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The Copa America has been home to some of the greatest goalscorers in history, with iconic players from all eras having graced the tournament.
Modern-day greats like Lionel Messi, Edinson Cavani, Neymar and Luis Suarez have all made their mark in the Copa America. Legends of the recent past like Ronaldo Nazario and Gabriel Batistuta also represented their nations with distinction in the continental tournament.
In total, there have been 47 editions of what is the longest-running international football tournament, dating back to 1916.
Each edition has seen players step up to the plate to be counted, especially in front of goal to help their countries attain success.
Here is a rundown of the top 10 all-time goalscorers in Copa America history.
Honorable mentions: Hector Scarone (Uruguay), Jose Manuel Moreno (Argentina) - 13 goals
#10 Jair (Brazil) - 13 goals
Jair was one of the stars in Brazil's ill-fated quest for FIFA World Cup glory on home soil in 1950. Nevertheless, he was renowned for his displays in attacking midfield and was one of the early proponents of what is today known as the "free role."
In total, Jair scored 13 Copa America goals for Brazil, with nine of them coming in the 1949 edition to help his nation lift the trophy. Sadly, he passed away in 2005.
#9 Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina) - 13 goals
Gabriel Batistuta is widely regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation. The former Argentina international distinguished himself in front of goal.
He was the focal point of La Albiceleste's attack for over a decade and helped his country win consecutive Copa America tournaments in 1991 and 1993. He also achieved immortality with his exploits at club level in Serie A.
In total, 'Batigol' scored 13 Copa America goals and retired as his country's record goalscorer before he was overtaken by Lionel Messi in 2016.
#8 Ademir (Brazil) - 13 goals
Ademir is most famous for his exploits with Brazil at the 1950 World Cup. He was part of a deadly triumvirate, including Jair and Zizinho, that captured global hearts.
He won the Golden Boot at the 1950 World Cup, scoring the first-ever goal at the Maracana, and was also named the best player at the Copa America a year earlier.
Ademir scored 13 goals in 18 Copa America matches in total, including a hat-trick in the 1949 final replay that helped Brazil defeat Paraguay.
Also See: 7 greatest Brazilian defenders of all time
#7 Lionel Messi (Argentina) - 13 goals
Lionel Messi needs no introduction anywhere in the world, considering his otherworldly achievements throughout his illustrious career.
The Rosario native is widely regarded as the best player in the history of the sport, and he has done enough on the field of play to justify that lofty tag.
Messi is currently the joint-record appearance maker in Copa America history with 34 appearances alongside Chile's Sergio Livingstone.
His love affair with the continental tournament began when he was included in Alfio Basile's squad for the 2007 Copa America.
It ended in heartbreak for the then 20-year-old as a rampant Brazil defeated Argentina 3-0 in the final. This was to be a recurring theme for most of Messi's international career, with three consecutive finals lost in three years before he finally lifted the Copa America in 2021.
That triumph was no less than he deserved for his leadership and brought to an end one of the biggest anomalies in football's recent history.
Messi is just four goals behind the all-time record and will be 37 by the time the next Copa America kicks off. Judging by his career antecedents, he might well take a shot at breaking yet another record.
Also See: Six greatest players who never received an international cap
#6 Eduardo Vargas (Chile) - 14 goals
Eduardo Vargas is one of just three active players on this list, and only four men in history have scored more than his 14 Copa America goals.
He finished as the top scorer in consecutive Copa tournaments in 2015 and 2016, each of which his nation won by defeating Argentina on penalties.
His tally in the Copa America Centenario was massively boosted by his four-goal haul in the 7-0 rout of Mexico in the semifinals.
#5 Paolo Guerrero (Peru) - 14 goals
Paolo Guerrero is Peru's all-time top scorer, having scored 38 goals from 108 matches for his nation.
His most important contributions came in the 2019 Copa America, where he finished as the joint-highest goalscorer to help Peru finish in the second spot.
In total, the Internacional man has scored 14 goals in five Copa America tournaments, finishing as top scorer in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
Also See: Ballon d'Or: Ranking the top 5 midfielders to have won the award
#4 Severino Varela (Uruguay) - 15 goals
Severino Varela's 15 Copa America goals make him the highest goalscorer for Uruguay in the history of the tournament.
He was part of the Uruguay squad that won the Copa America in 1943 and represented clubs like Boca Juniors and Penarol.
Also See: Paul Merson's 5 bold predictions for the 2021-22 Premier League season
#3 Teodoro Fernandez (Peru) - 15 goals
Teodoro 'Lolo' Fernandez was a 'triple champion' at the 1939 Copa America on home turf. He lifted the trophy with Peru, in addition to being named the best player and finishing as the top scorer.
Fernandez spent the entirety of his official club career with Peruvian giants Club Universitario de Deportes, for whom he remains a cultural icon to this day.
In total, Lolo Fernandez scored 15 goals in 24 Copa America matches. He passed away in 1996, aged 83.
Also See: 7 European clubs to win a treble
#2 Zizinho (Brazil) - 17 goals
Zizinho does not enjoy as pristine a standing as his immaculate talent deserves, and this is largely due to his association with the 'Maracanazo.'
Brazil is obsessed with World Cup glory, and Zizinho's failure to deliver diminished his standing in the annals of the game.
He was the talisman of the Brazil side that tore all opposition to shreds at the 1950 World Cup before falling at the final hurdle against Uruguay. That defeat left over 200,000 fans at the Maracana shell-shocked. It is still regarded as one of the darkest days in the nation's history to this day.
Zizinho was one of the earliest 'complete' players and is widely regarded as the first archetypical Brazilian player that possesses flair, dribbling ability and technique.
The Flamengo icon is the joint-top scorer in the history of the Copa America and helped Brazil win the tournament in 1949.
Also See: 5 Brazilian players who failed to fulfil their potential
#1 Norberto Mendez (Argentina) - 17 goals
Norberto Mendez represented Argentina for 11 years between 1945 and 1956, scoring 19 goals from 31 matches.
Incredibly, 17 of his 19 international goals came at the Copa America, a tournament he won in three consecutive years - 1945, 1946 and 1947.
Mendez represented Huracan, Racing Club and Tigre at club level before retiring in 1958. He sadly passed away in 1998, aged 75 years.
Also See: Brazil vs Argentina: All-time combined XI
