London: Five-time world champions Brazil are eyeing to win their first Olympic gold in the men’s final at Wembley on Saturday and coach Mano Menezes they will not take Mexico for granted.
It will be Brazil’s first Olympic final since 1988 Seoul Games where they won silver. The team won bronze in the 2008 Beijing Games.
The South Americans also won the silver in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, but the failure to bring home a gold has rankled with such a proud football nation for decades.
In the 2012 London Olympics, Brazil are unbeaten in their five matches, scoring three times in each game to take their tally to 15 goals en route to the final.
“I expect a very difficult final,” AFP quoted Menezes as saying. “Mexico have prepared well. Their under-23 side played in the Copa America and the Pan-American Games. Now they have added their three over-aged players (Jose Corona, Carlos Salcido and Oribe Peralta) they look very strong.
“The players are very calm, not over-euphoric about being in the final.
“But our team should be congratulated, they have come a long way since May when they were nowhere and now they are in an Olympic final.
“It has been 24 years since Brazil have been in the final, which shows how difficult it is to get there.”
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