Very rarely in sports, you see someone suffer a defeat of epic proportions. A loss that, no matter what they have done before, or will do afterwards, will surely define their legacy for many years to come, if not ever.
I can think of some examples off the top of my head. Mike Tyson getting knocked out by Buster Douglas while he was still in the prime of his career. This was a man who had gone pretty much unchallenged, and who looked unbeatable, quite frankly. Other boxers may have talked and boasted about what they would do to him in the ring, but nobody had even come close in reality - until that night in Tokyo. Tyson came out charging, but Douglas handled him well in the first round. Then, even more so in the second round. And the third. And so on and so forth, until that previously unthinkable moment when Douglas knocked Tyson down, and out, with a lethal combination that has been replayed countless times since, completing the greatest upset in boxing history. Oh, Tyson became champion again - eventually - but the reputation that he had going into that title fight was clearly never fully restored, and he was never feared to quite the same degree that he had been prior to that loss.
People still talk about it, decades later.
There were the 2007 New England Patriots, a team that enjoyed historical levels of dominance. They scored more points than anyone had before (since overtaken by last season's Broncos), and their quarterback threw for more touchdowns than anyone else in history had in a single season. Their average margin of victory was greater than any other team in the 90 or so years of NFL history, before or since. And, most importantly, they were famously undefeated going into the biggest game of their lives, the Super Bowl. Hell, they even had the lead with less than a minute to go in the fourth quarter, and Asante Samuel should not have dropped the interception that would have iced the game, and their legacy. But all that people remember them by now are those terrible, final moments of their first, and only, defeat. The catch on the side of the helmet, that defining miracle play that they were on the wrong end of. Or how wide open Plaxico Burress was when he caught the winning touchdown that shattered the Patriot's dreams of perfection.
People will still talk about it decades from now.
I literally could not think of any other examples that come close to Brazil's meltdown of epic proportions yesterday. That's how rare such instances in sports are.
I thought maybe last season's Broncos qualified, but that remains to be seen. People might forget all about that embarrassing loss if they manage to win the Super Bowl soon. I thought maybe the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings, who enjoyed historic levels of dominance in the regular season, only to get dominated by the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals. But nobody remembers that regular seasons anymore, and the Red Wings won the next two Stanley Cups, to banish the memory of 1995-96. I thought maybe the loss by the previously dominant Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals, but they are more remembered for the titles that they won - including the two back-to-back titles that they won since. Maybe Manny Pacquiao, who's aura of dominance was permanently shattered after being sent, face first, to the canvass in a prize fight, completely unconscious. Perhaps the 2011 Miami Heat, after losing in epic and embarrassing fashion to the strong underdogs, the Dallas Mavericks, who exacted a measure of revenge from their own embarrassing loss in four straight games (after taking a 2-0 series lead). But they won back-to-back titles themselves since. Maybe this year's Miami Heat, after the thrashing they endured at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs? Who knows.
There have been epic blowout losses suffered by some teams in history, as well. I already mentioned the Denver Broncos losing this last Super Bowl, 43-8, with what was statistically the best, most explosive offense in history. They also lost some other Super Bowls by blowouts, particularly Super Bowl XXII, where they squandered a 10-0 lead when they allowed Washington to score 35 points in the second quarter, en route to a 42-10 defeat), and their epic loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV (final score, 55-10 -still the most lopsided Super Bowl ever. Maybe Washington's defeat in the 1940 NFL Championship qualifies (they lost by 73-0, still the record for most lopsided defeat in NFL history). I cannot really commentate intelligently on the legacy of that one, since I was not yet around. Or maybe the New England Patriots loss in Super Bowl XX to the mighty Chicago Bears, 46-10. The Buffalo Bills suffered some terrible Super Bowl losses, but none as humiliating as the collapse in Super Bowl XXVII, when they were beaten 52-17 to the Dallas Cowboys. But the thing is, in most of those cases, those teams that lost were expected to lose, even to lose convincingly. True, perhaps it should not have been quite as bad as it turned out to be, but really, what does it matter? It's not like the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, or New England Patriots were actually supposed to beat the 49ers. They just were not supposed to lose quite as badly as they wound up doing.
