US Edition 
Brazil vs Germany, World Cup 2014: as it happened
World Cup semi-final 2014 Brazil vs Germany: Latest news updates, score and result, with our live stream match report of the game at Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, July 8, 2014, kick-off 21.00 (BST)
- Neymar's 7-Up deal and the other best internet virals on Brazil's defeat
- 'Total global humiliation' - how the world's newspapers reacted
- Extraordinary scenes as Brazil fans weep and wail in the streets
- In defence of Brazil's scapegoat Fred
- Why did Van Gaal abandon the deal for Kroos that Moyes set up?
-
Latest
FULL TIME - BRAZIL 1 GERMANY 7 Astonishing. You would have to be a heartless swine not to feel sad and sorry for Brazil. The huge pressure, the crazed expectancy, all the nation's mania and hysteria heaped on the shoulders of a passionate and useful but ultimately limited football team. They cracked under the strain, no doubt, but there was more to this than just pressure, or bad tactics and team selection, or hopeless positional play, or an excellent German side packed with sharp passers and cool finishers. It was all of those things, and yet more.
It felt before the game that defeat would be a disaster for the players and people of Brazil. But this was not just a defeat. I honestly haven't really seen anything like this, I don't think anybody has. Read on for reactions from pundits and readers. I will sign off, just hopeful that the people of Brazil can get over this defeat and remember that, horrible though this feels, the players and the coach did their best. Glib and empty though it feels to say, it is only sport, and there has to be a winner and a loser. Sometimes defeat is unlucky, sometimes it is undeserved, sometimes it is humbling and horrible and heart-breaking and humiliating. But it is only sport. Goodnight.
Alan Hansen: "I am distraught, I have been watching football for 50 years, and this is a low point. To come to Brazil and watch this."
Alan Shearer: "I genuinely worry whether some of these players will recover from this."
Henry Winter's match report: "This was an embarrassment to a famous shirt, a point their furious supporters made splenetically."
Let's grab some of your views: Dave Stults, you have the honour:
This World Cup has been full of so many shocking moments! If someone would have told me what would have happened in the Group Stages,Costa Rica's triumph, with Suarez, Neymar's injury, and now this catastrophe I wouldn't have believed it! Not for one second! What I don't understand is how Brazilian players could let this happen to them in Brazil! This surely must be the worst moment in Brazilian sport's history.
David Luiz at the end of the match
Here is Manish Joshi:
Is Brazil trying to ensure james rodriguez/colombia doesn't get the golden boot...revenge for Neymar...??!! Sad way to go about it.. It breaks the heart that your sociology analysis is turning out so true...Hope the Brazillian taxpayer will raise questions rather than go about doing the samba...Something like that happened during Commonwealth games here in India..it started a cycle of questions that booted out the Indian National Congress, a 140 years old party, from its 10 year National government..
Chukwunenye Nnebe is one of the first to take a stab at the "why?"
My take -- it all starts w/ the coach (Scolari) and then the players. From the 1st whistle of the WC opening match, Brazil has never played a cohesive and united game. Their lack of team play was evident in their close results up until the Germans exposed their weakness. No man-on-man marking, open field for the Germans after the 10th minute to play w/ the ball and get their passing game open, and the open look at the goal ended up in the final result! I've never seen a lackluster and indisciplined effort from the Brazilian players... they were truly an embarassing team to be fielded. No midfield player, no wingers, no creative ball passing, or tactical running... surely, Kaka and Robinho would have brought a difference to the midfield and the attacking forward play. Scolari stumbles AGAIN!
Nick Bishop has a dibble:
Germany have played exceptionally well and with style, yet they have such a well drilled functionality that they will exploit any weaknesses. Brazil lacked a captain, any urgency or ambition. At 0-3, they were gone and punch drunk. Such was the precision and ruthlessness of the Germans that we were provided a freak scoreline against an insipid team lacking any leaders.
Old skool vidiprinter shout-out
Here's Søren H. Assmann:
Germany is still in shock. Shock and awe. I still wish to hug all those crying Brazilian fans, they can't help it that their team just went tactically for all-out offense against the best counter break team on this planet. Some records: Klose's 16th World Cup goal, all-time record. Germany 222 World Cup goals, now two ahead of Brazil for most goals at World Cups. The 1:0 by Müller was the 2000th goal of the Deutscher Fussball-Bund (DFB) international football game history. And if the scoreline stands, it's the highest defeat of any team in a World Cup semifinal. And the highest defeat for Brazil ever.
