Bolivia's Copa America Glory Through The Years

Bolivia has won the Copa América once, in 1963. The country hosted the tournament for the first time that year, with the host cities of Cochabamba and La Paz providing a significant home advantage due to their high altitude. Bolivia won the tournament unbeaten, earning their first and only international title.

Bolivia's 1963 Copa América victory

Bolivia's road to the championship began with a thrilling 4-4 draw against Ecuador, setting a tournament record for the highest-scoring tie. The team then went on to win all their remaining matches: 3-2 against Peru, 2-1 against Colombia, 2-0 against Paraguay, 3-2 against Argentina, and 5-4 against Brazil. Bolivia's victory over Argentina was particularly memorable, as a late goal by Wilfredo Camacho sealed the win.

The 1963 Copa América had a unique rule, possibly due to the high altitude of La Paz and Cochabamba, which allowed players substituted during the game to re-enter the match instead of another teammate. Additionally, up to four substitutions per team were permitted.

Bolivia's performance in the tournament was impressive, with five wins and one draw, scoring 19 goals in total. The team's success can be attributed to various factors, including the advantage of playing at home, the high altitude of the venues, and the absence of strong competitors like Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina fielding less experienced players.

The 1963 Copa América victory holds a special place in Bolivian football history, as it remains the country's only Copa América title to date.

Bolivia's 1997 Copa América campaign

Bolivia has only won the Copa América once, in 1963. However, they were the runners-up in 1997, the year they hosted the tournament for the second time.

Bolivia's high-altitude home-field advantage at the La Paz stadium (3637m above sea level) is often cited as a significant factor in their success. The thin air gives the home team an edge, and Bolivia has historically performed well in these conditions.

In the final, Bolivia faced a formidable Brazilian side that included legendary players such as Claudio Taffarel, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Dunga, Romario, and Ronaldo. Bolivia put up a strong fight, with the first half ending in a 1-1 draw. However, Brazil's quality showed in the second half, with Ronaldo ultimately sealing the match for Brazil, who won 3-1.

Despite the loss, Bolivia's 1997 Copa América campaign is remembered as a successful and proud moment in the country's football history, with players like Erwin 'Platini' Sánchez, Marco 'El Diablo' Etcheverry, and Milton Melgar becoming stars of this great generation of Bolivian footballers.

Bolivia's 2015 Copa América performance

Bolivia's performance in the 2015 Copa América was a surprising one. It was the sixth-best performance in their history of 24 participations. After 20 years, Bolivia surpassed the first phase of the tournament and obtained four units, equivalent to 33% of the possible points. This achievement was particularly notable given the dramatic crisis that Bolivian football had experienced in the previous five years.

Bolivia's 2015 Copa América campaign began with a match against Mexico. Bolivia played with a 4-2-3-1 formation, favouring an open, attacking style. They dominated the first half and came close to scoring, thanks to the offensive capabilities of Marcelo Martins. In the second half, they adopted a more defensive posture, opting for counterattacks. The final result was a 0-0 draw, a just outcome for a closely contested match.

The pivotal match of the tournament for Bolivia was their encounter with Ecuador. This game held special significance as the Ecuadorian coach, Quinteros, had previously managed Bolivia in the 2011 Copa América. Bolivia raced to a 2-0 lead within 18 minutes, with goals from Raldes and Smedberg. Ecuador missed a penalty at the 35-minute mark, and Martins capitalized on this mistake, scoring a third goal for Bolivia just before halftime. The second half saw a complete turnaround, with Ecuador launching a relentless offensive. Ecuador scored in the 48th minute and continued to press, but Bolivia held firm, conceding only one more goal in the 81st minute. The final score was 3-2 to Bolivia, a hard-fought victory.

However, the match against Ecuador proved to be an anomaly in Bolivia's campaign. Their next opponent was the host nation, Chile, who fielded a formidable squad with players like Vidal, Alexis, Medel, and Aránguiz. Bolivia conceded a goal in the third minute and struggled to contain Chile's fluid gameplay. The final score was a resounding 5-0 victory for Chile, showcasing the significant gap in quality between the two teams.

