IFFHS OLYMPIC NEWS AND STATISTICS - DAY 13
Picture : Richarlison, the Best Goal Scorer of the Olympic Tournament.
OLYMPIC GAMES - FOOTBALL DAY 13
- Brazil has beaten a new Olympic record with their fifth appearance in the gold medal match. They have now two titles 2020 and 2016, while in 2012 (2-1 versus Mexico), 1988 (2-1 a.e.t. versus USSR) and 1984 (2-0 versus France), they had to be content with silver. Spain have qualified for the gold medal match for the third time, having lost on penalties to Cameroon in 2000, eight years after their Barcelona triumph in 1992. Neither team will set an outright record for gold medals as Hungary currently lead the way with three.
- Brazil won a medal for the fourth Games in a row, after bronze in 2008, silver in 2012 and gold in 2016, again gold in 2020.
- Argentina were the last nation to defend their gold medal in the men's Olympic football back in 2008 but Brazil has joined their South American rivals with victory over Spain in Tokyo .
- The Spanish last came out on top in the men's football in the inaugural under-23 tournament back in 1992 and their current squad has undoubtedly shone brightly in Japan.
- But they were far from dominant in the group stage, scoring only twice in three matches with Egypt, Argentina and Australia, and they have been taken to extra time in both their quarter-final and semi-final matches.
- Andre Jardine's Olympic Brazil Team won two of their three group matches, which included a comfortable 4-2 win over Germany. They drew the other and then dispatched Egypt 1-0 in the last eight. Brazil required penalties to see off Mexico in the semi-finals
- Richarlison has been the star of the tournament, following his Copa America exploits with five goals in Tokyo, and he was again one of the keys in the gold medal match.
- With Matheus Cunha, who was top scorer in the Conmebol Pre-Olympic Tournament, Antony and Paulinho, Brazil have the attacking line to help Richarlison to the Win.