Neymar Leads Brazil’s Soccer Team to Its First Olympic Gold Medal

2016 Rio Games

Neymar kicks his way into Brazil’s history books…

The 24-year-old Brazilian soccer star helped lead Brazil’s Olympic soccer team to victory against Germany in the gold medal match at the 2016 Rio Games.

Neymar

Neymar, who had to settle for a silver at the 2012 London Games after losing to Mexico in the gold medal match, scored the winning goal in a dramatic shootout that ended with a score of 5-4, following a 1-1 draw in regulation.

All around him, 70,000 Brazilians inside the vast Maracana Stadium chanted his name, expecting — no, demanding — their nation’s biggest soccer star deliver a historic success at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Neymar paused, gathering his thoughts as he stuttered towards the ball, almost grinding to a halt before stroking his penalty kick high to the left of Germany’s goalkeeper Timo Horn.

Neymar also scored in the 27th minute as Brazil took a 1-0 lead.

Max Meyer scored the equalizer for Germany in the 59th minute.

For Brazil, this was a landmark victory over a country that had inflicted a humiliating 7-1 defeat on it two years ago, in the semifinal of its own World Cup.

It’s the first Olympic victory for Brazilian footballers in a country obsessed with the game.

“This is one of the best things that have happened in my life,” the Barcelona forward said. “That’s it.”

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