This summers showpiece event is in Paris, the city of love. For Brazil and their people, football is often their love. Figures such as the great Pele and Ronaldo Nazario are just two of some of the finest to ever play our game.
The Female Canaries are holding the baton for Brazilian Football this summer, with Arthur Elias at the helm this time, looking to write the final steep of history for Brazil in Olympic football.
Elias’ side have actually only lost once since December last year, with Lindsey Horan’s goal in the 2024 CONCACAF Final condemning Brazil to their only defeat in 2024 so far.
A Selecao have appeared in each of the last seven editions of the Olympics, but have yet to receive that elusive gold medal. They have been runners up twice, Athens 2004 and again, four years later in Beijing 2008.
Having taken over from Swedish Manager Pia Sundhage, after the 2023 World Cup, Arthur Elias has taken charge of 16 matches, winning 10, losing three and drawing two.
The opponents:
Brazil find themselves in Group C at the Games, kicking off in Bordeaux against Nigeria on 25 July.
A clash with Japan will be next on the agenda, as the two sides lock horns in the capital, Paris, before Elias’ team round off the group stages against the World Champions Spain, back in Bordeaux on 31 July.
Whilst it will only be Brazils third ever meeting with Nigeria and fifth ever with Spain this summer, it will be a staggering seventeenth time that they lock horns with Japan when they face off in the Capital.
The squad: notable names and departures
Marta, the most recognisable name in the Women’s Game is set for her international swansong.
In her 24-year career, the only thing missing from her incredible list of accolades is an Olympic Gold medal, having been in the squad that finished runners up in Athens and Bejing.
North Carolina Courage’s Kerolin also made the grade for this summers big tournament, which comes just nine months after tearing her ACL and missing out on the NWSL playoffs.
Her name also made the spotlight in 2019 after failing a doping test, which found traces of Cardarine, a illegal performance enhancing drug. She was suspended from football for two years following a CONMEBOL investigation.
Veteran forward, Cristiane wasn’t selected by Elias for this summers Games, despite being a part of all of Brazil’s Olympic outings beforehand.
Elias has allegedly cited the smaller squad choices for the Olympics, but this omission, alongside her dis-inclusion from the 2023 World Cup also paints a picture that the veteran’s international career could be coming to an end.
The full squad
Goalkeepers (2)
Lorena
Tainá
Defenders: (6)
Tarciane
Rafaelle
Thais Ferreira
Antônia
Tamires
Yasmin
Midfielders: (3)
Ana Vitória
Duda Sampaio
Yayá.
Forwards: (7)
Adriana,
Gabi Nunes
Gabi Portolho
Jheniffer
Kerolin
Marta
Ludmila
Alternates: (4)
Luciana – GOALKEEPER
Lauren – DEFENDER
Angelina – MIDFIELDER
Priscila – FORWARD
Featured image courtesy of Danilo Borges/copa2014.gov.br via Wikimedia Commons. No changes were made to this image. License details found here.