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Rio de Janeiro
Brazil superstar Neymar struck the winning penalty as the hosts claimed a first ever Olympic football gold medal Saturday before announcing his intention to step down as captain of the national team.
The Barcelona forward slotted home to jubilant scenes at a packed Maracana as a 5-4 shoot-out win over Germany, after a 1-1 draw, exacted revenge for a humiliating 7-1 World Cup semi-final defeat to the world champions two years ago.
"This is one of the best things that has happened in my life," said Neymar, who sank to his knees in tears after scoring from the spot.
However, he also suddenly stepped down as captain after taking on the role in 2014 following Brazil's disastrous World Cup exit.
"It was an honour to be captain, but from today I am no longer captain," he told SporTV.
Olympic gold was the only major title to have escaped five-time world champions Brazil in their history. In front of the biggest crowd of Rio's Games, including nine-time Jamaican gold medallist Usain Bolt, Neymar's brilliant free-kick handed Brazil a first-half lead.
In honour of the retiring sprinting great, Neymar even adopted the"lightning bolt" celebration, whilst chants of"ole, ole, ole, Neymar" rang around Rio's most iconic arena.
However, Germany captain Max Meyer enjoyed a special celebration of his own as he taunted the raucous 78,000 crowd at the Maracana by kissing the number seven on his shirt when he swept home Jeremy Toljan's cross just before the hour mark.
The first eight penalties in the shootout were all successful before Brazil goalkeeper Weverton stopped Nils Petersen's effort to set the stage for Neymar.
And he didn't disappoint as, with the weight of a nation on his shoulders, he rifled the ball into the top corner.
"Now they'll (the critics) have to swallow what they said," added Neymar after being fiercely criticised for his underwhelming early displays in the tournament.
Brazil Olympic coach Rogerio Micale said Neymar's decision to leave the captaincy in the hands of new senior coach Tite demonstrated his newfound"maturity."
"It demonstrates maturity on Neymar's part. He is a leader in the national team, he is dedicated," said Micale."I finish this tournament with the best possible impressions of Neymar as do the team."
And departing German coach Horst Hrubesch refused to be downhearted with silver on Germany's first appearance at the Games for 28 years.
"I am smiling all the time because I am proud of what we achieved."
In stark contrast to the empty seats on show across the Games, even for some of Bolt's marquee races, there wasn't a seat to be had at the Maracana where Germany won the World Cup against Lionel Messi's Argentina two years ago.
Olympic football only medal that counts: jubilant Brazil fans
Drivers of cars and trucks hooted and crowds in countless bars across the city screamed in delight after Brazil won the football gold.
At one open air bar along Rio's iconic Copacabana seafront, every man, woman and child leapt from their seats, hugging and drinking because this is Brazil, dancing samba between the tables and on the sidewalk.
"The champions are back, the champions are back!" they chanted.
Even after two weeks of hosting South America's first Olympics, nothing could compare for Brazilians to winning their first Olympic football title.
Nothing else mattered.
"Brazil could have won (gold) medals in everything but if it hadn't been in football then nothing would have counted," said Leila Lopes da Silva, 70, who joined the dancing and chanting in the beach bar.
"Volleyball, judo, that's all fine," she said."But football was what we needed."
