FIFA World Cup 2014: What went wrong for Brazil?

Belo Horizonte: What went wrong for Brazil on Tuesday? Whatever could possibly go wrong did so for the five-time champions. From missing two of their most important players to meeting an inspired team, Brazil faced problems all around. But if a finger has to be pointed at one department, it must be the defence.

Yes, no goals would be scored in football if defenders do their job properly all the time. In Brazil’s case, however, it wasn’t a question of doing something extraordinary; it was all about discharging basic duties such as marking and taking care of a position assigned to one player. After conceding the lead, the home team’s defence went haywire, as the players were all over the place.

Picking up the pieces is going to be a difficult task for Brazil because the defeat will have its resonance long after the World Cup dust has settled down. The Selecao have earned a whole lot of dubious distinctions from one evening of chaotic football. The first hosts to lose by more than three goals in a World Cup, their heaviest defeat in international football (equalling a 6-0 reverse at the hands of Uruguay in the 1920 Copa America) and the first team in the World Cup to fall behind by five goals within 29 minutes are some of the damning statistics. The list can go on.

First of all, Brazilians in general and the players in particular should end romantic notions about their football. Paying attention to defence isn’t a crime. Talking about the World Cup in a tone resembling ownership isn’t going to help Brazil plan for the future. Other countries are working more professionally to nurture talent and do well at the World Cup. Brazilians, on the other hand, tend to think that their results in the quadrennial event are preordained. They should wake up and smell the coffee, which is aplenty in the country.

Brazil’s emotional approach to football may have worked 50 years ago; it’s not effective any longer. For instance, they invested far too much emotional energy in Neymar’s absence. The actions of some players were straight out of television soaps.

Brazil should have drawn inspiration from the way Colombia dealt with the last-minute pullout of Radamel Falcao, an even more important player for them than Neymar is to Brazil. They just moved on after learning that the Monaco forward wouldn’t be fit for the World Cup. Colombia went on to achieve their best record in the tournament without Falcao.  

Football may be an emotional sport, but too much emotions can cloud judgements and make players nervous. Germany were already on the job at Estadio Mineirao on Tuesday when Brazil were still fretting over Neymar’s absence.

A Brazilian fan hit the nail on the head after the match, as he said his country should stop treating football as the most important thing in life.