Brazilian fans more than wanted their team to win this tournament, they expected it. And, let's be honest: given the mystique of the Brazilian team, many people were skeptical of reports that this team was actually not all that good. Yes, they had struggled to get to this point, but they had gotten there, right? Admit it: a part of you kind of expected Brazil to find a way to win this thing, right? I'll admit it. I picked Germany to win, but as I'll mention later, I certainly had my moments of doubt. I mean, this is Brazil, after all! And they have the not inconsiderable home field advantage, which certainly counts for something! Brazil has not lost at home in a competitive match (friendlies don't really count) since 1975! And they sure seemed determine to end the haunting memory of the World Cup final defeat at Maracanã, before a home crowd of 200,000!
So, those blowout losses cannot be compared to Brazil's humiliation last night. because Brazilian fans expected them to win, and many fans of the sport around the world kind of expected them to win, even if Germany seemed to be the better team. After all, you don't win five World Cups for nothing, right? There was the legacy to think about. Brazil was the best in this sport, period! A record setting loss was clearly unthinkable! Maybe those teams, and efforts (or lack thereof) could compare, but probably not.
Hell, maybe even Spain, after it's dynasty ended this very year - in this very World Cup - as they lost their first two games in an epic manner, losing by a combined 7-1 to Netherlands and Chile. Yeah, maybe Spain is the closest example to Brazil?
The thing is, none of those seem to quite fit on this level.
Spain simply had a bad tournament. True, they were among the favorites heading into this tournament. And yes, their collapse was shocking. But it was not like the eyes of the world were on them, magnified, the way it was for Brazil, the host nation, this year. There were quite a few favorites heading into this tournament. You had defending champion Spain, true. But you also had the cast of usual suspects - Argentina, Italy, and Germany. And most importantly, you had Brazil themselves, who presumably were going to benefit strongly from being the hosts. This was going to be the time that Brazil finally banished the ghosts of 1950, and won the tournament and hoisted the trophy before their elated fans, right there at home, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!
Because you have those two prior examples of the Patriots and Mike Tyson, and now you have Brazil in 2014, hosting the most prestigious tournament in the sport (quite possibly, in any sport), and then suffering the most lopsided defeat in the rather extensive history of World Cup elimination round!
Nobody saw this coming!
The one nation that, more than any other, identifies and prides itself on what their national team has done, and presumable will do, on the field, suffered a collapse of epic proportions yesterday! One that, indeed, will be remembered and talked about for decades to come, and that is no exaggeration.
As accomplished as Brazil has been in this sport - and particularly in the World Cup tournament - this will have to be the asterisk that attaches itself to Brazil's side from here on out. You might think - as I do - that their impressive list of accomplishments, most especially the five World Cup titles (more than any other nation) should already have effectively eliminated the memory of a humiliating loss like no other many decades ago.
But it didn't. Brazilians still remember that. Why? Because it happened right there at home, when they were hosting this tournament.
And now, yesterday's defeat, when their run ended in historical, epic fashion, and not for the right reasons.
Now, I'm not going to lie. This Brazilian side was not considered among the greatest teams of all times. In fact many people, myself included, picked Germany to win. That Germany did win was not what was shocking about this game.
It's the way Germany did it. It's the way that they sliced Brazil apart. It's the way that they piled on the points to the point that they were outright humiliating Brazil after a while (and it did not take long!). It's the way that Brazil just essentially gave up, just quit.
You expect the team that has the reputation that Brazil does to show a lot more pride than they did! You would expect the team that has the hopes and expectations of an entire nation (and a huge one at that!) on it's shoulders to show something more, to at least fight for it, even if they were being badly outplayed.
Unfortunately, however, that is not what happened.
Brazil seemed to show spirit only at a couple of points in the contest. First, when they came out onto the field, and the expressions that the Brazilian players wore seemed to suggest that they were all business. When they were literally shouting out the words of the Brazilian national anthem, I was impressed, and began to have my doubts about my own pick that Germany would win the game. In fact, I'll admit, I was beginning to regret having picked Germany, so impressed was I by the apparent resolve of this Brazilian team, that seemed unfazed by the absence of their two biggest stars for this particular contest - Neymar and Thiago Silva, their leaders on offense and defense, respectively.
Yes, at the very beginning of this match, Brazil looked fired up. And they looked fired up for the first few minutes, too. And, perhaps, in the beginning of the second half, when they fought for decent scoring opportunities, although they were unable to convert. Then, finally, in the last couple of minutes of so of what was clearly then an epic loss of historical proportions, when it mattered little what they did.
Those were the only times that Brazil showed anything like true emotion or resolve. Because, quite frankly, the rest of the game was an embarrassment.
No, it was not yet embarrassing (although it was also certainly not encouraging) when Thomas Müller managed to put Germany up 1-0 in the 11th minute. But Brazil was only down by one goal, and they had the entire rest of the game to try and make up for it. The important thing was not to panic, right?
But when Germany's Miroslav Klose 23rd minute, and broke the World Cup goal scoring record in the process (fittingly and ironically, taking it away from Brazilian legend Ronaldo), you began to sense that there was something really wrong, that this Brazilian team just was not going to win this game. When Toni Kroos scored literally one minute later, you got the feeling that Brazil had already lost. When Toni Kroos scored yet again two minutes later to make it 4-0, you got the feeling that Germany was on their way to a blowout win. And when Germany's Sami Khedira scored in the 29th minute, you began to sense that this was a defeat like no other. That this was a collapse of epic proportions.
Yes, Germany had more goals coming in the second half, but it was at that moment, not even a full half hour into the game, that all hope seemed to be lost for Brazil. Three goals in a four minute span, and four goals overall in a six minute span! Now, I don't know about you, but that's my definition of a complete and total collapse.
Germany's brilliant passing game had something to do with it. Their coolness in the face of pressure (even if the pressure did not show) surely had something to do with it. But I also suspect that it was the pressure that Brazil had faced all tournament long that finally got to them. The pressure of the perhaps unrealistic expectations of a football-crazed country, expecting another World Cup title. When this team bottomed out, they really bottomed out. I'll go so far as to say I don't think that they would have been humiliated like this had this been hosted by another country, without Brazil playing before their home fans. They would not have won, but they probably would not have been buried like this, either. The pressure got to them. Like it got to Mike Tyson in 1990 Like it got to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
The rest of the game (and there was a long, long time before Brazil and their normally rabid fans were finally put out of their misery) was pretty much filler. The game was clearly decided in that first half hour, with Brazil clearly on their way to a humiliating, record breaking loss. Germany just added to Brazil's woes in the second half, but it was the first half collapse that made this game so shocking. André Schürrle scored in the 69th minute, to provide Germany a 6-0 lead, after several close attempts by Brazil's offense failed. André Schürrle scored once again in the 79th minute, making it 7-0.
Only Oscar's goal in the 90th minute spared Brazil the indignity of being shut out in a blowout loss on their home soil. If that can even be called the saving grace, it did precious little to redeem a fallen team, and legacy, on this day.
So, how bad was it, in terms of history? Here's a part of an article by Tales Azzoni (Brazil's World Cup dream shattered against Germany by Tales Azzoni - see link below) that helps to put it in perspective a bit:
It was one of Brazil's heaviest losses in terms of goals conceded. It had lost 8-4 to Yugoslavia in a friendly in 1934. Tuesday's result equaled the margin of its previous worst defeat - the 6-0 loss to Uruguay in 1920.
Germany scored the most goals and the biggest margin of victory ever in a World Cup semifinal.
Yes, Brazil tied it's most lopsided margin of defeat in history with this loss, but this one was surely worse. Because it was the World Cup, it was the semifinals, and because it took place in front of their home fans.
So, why were they this bad? Here was a telling paragraph from an article by Dirty Tackle's Eric Freeman that I think helps put it in perspective (see link below):
It's hard to know exactly what Brazilians found so awful — the horrific defending, the totality of Germany's dominance, the utter capitulation to a superior side, the realization that they would not win a World Cup on home soil, etc. When so many things go wrong, it's probably a combination of it all.
Yes, this collapse was total. It was almost beyond words.
Almost.
But Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari did have to speak to the press afterward, and he was quite direct and honest about such a defining failure in his career, saying it was the worst day of his professional life, and admirably, he put the responsibility for the loss on his own shoulders.
Here is some of what he had to say after Brazil's horrific and historical loss:
''Naturally, if I think about my life as a player and as a coach, I think this was the worst day of my life,'' Scolari said. ''I know I'll probably be remembered for losing 7-1 to Germany, for Brazil's worst loss. But it was a risk I knew I was taking. I have to take responsibility for it. Life must go on for everybody.''
''It was one after the other, I think everyone blanked out,'' Scolari said. ''There was nothing we could do. We panicked.''
Quotes are taken from the article - Scolari apologizes for Brazil's World Cup failure by Tales Azzoni (AP Sports Writer) - see link below.
