Neymar has announced he will step down as Brazil’s captain.
Advertisement
The soccer champion-ship headlined a golden day in the Rio Olympics.
After each team scored four times in the shootout, Brazil goalkeeper Weverton dived to his left to parry Nils Petersen’s low effort.
Having already netted an astonishing free-kick to open the scoring against the Germans, Neymar stepped forward to slot home the fifth and final spot kick to banish the lasting nightmare of the hosts’ 7-1 defeat to Saturday’s opponents from two years ago.
Their rich football history notwithstanding, it is the first time Brazil have won the Olympic gold trophy.
The first goal came from Neymar himself, from a 30-yard free kick that sailed past the German defensive wall and through the hands of the German goalkeeper, according to The Guardian.
Neymar has won the Champions League with Barcelona, the Copa Libertadores when at Santos and the 2013 Confederations Cup with the national team.
Why not? In a year of national political tumult and after the team’s same opponent, Germany, humiliated it in a World Cup semifinal two summers ago, there was a lot on the line. Brazil won the gold medal on a penalty shootout.
“Obviously this tournament had a special meaning for Brazil”, Neymar said.
BADMINTON DUEL: Chen Long of China and Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia are considered by many to be the best players of their era in badminton.
“I do not like to put one title above the other – every competition I contest and win is important”, said Neymar, who joined Barcelona in 2013. I just want to thank my teammates, my friends and my family, who have been by my side during the most hard moments.
“God has blessed me”, he said.
Pele played an integral role in three of Brazil’s five FIFA World Cup triumphs, but the nation had never tasted Olympic glory prior to their meeting with Germany at the Maracana.
But it was anything but an easy tournament for Neymar, with fans openly criticizing him and comparing him unfavorably to Brazilian women’s player Marta, who also wore the iconic No. 10 jersey for Brazil at these Olympics. The senior team defeated Argentina in the World Cup final at the Maracana.
Advertisement
That criticism melted away amidst chants of “ole, ole, ole Neymar” in front of the biggest crowd of the Games at the Maracana as Neymar led the hosts to a long-awaited gold.
