1959 South American Championship (Ecuador)

The 1959 South American Championship held in Ecuador was an extra South American Championship for the year. The tournament was contested between five teams; Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Peru did not participate, whilst Brazil attended with a team from Pernambuco. Uruguay won their 10th South American title.

Format

The format was the same as other tournaments; it was a round-robin tournament, awarding two points for a win, one for a draw, and nothing for a defeat. The team with the most points at the end was declared the tournament winner.

Venues

Guayaquil
Estadio Modelo
Capacity: 42,000
File:Estadio modelo ecuador.jpg

Standings

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Uruguay	flag alias = Flag of Uruguay.svg	flag alias-1828 = Flag of Uruguay (1828-1830).svg	link alias-naval = National Navy of Uruguay	flag alias-army = Flag of Uruguayan Army.svg	National Army of Uruguay	link alias-air force = Uruguayan Air Force	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Uruguayan Air Force.svg	link alias-navy = National Navy of Uruguay	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }}	4	3	1	0	13	1	+12	7
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Argentina	flag alias = Flag of Argentina.svg	flag alias-alt = Flag of Argentina (civil).svg	flag alias-1812 = Flag of Belgrano (1812).svg	flag alias-1816 = Flag of Argentina (civil).svg	flag alias-1818 = Flag of Argentina.svg	flag alias-1819 = Flag of Argentina (1818).svg	flag alias-1820 = Flag of Argentina.svg	flag alias-1829 = Flag of Liga Federal.svg	flag alias-1835 = Flag of Argentina (1840).svg	flag alias-1850 = Flag of the Argentine Confederation.svg	flag alias-1861 = Flag of Argentina (1818–1819, 1820–1829, 1861–2010).svg	link alias-naval = Argentine Navy	link alias-coast guard = Argentine Naval Prefecture	flag alias-marines = Naval Jack of Argentina.svg	link alias-marines = Argentine Naval Infantry Command	link alias-air force = Argentine Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of Argentina (3-2).svg	link alias-army = Argentine Army	flag alias-navy = Flag of Argentina.svg	link alias-navy = Argentine Navy	empty = Argentina XV national rugby union team	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }}	4	2	1	1	9	9	0	5
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Brazil	flag alias-1692 = Flag of the Princes of Brazil.svg	flag alias-1816 = Flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves.svg	flag alias-1822 = Flag of Brazil (1822-1853).svg	flag alias-1870 = Flag of Brazil (1853-1889).svg	flag alias = Flag of Brazil.svg	flag alias-1889 = Flag of Brazil (1889–1960).svg	flag alias-1960 = Flag of Brazil (1960–1968).svg	flag alias-1968 = Flag of Brazil (1968–1992).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Brazilian Army.svg	link alias-army = Brazilian Army	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Brazilian Air Force Command.svg	link alias-air force = Brazilian Air Force	link alias-naval = Brazilian Navy	flag alias-marines=Flag of the Brazilian Marine Corps.svg	link alias-marines=Brazilian Marine Corps	link alias-military = Brazilian Armed Forces	link alias-navy = Brazilian Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Brazilian Navy.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = 1889 }}	4	2	0	2	7	10	−3	4
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Ecuador	flag alias = Flag of Ecuador.svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Flag and Ensign of Ecuador.svg	flag alias-1830 = Flag of Ecuador (1830-1845).gif	flag alias-1845 = Flag of Ecuador (1845-1860).svg	flag alias-1900 = Flag of Ecuador (1900–2009).svg	flag alias-municipal = Municipal Flag_of Ecuador.svg	flag alias-army = Flag of Ecuador Army.svg	link alias-army = Ecuadorian Army	flag alias-naval = Flag of Ecuador.svg	link alias-naval = Ecuadorian Navy	flag alias-marines= Naval Jack of Ecuador.svg	link alias-marines=Ecuadorian Naval Infantry Corps	flag alias-navy = Flag of Ecuador.svg	link alias-navy = Ecuadorian Navy	link alias-air force = Ecuadorian Air Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = 1900 }}	4	1	1	2	5	9	−4	3
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Paraguay	flag alias = Flag of Paraguay.svg	flag alias-1812 = Flag of Paraguay (1812-1826).svg	flag alias-1826 = Flag of Paraguay (1826-1842).svg	flag alias-1842 = Flag of Paraguay (1842-1954).svg	flag alias-1954 = Flag of Paraguay (1954-1988).svg	flag alias-1988 = Flag of Paraguay (1988-1990).svg	flag alias-1990 = Flag of Paraguay (1990–2013).svg	link alias-naval = Paraguayan Navy	link alias-air force = Paraguayan Air Force	link alias-army = Paraguayan Army	link alias-navy = Paraguayan Navy	size =	name =	variant = 1954	altlink = national football team }}	4	0	1	3	6	11	−5	1

