Copa America: Most tournament appearances
- As of 2020, the Copa America occurs every four years
- Two players have appearances in eight different Copa America tournaments
- Lionel Messi will set a Copa America appearance record on June 20
The three players with the most Copa America tournament appearances all hail from different countries and generations, setting and breaking records over the competition's 108-year existence.
In the early years of the Copa America, the competition occurred quite frequently, giving players many more opportunities to represent their country on the international stage. From 1916 to 1927, the Copa America was held eleven times, and continued on a yearly or biyearly schedule throughout most of the 20th century.
As of 2020, though, the Copa America now unfolds every four years. Tournament appearances are harder to collect today than in the past, especially for South American superstars, like Neymar, who sadly must sit out due to injury.
Over the course of the last century, two legendary players amassed the most Copa America tournament appearances, and one of the greatest of all time is about to have the most total appearances.
Copa America: Most tournament appearances
The soccer player with the most Copa America tournament appearances is Ángel Romano. The Uruguayan took the field in eight different Copa America competitions, including the first ever tournament in 1916.
After Romano and Uruguay won the inaugural competition, the striker participated in seven more Copa America tournaments in 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, and 1926.
Romano solely held the record for most Copa America tournament appearances until Ecuador's Álex Aguinaga matched his eight appearances in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001, and 2004.
Although participating in eight different Copa America tournaments is rather unlikely now with the new four-year schedule, Lionel Messi is set to break a different appearance record come Argentina's first match of the 2024 tournament; once the whistle blows on June 20, Messi will hold the most Copa America appearances with 35.
After back-to-back Copa America final losses to Chile in 2015 and 2016, Messi finally helped lead his country to victory in the 2021 Copa America, overcoming Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. The victory became Messi's first major international trophy.
Messi's 35th Copa America appearance will break his tie with Chile's Sergio Livingstone.