In the quarter-finals, Bolivia faced Peru, who proved too strong for them. The match ended 3-1 to Peru, a result that perhaps flattered Bolivia, as the Peruvian side demonstrated superior footballing quality and a clearer attacking threat, with an inspired Paolo Guerrero leading their forward line.

Overall, while Bolivia's performance in the 2015 Copa América had its positive moments, it also exposed the team's ongoing challenges. Advancing to the quarter-finals was a step forward, but in the crucial matches against Chile and Peru, Bolivia fell short of the standards required to progress further in the tournament.

Bolivia's 2024 Copa América squad

Bolivia has won the Copa América once, in 1963, and finished runners-up in 1997.

Bolivia's 2024 Copa América campaign did not get off to a good start, losing their opening game to the host nation, the United States, at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Bolivia's squad for the 2024 Copa América featured 18 players from just three domestic clubs, with nine players from Bolívar, five from Always Ready, and four from The Strongest. Head coach Antônio Carlos Zago took a 26-player squad to the United States, with the following players:

Goalkeepers:

• Carlos Lampe (Bolívar)
• Gustavo Almada (Universitario de Vinto)
• Guillermo Viscarra (The Strongest)

Defenders:

• Jesús Sagredo (Bolívar)
• Diego Medina (Always Ready)
• Luis Haquín (Ponte Preta)
• Adrián Jusino (The Strongest)
• Roberto Fernández (Baltika)
• José Sagredo (Bolívar)
• Yomar Rocha (Bolívar)

Midfielders:

• Leonel Justiniano (Bolívar)
• Miguel Terceros (Santos)
• Ramiro Vaca (Bolívar)
• Robson Matheus (Always Ready)
• Gabriel Villamil (LDU Quito)
• Boris Cespedes (Yverdon-Sport)
• Héctor Cuéllar (Always Ready)
• Fernando Saucedo (Bolívar)
• Adalid Terrazas (Always Ready)

Forwards:

• Jaume Cuéllar (Barcelona Atlètic)
• César Menacho (Blooming)
• Carmelo Algarañaz (Bolívar)
• Lucas Chávez (Bolívar)
• Rodrigo Ramallo (The Strongest)
• Bruno Miranda (The Strongest)

Bolivia's football history

The Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) was founded in 1925, and the national team debuted in international football in 1926, joining FIFA the same year. Bolivia's first international match was against Chile in the 1926 South American Championship, where they suffered a heavy 7-1 defeat. The team also lost their next three matches against Argentina (0-5), Paraguay (1-6), and Uruguay (0-6).

Despite these early setbacks, Bolivia continued to participate in international competitions. They were invited to the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930, hosted by Uruguay, but lost both their matches 4-0, against Yugoslavia and Brazil. Bolivia also took part in the 1950 World Cup, qualifying due to the withdrawal of other South American countries. However, they were again eliminated in the first round after an 8-0 loss to Uruguay.

It was in the 1963 South American Championship (renamed the Copa América in 1967) that Bolivia achieved their greatest football triumph. As hosts, they lifted their first and only international trophy, winning five and drawing one of their six matches. Bolivia's success was attributed to various factors, including home advantage and the high altitude of their venues, which affected opposing teams. This victory remains the defining moment in the nation's football history.

Bolivia's performance in the 1963 Copa América was a turning point, and the country began to invest more in football development. The Academia Tahuichi Aguilera, a football school established in 1978, played a crucial role in nurturing talented players. Despite this, Bolivia struggled to replicate their 1963 success in subsequent Copa América tournaments, often failing to advance beyond the group stage.

In 1994, Bolivia qualified for the World Cup for the first time, finishing second in their group behind Brazil. At the tournament, they were eliminated in the group stage, losing to Germany and Spain, and drawing with South Korea. Bolivia's only World Cup goal to date was scored by Erwin Sánchez in their match against Spain.

Bolivia's last significant achievement in international football was reaching the final of the 1997 Copa América, which they hosted. However, they were unable to repeat their 1963 triumph, losing 3-1 to Brazil in the final.

In recent years, Bolivian football has faced challenges, with the country failing to qualify for the World Cup since 1994 and struggling to make an impact in the Copa América. Despite this, the country remains passionate about the sport, with over 2,000 football clubs and a strong following for the domestic league.

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