The Brazilian blind football team lost in the semi-final against Argentina on penalties on Thursday evening.
Brazil’s blind football team, winners of every edition of the Paralympic Games tournament, lost in the semi-final against Argentina on penalties on Thursday and will not take home gold for the first time in its history.
The Brazilians had won gold at every edition of the Games since Athens in 2004, the year blind football was introduced to the Paralympic programme. The Seleçao saw their great rivals, Argentina, make the difference in the penalty shootout after a goalless draw at the end of added time.
An unprecedented France-Argentina final
As a symbol, it was the best player in the world, Ricardinho, who sent his penalty shot onto the post in sudden death and caused his team to be eliminated. At the Games, the Argentinians had failed every time to beat their ultra-dominant neighbor. They came close in Tokyo in 2021, but ended up losing 1-0 in the final.
Also readParalympic Games: Les Bleus in blind football beat Colombia and qualify for the final
A new winner will therefore emerge from this Paralympic tournament, whose final on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. will see the Argentinians try to win the first Paralympic title in their history against France, qualified on home soil, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Brazil will try to win the bronze medal against Colombia.
