However, it was Neymar – who missed the Copa America earlier this summer in order to play at the Games – who proved the tournament’s decisive player to win his country their first football gold medal and their sixth of this year’s Olympics.
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The FC Barcelona player’s penalty kick rounded off a game which had finished 1-1 after 120 minutes.
Five-time world champion Brazil lost the Olympic gold medal match three times in 1984, 1988 and 2012 but now they have garnered the only global crown that eluded them by winning over the country who defeated them 7-1 in the World Cup semi-finals in the Brazilian homecourt in 2014.
This encounter offered a chance to both make amends and history, with this the hosts’ grand finale despite the closing ceremony taking place at the same venue the following night.
Neymar opened the scoring in the first half with a free-kick, but Max Meyer equalized for the Germans in the second half from the spot. The win means a unified Germany are now the only World Cup winners never to have won the Olympic gold medal and the loss robbed them of a chance to complete the male and female double after their women’s team beat Sweden 2-1 on Friday.
Brazil, though, know all too well that such emotion is not always enough and Germany fired a warning shot in the 10th minute, with Julian Brandt curling a attractive strike that rattled both the crossbar and partisan crowd.
Rogerio Micale’s men had looked bright up until that point and continued to threaten, with Luan having an attempt blocked before an inswinging Neymar corner caused havoc.
Neymar was brought down nearly 25 metres from goal and, although the angle was tight, he curled a spectacular strike into the net off the underside of Timo Horn’s bar. Brazil strikes 3-3. Germany barely scores 4-3.
The ball was worked well by the Germans out to the galloping right back Jeremy Toljan, who crossed into Meyer who calmly slotted past Brazil’s goalkeeper.
The goal shook Germany into action and they pushed forward more and hit the bar twice more before the half was out.
And following Weverton’s save of Nils Petersen’s striker, it was down to Neymar to score the winning penalty.
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Neymar said it was an unforgettable moment after sending the Maracana into raptures on Saturday.
