The most showstopping victory witnessed in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games soccer tournaments was when the US women’s national team beat Brazil 1-0 in the gold medal match, claiming their fifth Olympic gold medal at the Parc des Princes on August 10^th. This was a monumental victory for the women’s team as the Americans hadn’t won gold since the 2012 London Olympics. Mallory Swanson scored the decisive goal in what marked her 100th appearance for her nation, with legendary forward Megan Rapinoe and Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise watching on from the stands. The gold closed out an undefeated run to the title in their first international campaign under new coach Emma Hayes. At the final whistle, the U.S. players celebrated as Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” played in the stadium.

Thrilling Comebacks

The most thrilling comeback of the Olympic soccer games this summer was in the final game between Spain and France where Spain claimed the gold medal in an epic 8 goal match. Spain has been crowned men’s Olympic soccer champions after defeating France 5-3 in extra time at the Parc des Princes on August 9^th. The men’s soccer tournament saved the best match for last as the 83^rd minute substitute, Sergio Camello, scored two goals that settled the long-suffering match in Spain’s favor, winning the championship title and likely making himself a national icon in the process. France took an early lead through Enzo Millot but Spain replied with three goals in 10 minutes as Barcelona star Fermin Lopez struck twice and Alex Baena made it 3-1 in the 28th minute. For anyone watching, this match will live in the memory as a classic comeback moment.

Legendary Farewells

Among this year’s top rising talents, like Barcelona youngsters Fermin Lopez and Pau Cubarsi, there have also been iconic performances by soccer legends. The most bittersweet performance of this year’s Games, however, was by Brazil’s all-time leading goal scorer Marta who is bidding farewell to international soccer after captaining her country in Paris this summer. The 38-year-old wanted one last shot at the gold medal after making history by becoming the first soccer player to score in five straight Olympic Games. After 185 appearances for Brazil, including 6 World Cups and 6 Olympics, Marta unfortunately did not get the happy ending she sought in Paris. After a 1-0 loss to the United States in the Olympic final, she expressed a feeling of pride winning another silver medal for her last major tournament with the national team. Marta could be seen fighting back tears as the soccer legend exited the Olympic stage one final time.

Biggest Scandals

With some critics calling this the biggest scandal in Olympic Games history, the Canadian women’s soccer team faced major backlash after being caught using drones to spy on New Zealand practices in France before their opening game. This resulted in a Canadian analyst and assistant coach being sent home, followed by Canadian head coach Bev Priestman being forced to relinquish her Olympic duties. After FIFA docked the defending Olympic champs of 6 points, the team’s hopes for winning any medal in this year’s Games were seemingly crushed.

Despite the relentless backlash from fans and opposing teams, the Canadian women didn’t let it stop them from redeeming themselves. Against all odds, Vanessa Gilles scored back-to-back games against host France and Colombia, advancing the team to the quarterfinals where the Canadians lost in penalties against Germany. Vanessa Gilles was quoted after her game-winning goal saying “What’s given us energy is each other, is our determination, is our pride to prove people wrong; our pride to represent this country when all this (expletive) is coming out about our values, about our representation as Canadians. We’re not cheaters. We’re damn good players. We’re a damn good team. We’re a damn good group and we proved that today.”

Best Iconic Trio

Among all of the devastating losses in the 2024 Paris Olympic Summer Games, there have also been some wholesome moments that made up for it all. The most iconic trio behind a lot of those moments was none other than USWNT’s Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, and Trinity Rodman, who brought nothing but positive vibes to the Games. After nicknaming themselves Triple Espresso, the three women have come together to take over the tournament, announcing to the world that they’re ready to take what’s theirs. This unexpected fan-favourite trio was formed when the head coach of the US Women’s National Team, Emma Hayes, filled out the lineup for her first match placing Smith, Swanson, and Rodman together on the forward line. Swanson and Smith worked together in the final game against Brazil to claim the winning title!

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