Brian Doyle had the solution:
At 3 nil someone, anyone, ideally the captain, on the Brazil squad should have quickly grabbed his team mates threatened them all and then told them to calm down and regroup.
Chapeau to snapper Laurence Griffiths
But I think we will give the last word to Karla, who says:
Oh my god. This is unbelievable! As a German myself I should probably be more happy about my team winning this game... but.. I'm utterly gobsmacked -- a win really shouldn't feel this bad, should it? This is like watching a train wreck. But well. We're winning...so. I guess: Yay? Hm..
90+ mins: No futher misery, the referee finally stops the fight.
GOAL!
Hey! Not so bad! Brazil have a goal. A breakway, for once Germany don't get back in time, and for once the Brazilian forwards show some composure. Oscar is the man who slots it home, good finish.
Brazil 1 Germany 7 (Oscar 90)
88 mins: Germany should have had eight, Ozil sent racing clear but he drags his shot just wide. Jonathan Rodriguez:
My name is Jonathan Rodriguez and: this is what revenge feels like! When Brazil beat Germany in their home world cup. This is what revenge should look like, as anything but pleasant.
87 mins: Some of these are career low performances. Hulk, the poor bloke is a laughing stock. Ditto Fred. Luiz, well all the bad bits have been in full effect. Marcelo probably the worst of the lot, just wandering up the left wing, missing from his post time and again. In the time it's taken me to type that, he has lost the ball 30 yards from goal and luckily for him Schurrle fails with the cross. And now Marcelo has gone missing and let Lahm in. Literally, two separate horrible mistakes in ten seconds. Bernard has shot wildly over.
85 mins: Good move from Brazil ends with Ramires shooting from outside the box.
84 mins: Brazil playing well in fits and starts. Sounds like John Thiongo is just going to give Russia 2016 a miss altogether.
Very sad for Brazil. I sympathize with the Brazilian people because they had high hopes of their team. See you in Qatar
80 mins: Paulinho knocks it down for Marcelo, who shoots a couple of yards wide. Neuer rushes to get the ball to restart. Steady on old chap. "Neuer is programmed to win," says Martin Keown. That was Ivan Drago, wasn't it Martin? Brazil fans now applauding that goal. Whatever gets you through the night at this stage. Robert:
Let's get some perspective here, even England beat Brazil in their last friendly.
GOAL!
Nope. That is the best goal yet. Surging run down the left, inside to Schurrle and he has lashed it home with a magnificent finish.
Brazil 0 Germany 7 (Schurrle 79)
76 mins: Marcelo gives it away cheaply. Handbags between Luiz and Muller, the Brazil man looks like he's losing the rag. Red card for the captain would be a fitting final indignity. Ref chills everyone down. Michelle Mcmahon:
Germany needs to remember they are guests and have some manners. No more! On the other hand...The German (Shepherd) I live with is strutting. Annoying. Typical. German. He's winning his predictions.
75 mins: Several minutes have elapsed without the Germans scoring, the big losers, so they bring on Julian Draxler - who always sounds like a techno DJ to me. This the musical equivalent of nosebleed gabber at 11am in a Rotterdam shipping container yard. for the Brazil players/fans. The super Khedira is the man who goes off.
70 mins: As to David's question, Brazil's attack has totally sucked, like their defence. I guess that the defensive mistakes are more glaring.
69 mins: Big Phil puts Fred out of his misery, not a green tent job fortunately, but takes him off and brings on Willian. The crowd boo Fred off. Now they boo Fred every time the camera picks him out sitting on the bench. Harsh. David:
Alan would you agree that with the terrible defending by Brazil perhaps Thiago Silva is a bigger loss than Neymar?
GOAL!
Best goal of the lot I think. So patient, so clinical from Germany. Khedira the creator, he plays it into Lahm, who has surged forward up the right. Skipper has the composure to pick out a man in the box and it's Schurrle who has time to place the shot past the keeper. So many of the finishes have been so calm, made to look so easy. Nobody has had to do anything much to take his goal, the Brazil defence just being so out of position.
Brazil 0 Germany 6 (Schurrle 69)
68 mins: Dante the first man in the book.
67 mins: Fred has what looks like a brilliant chance but he is off-side.
66 mins: Scheweinsteiger with a raking ball, excellent save from Cesar to cut it out before Schurrle can nick it.
64 mins: Muller, what a player this boy is, down the left, opening Brazil up on the break, crosses and that's only an inch away from finding the free and fabulous Schurrle. Andrew Holgate:
In 1954 Austria came from 3-0 down to win 7-5 vs Switzerland, while England and Belgium shared a 4-4 draw. Both record games (goals scored in one game, biggest deficit to win, highest score draw).
