Three reasons why it all went wrong for Brazil

Date: 13th July 2014 at 1:46am
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The ignominy of the 7-1 and 3-0 defeats to Germany and the Netherlands marked off a dismal end to the 2014 World Cup. Being the most successful side in World Cup history coupled with hosting the tournament, much was expected of the Selecao, but they now see their dream in tatters. Here are three reasons which contributed greatly to the dreadful end to their World Cup campaign.

1. Scolari’s choices

Luiz Felipe Scolari is a coach with tonnes of pedigree. However, his squad choices have cameĀ under much scrutiny when the Selecao came up against strong opposition. It was clear from the start that Scolari made a fatal mistake by not choosing Atletico Madrid stars Miranda and Filipe Luis.

The duo had not simply ‘played well’, they led Los Colchoneros to a La Liga title and contributed greatly to their UEFA Champions League campaign. It would’ve been much different had Miranda been in the squad to fill in for Thiago Silva aginst Germany, instead of an out-of-form Dante who didn’t feature regularly for Bayern Munich in 2013/14.

2. The Pressure

Leading up to the World Cup, the pressure on the players was immense. After all, the last time Brazil hosted the competition they lost to Uruguay when they only needed a draw, subsequently losing the World Cup. This defeat, also known as the Maracanazo, is regarded as a national catastrophe – and fears of causing an upset applied too much pressure on Brazil.

As if memories of the Maracanazo isn’t enough to strike fear, protests erupted all around Brazil just days before the awaited kick-off on the 12th of June. Protestors were vehemently against the money spent on the new and renovated stadiums, and the only thing that could’ve soothed the angry fans is winning the sixth title, or theĀ hexa.

The pressure was immense, and turning to a psychologist before the Germany game perfectly showcased how that pressure was unbearable.

3. Mental loss into semi-final

Pressure wasn’t the only reason why Scolari opted for a psychologist before the semi-final against Germany; the absences of Thiago Silva and Neymar proved fatal against Die Mannschaft.

The loss of their captain and star player was not a matter of two absences on the field, it was a mental loss for Scolari’s men. Neymar had carried Brazil at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was undoubtedly their star man before his injury, while Thiago Silva’s absence saw the Selecao’s defence crumble. Scolari had lost his leaders; the players had lost the game even before it started.

 

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