Brazilians have cried, cursed their president and covered their faces in shame after their beloved football team’s humiliating 7-1 thrashing by Germany in the World Cup semi-finals.
After the fifth goal, well before half-time, hundreds of people left their expensive seats at the stadium in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte.
A section of the crowd chanted sexually expletive obscenities against the players and President Dilma Rousseff, who during the cup had mostly enjoyed a reprieve from protests over the record $11 billion spent to host the tournament.
The tears began well before the final whistle, with the third German goal in the first half causing children and adults to start bawling in the stadium and in public screenings across the nation.
More World Cup:
>> Germany leave Brazil heartbroken after first half self-destruct
>> Defeat ‘worst day of my life’: Scolari
>> Emotional Brazil helped Germany: Loew
>> Germany vs Brazil: Live scores, blog, highlights
>> Selecao Slaughter: Germany embarrass Brazil
As people streamed out, police reinforced security inside and around the stadium.
Others around the country shouted at their televisions and abandoned public screenings.
As the goals kept going in, a downpour only added to the already gloomy mood of thousands of fans in Brazil’s canary-yellow jersey at the official “Fan Fest” on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach.
Two dozen fans scuffled, forcing police to intervene.
Brazilians were already concerned about the team’s chances after their superstar forward Neymar broke a vertebrae in the quarter-final victory over Colombia.
But they never thought it would be this bad.
“This is a terrible match and Brazil without Neymar are terrible. I hate this match. It’s embarrassing to lose like this,” said Beth Araujo, 24, a biology student.
“The only good thing is I think it will affect President Dilma in the election. But all our politicians are even worse than the team,” she said.
Rousseff said she was “very sad” and “sorry” about the result.
“Like every Brazilian, I am very, very said about this defeat. I am immensely sorry for all of us. Fans and our players,” she wrote on Twitter after the game.
But Jessica Santos, a 23-year-old photo student, was taking the massacre in stride.
“The cup is back in Brazil for the first time in 64 years so of course we’ll cheer until the end,” she said. “If Brazil wins, we party, if Brazil loses, we still party. It would have been worse to lose to Argentina in the final.”
At a popular night district of Sao Paulo, fans shouted insults at goalkeeper Julio Cesar and other players.
“I was afraid we would lose because we were without Neymar and Thiago Silva. But I never thought it would be a massacre,” said Alexa Rosatti, 19, a university student. “I stopped watching for a second and they already had scored a sixth goal.”
expathack
Guest
3.5 - 0.5??
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Nothing to do with the game, it was a gang from the favellas using a well worn tactic to fleece the crowd in the mayhem as people rush away.
Punter
Guest
Peter Fitzsimmons is a massive football fan (not).
AR
Guest
They weren't just crying...stories are coming out of gun shots ringing out over Copacabana Beach, with hundreds fleeing wild gunfire at the 30 min mark.
Greg
Guest
I wasn't asked that once and not one local in Brasil I spoke to expected brazil to win the WC. The people of brazil are very football literate and know when they don't have the best team in the comp. Not one shed of arrogance from anyone I met. The devastation is due to the humiliation of the scoreline and performance not the fact they lost. SMH has 2 articles today - one from Peter FitzSimmons about how brazil will turn dangerous etc and one from Micheal Lynch on how brazil is disappointed but it is business as usual this morning. Micheal Lynch is actually in brasil and PF is simply basing it on hysterical media reporting.
Kurt
Guest
Number 1 v number 51and it was only half the score Brazil copped
expathack
Guest
All this schadenfreude is pretty unbecoming. Guessing you're Australian? Socceroos didn't make it out of the first round. And copped a humiliation from Spain. Seeking pleasure in a team losing a semi-final is pretty sad really.
Wii
Guest
Some kiwi bet $46 NZD and won $110,000 for Germany to win 7-1
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Let's hope it was a Brazilian fan, who tried to hedge their emotions by betting against the Seleção. Investment: USD 20.00 Wager: Khedira to score & Germany to win 7-1 Odds: 2319 Winnings: USD 46,380 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BsFxvTpCcAE-7Pe.jpg
pete4
Guest
Certainly makes Scolari's comments after scraping past Chile on penalties that Brazil had "one hand on the trophy" look even more silly
SandBox
Roar Guru
https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/p600x600/10494767_10152293716803380_9189491298283925088_n.jpg
SandBox
Roar Guru
The Brazilians were very arrogant. People visiting Brazil were regularly asked "who will Brazil meet in the final" One guy even told me they would probably keep the trophy after they win. Too bad so sad Brazil
JB
Guest
Got to say I know a stack of Brazilian males as well lived with quite a few and the post match tears didn't surprise. They are a very emotional people, I've never seen grown men cry over little things like my Brazilian mates do, it's just weird as an Aussie to witness it. Chin up Brazil and use it as fuel for next time.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Haha, weren't faking those tears.
E-Meter
Guest
Couldn't have happened to a better mob. Bye bye Brazil