Gold medallist Britain’s Mo Farah celebrates near the podium for the Men’s 5000m during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 20, 2016.
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But no one had told the fans, who booed the German players throughout the 120 minutes of play and the tense penalty shootout in which Nils Petersen’s miss set up Neymar to score the winning spot kick for Brazil.
Neymar was brought down nearly 25 meters from goal and, although the angle was tight, he curled a spectacular strike into the net off the underside of Timo Horn’s bar.
Host Brazil finally captured its first ever Olympic gold medal in football, the sport they love most.
However, Neymar’s role as captain was questioned after he was sent-off in just his second competitive match in the role against Colombia at last year’s Copa America. Now he is back in their hearts.
Neymar buried the winning kick of a penalty shootout against Germany on Saturday night at Maracana Stadium, sending all of Brazil into a boisterous celebration. “Now they’ll (the critics) have to swallow what they said”, he declared after the final. I was glad to receive it, I have honored it, but today I am (leaving it). The Olympic tournament was spread over numerous same cities used in the 2014 men’s World Cup.
Inside the filled Metro station next to Maracana Stadium, Marcos Antunes, 29, and a group of almost two dozen beer-drinking friends and strangers sang, shouted and chanted for their victorious national team after the victory.
In the 25th minute he was upended by Sven Bender, then fouled again a minute later.
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.
Miscommunication in the box saw another chance from a corner wasted, but Brazil were soon celebrating an opening goal, and in some style.
It looked as if the ideal script was being written for the host nation but the second half was a tougher affair as Germany asserted themselves and equalized.
“He knows that, the team knows that, but I repeat it was a noble gesture on Neymar’s part to let Tite decide who will be the captain”. 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.
They were nervy moments but Neymar’s attempted rainbow flick showed the hosts’ belief – a mentality put under pressure 15 minutes into the second half. He added another in a 6-0 rout.
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“This restores our self-esteem”, Brazil coach Rogerio Micale said.
