- Brazil was the last South American team to participate in a CONMEBOL Copa America™ after winning the World Cup in 2002. They won the tournament held in Peru in 2004, solidifying their dominance.
The CONMEBOL Copa America 2024™ will feature a luxury that hasn't happened in over 20 years: the current world champion, Argentina, will compete in the tournament after achieving glory in 2022.
As the reigning world champion, Brazil entered the CONMEBOL Copa America 2004™ with an important streak to break: the Seleção had won four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970, and 1994) but had never managed to win the continental tournament following their FIFA coronation. In 1959, they finished second (Argentina was the champion); in 1963, they finished in fourth place (Bolivia was the champion); in 1975, they reached the semifinals (Peru was the champion), and in 1995, they lost the final to Uruguay on penalties.
In the CONMEBOL Copa America™ 2004 held in Peru, Brazil reached the final against Argentina and staged a comeback in the closing moments of the match to draw 2-2 and eventually win it through penalties.
Another team that has performed well after becoming world champions is Uruguay, who won the tournament in 1930 by defeating Argentina in the final. Then, in the following CONMEBOL Copa America™ (1935), the same scenario unfolded: Uruguay versus Argentina in the final, with victory for La Celeste.
Twenty years later, Uruguay would become world champions again (1950, in the unforgettable Maracanazo), but they couldn't repeat the feat in the 1953 continental edition. Paraguay claimed the title, and the Uruguayan team finished with the bronze medal.
The third South American team to win the FIFA World Cup was Argentina. Their first World Cup triumph came in 1978, but the following year, in the CONMEBOL Copa America™, they were eliminated in the group stage.
In 1986, with Diego Maradona as the star player, Argentina became world champions once again. However, their luck was not the same in the continental tournament held in 1987, as they finished in fourth place.
Glorious victory finally arrived for Lionel Messi in Qatar 2022 but now in the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024™, which will be held in the United States, Argentina will have the opportunity to win the tournament for the first time after becoming world champions. This achievement has been accomplished by Brazil and Uruguay once each.
Furthermore, the team led by Lionel Scaloni could achieve back-to-back victories in the tournament, as they were the champions in the last edition played in 2021. Which team was the last to achieve this? Chile, who won in 2015 and 2016.
