Neymar looking for Rio gold

Brazil striker and poster boy, Neymar, said he is focused on Olympic Gold, as he makes his international comeback after leaving the side to a dismal Copa America campaign whilst recovering from injury.

“Playing in Brazil is different, I think we have a great opportunity to make history and achieve an unprecedented medal for Brazil, a gold medal. I thank God that I have an Olympic medal – silver in the last Olympics – and I just hope that this time we can win gold,” Neymar said in an interview with the Brazilian Soccer Federation.

Brazil began training on Wednesday ahead of the first ever South American Olympic Games, their home turf. The pressure is on for the side, who has taken on a new coach, Tite, after they were ousted from the Copa America in the group stages in June.

They will be hoping to overcome other ghosts of their past, including the 7-1 defeat by Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi final at home, as well as their close Olympic miss, when Mexico stripped them of what would have been their first gold medal in the 2012 final.

Questions are often raised as to whether the team depends on their star striker and Barcelona forward, but Neymar said he is just hoping to help the team.

“I have been preparing for some time now, putting the pieces in place, and I hope to be able to (help) wherever I can, both on and off the pitch. I hope that we can understand each other as quickly as possible and achieve our objectives,” said Neymar. “We are trying to come together more and more, get to know each other better and better so that we are well prepared when the competition begins,” he added.

Brazil will open their Olympic campaign against South Africa in the Group A match on August 4, before meeting Iraq and Denmark. The 2016 Rio Olympics begin on August 5.

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