It will be Weverton, an nearly unknown goalkeeper in Brazil who was selected at the 11th hour, diving to his left to stop a penalty from Germany’s Nils Petersen, a save that helped win Brazil’s first Olympic football gold.
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Neymar, the national team’s biggest star and a teammate of Lionel Messi at Barcelona, is the present, and expected leader of the team by the time the next World Cup comes around in Russian Federation in 2018.
The win was also significant due to the fact that it was played with the memory of Brazil’s 7-1 defeat to Germany very much alive.
At times during these Olympics, Brazil had attacking flair but it nearly always ran through Neymar.
The scores remained level as extra-time came and went, but Die Mannschaft would not secure silverware at the ground that witnessed both their 2014 World Cup triumph and women’s gold the previous day. For them to have never won an Olympic Gold Medal in football was nothing short of shocking, but Neymar and his triumphant band of boys have ensured that the particular anomaly exists no more.
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.
Neymar said it was an unforgettable moment after sending the Maracana into raptures on Saturday.
As the team stood atop the medal podium, gold draped around their necks, tears streamed down the faces of fans as all of Maracana Stadium joined in belting out the national anthem.
The weeping Brazilian captain said after the match, Yesterday, we were criticised for poor start with 0-0 draw against South Africa and Iraq.
At the Olympics, Neymar was one of three overage exceptions for Brazil in a tournament for under-23 teams and served as the team’s captain.
It was the maiden Olympic football gold for Brazil as earlier stars like Ronaldo, Dunga, Careca, Edmar, Romario, Bebeto, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, Rolandinho failed to hit an Olympic gold.
Weverton was full of praise for Neymar, saying, “God has blessed me”. “We see that not all was lost, our football is still alive”.
But after scoring Brazil’s first goal in the gold medal game as well as the shootout victor, Neymar, once again, had become Brazil’s favourite son, dropping to his knees in both prayer and elation following the match.
“I don’t have words to say anything”, Neymar said, sobbing.
Brazil coach Rogeiro Micale summed up the mood of the people.
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“I can’t begin to describe [my feelings]. Please visit us again soon”.
