Colombia lifts the CONMEBOL Copa América™ trophy for the first time in 2001

• Colombia was the ninth country to host a CONMEBOL Copa América™ and the seventh to win it.
• Colombian Victor Aristizábal was the tournament’s top scorer with six goals in six matches.

Colombia hosted CONMEBOL Copa América™ for the first time in 2001 which marked a new millennium in South American football, bringing the first title for the ‘cafeteros’ in the continental competition, with a historic campaign and an unforgettable celebration.

The team led by Francisco Maturana had a perfect tournament, remaining unbeaten, winning all their matches, and not conceding any goals throughout the competition, largely thanks to goalkeeper Óscar Córdoba.

Until 2001, only five teams had kept a clean sheet through the entirety of the tournament. Colombia was the first among them to do so while playing more than three matches.

Iván Ramiro Córdoba scored the decisive goal to beat Mexico 1-0 in the Final played at Bogotá’s ‘Campín’ stadium, lifting the cup in a stadium completely packed with local fans. Colombia thus won its only CONMEBOL Copa América™ title, becoming the seventh country to do so. Chile would become the eighth in 2015.

Argentina and the CONCACAF invitee, Canada, decided not to participate citing security reasons. However, the number of 12 participants was maintained with Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras joining the remaining nine CONMEBOL teams.

Honduras debuted in the CONMEBOL Copa América™, becoming the fifteenth country to play in the competition. The Hondurans achieved third place in their only participation in the tournament to date, eliminating Brazil in the Quarterfinals with a 2-0 win and securing their place on the podium by defeating Uruguay on penalties.

The semifinalists were Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, and Uruguay, marking the first time since 1975, when the Semifinals began, that neither Brazil nor Argentina reached this stage.

Álex Aguinaga participated in two matches with Ecuador in the CONMEBOL Copa América 2001, becoming the player with the highest number of appearances with La Tri in that competition, 23. He later extended his record to 25 matches, a figure that remains a record to this day.

Colombia’s Road to the Title:

 

Group Stage:

Colombia 2-0 Venezuela

• COL goals: Freddy Grisales (16′), Victor Aristizábal (60′)

Colombia 1-0 Ecuador

• COL goals: Victor Aristizábal (30′)

Colombia 2-0 Chile

• COL goals: Victor Aristizábal (10′), Eulalio Arriaga (92′)

 

Final Stage:

Colombia 3-0 Peru – Quarterfinals

• COL goals: Victor Aristizábal (35′ and 69′), Giovanny Hernández (65′)

Colombia 2-1 Honduras – Semifinals

• COL goals: Gerardo Bedoya (5′), Victor Aristizábal (63′)

Colombia 1-0 Mexico – Final

• COL goals: Iván Córdoba (65′)

 

CONMEBOL.com / OPTA