Copa América

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Lore & Background

The journey to hosting the 2019 tournament began with a significant logistical shift. Originally scheduled for Chile under CONMEBOL's alphabetical rotation system, Brazil swapped host duties for 2015 and 2019 following their commitments to the 2013 Confederations Cup, 2014 World Cup, and 2016 Olympics. This agreement was approved by CONMEBOL in 2012. The tournament featured a unique guest lineup; while initially planned for six invited teams, it was reduced to two guests from the Asian Football Confederation: Qatar and Japan. Both nations had reached the final of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. This edition marked the first time since 1991 that no CONCACAF nation participated, notably excluding Mexico, which had competed in every invited edition since 1993. Qatar made history as the first Arab nation to play in the tournament, while Japan returned for their second appearance.

In Their Own Story

The final at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on 7 July 2019 defined the tournament's narrative arc. Brazil, playing on home soil, faced Peru in a decisive match that ended 3–1 in favor of the hosts. This victory secured Brazil's ninth title, ending a long wait since their last triumph. The road to glory was paved with specific tactical and emotional milestones. Chile, the defending champions, were knocked out by Peru in the semi-finals, setting up a third-place clash where Argentina defeated them 2–1. The tournament structure saw the winners and runners-up of each group, plus the two best third-placed teams, advance to the quarter-finals. Notably, matches in the quarter-finals were decided by penalty shoot-outs if tied after 90 minutes, whereas extra time was utilized for semi-finals, the third-place play-off, and the final.

Reader's Guide

For fans analyzing the tournament structure, the draw on 24 January 2019 at the Cidade das Artes in Rio de Janeiro established the path to glory. Teams were seeded based on the FIFA World Ranking of December 2018, with Brazil automatically placed as A1. The twelve participating teams were split into three groups of four. Each squad submitted a list of exactly 23 players, including three goalkeepers. Tiebreakers for group standings prioritized points, followed by goal difference and goals scored. In the knockout phase, the rules shifted: quarter-finals went straight to penalties if level, while later stages allowed extra time with an additional substitute permitted. The tournament concluded with individual accolades: Dani Alves won the Golden Ball, Everton secured the Golden Boot with 3 goals, Alisson took the Golden Glove, and Brazil received the Fair Play Award.

Did You Know?

• This was the first time since 1991 that no CONCACAF nation participated in the Copa América.
• Qatar became the first Arab nation to play in the tournament, while Japan made their second appearance.
• The final match between Brazil and Peru was held at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.
• Brazil won their ninth title by defeating Peru 3–1 in the final.
• The mascot Zizito was a capybara named after Zizinho, who shares the all-time Copa América goal-scoring record.