The nation whose attacking soccer has thrilled the world for generations was left heartbroken on Tuesday after their team suffered a humiliating 7-1 demolition at the hands of Germany in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.
Brazil has hosted one of the most memorable World Cups ever, but the country’s dream of winning on home soil was not the only thing shattered by a ruthless Germany in an extraordinary match in Belo Horizonte’s Estadio Mineirao. The South American country’s pride took a battering as the carnival atmosphere that had swept over the samba nation gave way to a state of shock and disbelief following the Selecao’s heaviest-ever international defeat.
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari issued a heartfelt apology to a country that spent more than US$11 billion to host the tournament and invested its heart and soul into making it a success.
Photo: EPA
“My message for the Brazilian people is this: Please excuse us for this performance,” he said. “I’m sorry that we weren’t able to get to the final and we’re going to try to win the third-place match.”
Germany played superbly, but were aided by a woeful Brazilian defense, which conceded five goals in a devastating 18-minute burst in the first half.
An unmarked Thomas Mueller got the first from a corner on 11 minutes, before Miroslav Klose struck to become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 16 goals.
Photo: AFP
Toni Kroos added to Brazilians’ anguish by netting two in three minutes, before Sami Khedira compounded their misery with a fifth in the 29th minute as boos rang out around the Mineirao.
Yet the ordeal was not over yet, and Germany substitute Andre Schuerrle struck twice more late in the second half to underscore Brazil’s complete unraveling.
Selecao striker Oscar scored a last-minute goal, but that was of little consolation to the five-time winners, who had waited 64 years to try to bury the ghost of their 1950 final home defeat to Uruguay.
Photo: AFP
“I just wanted to make my people happy,” sobbing Brazil defender David Luiz said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t. I’m sorry, I’m sorry to all Brazilians, I just wanted to see them smile, everyone knows how important it was.”
“Five goals in 18 minutes — It’s clear that they were shocked and didn’t know what to do,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said. “We played well in the first half, obviously, but it continues. We need to be humble. We don’t want to overvalue this.”
Germany have the chance to win their fourth World Cup when they play the winners of yesterday’s semi-final between Argentina and the Netherlands in Sunday’s final.
Photo: Reuters
The Mannschaft’s stunning win came exactly 24 years to the day since their last World Cup final in 1990, when they beat Argentina.
They lost to Brazil in the 2002 final and were knocked out in the semi-finals when they hosted the tournament in 2006.
“We had great hopes in 2006 too and you can feel the pressure that the hosts have in a match like this,” Loew said. “All 200 million people here want you to get to the final. That can cause your players to tighten up. I feel sorry for him [Scolari]. I think I know how he feels.”
“I think it was the worst day of my life,” the 65-year-old Scolari said. “I will be remembered as the coach to lose 7-1, but I knew that risk when I took the job and life goes on so that is what I am going to do.”
Scolari did not say exactly what he would do after the tournament, as there will certainly be calls for his head, but took full responsibility for the crushing loss, saying: “Who is the one responsible? I am. This catastrophic result can be shared with the whole group because that is what my players say and want, but I am the one who chooses the tactics, the lineup, so the person responsible for the result is me.”
Scolari had insisted before and during the World Cup that Brazil would emerge victorious on home soil, but on Tuesday denied suggestions that his statements had only piled the pressure of an expectant nation upon his players.
“I don’t regret what I said,” he added. “They knew since the beginning that playing at home we had to be champions, I don’t think I put any pressure on them. They reached the sixth match showing the capacity they had. There is no regret. It didn’t work out due to 10 minutes of the match today.”
The Selecao coach also dismissed suggestions the Barcelona man Neymar’s absence had been the key to his side’s disintegration.
“Let’s not try to find an excuses. What happened is that Germany imposed a fantastic rhythm and was able in two or three moments to define the match. It has nothing to do with Neymar,” he said.
Scolari guided Brazil to victory in the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan and four years later took Portugal to the semi-finals. Yet Tuesday’s result has tainted his status as a soccer legend, while he must also face up to an investigation into alleged tax fraud in Portugal.
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