Brazil Men’s Soccer, Led By Neymar, Beat Germany In Penalties For First-Ever Olympic Title

The Brazilian soccer team has had more than its share of ups and downs in recent years. It’s won several great championship matches, yet also suffered heartbreaking losses, like the 7-1 thrashing it took from Germany during the semifinals of the 2014 World Cup, which the South Americans also hosted.

Brazil Men’s Soccer, led by Neymar, Beat Germany In Penalties For First-Ever Olympic Title

On Saturday in Rio di Janeiro, Neymar and the Brazilian squad made history by defeating that same country who embarrassed them two years in a thrilling 5-4 penalty shootout following a 1-1 tie in regulation to secure the Olympic hosts their first-ever soccer gold medal.

The historic victory has surely brought– and will bring for quite some time– greater pride for Brazil, a country that has faced severe international criticism for the numerous problems encountered by Olympians in Rio– security issues, the Zika virus, polluted waters– ahead of and during this year’s Summer Games.

Maracanã Stadium erupted in celebration after Neymar, the 24-year-old Brazilian captain and Barcelona star forward, scored the final penalty to clinch the long-awaited title for his country, which was won five World Cups.

After Brazilian goalkeeper Weverton dove to his left to successfully save Germany’s fifth penalty kick–shot by Nils Petersen– the host country’s players, coaches and fans already began jumping in excitement.

This was only compounded after Neymar stepped up for Brazil’s fifth and final penalty. He did a stutter step, then shot high and confidently to send German goalie Timo Horn, 23, the wrong way and send the ball into the back of the net.

The captain dropped to his knees, then onto his stomach, and covered his face as he welled up with tears and his teammates– who had been anxiously watching on their knees at midfield– rushed over to embrace him and pile onto each other.

As the Maracana crowd of about 78,000 roared in elation, one Brazilian fan ran from the stands into the giant group hug of players, the national flag draped around his shoulders like a superhero cape.

“Nothing will replace 7 to 1,” said Roberto Artiaga, 39, a Brazilian fan, referring to the tragic World Cup loss to Germany in the World Cup semifinals two years ago. “It’s impossible. But it eases the pain. We will hurt a little less.”

It should be noted, nonetheless, that Saturday’s historic triumph came with very different rosters and under very different circumstances from those of the 2014 World Cup.

The Olympic tournament is for players under 23 years of age, with only three older players allowed per team.

Neymar sat out the crushing defeat to Germany in 2014 with a broken vertebra in his back.

“Nobody here played in that final,” Weverton told reporters before Saturday’s match. “What happened in the past is in the past. Nothing is going to change that, even if we win by seven goals. We have a chance to create our own history.”

Though the weight of an Olympic soccer final is not quite as big as that of the World Cup final, the stress level of Saturday’s match was almost just as palpable as that of a FIFA World Cup final.

In the 27th minute, Neymar drew a foul about 25 yards out from goal. The captain took the ensuing free kick and beat Horn with a pinpoint strike that hit off the bottom of the crossbar and bounced into the upper-left corner to give Brazil a 1-0 lead.

Germany came back a few minutes later and nearly equalized twice off free kicks, themselves hitting the crossbar twice. First, Serge Gnabry fired in a cross that was flicked off the crossbar and out of play. Then, it was Sven Bender who got on the end of a free kick, but sent his header off the top bar.

In the 59th minute, Germany’s Maximilian Meyer swiveled on a crossing pass and equalized with a low, hard one-time shot. It was the first goal that Brazil had allowed at the Rio Olympics.

Brazil’s Felipe Anderson had the lone scoring chance of the second session of extra time, but he was unable to capitalize as the teams went into a penalty shootout.

Germany won the 2014 World Cup at Maracanã, defeating Lionel Messi and Argentina by 1-0 in the final. The German women’s team won an Olympic gold medal there this week.

Mauro Beting, a commentator and reporter for Fox Sports Brasil, said before the tournament that Brazil’s players would start tentatively, knowing that “in every beginning of a game, every time they make a mistake, they will think, ‘It’s 7-1 coming.’”

Even if Brazil won a gold medal, Beting projected, “At the same time that the team will be running the victory lap, thinking, ‘We finally won the Olympics,’ fans in Maracanã will say, ‘You’ve lost 7-1.’ Neymar, you can be the star of the Olymics, but in the World Cup you were not there.’”

Brazilian fans are like that, he said.

“Soccer fans are cruel and were most cruel on the defeat to Germany,” Beting said.

Prior to the tournament, the news media criticized Neymar for partying too much while on vacation during the US-hosted Copa America earlier this summer. And after Brazil failed to score a goal during its first two Olympic matches, some fans mocked him with “missing” posters. Others screamed “Marta!” as if they preferred the star of the Brazilian women’s team.

Nevertheless, some Brazilian fans appear willing to forgive the captain and his squad.

“Brazil is five times champion of the World Cup and we had never had a gold medal before, so against any team it would have been great,” said Manoel Santos, 56, a Brazilian fan. “But, O.K., being against Germany made it that much sweeter.”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 20: Neymar and Brazilian team mates celebrate with their gold medals after winning the Men’s Football Final between Brazil and Germany at the Maracana Stadium on Day 15 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on August 20, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena