When Brazil hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup, there was an expectation that the Selecao would go on to lift the famous trophy.
Their 7-1 destruction by Germany was an embarrassment to the nation. It's not just about the defeat, it was the manner of the loss that hurt the most.
Two years on, Rio and Brazil needs a strong Olympics to banish the memories of that day. The organisers and sponsors are hoping that the likes of Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Michael Phelps go all the way to gold. For a nation obsessed with football, they are pinning their hopes on both the men's and women's football teams to reach the final at the Maracana.