Event | Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
Date | 11 August 2012 | ||||||
Venue | Wembley Stadium, London | ||||||
Referee | Mark Clattenburg (Great Britain) | ||||||
Attendance | 86,162 [1] | ||||||
The 2012 Summer Olympics Football Final was a football match that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom on 11 August 2012 to determine the winner of the men's football tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics. It was the 23rd final of the men's football tournament at the Summer Olympics, a quadrennial tournament contested for the men's under-23 national teams of FIFA to decide the Olympic champions.
In front of a crowd of 86,162, Mexico won their first Olympic gold medal in modality, beating Brazil, 2–1. It was Mexico's first major title since the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup on home soil and their first Olympic gold medal in football, both wins involved Mexico's final meeting with Brazil in these events. [2]
The final was played at Wembley Stadium in the Borough of Brent in London, United Kingdom.
The current Wembley Stadium opened in 2007 on the site of the original stadium, the demolition of which took place between 2002 and 2003. [3] [4] It is owned by The Football Association and serves as England's national football stadium. The original stadium, formerly known as the Empire Stadium, opened in 1923 and hosted matches at the 1966 FIFA World Cup, including the final, which saw hosts England beat West Germany 4–2 after extra time, and at UEFA Euro 1996, including the final, in which Germany defeated the Czech Republic 2–1 after extra time via the golden goal rule. Wembley also hosted every final of the FA Cup since the White Horse Final of 1923 (excluding 2001 to 2006, when the stadium was being rebuilt).
Brazil | Round | Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Opponent | Result | Group stage | Opponent | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Egypt | 3–2 | Match 1 | South Korea | 0–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Belarus | 3–1 | Match 2 | Gabon | 2–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New Zealand | 3–0 | Match 3 | Switzerland | 1–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Group C winners
Source: FIFA | Final standings | Group B winners
Source: FIFA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opponent | Result | Knockout stage | Opponent | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Honduras | 3–2 | Quarter-finals | Senegal | 4–2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Korea | 3–0 | Semi-finals | Japan | 3–1 |
The Brazil national under-23 football team led by Neymar advanced as favorite to the final against Mexico, after 5 victories in 5 matches. Brazil, under coach Mano Menezes, beat Egypt, Belarus and New Zealand in the preliminary round, Honduras in the quarter-finals and South Korea in the semi-finals. Before the Games, they beat Great Britain 2–0 in a friendly game. [5]
Mexico qualified by advancing to the final of the 2012 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship, they topped Group B winning all their matches. They were drawn in Group B along with Gabon, South Korea and Switzerland. Mexico started with a 0–0 draw against South Korea. [6] [7] In their second match, Mexico came out with a 3–0 triumph over Gabon; with Giovani dos Santos netting the two goals. [8] Mexico then confirmed top spot in the group by beating Switzerland 1–0, with a goal from Oribe Peralta in the 69th minute. In doing so, Mexico advance to the knockout stage for the first time since 1996. [9]
In the quarter-finals played at Wembley Stadium, Mexico struggled against a very motivated and disciplined Senegal, who had finished second in Group A. Mexico went up 2–0, with Jorge Enríquez scoring in the 10th minute and Javier Aquino in the 62nd minute. Moussa Konaté came up with the first of Senegal. Ibrahima Baldé equalised seven minutes later, making it 2–2. Ihe first period of extra time, dos Santos at the 98th minute made it 3–2, in favor of Mexico. Héctor Herrera sealed the victory scoring at the 109th minute. [10] [11] In the semifinals, they came back from a 0-1 deficit to beat Japan 3-1 with goals from Peralta, Marco Fabián and Javier Cortés. [12]
Mexico's Oribe Peralta opened the scoring in the first 29 seconds of the game, being assisted by Javier Aquino, making it the fastest goal of the Olympics and in any FIFA tournament final. Peralta scored the second goal in the 75th minute, assisted by a Fabián free-kick. Hulk discounted late. [13] [14]
Brazil | Mexico |
|
|
Assistant referees: |
The 2002 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Korea/Japan 2002, was the 17th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial football world championship for men's national teams organized by FIFA. It was held from 31 May to 30 June 2002 at sites in South Korea and Japan, with its final match hosted by Japan at International Stadium in Yokohama. During the opening ceremony, the championship was declared opened by President of South Korea Kim Dae-jung.
