Neymar Will Lead Brazil to First-Ever Gold Medal at 2012 Olympics

The Brazilian Olympic soccer team has several spectacular young talents, but Neymar is the best of the bunch and his performance in London will be the primary reason his country wins the tournament for the first time in its history.

Brazil is known for its dominance in international soccer: their senior team has won five World Cups. But the younger players have not had the same success, coming away away with just two bronze medals and two silvers.

For the 2012 tournament, the country is one of the favorites to win gold, along with defending champion Spain. After the first round of matches, Brazil appears to be the better side.

In the Seleção’s first match against Egypt, the attack was as advertised and produced three goals in the first 30 minutes. Neymar headed home the third score.

The team eased off the gas pedal in the second half and allowed Egypt to climb back into the match, but the 3-2 victory was still good for three points.

Spain, on the other hand, did not impress. La Roja also has several highly-regarded attacking player, but none of them could break through the Japanese defense.

There was no shortage of opportunities for both sides in the match, but Spain failed to capitalize and ended up losing 1-0.

One should always be cautious about taking lessons away from poor opening matches, as they are often not indicative of how a team will perform. The Spanish senior side lost its opening match of the 2010 World Cup, but still managed to win the tournament.

The Spaniards will almost certainly rebound and have an excellent tournament, but they still will not be able to beat the Brazilians. 

The furious attack that Brazil showed in the opening minutes of their match against Egypt confirmed that they have unparalleled talent up front. Their ability to create goals should strike fear into every team in the tournament, including Spain. 

Neymar is at the heart of the attack and is the best player in the tournament. He has one goal already and will continue to add to his total. 

The 19-year-old’s talent will be increasingly evident as the competition progresses, and when the team is competing for medals, he will come through with spectacular performances.

This loaded Brazilian team will capture the country’s first gold medal in soccer, and Neymar will be the biggest reason for their success.