With the 2024 Olympics in Paris fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get ready for the men’s and women’s soccer tournaments by looking back at the top moments in Olympic soccer history. A young Lionel Messi bamboozling defenders on his way to Gold? Yes please. USWNT legends scoring extra time winners in the final? Go on then.
Remember: you can watch all of the Olympic soccer across NBC Sports’ platforms this summer, as the tournaments take place in stadiums across France. The women’s tournament runs from July 25 to August 10, while the men’s tournament starts one day earlier. Below are the top 10 moments in Olympic soccer history.
Brazil, one of the world’s greatest soccer nations, winning its first-ever Olympic gold medal in soccer, on home soil, at the legendary Maracana stadium, on penalty kicks, with its captain and one of the country’s greatest ever players, Neymar, scoring the winner, just has to go down as the greatest moment in Olympic soccer history. With so much pressure on this Brazil side, and especially Neymar, they started the tournament slowly but eventually eased to the Olympic gold medal match with Neymar scoring the fastest-ever goal in Olympic history in their semifinal win over Honduras - just 14 seconds in. That set up an Olympic final against Germany.
And remember: Germany had embarrassed Brazil 7-1 in a World Cup semifinal on home soil just two years previously. A tight, tense game played out this time as Brazil took the lead throu.