The forty-seventh Copa América in history is about to begin. If the competition is often too little publicized in France, it is nevertheless the one with the richest history in the world. A look back at more than a century of South American passion.
At the end of the 19th century, football spread to the four corners of the South American continent, helped by several parents from immigrant backgrounds, whether English as in Argentina or even Dutch as in Paraguay and by seed sowers. mainly from Spanish and Italian immigration. The first clubs are born, the first rivalries appear, the first classics opposing two enemies definitely irreconcilable emerge. With football installed, the rivalry between clubs quickly leads to the need for a superior rivalry, that between the nations. In 1913, with the centenary of Argentina’s independence approaching, José Susán presented a project of competition between national teams as part of the festivities. The following are invited to Argentina: Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. Together, they will then participate in the first ” South American Nations Championship »In 1916. The Copa América has just been born.
1916 – 1967 : the South American Nations Championship
The first edition is thus played out in Argentina between four teams who will all compete against each other. The success of this first edition is such that at the end of it, Héctor Rivadavia Gómez, Uruguayan leader, will propose to create an association between the four selections. CONMEBOL will then see the light of day six months later, it will be in particular in charge of organizing the event which will hold an annual rate until the first World Cup with only two canceled editions: that of 1918 in Brazil, postponed for cause. flu epidemic, and that of 1928 due to the Amsterdam Olympics.
The 1930 World Cup caused tensions between Argentina and Uruguay resulting in an interruption of the South American Championship for six years. He did not return until 1935 and was then contested every two years before taking a completely irregular rhythm during the forties and fifties with for example a double edition in 1959 and therefore two champions. The 1967 edition, which for the first (and only time in history) establishes a preliminary phase marks the end of an era. For eight years, the South American Championship no longer argues, CONMEBOL then decides to carry out profound modifications of its major competition.
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July 17, 1916: Uruguay wins the first Copa América
1919, Brazil adopts football
1919, the tragic selection of Roberto Chery
1925, the birth of the Argentina – Brazil rivalry
1935, birth of the garra
1939, the revenge of Peru
[1945theColombianodyssey
1949, Brazil repeat at one year of its World Cup
1959, King Pelé’s unique chance
1975 – 1991: the Championship becomes Copa and looks for his formula
From 1975, after eight years of absence, the competition returned and took the name of the trophy which was awarded to the winner in 1916: Copa América. The format changes. To the single group, CONMEBOL then prefers the establishment of three groups of three from which the winners will come out to join the winner of the previous edition in the semi-final. In each phase, the matches are then played in a two-way match played in each country concerned. For the first time then, the ten nations of the confederation will participate in the Copa América in each edition. But with growing success and broadcasts to the rest of the world, the format only lasted ten years before the new reform. The 1987 edition introduces the first changes. The competition takes place in a single country, the first mascot appears, a sign of the arrival of merchandising, little by little, the shift towards a formula close to the European EURO takes place. It will be final from 1993.
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1975, and the Copa América was born
1979, the crazy year of Paraguay
Depuis 1993: the Americas and World Cup
The Ecuadorian edition of 1993 marks a new turning point. Wishing to increase the number of teams present at the Copa América, CONMEBOL decided to invite two selections ” foreign »And then turns to his neighbor, CONCACAF. The format is also changing: from now on, the twelve teams are divided into three groups of four from which the first two and the two best thirds emerge. All then compete in a Cup format which leads to a grand final. The frequency is also changing. At first unchanged with an edition every two years, it goes to three before taking the current form of a Copa América every four years. With this formula, the competition acquires a prestige that it did not then have internationally. Its best players are now playing in Europe, many media around the world are now turning to the South American continent.
After a special edition in 2016, which brings together all the Americas and is contested by sixteen, it continues to open up to the world. In 2019, Qatar, recent Asian champion, is the latest newcomer, accompanied by Japan which is back twenty after its first participation. The fact remains that the event has only one obsession, to model itself on Europe: it then decides to align its calendar, the confederation adding a new edition in 2020 postponed due to COVID-19. After four editions in five years, the oldest of the nations’ continental competitions should finally regain a more regular pace from 2024.
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1993, the last of Argentina
1997-2007, the decade of Brazil
Author
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Creator and editor-in-chief of Lucarne Opposée.
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