RIO DE JANEIRO—With a kiss of the ball and an unforgettable kick, Brazil’s biggest soccer star gave the Olympic host its biggest moment of the games.
Brazil won its first Olympic gold medal in soccer Saturday with a dramatic penalty kick by Neymar to defeat Germany, sending the nation into a frenzy after a 1-1 (5-4 shootout victory).
Before the decisive shot, Neymar picked up the ball, kissed it and placed it on the penalty spot. With a stutter step and a smooth kick, he calmly sent a shot into the top corner and fell to his knees before being mobbed by his teammates.
“That’s it,” Neymar said. “We made history.”
Brazil's soccer team celebrates on the podium during the medal presentation following the Rio 2016 Olympic Games men's football gold medal match between Brazil and Germany at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 20, 2016. Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images
