Players with the most appearances in CONMEBOL Copa América™ history

• Lionel Messi tops the all-time appearances ranking with 39 matches played.

• Chilean goalkeeper Sergio Livingstone is second with 34 appearances, while Brazilian Zizinho completes the podium with 33.

• Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia all have representatives among the top 10 in the all-time ranking.

More than a century of CONMEBOL Copa América™ history has produced legendary champions, prolific goalscorers and figures who have shaped different generations of South American football. It has also featured players whose longevity in the competition stands out.

From legends of the tournament's early decades to stars from its most recent editions, the ranking of players with the most appearances offers a journey through much of the competition's history.

At the top of the list is Lionel Messi, with 39 appearances for Argentina, followed by legendary Chilean goalkeeper Sergio Livingstone with 34 and Brazilian Zizinho with 33.

Who has the most appearances in CONMEBOL Copa América™ history?

1. Lionel Messi – Argentina – 39 appearances

Lionel Messi is the player with the most appearances in CONMEBOL Copa América™ history. The Argentina captain reached 39 matches after taking part in the 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024 editions. His journey includes four finals and back-to-back titles in Brazil 2021 and the United States 2024. In addition to topping the appearances ranking, Messi is also among the competition's all-time leading scorers, with 14 goals.

2. Sergio Livingstone – Chile – 34 appearances

Sergio Livingstone ranks second all-time with 34 appearances for Chile. The goalkeeper was one of the leading figures in Chilean football during the 1940s and 1950s and established an appearance record that remained among the competition's most significant for decades.

3. Zizinho – Brazil – 33 appearances

Zizinho ranks third with 33 appearances for Brazil. The legendary Brazilian footballer featured in six editions between 1942 and 1957 and won the title in 1949. His name also appears in another of CONMEBOL Copa América™'s major records: with 17 goals, he shares the all-time scoring record with Norberto Méndez.

4. Víctor Ugarte – Bolivia – 30 appearances

Víctor Agustín Ugarte made 30 appearances for Bolivia and ranks fourth all-time. One of the great figures in Bolivian football, Ugarte was part of the team that won the 1963 South American Championship, Bolivia's only title in the history of the competition.

5. Paolo Guerrero – Peru – 28 appearances

Paolo Guerrero made 28 appearances for Peru in CONMEBOL Copa América™. The striker also left his mark as a goalscorer, scoring 14 goals and finishing as the competition's top scorer in three different editions: 2011, 2015 and 2019.

5. Ángel Di María – Argentina – 28 appearances

Ángel Di María shares fifth place with Guerrero, with 28 appearances. The Argentine featured across different generations of the national team and ended his CONMEBOL Copa América™ career by lifting the trophy in 2024. He was also a key figure in Argentina's 2021 triumph, when the Albiceleste won the competition for the first time in 28 years.

Seven players share the next spot

Seven players are tied on 27 appearances immediately behind Guerrero and Di María. They include three Chilean legends: Gary Medel, Mauricio Isla and Claudio Bravo; Peruvian Yoshimar Yotún; Argentine Nicolás Otamendi; and Colombians Carlos Valderrama and Leonel Álvarez. The presence of players from different eras once again highlights how longevity in CONMEBOL Copa América™ spans generations.

Ranking of players with the most appearances in CONMEBOL Copa América™

Position Player Team Matches

1 Lionel Messi Argentina 39

2 Sergio Livingstone Chile 34

3 Zizinho Brasil 33

4 Víctor Ugarte Bolivia 30

5 Paolo Guerrero Perú 28

5 Ángel Di María Argentina 28

7 Yoshimar Yotún Perú 27

7 Gary Medel Chile 27

7 Mauricio Isla Chile 27

7 Nicolás Otamendi Argentina 27

7 Claudio Bravo Chile 27

7 Carlos Valderrama Colombia 27

7 Leonel Álvarez Colombia 27

Chile and Argentina lead the all-time ranking

Chile has the most representatives among the top positions. Livingstone, Medel, Isla and Bravo feature in the ranking, spanning very different eras in the tournament's history. Argentina is represented by Messi, Di María and Otamendi, three key figures from more recent generations of the Albiceleste. Peru has Guerrero and Yotún; Colombia has Valderrama and Leonel Álvarez; while Zizinho represents Brazil and Víctor Ugarte represents Bolivia.

Messi's record built across seven editions

Lionel Messi's 39 appearances came across seven editions between 2007 and 2024. His journey began at Venezuela 2007 and continued through Argentina 2011, Chile 2015, the United States 2016, Brazil 2019, Brazil 2021 and the United States 2024. After surpassing Sergio Livingstone's longstanding record, Messi became the outright leader for appearances in CONMEBOL Copa América™ history. His name also features prominently in other competition records: in addition to his 39 appearances and 14 goals, he lifted the trophy in 2021 and 2024.

A ranking spanning more than a century of history

From Sergio Livingstone, Zizinho and Víctor Ugarte to Messi, Guerrero, Di María and Chile's two-time championship-winning generation, the list of players with the most appearances reflects different eras of CONMEBOL Copa América™. Different generations, formats and eras come together in a single ranking that recognizes the players who have taken the field most often in the world's oldest international tournament.