The countdown is almost over. Brazil and Mexico are ready to challenge for the Olympic gold medal, a goal that would be historic for both. In fact, the two national teams have never managed to conquer it, which is sensational, especially as regards the Seleçao. The most media and spectacular team, capable of winning 5 world championships (absolute record) and churning out new talent every day, has not yet managed to take home the most valuable medal.
A stain that Mano Menezes absolutely wants to erase, also because his Brazil has undoubtedly proved to be the strongest in the event. In the retreat of St. Alban there is an atmosphere of great occasions, that's why Neymar, the golden boy par excellence of this Seleçao, presented himself at the press conference. With the audacity that distinguishes him even on the pitch, the Santos striker launched the challenge to Mexico: “I want to win Olympic gold for Brazil, for Pelé, for Ronaldo, and because on Saturday we will represent all the generations that have made Brazilian football great. It will be a historic match for us, we certainly didn't come here to take the silver medal”.
Indeed, already on the eve of the green and gold were given as favourites, and it was enough to watch them play for a few minutes to understand that they would go all the way. If hunger for victory and a spirit of sacrifice are added to the industrial quantity of talent and personality, then there is little that can be done for the opponents. Egypt, Belarus, New Zealand, Honduras and South Korea have noticed this in series, all crushed by the law of 3. In fact, Brazil proved to be quite democratic, giving their opponents the same number of goals (3 in fact). The most “greedy” so far is Leandro Damiao, top scorer of the tournament with 6 goals, very honest in admitting that "probably if Pato had played he would have scored as much", but Neymar, Oscar and the Milan striker himself did quite well too.
And if you think that Lucas, who has just been bought by PSG for 45 million, usually watches matches from the bench, then you understand many things. Certainly, however, Mexico will not start beaten. The Tricolores arrived at Wembley with merit: after the misstep in their debut against South Korea, victories over Gabon, Switzerland, Senegal and Japan followed. The individuals are many, starting with Giovani dos Santos, acrobatic Tottenham striker, which however will not be there, due to a muscle injury remedied in the semifinal. A bad tile for coach Fernando Tena, who will try to remedy thanks to his usual tactical flexibility. In fact, Mexico loves not to give points of reference and participates in the offensive phase with full-backs and defenders. In short, certainly not the ideal sparring partner for super Brazil. However, he can't be afraid of anyone, if not his own presumption, the main cause of all his defeats (the unforgettable one against Uruguay in 1950, which went down in history as the "Maracanazo"). Have the football gods learned their lesson?
