The history of the America's Cup, why do the top teams in South America value the America's Cup more?

The America's Cup final between Argentina and Colombia will be held on July 14, 2024 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Argentina won two consecutive Copa America titles 1-0 with a goal from Lautaro in overtime. This is the 16th time that Argentina has won the America's Cup, surpassing Uruguay to become the team with the most wins in the history of the America's Cup.

The America's Cup is the world's oldest continental national team competition. It was first held in 1916 and has been held for 48 times. It is 44 years earlier than the European Cup and 40 years earlier than the Asian Cup. The top teams in South America attach even more importance to the America's Cup than the European Cup. Behind this is the special cultural logic of South American football.

The long history of the America's Cup

The first America's Cup was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on July 2, 1916. There were only four participating countries: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile. At that time, it was also called the South American Championship Campeonato Sudamericano. It was officially renamed Copa America in 1975.

Over the past 108 years, the America's Cup has been held almost every two to three years, and the pace is faster than the World Cup and European Cup, which are held every four years. This high frequency of hosting games has made the America's Cup a fixed theme in South American football. Every South American player has regarded the America's Cup as an equally important goal as the World Cup since childhood.

Brazil and Argentina fight for hegemony

The history of the Copa America is the history of the struggle between Brazil and Argentina. Argentina has won the title 16 times, Uruguay 15 times and Brazil 9 times. The three countries combined have won 40 times, accounting for 83% of the total.

Brazil and Argentina have met six times in the Copa America finals, with Brazil leading the way with 4 wins and 2 losses. The most classic is the 1937 final, when Argentina defeated Brazil 2-0 at Argentina's home court. In the 2021 Copa America final, Messi and Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 at the Maracana Stadium. This was Messi's first major championship in his national team career.

Messi's Copa America redemption

Messi lost to Brazil or Chile in the three Copa America finals in 2007, 2015 and 2016. This has led the media to long-term doubts about Messi's ability to play key games in the national team. It was not until 2021 that Messi finally won the America's Cup. This was the first national team championship in his career.

This championship became a psychological turning point for Messi. The image of him crying and holding the Hercules Cup after the game is considered to be the moment that Argentinian players have been waiting for their entire lives. Argentina's victory in the 2022 World Cup was largely due to the confidence foundation laid by the 2021 Copa America. The Copa America is Messi's stepping stone to the World Cup title.

Why do South American teams value the America’s Cup more?

South American players generally take the Copa America more seriously than the European Cup because the Copa America is their local event. Every South American player grew up in the America's Cup, watching their fathers become famous in the America's Cup since childhood. This cultural depth is something that European players cannot appreciate.

In addition, the level of South American clubs is lower than that of Europe, and South American players can only prove themselves at the national team level through the Copa America. A Brazilian player may not be able to play in the Champions League final in his life, but he can prove that he is a world-class player in the Copa America final. This psychological significance makes the America's Cup have a higher status in the hearts of players than the European Cup.

The America's Cup has a special format

There are only 10 participating countries in the America's Cup from South America plus invitational teams, with about 16 teams in each tournament. This small scale makes every Copa America match a top-notch matchup.

In 2016, the Centenary America's Cup was expanded to 16 teams for the first time and will remain at 16 teams in 2024. Different from the expansion trend of 24 teams in the European Cup, the America's Cup insists on small-scale and high-quality games. This persistence makes the level of the America's Cup highly concentrated, and every game is a strong dialogue.

Special roles for invitational teams

The Copa America has long invited non-South American teams to participate. Mexico, the United States, Japan, Qatar, etc. have all been invited. This invitation-only system adds diversity to the America's Cup while maintaining its South American core.

The 2024 America's Cup Invitational teams come from CONCACAF, including the United States, Mexico, Canada, Panama, Costa Rica, etc. This is a warm-up for the 2026 World Cup hosted by North America. The cooperation between FIFA and CONMEBOL has made the Copa America a warm-up for continental-level events.

South American Characteristics of Playing Style

The competition style of the America's Cup is a typical South American samba. The skills are exquisite, the confrontation is fierce, the goals are frequent, and there are many controversial penalties. The 2024 America's Cup averages 2.8 goals per game, which is 22% higher than the European Cup's average of 2.3 goals per game.

This South American-style game is particularly suitable for television broadcast needs, and every game has something to watch. The technical display of South American players makes the America's Cup a feast for football technology enthusiasts. Unlike the European Cup, which focuses on tactics, the America's Cup focuses on talent. The two competitions complement each other and form the two poles of the highest level of modern football.

America's Cup penalty controversy

There have been many disputes over penalty decisions in the history of the America's Cup. The diving tradition of South American players and the subjective tendencies of South American referees have made the America's Cup synonymous with penalty disputes.

The controversy surrounding Brazil's penalty against Argentina in the 2019 Copa America semi-final has been discussed to this day. The lack of penalties for multiple obvious fouls made Argentinian fans angry. The application of VAR in the Copa America was also two years later than the European Cup, further exacerbating the controversy over penalty decisions. This kind of controversy has given the America's Cup a unique drama.

The commercial value of the America's Cup

The commercial value of the America's Cup is much lower than that of the European Cup and World Cup. The total revenue of the 2024 America's Cup is about 500 million US dollars, one-fifth of the European Cup. This is mainly due to the low purchasing power of the South American market and limited sponsor investment.

But the America's Cup's television coverage is surprisingly broad. The global audience for the 2024 finals will be approximately 300 million, including large audiences in Europe, Asia, and North America. This global coverage gives the America's Cup an impact that goes far beyond its commercial revenue.

America's Cup future expansion

The America's Cup has begun to expand to North America in recent years. The Centenary America's Cup was held in the United States for the first time in 2016 and will be held in the United States again in 2024. This North American expansion is a strategic choice shared by FIFA and CONMEBOL.

In the future, the America's Cup may further expand the number of invitational teams, and may even consider merging with the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Such a merger, if realized, would create a North and South American Intercontinental Super Cup with a scale and commercial value expected to be close to that of the European Cup. This is a possible breakthrough for the Copa America to deal with the siphoning of European football resources.

The true meaning of America's Cup

The America's Cup means more than just a championship to South American football but also a cultural identity. Each Copa America is a stage for South American countries to showcase their football DNA. Brazil's samba, Argentina's tango, Uruguay's tough guy, Chile's wisdom, and Colombia's flying, these styles blend together on the America's Cup stage.

This is the real reason why South American players take the Copa America more seriously than the European Cup. The European Cup is their place of work and the America's Cup is their home. Home is always more important than the workplace. This is the simplest logic of football culture.