RIO DE JANEIRO — He could hear the rise and fall of the crowd in the distance, the sound of 80,000 fans climbing and spreading into the rainy Brazilian evening.
Sergio Robonte stood at a bar outside of Maracana Stadium, where in minutes Brazil would play Germany in the gold-medal soccer match. Here in the shadow of the massive coliseum, Robonte explained this was the moment Brazilians had been waiting for since the Olympic Games were awarded to Rio seven years ago.
“This is our chance to show the world our greatness,” said Robonte, a 34-year-old Rio native who runs his own business.