Who holds the record as the highest goal scorer in South America?

South America is universally recognized as the spiritual home of football. This continent breathes the sport, boasting a pedigree that is unmatched globally. Brazil remains the most successful national team in history with 5 world titles, while the crown of the current world champions has been held by Argentina since their historic 2022 triumph. 

Given this deep-rooted tradition, it is no surprise that South America is the world’s leading exporter of football talent. From the glittering arenas of Europe to the emerging leagues in Asia, players from Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are omnipresent. South American forwards, in particular, have established a unique "brand", defined by "guile," exquisite technique, and an innate footballing intelligence that players from other continents find difficult to replicate. 

Yet, within this brilliant galaxy of stars, 1 genius has ascended above all others in terms of goal-scoring achievements. This article by Goaloomobi will reveal the man currently holding the record as the highest goal scorer in South America at the international level and look back at the 6 most prolific scorers in Copa America history.

The highest goal scorer in South America

Lionel Messi stands alone at the summit! Representing Argentina since his debut in 2005, Messi has rewritten the record books by scoring an astounding 115 goals in 196 international appearances. His journey began on August 17, 2005, in an away friendly against Hungary, though his first international goal did not arrive until his sixth appearance against Croatia in 2006. 

Throughout his career, Messi has participated in almost every major tournament possible, including multiple FIFA World Cups and Copa America editions. His most standout performances arguably came during the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In the 2021 tournament, he scored 4 goals and provided 5 assists to lead Argentina to the title, ending a long trophy drought. Just a year later, he captained his nation to World Cup glory in Qatar, scoring 7 goals and winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.

Messi’s international trophy cabinet is now complete, featuring the Copa America (2021), the Finalissima (2022), and the FIFA World Cup (2022). He currently leads the second-highest scorer in South American history, Neymar (who scored 79 goals for Brazil), by a staggering margin of 36 goals. 

At the club level, Messi’s career is equally mythical. Having spent the majority of his career at FC Barcelona, where he scored 672 goals and won 10 La Liga titles and 4 Champions Leagues, he later moved to Paris Saint-Germain before joining his current club, Inter Miami, in the United States in 2023. 

Top 6 marksmen in Copa America history

5-6. Paolo Guerrero (Peru), Eduardo Vargas (Chile) - 14 goals

Ranking at number five is Paolo Guerrero of Peru. Guerrero has scored 14 goals across several editions, specifically in 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2024. His most prolific years were 2011 and 2015, where he finished as the top scorer. Guerrero led Peru to the final in 2019, though they ultimately fell to Brazil. Despite being 40 years old, he remained a part of the national setup recently, playing for Alianza Lima.

Vargas was the engine behind Chile’s back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016, winning the Golden Boot in both editions. He has earned over 100 caps for Chile and currently plays for U.de Chile in hometown.

3-4. Severino Varela (Uruguay), Lolo Fernández (Peru) - 14 goals  

Moving to the third spot, we find Severino Varela of Uruguay and Lolo Fernández of Peru, both tied with 15 goals. Varela, famous for wearing a white beret, was the hero of Uruguay’s 1942 title win, scoring 5 goals in that edition alone. He retired years ago and passed away in 1995 at the age of 82. 

Lolo Fernández, a one-club man for Universitario, represented Peru in 7 editions, famously winning the 1939 title as the top scorer with 7 goals. 

1-2. Zizinho (Brazil), Norberto Méndez (Argentina) - 17 goals 

Zizinho appeared in 6 tournaments between 1942 and 1957, winning the title in 1949. He passed away in 2002. Notably, Norberto "Tucho" Méndez achieved his 17 goals in just 3 editions (1945, 1946, 1947), winning the trophy every single time he played—a feat of efficiency that remains unmatched.

6 goal scorers in Copa America history:

Norberto Méndez (Argentina) – 17 goals

Zizinho (Brazil) – 17 goals

Severino Varela (Uruguay) – 15 goals

Teodoro Fernández (Peru) – 15 goals

Eduardo Vargas (Chile) / Paolo Guerrero (Peru) – 14 goals

This historical context explains why Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT). He is the only player to have surpassed the 100-goal barrier for a South American nation, firmly establishing himself as the highest goal scorer in South America. Additionally, the data from Goaloomobi.net highlights the elite company he keeps among the record-holders of the Copa America.

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