Neymar Brazil Gold Medal Rio 2016 OlympicsMARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
Raisa Simplicio

Granja Comary: Brazil’s Golden Boys right at home

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Neymar, Marquinhos, Gabriel Jesus and Renato Augusto relived their Olympic gold as the team returned to the national training centre this week

Brazil convened at their Granja Comary national training centre this week for the first time under current coach Tite.

And for four of them, it felt like home sweet home.

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Neymar, Marquinhos, Gabriel Jesus and Renato Augusto all returned to the site for the first time since establishing it as their base camp ahead of the Rio Olympics, where they led the Selecao to their first-ever gold medal in football.

"This is our home,” said Marquinhos. “it was where everything began with our preparations for the Olympics, so we have a great peace of mind to get on with work now, since it brought us a lot of luck for achievement at the Olympics.”

Renato Augusto, who has trained at Granja throughout various points in his career, hopes that the venue will also bring them luck at the World Cup.

"Yes, I was fortunate enough to be able to participate here for the Under-13s, Under-15s, Under-17s, and with the Under-20 team,” he said. “This is a place where I have had a lot of good times, so I hope it brings luck to us now.”

Neymar Gabriel Jesus Gabigol Brazil Gold Medal Rio 2016 OlympicsClive Mason/Getty Images

Gabriel Jesus also spoke of his joy to be back where his journey in international football truly began.

“I’m so happy to be back here at Granja,” he said. "It’s a place that I had the great pleasure to get to know and where history began. To be able to return with the senior team is a dream come true.”

Finally, Neymar underlined the point that the complex in Teresopolis is the true home of the frequently nomadic Selecao.

"It's been a long time, hasn’t it? A year since we won our first gold medal, and this is where we began training,” he said. “It was here where everyone got together to go in search of our goal of Olympic gold, so I’m happy to be back.”

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