The 1966 FIFA World Cup was the eighth FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was played in England from 11 to 30 July 1966. England defeated West Germany 4–2 in the final to win their first ever World Cup title. The final was level at 2–2 after 90 minutes and went to extra time, when Geoff Hurst scored two goals to complete his hat-trick, the first to be scored in a men's World Cup final. England were the fifth nation to win the event, and the third host nation to win after Uruguay in 1930 and Italy in 1934. Two time reigning champions Brazil failed to get past the group stages as they were defeated by Hungary and Portugal. It was the first time that defending champions were eliminated in the group stages after Italy in 1950. This would not occur again until 36 years later. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II during the opening ceremony.
The Sweden men's national football team represents Sweden in men's international football and it is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body of football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Strawberry Arena in Solna and the team is coached by Jon Dahl Tomasson. From 1945 to the late 1950s, they were considered one of the greatest teams in Europe.
The Cameroon national football team, also known as the Indomitable Lions, represents Cameroon in men's international football. It is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football, a member of FIFA and its African confederation CAF.
The Ivory Coast national football team represents Ivory Coast in men's international football. Nicknamed the Elephants, the team is managed by the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF). The team has won the Africa Cup of Nations three times, in 1992, 2015 and 2024, and has qualified for the FIFA World Cup three times, in 2006, 2010, and 2014.
The football tournament of the 1948 Summer Olympics was won by Sweden. This remains Sweden's only international title at a senior male football level and was the first international appearance of the trio that would later be known as Gre-No-Li dominating the Italian league at A.C. Milan in the 1950s.
Benjamin Jon Williams, better known as Ben Williams, is a retired Australian football referee.
Oribe Peralta Morones is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is an Olympic gold medalist.
Marco Jhonfai Fabián de la Mora is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Rànger's. He is an Olympic gold medalist.
The Brazil national under-23 football team represents Brazil in international football competitions during Olympic Games and Pan American Games. The selection is limited to players under the age of 23, except three overage players. The team is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). Brazil U23 is one of the most successful teams in the Olympic football tournament, having won it twice and securing a record total of seven medals, including two golds, three silvers, and two bronzes.
The knockout stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was the second and final stage of the World Cup, following the group stage. It began on 26 June with the round of 16 matches, and ended on 11 July with the final match of the tournament held at Soccer City, Johannesburg, in which Spain beat the Netherlands 1–0 after extra time to claim their first World Cup. The top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination style tournament. A third place match was included and played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals.
Association football is the most popular sport in nearly every African country, and thirteen members of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have competed at the sport's biggest event – the FIFA World Cup.
Brazil competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's twenty-first appearance at the Summer Olympics, having missed the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. The Brazilian Olympic Committee sent a total of 258 athletes to the Games, 136 men and 122 women, to compete in 24 sports. Brazil left London with a total of 17 Olympic medals, winning their third largest number of medals at a single games.
Mexico competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's twenty-second appearance at the Olympics since its debut in 1900. Comité Olímpico Mexicano sent a total of 102 athletes to the Games, 64 men and 38 women, to compete in 23 sports. Men's football was the only team sport in which Mexico was represented at these Olympic Games. There was only a single competitor in badminton, sprint canoeing, and table tennis.
Raúl Alonso Jiménez Rodríguez is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Fulham and the Mexico national team.
The men's football tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics was held in London and five other cities in Great Britain from 26 July to 11 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to enter their men's U-23 teams in regional qualifying competitions, from which 15 teams, plus the hosts Great Britain, reached the final tournament. Men's teams were allowed to augment their squads with three players over the age of 23. It was the first men's Olympic football tournament to feature a team representing Great Britain since the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. The competition also marked Uruguay's men's football team's first Olympic appearance since 1928, when it won its second consecutive gold medal.
The women's football tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics was held in London and five other cities in the United Kingdom from 25 July to 9 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to enter their women's teams in regional qualifying competitions, from which 11 teams, plus the hosts Great Britain reached the final tournament. There are no age restrictions for the players participating in the tournament. It is the first major FIFA affiliated women's tournament to be staged within the United Kingdom, and marked the first time a team representing Great Britain took part in the women's tournament.
Group B of the men's football tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics took place from 26 July to 1 August 2012 in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, Coventry's Ricoh Arena, London's Wembley Stadium and Newcastle's St James' Park. The group contained Gabon, Mexico, South Korea and Switzerland.
The men's football tournament at the 2016 Summer Olympics was held in Rio de Janeiro and five other cities in Brazil from 4 to 20 August 2016. It was the 26th edition of the men's Olympic football tournament. Together with the women's competition, the 2016 Summer Olympics football tournament was held in six cities in Brazil, including Olympic host city Rio de Janeiro, which hosted the final at the Maracanã Stadium. Teams participating in the men's competition were restricted to under-23 players with a maximum of three overage players allowed.