63 mins: Maicon reckons he has been brought down in the box. The Germans reckon Maicon should have a yellow for diving.
61 mins: And now Khedira and Muller link up well, the latter curling a fine shot at goal. Excellent save. Juan Carlos Gonzalez-Najera:
It's pointless to bring it up now, but again, why is Fred in this team? Surely he cannot be among the best Brazilian attackers in the world? Because if he is, Brazil has a very long road to travel before they can come back for the next cup.
60 mins: Normal service has been resumed, Muller skips around the keeper and that's a heroic dive by Cesar to nick the ball off him.
58 mins: Another chance for Brazil, playing pretty well now, but sadly it falls to Fred who, well, you can guess the rest. Wrong Said Fred.
57 mins: Klose comes off. Not a bad hour's work. Schurrle on Robert Stewart:
At current rate of progress Brazil will come fifth in the third place play-off. On a more serious note one cannot help but feel sorry for the Brazilians who have ended up paying for the extravaganza. Let's hope they redeem some pride.
55 mins: Brazil all over the Germans right now. Muller having a magnificent game at front and now back as well, charging back and hurling himself into important tackles. Thulisani:
Good Lord, I didnt think missin Neymar wld take Brazil so out of it, I too wish they cld just throw in the towel(s). Funny too earlier today I read an article on 5 reasons why Germany will will, well maybe there is saving face for Brasil coz there was 3reasons they cld hold off Germany too.
53 mins: Paulinho! The sloppy Germans are all over the place, disgraceful, they'll be wanting to raise their game here or, well, they'll only win eight nil. Lofted ball over to Paulinho on the left, he's got time and space. He has to score. He hits it straight at the keeper. Comes back at him but he fails with the follow-up as well. Neuer with the double save. Lamas:
I wanted Brazil punished, but not this bad. At least it won't get as bad Australia vs American Samoa. Right?
52 mins: Oh dear. Oh Brazil. They should have scored. Oscar at the fore, they've opened up the Germans and here's Fred with the chance! He just sort of tumbles over, like a sad and dying tree. Jean Sullivan:
As a neutral for this match, it is still a nightmare. And just when you want to say that Germany has deserved this blow-out they seem to be thinking it’s fine to push Brazil players over at will. Is there such a thing as a clean game at this stage?
50 mins: Brazil play their best stuff of the match, and Ramires gets to the byline, that's a good effort by Neuer to cut out the cross. Sai:
Oh My Gosh!!! I've refreshed my browser after I saw scoreboard changing from Brazil 0 -2 Germany to Brazil 0 -4 Germany. Few minutes later when I saw Brazil 0 -5 Germany, I thought there might virus/spam attack on my browser. I'm in the office on the west coast of USA -I do not know if Germany is prudent or if Brazil is lackadaisical today.
48 mins: Decent start from Brazil, Maicon wit the ball in, Oscar into the box, tries to dink it over the German defender and just runs into him. Ref not buying the penalty claim.
46 mins: Some subs. Fernandinho is the lucky man to be taken off. Paulinho can have a dose. The hapless Hulk comes off for Ramires. For the Germans, Hummels gets a rest and Mertesacker gets his chance.
21.01 Bad news for Brazil fans: the second half is beginning.
22.00 Betting man/woman? Our betting expert Barry writes: "HT in Belo Horizonte and – didn’t think I’d be writing this – in the correct score betting on Betfair six nil Germany is just 4/1, while 7-0 is 9/1"
21.59 Couple more emails. Helle Adamsen
You may go all German tonight!!!!!! I just feel sorry for the ordinary Brazilian people who have paid for this extravanza - where has the original Brazilian football gone off to?
But give Angela Merkel and her German team a little credit - they reign supreme in Europe!! Sad - maybe, but nice to see Europe still have a touch.
I bet the humiliation will be total by the end of the match, but will feel sorry for the Brazilian population, they deserved something better.
Anna says: "We are as astonished as you are...they just panicked!! What a shame! Can they go home now??
21.57 This picture from our German football blogger Randall Hauk
HALF TIME BRAZIL 0 GERMANY 5 (AND YES THAT'S FIVE GOALS) Not sure I've seen anything like that. Khedira the pick, a lot of the Germans very good but wow. Brazil. Just utterly awful, so slow, so disorganised, so confused. Feel genuinely sorry for them.
Who better than Alan Hansen to assess this defensive misery? "In the annals of time there has never been a game like this, a humiliation like this. It is about four levels below rock bottom. It is embarrassing. David Luiz is the captain and he has abandoned ship. Someone had to hold this unit together and he has gone missing."
