Bolivia 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.

Bolivia participated for the first time in 1926, but it took 23 years (26 matches) until their first victory.

1963 was a special year for Bolivia in tournament history. The country not only hosted the South American Championship for the first time. The two host cities, Cochabamba and La Paz, both lie in Andean valleys and are at a much higher altitude than large parts of the continent. With the thin air as a major home advantage, Bolivia won the tournament unbeaten and earned their first and only international title. Forward Ramiro Blacut is the only Bolivian to be awarded an individual trophy when he was honoured as best player of the tournament that same year.

With a notable exception in 1997, when Bolivia reached the final in their second-ever home tournament, the team has been hugely unsuccessful in the past decades. From 1999 to 2021, they only won a single match (3–2 vs Ecuador in 2015).

Overall record

Bolivia missed out on the first nine South American championships (1916–1925) because the FBF was only founded in 1926.

South American Championship / Copa América record
width=100Yearwidth=95Roundwidth=60Positionwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=60Squad
1916Not a CONMEBOL member
1917
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926Fifth place5th4004224Squad
1927Fourth place4th3003319Squad
1929Did not participate
1935
1937
1939
1941
1942
1945Sixth place6th6024316Squad
1946Sixth place6th5005423Squad
1947Seventh place7th7025621Squad
1949Fourth place4th74031324Squad
1953Sixth place6th6114615Squad
1955Did not participate
1956
1957
1959Seventh place7th6015423Squad
1959Withdrew
1963Champions1st65101913Squad
1967Sixth place6th501409Squad
1975Group stage8th410339Squad
1979Group stage6th420247Squad
1983Group stage8th402246Squad
1987Group stage7th201102Squad
1989Group stage9th402208Squad
1991Group stage9th402227Squad
1993Group stage10th302112Squad
1995Quarter-finals8th411256Squad
1997Runners-up2nd6501105Squad
1999Group stage9th302112Squad
2001Group stage11th300307Squad
2004Group stage9th302134Squad
2007Group stage10th302145Squad
2011Group stage12th301215Squad
2015Quarter-finals8th4112410Squad
2016Group stage14th300327Squad
2019Group stage12th300329Squad
2021Group stage10th4004210Squad
2024Group stage16th3003110Squad
Total1 Title29/48122 20 26 76 109 308

1963 South American Championship

Bolivia played their first match of the tournament against Ecuador. After they had given away an early 2–0 leading to a 2–4 deficit after 50 minutes, the match ended in a 4–4 draw. Subsequently, the Bolivian hosts won their matches against Colombia (2–1), Peru (3–2), Paraguay (2–0) and Argentina (3–2).

The table after five out of six match days looked as follows.

Positionwidth=165 Teamwidth=20 width=20 width=20 width=20 width=20 width=20 width=20 width=20
1align=left 5410149+59
2align=left 5401126+68
3align=left 5302149+56
4align=left 521288+05
5align=left 6213811−35
6align=left 50231015−52
7align=left 5014715−81

Still to play: -, -, -

Because a victory gave two points at the time, only Paraguay was able to put pressure on Bolivia on the last day of the tournament. In case of equal points, a play-off would have been held. In order to secure the title, Bolivia would have to earn at least as many points in their match against Brazil as Paraguay would in their match against Argentina.

The Paraguay match in La Paz ended 1–1, which meant Bolivia also needed at least a draw.

Match details

GK Arturo López
DF Roberto Cainzo
DF Eduardo Espinoza
MF Máximo Ramírez
MF Wilfredo Camacho
MF Eulogio Vargas
FW Ramiro Blacut
FW Máximo Alcócer
FW Víctor Ugarte
FW Ausberto García
FW Fortunato Castillo
Manager:
Danilo Alvim
GK Silas
DF Cláudio Danni
DF
MF Procópio
MF Geraldino
MF Hilton Vaccari
FW Tião
FW Almir
FW Flávio
FW Marco Antônio
FW Oswaldo
Substitutions:
DF
Manager:
Aymoré Moreira

In spite of Brazil equalizing a two-goal lead twice, Bolivia secured the victory and the tournament title, two points ahead of Paraguay.

Record by opponent

Bolivia's highest victory at a Copa América is a 4–0 win against Colombia in 1949. A 1–10 defeat against Brazil in the same tournament, along with a 0–9 defeat against Uruguay at the 1927 edition, are Bolivia's highest defeats of all time.

Copa América matches (by team)
Opponent
2212161050
209111342
2211*151749
354121414
002206
25181213
001102
010111
120331
002225
12811831
349161728
101212
211417655
122559
Total202676122109308

Record players

RankPlayerMatchesTournaments
1Víctor Ugarte301947, 1949, 1953, 1959 and 1963
2José Bustamante241945, 1946, 1947, 1949 and 1953
3Alberto Achá231945, 1946, 1947 and 1949
Carlos Borja231979, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1995
5José Milton Melgar221993, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997
6Marco Etcheverry211989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999
7Vicente Arraya201945, 1946, 1947 and 1949
8Julio César Baldivieso191991, 1993, 1995, 1997 and 2001
Juan Manuel Peña191991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2007
10Severo Orgaz171945, 1946 and 1947
Marco Sandy171993, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerGoalsTournaments (goals)
1Víctor Ugarte91949 (5), 1953 (2), 1963 (2)
2Máximo Alcócer71959 (2), 1963 (5)
3Benigno Gutiérrez51947 (2) and 1949 (3)
Erwin Sánchez51991 (1), 1997 (3) and 1999 (1)
5Ausberto García41959 (1) and 1963 (3)
Wilfredo Camacho41963
Marco Etcheverry41993 (1), 1995 (1) and 1997 (2)
8Zenón González31945, 1946 and 1947
Ricardo Alcón31953 (2) and 1959 (1)
Fortunato Castillo31963
Ovidio Mezza31975
Jaime Moreno31997 (1) and 2007 (2)
Marcelo Moreno32015 (2) and 2019 (1)

Awards and records

Team Awards

Individual Awards[1]

Team Records

See also

External links

Notes and References

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