Mineirazo

Lore & Background

Both teams reached the semi-finals undefeated. Brazil were without Neymar (injury) and Thiago Silva (yellow card accumulation). Germany led 5–0 within 29 minutes, with four goals in a six-minute span, and made it 7–0 in the second half. Brazil scored a consolation goal through Oscar in the 90th minute. Miroslav Klose scored his 16th career World Cup goal, surpassing Ronaldo as the all-time record goalscorer. Germany overtook Brazil as the highest-scoring team in World Cup history and became the first team to reach eight World Cup finals. Brazil's loss broke their 62-match unbeaten streak at home in competitive matches and equalled their biggest margin of defeat (6–0 to Uruguay in 1920). Germany went on to win the World Cup, beating Argentina 1–0 in the final.

Reader's Guide

The match is remembered as a national humiliation for Brazil, dubbed Mineiraço in reference to the Mineirão stadium, evoking the Maracanaço of 1950. Germany's win marked the largest margin of victory in a World Cup semi-final. Brazil's worst previous World Cup loss was 3–0 to France in the 1998 final. Brazil lost 3–0 to the Netherlands in the third-place match.

Did You Know?

• Toni Kroos scored two goals 69 seconds apart in the 24th and 26th minutes.
• Miroslav Klose's goal in the 23rd minute was his 16th and final World Cup goal, breaking the record he shared with Brazil's Ronaldo.
• Brazil had no shots on target in the first half.
• The match was referee Marco Antonio Rodríguez's final career match.