Now there can be no doubt: This is truly a golden era for Mexico.
A 2-1 victory over Brazil on Saturday in the Olympic gold medal match was just the latest in a series of impressive victories for Mexico and confirms that el Tri will be a serious contender at the World Cup in two years.
Two strikes from Santos Laguna striker Oribe Peralta -- the first coming just 30 seconds into the match, the second in the 75th minute -- did the damage in a 2-1 win over favored Brazil in front of more than 86,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium.
Hulk scored a consolation goal in a frantic stoppage-time push from the Brazilians that also saw Oscar miss a potential equalizers on an open header with just seconds remaining.
Mexico's gold is the first medal of any kind ever won by a men's CONCACAF side at the Olympics.
It is also the latest in a string of championships won by the Mexican national-team program, starting with the 2005 U17 World Cup. Since then el Tri have added the 2009 and 2011 Gold Cup titles and another U-17 World Cup title in 2011. Mexico also earned a 3rd-place finish at the 2011 U-20 World Cup.
For Brazil, who had scored three goals in every game and gone undefeated in London up until this point, the loss leaves the five-time World Cup winners without an Olympic gold to their name. It is the third time they have lost in the Olympic final, having previously tasted defeat in the 1984 and 1988 finals.
Peralta's two goals gave him four for the tournament and lifted him into third place in the Golden Boot standings, behind winner Leandro Damiao (6) of Brazil and Senegalese striker Moussa Konate (5).
