“It was like a late gift for my birthday. I think this is one of the best days of my entire life.”

After putting on a sensational show in Brazil’s opener against Spain at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, goalkeeper Gabriela Moreschi spent nearly one hour to talk to the media in the flash and mixed zones in the South Paris Arena 6.

Such was the interest in talking to her, Moreschi was the last player to leave the interview area, but a big, huge smile did not leave her face, after Brazil secured their third largest win in history at the Olympic Games, 29:18, only two goals shy of the record set against Australia at Sydney 2000 and Great Britain at London 2012, where they secured wins by a difference of 13 goals. 

For Moreschi, the win was even more special, as she made her debut at the Olympic Games, two weeks and three days after celebrating her 30th birthday. And her star is shining, after a successful season with German champions SG BBM Bietigheim, where she made the final in the EHF Champions League Women.

“For me, playing at the Olympic Games was a huge dream when I was little. And I kept imagining it how it would be, even when I had some missed chances. But I never backed down and I really worked for it and I am here, just enjoying it,” said Moreschi after Brazil’s superb win.

Since winning the title at the 2013 IHF Women’s World Championship, Brazilian players have been in demand, with more and more making the switch to Europe, sought by the top clubs.

Moreschi followed somewhat of a curious path in her career. Moving from the sunny Brazil to Norway in 2015 was surely a culture shock, but the goalkeeper spent three years at Flint Tønsberg and Larvik HK. Then she signed for Măgura Cisnădie in Romania, left to France after one season, where she played for Fleury Loiret, and since 2021 has been plying her trade for SG BBM Bietigheim.

This summer, Moreschi will be back in Romania, as her talent was spotted by champions CSM București, which are surely happy with her opening performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she saved 14 shots for a 45% saving efficiency, the best percentage for any shot stopper in the first three matches in the women’s competition.

“I am 30 years old now, and to be here and fulfil my dream, it is really something special, something amazing. When I entered the court, I had all the possible feelings a person could have. My legs were shaking in the first five minutes. But as I got into a groove, it started to get better and better and after the first few saves, any nerves were absolutely gone,” says Moreschi.

But how did Moreschi sleep in the Olympic Village before the match against Spain, her debut at the Olympic Games, her dream came true?

“Actually, I did sleep well, there were no big nerves. We knew we were prepared, we focused and studied the opponent, so there was not much we could do before the match, only to focus on our task,” says the goalkeeper.

With this emphatic win, which surely galvanises Brazil, will there be more to come for the South American side? They confirmed their status of dark horses in the competition, as their performance, especially on the defensive side of the game, will surely have risen some eyebrows.

“This win is very important for all of us, because, of course, we would like to challenge for a medal. If participating at the Olympic Games was a dream, being on the podium would be something out of this world. I wanted it so much. So much, so much. This was my biggest dream forever. And now I just turned 30 and the only wish that I could have is just to be here. This is my big, big, big dream of my life,” concluded Moreschi.