Copa Libertadores top 10 goal scorers

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Ten of the best goal scorers in Copa Libertadores de América

Established in 1960, Copa Libertadores is organized by CONMEBOL, Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol, whose headquarters are in Asunción, Paraguay. The tournament is played every year by the top South American clubs.

The first stage is played in January and the clubs that triumph advance to the group stages where they are drowned against the clubs already qualified for what is known as the second stage. From there, two teams that top their groups advance to the Round of 16. Below are Copa Libertadores top 10 goal scorers of all time and the totals they have netted.

Luis Artime won one Argentine league title, three Uruguayan league titles and the Copa Libertadores in 197110. Luis Artime

Goals: 26 goals
Country: Argentina
Years Active: 1959-1974

Luis Artime is the 10th in the Copa Libertadores’ all time top goal scorers list with 26 goals in 40 appearances. During his career, Artime scored over 1000 goals across all competitions. He scored 70 goals in 80 appearances for his River Plate club. Artime was top scorer 4 times in the Argentine Primera Division, thrice in the Uruguayan Primera División and once in Copa Libertadores tournament.

Juan Carlos Sanchez Frias became the top-scorer in the Bolivian league for the first time by netting 21 goals9. Juan Carlos Sanchez

Goals: 26 goals
Country: Argentina
Years Active: 1977-1992

Another remarkable talent is Bolivian born Juan Carlos Sanchez who had an outstanding performance during his time in the tournament. The player netted 26 goals in 56 appearances to become one of the competition’s top goal scorers. Sanchez began his career at Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy in Argentine. He moved to Bolivia in 1979 to play for Guabirá and scored a total of 21 goals for the club.

Striker Luiz Bombonato Goulart has been capped 17 times by Brazil, scoring two goals in the last game of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification8. Luiz Bombonato Goulart

Goals: 29 goals
Country: Brazil
Years Active: 1993-2008

Luiz Bombonato Goulart also known as Luizão, although he is considered one of the greatest South American footballers of all time, he remains largely an unfamiliar figure in Europe as he never signed for any European club. Luizão remains one of South America’s most talented players, with his tally of 29 goals in only 43 appearances. His impressive goal scoring ability landed him at numerous clubs, where he continued to shine season after season.

Juan Carlos Sarnari was selected to represent the Argentina national football team at the 1966 FIFA World Cup7. Juan Carlos Sarnari

Goals: 29 goals
Country: Argentina
Years Active: 1959-1976

Juan Carlos Sarnari was an Argentine striker. The player scored 29 goals in 62 appearances in the Copa Libertadores, making him the 7th highest scoring footballer in the history of Copa Libertadores. Sarnari began his football career with River Plate before moving to Huracán on loan. He was picked to represent his country at the1966 Football World Cup. In 1967, he relocated to Chile where he played at Universidad de Chile as well as Universidad Católica.

Antony de Avila scored 13 in 54 appearances for the Colombia national team between 1983 and 19986. Antony de Avila

Goals: 29 goals
Country: Colombia
Years Active: 1983-2009

Antony de Avila was an ambidextrous forward with lethal speed, amazing movements, heading and balance techniques, and excellent finishing that destroyed defenses for years. The player netted 29 times in 94 games in the Copa Libertadores, making him the competition’s 6th highest scoring footballer. De Avila played for four clubs: América de Cali, MetroStars, Unión de Santa Fe and Barcelona SC of Ecuador. He is a top scorer in the history of América de Cali, making him one of the club’s idols.

Uruguayan football striker Julio Morales won a number of trophies in South America and Europe including the Copa Libertadores in 1971 and 19805. Julio Morales

Goals: 30 goals
Country: Uruguay
Years Active: 1961-1982

While Julio Morales is not a renowned name in the world of football, he is arguably best known for scoring beautiful goals in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s most important club competition. He has netted 30 goals in 76 appearances, becoming the 5th player to score most goals in the Copa Libertadores tournament. Julio played for Racing Montevideo, Uruguayan team Nacional and Austria Wien during his football career between 1966 and 1981.

Daniel Onega became the topscorer in the 1966 Copa Libertadores with 17 goals, setting the record for the most goals ever scored in a single season in that tournament4. Daniel Onega

Goals: 31 goals
Country: Argentina
Years Active: 1965-1978

Undoubtedly Argentine’s greatest football star, Daniel Onega began his football career at River Plate. It was with the club that he became the top goal scorer in the 1966 Copa Libertadores tournament with 17 goals, setting a new competition record for the most goals ever netted in one season, a record that is yet to be broken. He is also ranked 4th in the Copa Libertadores’ all time top scorers list with 31 goals in 47 matches.

Pedro Rocha is one Uruguay's greatest footballers and was noted for his technique, passing abilities and free kick ability3. Pedro Rocha

Goals: 36 goals
Country: Uruguay
Years Active: 1959-1980

Rocha was a Uruguayan football star, regarded as one of the top footballers of all time. The forward stands third in the Copa Libertadores’ all-time rankings with 36 goals in 88 games. The magic and charm of Pedro Rocha will forever remain in the books of history of Sao Paulo FC, the club he played for between 1971-1977, winning two championships and the Brasileño in his last year with the club. He also played for Palmeiras, Curitiba, Bangu and Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, before hanging his boots in 1980.

Fernando Morena was top scorer in the Uruguayan soccer league six consecutive years between 1973 and 1978, and was top scorer in the Copa Libertadores in 1974 and 19752. Fernando Morena

Goals: 37 goals
Country: Uruguay
Years Active: 1968-1985

With 37 goals in 77 matches, Morena remains the second all-time highest scorer in the in the Copa Libertadores. His brutality in front of goal, skill, positioning, and aerial ability made him a first choice forward despite a relatively small frame. Uplifting Uruguayan football and punishing Peñarol’s rivals, critics argued Morena was poor in the league, but that discounted his incredible record in the Copa Libertadores.

Alberto Spencer was elected the 20th best South American footballer of the 20th century in a poll by the IFFHS in 2004.1. Alberto Spencer

Goals: 60 goals
Country: Ecuador
Years Active: 1953-1972

One star usually overlooked by sport’s historians is Alberto Spencer, the top scorer in the Copa Libertadores with 60 goals in 92 matches. The centre-forward who was comfortable firing with either foot, his greatest attribute was his aerial ability. After breaking into the first eleven at Everest in 1955, Spencer spent the next several years scoring for his club. Five years later, he signed for Peñarol, one of South America's best clubs.