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Result

Template:(! class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; margin: 0 auto;" |- ! 1959 South American Championship champions  |- |
10th title Template:!)

Goalscorers

File:Sanfilippo argentina.jpg

José Sanfilippo, top scorer

With six goals, José Sanfilippo of Argentina is the top scorer in the tournament. In total, 40 goals were scored by 21 different players, with only one of them credited as own goal.

6 goals

• Template:Flagicon José Sanfilippo

4 goals

• Template:Flagicon Mario Ludovico Bergara
• Template:Flagicon Paulo Pisaneschi

3 goals

• Template:Flagicon Silvio Parodi
• Template:Flagicon Alcides Silveira
• Template:Flagicon José Sasía

2 goals

• Template:Flagicon Geraldo José da Silva
• Template:Flagicon Carlos Alberto Raffo
• Template:Flagicon Guillermo Escalada

1 goal

• Template:Flagicon Juan José Pizzuti
• Template:Flagicon Omar Higinio García
• Template:Flagicon Rubén Héctor Sosa
• Template:Flagicon Zé de Mello
• Template:Flagicon Alberto Pedro Spencer
• Template:Flagicon Climaco Cañarte
• Template:Flagicon José Vicente Balseca
• Template:Flagicon Eligio Antonio Insfrán
• Template:Flagicon Pedro Antonio Cabral
• Template:Flagicon Domingo Pérez

Own goal

• Template:Flagicon Rómulo Gómez (playing against Paraguay)

Controversy

Originally, the 1959 Copa America was scheduled to be hosted by Ecuador. However, due to financial difficulties and infrastructure challenges, Ecuador withdrew as the host nation just a few months before the tournament was set to begin. This sudden withdrawal left CONMEBOL in a difficult situation to find a replacement host at such short notice.

In response to Ecuador's withdrawal, Argentina volunteered to step in as the new host for the tournament. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) had the necessary resources and infrastructure to organize the event. Consequently, Argentina was granted the hosting rights, and the tournament was scheduled to take place in Buenos Aires.

However, a disagreement arose among some South American nations regarding the legitimacy of Argentina being granted the hosting rights without a proper bidding process. A group of countries, including Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile, refused to participate in the tournament hosted by Argentina and organized their own competition called the "Copa del Atlántico", in response.

Meanwhile, Argentina went ahead with its plans and organized the Copa America as scheduled, inviting other CONMEBOL member nations to participate. The tournament took place from March 7 to April 4, 1959, and was won by Argentina.

After Argentina's tournament concluded, the dissenting nations decided to organize their own Copa America tournament to run parallel to the one hosted by Argentina. This second tournament, known as the "Copa del Atlántico", took place in Brazil from May 30 to June 15, 1959, with Brazil as the winners.

The decision to hold a second Copa America in Ecuador was made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Eloy Alfaro, a prominent Ecuadorian political figure. The tournament was officially named the "Copa del Centenario de la Batalla de Quito" (Centenary Cup of the Battle of Quito) to honor this occasion. Uruguay emerged as champions, securing their 10th title in the tournament's history.

External links

• South American Championship 1959 at RSSSF