Oh, Bernard.
Let's grab some emails - thanks for writing sorry it's taken a while to get them up.
Daniel Forlines
: "Don't think Brazil has what it takes to get it done, especially after seeing Muller in the box, WIDE OPEN. Haven't seen a Germany W in the Cup since I was 3. It's overdue!"
Tony Gill
: "5-0 at the half. Who do you think will be taking the penalties later on?"
Andy
: "Scotland, it's just like watching Scotland..."
And here is
Kiran Kulkarni:
Is this a joke? Am I watching a Football match being played at Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte or is this a video footage from Playstation? It's 2 am here in India! Am I watching a live football game? Am I dreaming? Please confirm the scoreline :)
If this is happening in real world, will you pass my message to Scholari to take moral responsibility & quit at half time? And.. You can take charge of Brazilian Team through Skype or something & restore order on the pitch.
43 mins: BBC commentator: “Joachim Low is strolling around his technical area like a man on a walk through a bluebell wood.” Yeah, that does sound pretty annoying. And German. Brazil have a freekick. The refereeing equivalent of the pity bunk-up. It comes to nowt.
41 mins: A rare chance for Brazil to get out of their own half as Oscar has a run at goal. Stopped by a brick wall of German. Loads and loads of emails coming in, we'll get to them at the half if that is okay.
39 mins: Ozil with a lovely run, it looks for a minute that Brazil are going to be assuming the position once again as Klose and Muller exchange passes, but Dante - he's in a circle of hell alright - manages to get a leg in the way.
37 mins: The Germans are massed on the edge of the Brazil box. Ozil, Kroos, Khedira and the rest all playing neat little passes, looking to slide the knife into the ribs again. Gustavo panics - they're all panicking, to be honest - and hauls down Muller. The Germans fight over the freekick like hyenas who've found an unattended extra large mighty meaty and it's Ozil who gets the chance. He scoops the ball harmlessly over.
36 mins: Poor Brazil. Nearly another hour of this to go. They really should hva a mercy rule.
34 mins: The inquest will go on for a while. At the moment, it is hard to know how to explain this. Brazil just so open. Where the hell are all their players? The Germans break again, four of them at high pace, lucky for Brazil the ball from Kroos (I think) is for once not to a man.
32 mins: Kroos with a shot, it hits Fernandinho in the chest, shades of handball I might add, but the Brazilians are spared that at least. The Germans surround the ref. Just a corner.
GOAL!
It's five. This is brutal to watch. It's like Brazil have been shot with tranquliser darts and Germany can just walk around them. The Germans nearly at walking pace on the edge of the box, Mesut Ozil and Miroslav Klose exchanging passes, Luiz the latest man to have a nightmare, and Khedira - who has been the main architect of this cathedral of destruction - now has a chance to get on the scoresheet with a clean strike of his own.
Brazil 0 Germany 5 (Khedira 29)
GOAL!
Did I say that was a nightmare? THIS is a nightmare. It's four. Fernandinho has been caught in possession and Brazil have been opened up like a Kinder Egg. Kroos slots the ball home and it's four. Carnage.
Brazil 0 Germany 4 (Kroos 26)
GOAL!
Oh my goodness. Ozil feeds Lahm, the ball comes across from the right. The Germans get a stroke of luck that they don't really need as Thomas Muller has an airshot... that means it just flies to Kroos unmarked at the edge of the box and he hits a hard, crisp, low sho. Three goals. Oh Brazil. This is nightmare.
Brazil 0 Germany 3(Kroos 25)
GOAL!
Oh no. Oh dear. Miroslav Klose has made it two. A ball in from the right, Fernandinho tries to intercept but steps over it. Kroos plays it into the box and Muller makes a lovely little layoff-dummy. It falls to Klose, who hits his shot straight at the keeper. It rebounds straight to him though and Klose doesn't miss a second time. Klose has the all-time World Cup scoring record. Congrats.
Brazil 0 Germany 2
(Klose 23)
20 mins: Klose holds it up, holds off his man and shoots at the keeper. I fear for Brazil here. They are so open.
18 mins: Brazil throwing the kitchen sink at the Germans, Marcelo now frees Oscar, who twists in the area and crosses. Just cut out. And the Germans look to break, they look seriously dangerous on the break.
16 mins: Oscar comes deep to pick up the ball and he's slid it through to Marcelo, who bursts into the box and goes down under a challenge from Lahm. It's a wonderful tackle, one of the best you will ever see. The Germans give Marcelo a rub-down for diving, there's a bit of shoving, and the ref steps in. Just a corner. Poor corner.
