Replays, Vol. 04: "The Whole Nation is in Disbelief"
Revisit the best sports moments
Every fan loves to relive unforgettable sports moments. I am honoring that nostalgia with a Butterflies series called “Replays.” Each edition will revisit a special sports memory, add context, and share reactions and commentary surrounding it.
Context
In honor of the World Cup this week, let’s revisit one of the most infamous semifinal games in the history of the tournament.
Brazil hosted Germany in the 2014 semifinal. Playing on home soil and with plenty of talent, Brazil had all the ingredients to win their sixth World Cup. Both teams walked into the Mineirão without a loss.
Brazil was shorthanded. Neymar was injured in the quarterfinal game against Colombia and Thiago Silva was suspended from accumulating yellow cards. Still, fans were hopeful. This was Brazil, after all.
However, this wasn’t just a bad night for Brazil; it rearranged its history.
It’s the largest margin of defeat ever recorded in a World Cup semifinal. Miroslav Klose of Germany scored his 16th career World Cup goal in the match, moving past Brazil’s own Ronaldo to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer (at the time). The loss also snapped a 62-match unbeaten streak at home in competitive play for Brazil, which stretched back to 1975.
Brazil lost pieces of its own record book that night.
The Moment
Apologies, FIFA blocks its video from being watched here, so you have to go to YouTube. Click here to watch.
You can also watch the video below, but it’s not as good.
Reactions
Brazilian soccer culture already had a word for this kind of night before it happened. In 1950, Brazil lost to Uruguay in the World Cup. It would become known as, “Maracanaço,” a shameful day in Brazilian history. “Mineiraço,” named after the stadium where this loss happened, is what this forgettable game became known as.
Comment Section
And the saddest comment ever…
