The 2014 FIFA World Cup semifinal between Brazil and Germany was not just any game. Brazil, hosting the World Cup for the second time, had won the tournament five times and was hungry to triumph on home soil. Germany, on the other hand, was aiming to end a 24-year World Cup drought.
Both teams were among the favorites and had performed strongly throughout the tournament. However, Brazil faced significant setbacks before the match, with key players Neymar and Thiago Silva sidelined due to injury and suspension respectively.
READ MORE
++ 25 years on from Ronaldinho’s official debut with the Brazil national team
++ Why is Paquetá still playing for Brazil during his investigations?
++ The day Brazil beat Paraguay 7-0 in a Copa América final
Match highlights
First half
The game starts with promise for Brazil, but Germany quickly takes control. 11th minute, Germany wins a corner. Toni Kroos whips it in, and Thomas Müller shakes off his marker, David Luiz, to volley home from close range. Germany leads 1-0!..
The stadium quiets as Miroslav Klose makes history in the 23rd minute. His initial shot is saved by Júlio César, but he pounces on the rebound to score his 16th World Cup goal, becoming the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. Germany is now up 2-0, and Brazil’s defense seems to be crumbling.
What follows is unbelievable. Germany scores three more times in just six minutes (24th – 29th). Kroos grabs two with clinical finishes and Sami Khedira adds another. The score is now 5-0, and we’re not even at the half-hour mark. The Brazilian fans are in disbelief, some are in tears, and others are just stunned into silence.
The most memorable #FIFAWorldCup match of all time? 😱#OTD in 2014, Germany emerged 7-1 victors over Brazil!
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 8, 2023
Second half
Brazil makes substitutions, hoping to salvage some pride, but Germany remains dominant. In the 69th minute, André Schürrle, who came on for Klose, makes it 6-0 with a smooth finish from a Lahm cross.
The precision of the German attack is simply outstanding that on the 79th minute, Schürrle, again!, scores with a powerful shot to the roof of the net.
It’s 7-0 now. The German fans are ecstatic, while the home fans are beyond disappointed. Oscar manages to score for Brazil in the 90 minutes, making it 7-1. It’s a small consolation for the host nation, but the applause is muted.
The match ends, and Germany advances to the final with a historic win. Brazil’s dream of winning on home soil is dashed in the most dramatic fashion. Watch the full highlights here
Germany proceeded to win the World Cup, defeating Argentina in the final. Brazil, meanwhile, faced the tough task of rebuilding and restoring national pride after a tournament that had promised so much yet ended in sorrow.
This match remains a vivid memory in World Cup history, not just for the scoreline but for the dramatic shifts it represented in international football. It serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of the game and the fine margins between triumph and disaster.
