Brazil's King Neymar Leads the Way as Hosts Deliver First Olympic Gold

Neymar had started Brazil's march towards Olympic gold in the Maracana, and the Barcelona man was also there to finally end their quest. The inspirational forward led his young team-mates by example to add the final penalty to his early free-kick and finally break Germany's brave resistance, as the Selecao prevailed in scenes of unrestrained joy in Rio de Janeiro. 

It was never an easy ride for the Selecao, under overwhelming pressure to win the last gong missing from the nation's bulging trophy cabinet. Brazil had finished three times as silver medallists at the Olympic Games, but never managed to overcome that final hurdle and take the top place on the podium. 

Romario, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Bebeto: Brazil's greatest players have tried and failed to break the drought since the door was opened to professionals in the 1980s. Neymar himself had been the golden boy four years previously in London, but his three goals were not enough to avoid final defeat. 

Draws against Iraq and South Africa in the first two games hardly gave a glimpse of future success, neither for Neymar—who saw a young fan cross out his name and add in women's icon Marta in an image that quickly crossed the world, per the Telegraph—nor his struggling team.

But from the boos of those opening encounters the Selecao took on an added strength, and that perhaps was what kept them going in Saturday's final. Germany defended heroically against the yellow onslaught, but it is hard to argue that Brazil's penalty shootout was anything but richly deserved. 

Germany started strongly in Rio, keeping Brazil's potent attack at arm's length while probing out wide to find space. A mazy dribble from Serge Gnabry opened up the hosts 11 minutes in and left Julian Brandt free on the edge of the area. Brazil's goalkeeper Weverton Pereira da Silva was grateful to see the shot bounce off the crossbar as he dived despairingly after the ball. 

Neymar, however, was ready and willing to repeat his record in the quarter- and semi-finals and open the scoring. The forward was pulled down by Matthias Ginter 20 metres from Timo Horn's net, and he lined up his free-kick. Once more the effort struck the bar, but the right side, and the Maracana exploded as the ball eventually settled in the back of the net to put the Selecao ahead in the first half. 

Another great Olympian, Usain Bolt, received a tribute from the pitch as the forward performed an affectionate imitation of his famous lightning bolt celebration. Neymar may not have flown out of the blocks quite as quickly as the brilliant Jamaican, but his early goal was a big boost for the team as they found their feet in the final. 

The opener obliged Horst Hrubesch's men to push forward, and they did so with some proficiency. The woodwork would come to the rescue twice more before the break, while Weverton made a solid stop to keep out Max Meyer. Germany always looked dangerous from range, and it finally restored parity on the hour when Meyer's latest effort screeched along the Maracana turf and this time beat the goalkeeper's outstretched arms. 

At 1-1, there was only one team that came out looking to decide the contest in regulation time. But the nerves were mounting on Brazilian shoulders, and the imprecision in front of the goal that had haunted them at the start of the tournament made an unwelcome reappearance. But they kept chipping away, helped by the towering Renato Augusto and the tireless incursions of their captain. 

But Germany would not yield, making countless blocks in the penalty area to keep the scoreline deadlocked. Extra time came and went with no further advance, and each side converted their first four penalties to keep fans on edge. But every so often, the chaos of football transforms into fairytale: Nils Petersen's kick was stopped by Weverton, and Neymar stepped up to seal his place in Selecao history. 

Tears streaming down his face, Neymar collapsed on the turf as his team-mates and the thousands of Brazilian supporters in the stands started the celebrations. Few players have given up so much, or fought so hard to feature in an Olympics, sacrificing his place in the Copa America as well as pre-season with Barcelona to be his nation's standard-bearer in Rio. His tears were of pure joy and relief after carrying an immense weight this past month. 

The 2014 World Cup had come to an untimely end for the star after he suffered a serious back injury in the quarter-final against Colombia. Neymar could only watch helplessly as his team-mates succumbed 7-1 to the German machine. 

The Olympics was his chance to show he could lead the national team by example as well as with his talent, and in that regard the 24-year-old was flawless. He has often been the target of criticism for his active social life, but in Rio he was a constant source of encouragement for his inexperienced comrades. He took the brunt of media attention and let the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Barbosa and Luan get used to the famous shirt. 

Credit too must go to coach Rogerio Micale. The 47-year-old was thrust into the job just a month prior to the start of the Games, when Dunga and his coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi were sacked following the Copa America failure. It was no easy task, but the thoughtful ex-Atletico Mineiro youth trainer moulded an attacking, attractive side seldom seen in recent Brazilian history. 

He had the forethought to add Luan to an already packed offensive line when the goals refused to materialise, and the courage to keep the Gremio star in the team in the decisive rounds. Micale trusted his players and his tactics. He refused to fall back on the pragmatism and safety-first strategy that has been the go-to of countless Selecao coaches since the end of Joga bonito's golden age in the 1980s. 

Leo Correa/Associated Press

Most importantly, Micale never doubted in Neymar as the cornerstone of his team. The No. 10 was ever-present in Rio, and he paid back his coach's faith with a tournament worthy of one of football's most exciting talents. 

It is easy to diminish the importance of the Olympics in football's international hierarchy. The Games are primarily a stage for young stars to make an impression, with teams restricted to just three over-23 players. Europeans in particular are guilty of giving the competition scant respect, although Germany's professional, highly motivated squad and a decent bid at glory from Portugal are noble exceptions. 

For Brazil, however, the 2016 Games, on home soil, meant everything. And only the most hard-hearted of football fans could look at Neymar's emotion as he finally got his hands on that coveted gold and not be moved by his joy. 

At just 24, and with the promise of a new generation of stars who have already tasted glory set to join him in the coming years, Neymar will surely succeed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the prime claimant to the title of best player on the planet. The crown placed on his head at the Maracana was a potent symbol—he is the king of Brazil in this moment, and the man who can lead the South Americans back to the top of world football where they belong.