PARIS – The United States women’s national team seeks to win a record fifth Olympic gold medal when it meets Brazil on Saturday at the Parc des Princes in Paris as the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament concludes in Paris 2024.
This will also be the third time these two nations will face off for gold at the Summer Olympics. The United States won on both previous occasions, at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
The USWNT won its first gold medal on home soil at Atlanta 1996. Their previous appearance at the top of the podium came in London 2012 when they won their fourth gold medal. They also won silver at Sydney 2000 and bronze at Tokyo 2020, making them the most decorated soccer team at the Olympics.
The U.S.’ road to the final
This year’s tournament has started a new era under head coach Emma Hayes. The team won its three matches in the group stage to win Group B before defeating Japan in the quarterfinals after extra time. The U.S. went to extra time once more in the semifinals to defeat Germany on a goal from Sophia Smith.
The USWNT's record at the women’s Olympic soccer tournament is 32W-0D-7L, excluding penalty shootouts. They have a favorable record when playing South American teams, winning five and drawing one.
Brazil returns to a final
Brazil defeated reigning FIFA World Cup winners Spain, 4-2, to advance to a third Olympic Final. The team achieved silver in both encounters against the United States at the 2004 and 2008 games. They have also played for bronze three times, falling to Canada, Norway, and Germany.
The Brazilian contingent will attempt to be the first South American nation to win a gold medal at the women’s Olympic soccer tournament. The legendary Marta will be back on the pitch after completing a two-match ban due to a red card.
Rematch of the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup Final
The gold medal match will be a rematch of the inaugural 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup Final earlier this year. The U.S. won that encounter 1-nil with a goal from Lindsey Horan to crown themselves as the first-ever champions of the tournament in front of a sold-out crowd at SnapDragon Stadium in San Diego, California.
Horan is the captain of the current Team USA squad at Paris 2024 and is available to play in the final along with four other players named to the W Gold Cup Best XI in Alyssa Naeher and Jaedyn Shaw of the U.S. and Rafaelle Souza and Yasmim of Brazil.
- Brazil and the USA are meeting in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament gold medal match for the third time. The USA won both previous occasions (2-1 aet in 2004 and 1-0 aet in 2008).
- The USA have won all four Women’s Olympic Football Tournament matches between these two teams.
- The USA have lost only three of their previous 40 matches against Brazil (W32 D5). They have won the last seven encounters - since a 1-1 draw in a friendly in October 2015.
- Brazil are still seeking their first gold medal, they came close in consecutive finals in 2004 and 2008 but lost out to the USA in extra-time on both occasions.
- Brazil are aiming to be the first South American team to win a gold medal in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament and the fifth team overall after the USA, Norway, Germany and Canada. No South American team has won the Women’s World Cup either, Brazil came closest when they reached the 2007 final (L v. Germany).
- Brazil have lost all their previous five medal matches in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. The lost out twice to the USA in the gold medal match and have been beaten by Norway, Germany and Canada in the bronze medal match.
- Brazil have won only one of their previous seven Women’s Olympic Football Tournament matches against Concacaf teams (D1 L5). The only success was a 5-0 victory against Mexico in the 2004 quarter-finals.
- Brazil are aiming to win three successive Women’s Olympic Football Tournament matches for the first time since 2008.
- An appearance for Marta would see her become only the second player to make 30 appearances in the Women's Olympic Football Tournament after Formiga (33).
- The USA are the most decorated nation in Women’s Olympic Football Tournament history with four golds, one silver and one bronze from their previous seven appearances in the event. They won four of the first five editions, including a hat-trick of triumphs from 2004 to 2012.
- The USA have been successful in four of their previous five appearances in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament gold medal match, with their only defeat being in 2000 against Norway (L 3-2). This is their first appearance in the final since London 2012 when they defeated Japan 2-1 to win their fourth gold.
- Excluding penalty shoot-outs, the USA have lost only four of their previous 43 Women's Olympic Football Tournament matches (W32 D7).
- The USA have won their last six Women's Olympic Football Tournament matches.
- The USA have only failed to score in one of their previous 19 Women's Olympic Football Tournament knockout round matches. That was their 1-0 defeat against Canada in the semi-finals at Tokyo 2020.
- The USA have won five and drawn one of their previous six Women's Olympic Football Tournament matches against South American teams.
- Nine of the USA’s last 14 Women's Olympic Football Tournament knockout round matches have required extra-time.
- Four of the last six Women's Olympic Football Tournament gold medal matches have required extra-time.