Brazil’s Formiga makes record seventh appearance at Olympic Games

Brazil’s 43-year-old Formiga wrote her name into the record books as the first women’s football player to take part in seven Olympic Games when she took the field against China in Wednesday’s group opener at the Miyagi Stadium in Rifu.

Formiga, who made her Brazil debut at the 1995 World Cup as a 17-year-old, has played in every Olympic tournament since women’s football made its debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

The Sao Paulo midfielder is looking to finish her career with an elusive gold medal having won the silver in 2004 and 2008, while the 2016 Games in Rio ended in heartbreak when the home team lost their semi-final and the bronze medal match.

Brazil are in Group G along with China, Zambia and the Netherlands.