Unveiling the 1947 South American Championship: A Journey Through Footballing History

Introduction

The 1947 South American Championship, also known as the 1947 Copa América, was the 21st edition of the continental football championship of South America. Held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, from December 31, 1946, to February 12, 1947, the tournament featured eight participating nations. This installment marked the return of the championship after a four-year hiatus due to World War II.

Participating Nations

The eight participating nations were:

1. Argentina
2. Bolivia
3. Brazil
4. Chile
5. Colombia
6. Ecuador (host)
7. Paraguay
8. Peru

Tournament Format

The tournament was played in a single round-robin format, with each team playing every other team once. The team with the most points at the end of the tournament was crowned champion.

Key Figures

• Goals scored: 94
• Average goals per game: 3.71
• Top scorer: José María Medina (Uruguay), with 7 goals

Tournament Highlights

The 1947 South American Championship was marked by several notable highlights:

• Argentina won its seventh Copa América title, tying Uruguay for the most titles at the time.
• Brazil finished as runner-up, losing to Argentina in the final by a score of 3-1.
• Paraguay surprised many by finishing third, its highest-ever finish in the tournament.
• Uruguay, the defending champions, finished fourth after losing to Paraguay in the third-place match.
• Colombia, making its debut in the Copa América, finished sixth.

Table of Participating Nations and Final Standings

Match Details and Player Statistics

Match 1: Ecuador 0-2 Argentina (December 31, 1946)
- Goals: Juan Carlos Muñoz (own goal), René Pontoni

Match 2: Argentina 7-0 Paraguay (January 2, 1947)
- Goals: Norberto Méndez (2), René Pontoni (2), Juan Bautista Villalba, Enrique Bochini, Mario Boyé

Match 3: Argentina 6-0 Colombia (January 4, 1947)
- Goals: Norberto Méndez (2), René Pontoni (2), Juan Bautista Villalba, Mario Boyé

Match 4: Brazil 4-3 Paraguay (January 5, 1947)
- Goals: Chico (2), Jair Rosa Pinto, Zizinho
- Paraguay: Juan Bautista Villalba, Julio César Benítez, Atilio López

Match 5: Brazil 10-1 Bolivia (January 9, 1947)
- Goals: Heleno de Freitas (4), Zizinho (3), Jair Rosa Pinto (2), Chico

Match 6: Argentina 1-0 Uruguay (January 12, 1947)
- Goal: Ricardo Infante

Match 7: Uruguay 6-0 Ecuador (January 14, 1947)
- Goals: Óscar Míguez (3), José María Medina (2), Luis Ernesto Castro

Match 8: Uruguay 6-0 Peru (January 18, 1947)
- Goals: José María Medina (3), Óscar Míguez, Juan Alberto Schiaffino, Luis Ernesto Castro

Match 9: Paraguay 5-2 Peru (January 19, 1947)
- Goals: Juan Bautista Villalba (2), Atilio López, Julio César Benítez, Lauro Cazal
- Peru: Máximo Mosquera, Luis Suárez

Match 10: Brazil 3-1 Colombia (January 21, 1947)
- Goals: Jair Rosa Pinto, Zizinho, Chico
- Colombia: Roberto Gámez

Match 11: Paraguay 2-0 Ecuador (January 22, 1947)
- Goals: Julio César Benítez, Atilio López

Match 12: Uruguay 4-2 Colombia (January 23, 1947)
- Goals: Luis Ernesto Castro (2), José María Medina, Juan Alberto Schiaffino
- Colombia: Jesús María Londoño, Rafael Serna

Match 13: Brazil 1-0 Uruguay (January 25, 1947)
- Goal: Zizinho

Match 14: Argentina 3-2 Peru (January 26, 1947)
- Goals: Norberto Méndez, René Pontoni, Mario Boyé
- Peru: Máximo Mosquera, Luis Suárez

Match 15: Brazil 4-0 Ecuador (February 1, 1947)
- Goals: Heleno de Freitas, Jair Rosa Pinto, Zizinho, Chico

Match 16: Uruguay 5-0 Bolivia (February 2, 1947)
- Goals: Óscar Míguez (3), José María Medina, Juan Alberto Schiaffino

Match 17: Argentina 7-0 Bolivia (February 4, 1947)
- Goals: Mario Boyé (3), René Pontoni (2), Norberto Méndez, Benjamín Santos

Match 18: Brazil 2-1 Peru (February 8, 1947)
- Goals: Zizinho, Jair Rosa Pinto
- Peru: Luis Guzmán

Match 19: Colombia 0-0 Ecuador (February 9, 1947)

Match 20: Paraguay 3-1 Bolivia (February 12, 1947)
- Goals: Julio César Benítez, Lauro Cazal, Atilio López
- Bolivia: Raúl Fernández

Match 21: Argentina 1-3 Brazil (February 12, 1947)
- Goals: Zizinho (2), Jair Rosa Pinto
- Argentina: Mario Boyé

Step-by-Step Approach to the 1947 South American Championship

Step 1: Qualification
- The eight participating nations qualified for the tournament through various qualifying matches.

Step 2: Host Selection
- Ecuador was selected as the host nation by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL).

Step 3: Tournament Format
- The tournament was played in a single round-robin format, with each team playing every other team once.

Step 4: Match Schedule
- The matches were played from December 31, 1946, to February 12, 1947.

Step 5: Title Decision
- Argentina won the tournament by accumulating the most points.

Pros and Cons of the 1947 South American Championship

Pros:

• High-quality football: The tournament featured some of the best players in South America at the time.
• Exciting matches: Several close and competitive matches made the tournament enjoyable for fans.
• Return of the championship: The tournament marked the return of the South American Championship after a four-year hiatus due to World War II.

Cons:

• Lack of infrastructure: Ecuador faced challenges in providing adequate infrastructure for the tournament.
• Travel difficulties: Teams faced long travel distances and difficult transportation conditions.
• Limited media coverage: The tournament received less media attention than subsequent editions.

FAQs

1. Who won the 1947 South American Championship?
- Argentina

2. Who was the top scorer of the tournament?
- José María Medina (Uruguay) with 7 goals

3. How many goals were scored in the tournament?
- 94

4. In which city was the tournament held?
- Guayaquil, Ecuador

5. What was the format of the tournament?
- Single round-robin format, with each team playing every other team once.

6. How many nations participated in the tournament?
- 8

7. Which team finished as runner-up?
- Brazil

8. Which team finished in third place?
- Paraguay