The result means a unified Germany are now the only World Cup winners which never won the Olympic gold medal and the loss robbed them of a chance to complete the male and female double after their womens team beat Sweden 2-1 in the gold medal match.
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Neymar had scored a free kick to give Brazil the lead in the gold medal match, which ended 1-1 after extra time.
The hosts defeated Germany 5-4 on penalty shoot-out after the teams remained tied 1-1 following the final whistle.
And after eight ideal spot kicks, Brazil’s keeper Weverton stole the limelight by saving Nils Peterson’s penalty.
The equaliser sent jitters across Brazil as it reminded the host of its previous three Olympics football finals in 1984, 1988 and 2012, when it lost the gold.
And in the 26th minute Brazil’s favourite son produced a moment befitting of the occasion, punishing the opposition after again being fouled around the penalty area by curling a superb free-kick in off the underside of the bar to score his fourth goal of the tournament.
The long wait for Brazil’s first soccer gold is finally over.
The Brazilian people will be hoping this allows Neymar to operate with more freedom for the national team.
“I really don’t have words to describe this, it doesn’t matter if it’s the World Cup or Euros, this is what you have earned through your hard work over weeks and months”. When he cried July 8, 2014, those were tears of humiliation, of shame, of pain after Brazil had been hammered 1-7 by Germany in the semifinals of the World Cup.
In contrast to the pragmatism that has seen the national team spiral down under Luiz Felipe Scolari and Dunga in recent years, Micale played four forwards for the last four matches of the Olympics with the talented young trio of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Barbosa and Luan joining Neymar.
“This is something completely new, so this is definitely a new summit for German women’s football”, said German coach Silvia Neid, who is retiring after the Olympics.
“This is one of the happiest things that have happened to me”, he said moments later.
While Neymar didn’t disclose his reasons for stepping down he did say “now my critics will have to shut up” according to ESPN FC.
Captain Max Meyer, Julian Brandt and Niklas Suele particularly impressed on Germany’s first appearance at the Games for 28 years.
Jubilant celebrations broke out around Rio, reminiscent of parties following the five World Cup championships won by this soccer-mad nation.
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Since then he has established himself as undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and won the Champions League and two La Liga titles with Barcelona.
