Top scorers in Copa America history — including Messi, Zizinho, Vargas: Which player has scored the most?

Claudio Darío Rodríguez

Top scorers in Copa America history — including Messi, Zizinho, Vargas: Which player has scored the most? image

The Copa America 2024 was another spectacular edition of the tournament, as the USA played host.

Throughout the history of the Copa America, the competition has witnessed some of the greatest names ever to play the game, and the goals have traditionally flowed. 

Here, The Sporting News looks back in the archives to recall some of the names who have made their mark on the championship, and those who have topped the goal scoring charts.

MORE: Which team has won the most Copa America titles?

Who is the top scorer in the history of the Copa America?

The Copa America has two top scorers from a long and proud history — and they hail from two of the competition's traditional powerhouses. 

Argentina's Norberto Mendez and Brazilian Zizinho are the players who have scored the most overall tournament goals, each with 17 to their name. 

"Tucho" Mendez, who spent most of his career with Huracan, achieved the mark across three tournaments (1945, 1946 and 1947), while Zizinho did so in six championships (1942, 1945, 1946, 1949, 1953).

Behind them, with 15 goals each, are the Uruguayan Severino Varela and Peru's Teodoro Fernandez.

Chile's Eduardo Vargas and Peru's Paolo Guerrero both missed the chance to top the scoring charts at the 2024 tournament, as they sit on 14 goals apiece.

And they have been joined by Lionel Messi, who scored his 14th goal in the 2024 semifinal against Canada.

Players with most overall Copa America goals

NameNationNo. of goals
Norbert MartinezArgentina17
ZizinhoBrazil17
Lolo FernandezPeru15
Severino ValeraUruguay15
Pablo GuerreroPeru14
Eduardo VargasChile14
Lionel MessiArgentina14
AdemirBrazil13
Gabriel BatistutaArgentina13
JairBrazil13
Jose Manuel MorenoArgentina13
Hector ScaroneUruguay13
 

Claudio Darío Rodríguez

Claudio Darío Rodríguez Photo

Claudio Darío Rodríguez es productor de contenido en las ediciones en español de The Sporting News. Periodista profesional desde 2006 y de oficio de toda la vida. Con pasado en Clarín, TN y Telefé. Actor, profesor, inquieto.