Here are more quotes from the Brazilian coach:
"My message is for the Brazilian people and to Brazilian fans. Please forgive us for this negative mistake. I am sorry we weren't able to get to the final. This is a catastrophic, terrible loss, the worst loss. We have to deal with that."
"Who is responsible when the team plays?" he said. "Who is the coach? Who picks the team? I am. It is me. The catastrophic result can be shared with the whole group, my players will tell you that we share it. But the person responsible is me.
"This is the worst defeat Brazil has ever, but it happened. We did and we tried to do what we could. I don't have any debt. I did my job as I have done it everywhere. I did what I thought was best and correct.
"They knew since the beginning that one of the things we had to do was to get to the final, win the final and be champions. They did what they could do."
Quotes taken from article: Luiz Felipe Scolari takes the blame for Brazil's 7-1 loss to Germany Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports (see link below).
Even Germany's coach chimed in (quote taken from Soccer-Brazil's defence goes missing in embarrassing defeat by Andrew Downie of Reuters, July 8, 2014 - see link below):
"Five goals in 18 minutes. It's clear that they were shocked and didn't know what to do," said Germany coach Joachim Loew.
It is part of their job to put this loss by Brazil into perspective. But the loss was probably most defined by things other than words. The images of stunned Brazilian fans (especially the little kids and the women with faces painted in Brazilian colors to support their team) crying. Images of a deflated Brazilian squad after the goals were scored (and there were so many of them!). Images of the Brazilian team, usually the darlings in their own country, being whistled and jeered by their usually unconditionally supportive fans.
And the final image of the scoreboard, which read an impossibly lopsided score to mark Brazil's exit from this World Cup.
Yes, they have the consolation game yet to play. But that is more a cruel hoax than anything, because every fan of the sport knows that the game that matters for Brazil in this World Cup was the one that they played yesterday.
And that game will always be remembered as an epic failure unlike any other in Brazil's otherwise impressive history in the sport.
Here are the articles that I used in writing this blog entry, including all of the quotes:
Brazil's worst nightmare comes true in 7-1 defeat to Germany in World Cup semifinals Martin Rogers By Martin Rogers 57 minutes ago Yahoo Sports, July 8, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/brazil-s-worst-nightmare-comes-true-in-7-1-defeat-to-germany-in-world-cup-semifinals-222748085.html
Brazil Loses 7-1 In The Most Shocking Meltdown In World Cup History TONY MANFRED JUL. 8, 2014:
http://www.businessinsider.com/brazil-germany-score-2014-7
Germany routs Brazil 7-1, reaches World Cup final by Chris Lehourites (AP Sports Writer), July 8, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/germany-leads-brazil-5-0-204932131--sow.html
Soccer-Brazil's defence goes missing in embarrassing defeat by Andrew Downie of Reuters, July 8, 2014:
https://news.yahoo.com/soccer-brazils-defence-goes-missing-embarrassing-defeat-003107509--sow.html;_ylt=A0LEV16ZNL1TEH4ABM1XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzcTdwa3ZjBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDQzOF8x
Brazil's World Cup dream shattered against Germany by Tales Azzoni (AP Sports Writer), July 8, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/brazils-world-cup-dream-shattered-221951977--sow.html
Scolari apologizes for Brazil's World Cup failure By TALES AZZONI (AP Sports Writer) 9 hours ago
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/scolari-apologizes-brazils-world-cup-000528207--sow.html
Luiz Felipe Scolari takes the blame for Brazil's 7-1 loss to Germany Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports, July 8, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/luiz-felipe-scolari-takes-the-blame-for-brazil-s-7-1-loss-to-germany-231902706.html
Germany's goal explosion makes Brazilian fans weep, burn the flag Eric Freeman By Eric Freeman of Dirty Tackle, July 8, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/germany-s-goal-explosion-makes-brazilian-fans-weep--burn-the-flag--video-212224935.html
Klose scores vs. Brazil to set World Cup record By NESHA STARCEVIC (AP Sports Writer), July 8, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/klose-scores-vs-brazil-set-203428372--sow.html
World Cup Angel of Doom Mick Jagger attends Brazil-Germany match, Brazil lose 7-1 by Brooks Peck of Dirty Tackle, July 8, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/world-cup-angel-of-doom-mick-jagger-attends-brazil-germany-match--brazil-lose-7-1-224902759.html
Germany Crushes Brazil in 7-1 Win at World Cup Associated Press Videos, July 8, 2014:
http://sports.yahoo.com/video/germany-crushes-brazil-7-1-223156559.html
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