoken forward enjoyed arguably the best tournament display of his career three years after the documentary was released. Netting three goals throughout the 2019 Copa, including an equaliser in the final against Brazil, Guerrero narrowly missed out on the continental title which has eluded Peru since 1975.

5. Eduardo Vargas (Chile)

Goals scored: 14

Eduardo Vargas won consecutive Copa America titles with Chile in 2015 and 2016. After 10 goals across the two competitions, the forward was instrumental in his nation’s unprecedented glut of success. In 2015, Vargas finished the tournament with a tally of four strikes, joining Peru’s Paolo Guerrero as the top scorer that year and his goals helped fire Chile to their first-ever Copa America title.

Twelve months later, Vargas was celebrating lifting the trophy again, Chile’s second Copa America. The striker scored six goals, helping his nation reach the final, where they beat Argentina 4-2 on penalties. Four of Vargas’ eight goals came in the quarter-finals against Mexico, as Chile ran out 7–0 winners.

4. Severino Varela (Uruguay)

Goals scored: 15

Severino Varela always stood out on the pitch. Beyond his reliable return of goals – scoring five times at three different editions of the Copa America for Uruguay – the efficient forward was defined by the white beret that he wore during matches. The signature item of clothing, which was supposedly the result of a lucrative advertising agreement, gave Varela an air of nonchalance, swaggering around the pitch with his headpiece fixed in place.

The River Plate icon lit up the national team between Uruguay’s two World Cup triumphs. Making his debut shortly after the shine of the golden generation from the 1920s and ’30s had faded, Varela hung up his beret before Uruguay’s global crown in 1950. His goals did, however, earn Uruguay success in the 1942 Copa America.

3. Lolo Fernandez (Peru)

Goals scored: 15

Teodoro “Lolo” Fernandez won the Copa America in 1939, a tournament in which he finished as the best player and top goalscorer, racking up an impressive seven goals. During the early years of the competition, it was in a league format with each team playing each other once, and at that time, two points were awarded for a win and one for a draw. Peru finished on top of the table with eight points, winning all four of their games against Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Ecuador.

Fernandez sits third on Peru’s all-time goalscorer list with 21 goals in 26 appearances, behind Jefferson Farfan and Paolo Guerrero. He spent his entire club career at Peruvian First Division side, Universitario de Deportes, where he scored 156 goals in 180 appearances for the club.

2. Zizinho (Brazil)

Goals scored: 17

Zizinho of Brazil won the Copa America in 1949 which was their third title. The striker scored five goals during the tournament and, alongside Jair, who netted an impressive nine goals, formed a formidable partnership. In 53 appearances for Brazil, Zizinho found the back of the net 30 times. That tally puts him 12th on Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer list, ahead of the likes of Kaka, Rivelino and Robinho.

Brazilian legend, Pele, often remarked that Zizinho was the best player he had ever seen play, which is quite a compliment, given Pele is one of the most decorated players to have played the game. Zizinho spent his entire club career in South America, playing for six clubs in total, and is considered to be the first idol of Flamengo, helping the club to win three consecutive state championships.

Zizinho also spent time at Sao Paulo, where he helped the side win the Campeonato Paulista in 1957. He scored 27 goals in 67 appearances for the club. However, it is at Flamengo where he is most fondly remembered, with supporters saddened by the club’s decision to transfer Zizinho to Bagu ahead of the 1950 World Cup.

1. Norberto Mendez (Argentina)

Goals scored: 17

Norberto Mendez, nicknamed Tucho, along with Zizinho, tops the list with 17 goals in the Copa America. The Argentina midfielder played just 33 times for his country, but it was an incredibly successful period, winning three Copa America titles. Throughout his limited international career, Mendez scored 19 times for Argentina.

Mendez won the 1945 Copa America Golden Boot, scoring six times during Argentina’s triumph. As well as the 1945 victory, Mendez lifted the Copa America in 1946 and 1947. His 19 goals for Argentina in his career place him in 13th place in their all-time goalscorer list, ahead of the likes of Juan Roman Riquelme and Carlos Tevez. Mendez spent the whole of his club career in the Americas with three different sides; Huracan, Racing Club, and Tigre.

Mendez began and ended his career at Huracan, and made over 200 appearances for the club, scoring 78 goals in the process. He is regarded as one of Huracan’s greatest-ever players, having won three national cups during his time at the club. His time at Racing Club was equally successful, winning three Primera Division Championships.