What is Mexico’s record in Copa America?

The Mexican national team is historically the top side in their own region, CONCACAF. That’s of course all the nations in North and Central America and the Caribbean. But they have also shined to the south, as frequent invitees to CONMEBOL’s Copa América, the South American championship. Mexico’s record in Copa America is a good one, as they are the best guest team to ever play in the tournament.

Mexico’s history at Copa America

Since 1993, CONMEBOL has guest teams to participate in every edition of the Copa América. In 2021, however, no guest teams participated due to COVID-19. Since CONMEBOL only has ten teams, the addition of these invited sides helps fill out the format of the tournament (usually three groups of four teams). Mexico has been one of these teams on every occasion except for 2019 and 2021.

While El Tri has not won Copa América – no guest team ever has – their performance has proven their quality going up against the best the Western Hemisphere has to offer in the sport.

In their first seven appearances at Copa, from 1993-2007, Mexico made it out of the group stage each time.

This period coincided with their strongest finishes a the tournament as well. Third-place honors were won in 1997, 1999, and 2007. Mexico made it to the final, but lost, in both 1993 and 2001. These runner-up finishes are the only two times any non-CONMEBOL nation has played in the Copa América final.

And only Honduras, in 2001, has also managed to place 3rd as an invited side.

1997 was one of Mexico’s three third-place finishes at Copa America

Beating them at their own game

Despite not being a South American team, and only participating since 1993, Mexico has achieved more at Copa than some actual South American nations.

Ecuador and Venezuela have never made a final, nor placed third, at Copa América. So Mexico has both of them beat.

In terms of total medals won (1st, 2nd, and/or 3rd place combined), Mexico is actually…

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Author : Derek Reese

Publish date : 2023-12-31 14:00:00

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