- La Roja won its second title at the CONMEBOL Copa América Centenario™, played in 2016.
- The tournament was held outside South America for the first time, hosted by the United States.
The CONMEBOL Copa América Centenario™ was held to commemorate 100 years since the first edition of the world’s oldest national team tournament, played in Argentina in 1916. For the first time, a country outside South America hosted the tournament. The United States hosted 16 teams in the competition, a record number of participants.
Chile won its second CONMEBOL Copa América™ in this 2016 edition, a year after being crowned champions for the first time in history in the tournament held as host country.
Along with ten CONMEBOL member teams, six CONCACAF nations participated in the CONMEBOL Copa América Centenario™: Mexico, United States, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama and Haiti.
Chile, under the technical direction of Argentine Juan Antonio Pizzi, had a disappointing start to the tournament, losing 2–1 to Argentina. However, they recovered in the second group stage match with a 2–1 win over Bolivia, and confirmed their qualification to the quarter-finals with a 4–2 win over Panama.
In a dream match for Rojas – and historic for the tournament -, Chile beat Mexico 7-0 in the quarter-finals, their most important victory in all their participation in the competition, surpassing the 7-0 draw against Venezuela in 1979. They then beat Colombia 2-0 and became champions in the final by winning 4-2 in a penalty shootout against Argentina after a 0-0 draw.
In addition to the title, Chile also dominated individual awards: Alexis Sánchez won the tournament’s Golden Ball as best player, while Claudio Bravo won the Golden Glove as best goalkeeper and Eduardo Vargas was the competition’s top scorer with 6 goals. are.
Additionally, Eduardo Vargas became Chile’s top scorer in the history of the tournament, tied with Enrique Hormázabal (10 goals each). Vargas would expand his account by scoring four more goals between 2019 and 2021.
Chile became the first country to win two editions of the CONMEBOL Copa América™ by winning the final in a penalty shootout. Furthermore, both were against Argentina in consecutive years and the score was 0–0 in normal time.
Chile’s road to the title
group stage
Argentina 2 x 1 Chile
- ARG goals: Angel Di Maria (50′), Ever Banega (58′)
- CHI Goal: Jose Fuenzalida (90+2′)
Chile 2 x 1 Bolivia
- CHI Goals: Arturo Vidal (46′ and 90+9′)
- BOL goal: Jhasmani Campos (60′)
Chile 4 x 2 Panama
- CHI goals: Eduardo Vargas (14′ & 42′), Alexis Sánchez (49′ & 88′)
- Pan goals: Miguel Camargo (4′), Abdiel Arroyo (74′)
last stage
Mexico 0 x 7 Chile – Quarter Finals
- CHI goals: Edson Puch (15′ & 87′), Eduardo Vargas (43′, 51′, 57′ & 73′), Alexis Sánchez (48′)
Colombia 0 x 2 Chile – Semi-final
- CHI goals: Charles Aranguiz (6′), Jose Fuenzalida (10′)
Argentina (2) 0 x 0 (4) Chile – Final
- ARG penalties: Lionel Messi (x), Javier Mascherano, Sergio Aguero, Lucas Biglia (x)
- CHI penalties: Arturo Vidal (X), Nicolas Castillo, Charles Aranguiz, Jean Beausejour, Francisco Silva
CONMEBOL.com/OPTA