15 mins: Butch Oscar is the one who might be able to unpick this German defence.
14 mins: Now poor Hulk has hoofed the ball miles into touch. He looks like he would be a useful signing at inside centre, if any rugby union teams are watching. David Lander:
With that goal Müller ties 1954 final hero Helmut Rahn on 10 world cuo goals. Rahn took 10 games, Müller a "slow" 12 games
13 mins: Brazil mount a series of spirited forrays in response, but the Germans are well organised, Brian, and they're well back and in numbers. Luiz starts a good counter but Hulk dallies too long on the ball.
GOAL!
GERMANY! Oh Brazil. Gutting. They've left Muller totally unmarked in the box, this is criminal defending, the winner of the Golden Boot in the last cup, the opposition's most lethal finisher... just left to his own devices near the back post to sidefoot the ball into the net. Shocker. "I would be embarrassed if I gave my opposite number that sort of space," says Martin Keown.
Brazil 1 Germany 0 (Muller 11)
10 mins: Khedira's finding a lot space to break forward on the inside right cahnnel. He's won a corner.
9 mins: Open game, Muller putting Marcelo under big pressure, lucky for Brazil's dodgy full back the ref reckons the German fouled him. Nidhin writes:
Hi I am Nidhin. I still believe Brazil will win today's match.....Brazilian supporter from India.
7 mins: Khedira opens Brazil up! Cross comes all the way across the area, dangerously, and Muller spots Khedira free in the area, he connects with a crisp drive that, luckily for Brazil, hits Toni Kroos in the badonkadonk.
5 mins: Hectic start, Brazil playing with drive and heart but not much composure. Big challenges from both teams in the centre. The first crunchy foul is not far away.
3 mins: Excellent surging start from Brazil, the crowd roaring them on, Luiz frees Hulk with a fine ball and Neuer has to look sharp to cut out the cross. Carlos asks:
Can you ask Indra Beharry (just emailed you on the live blog) whether she knows Corporal Beharry that won a V.C. medal? I believe Corporal Beharry came from the Carribean.
2 mins: The Germans clear that, not after the ref has had a word with Fernandinho for trampling on the keeper's feet. Marcelo has a shot from distance, not too far wide.
1 mins: Here we go. The Germans kick off, but they have lost it quickly. The crowd roar. Fernandinho has won an early corner down the right.
20.59 And the Germans.
20.58 Here are the Brazil XI.
20.57 Still, wonderful performance of the anthem.
20.56 Brazil line up. David Luiz and Julio Cesar is holding up Neymar's shirt! Come off it. This is surely too much? He's not dead! Is he? He's not dead, right?
20.55 Germany's splendid national anthem. I think I hear a few whistles. Nothing like England fans 'welcoming' an opponent but a hostile atmosphere nonetheless.
20.52 Hope for Brazil's sake they've got another generous ref. If they go down to ten then the Germans will cut them apart.
20.46 An email from Indra Beharry. Hi Indra!
Hi my name is Indra. I live in Trinidad and Tobago. I've been following the matches and am supporting Germany to win the cup. I love their style of play in my opinion they are the only team that shows team spirit and professionalism in their game They got discipline.
And David Jane writes:
I strongly believe that Germany is going to win this game and meet Netherland on the finals.
20.45 It's not hard to see why Gary has been universally acclaimed as British football's most insightful pundit.
20.42 So Bernard is the replacement for Neymar. A chance to shine for Bernard. The Day of the Bernard. Sorry. It's hard to take seriously. And I speak as an Alan, not exactly a cool name in its own right.
20.40 Heh. I enjoyed this from Manuel Lagos:
This game has all the ingredients of an epic story. The Brazilians with their belief in God and the spirit world against the Germans and their belief in technology and the evil mythical machine God. The Federation vs The Borg. Humans vs Na'vi. Rocky vs Drago. Oh who will win?
20.37 BREAKING NEWS NEVER MIND THIS WORLD CUP RUBBISH: EVERTON HAVE SIGNED GARETH BARRY
20.34 Rio Ferdinand keeps it nice and simple. "They have lost their two best players. Can David Luiz come in and control that back four? And without Neymar, who can provide the flair?"
Meanwhile, CZ writes:
Germany should win based on the code of football. Their first choice is just to play. Not to injure. I have a really big suggestion for you. Do you think you can write an article and make some fuss about "line-technology "? Since we already have goal technology and proven to be a success , I think line tech is next. I have seen too many offsides called incorrectly and these calls really did affect the outcome. Some teams won and some lost just because of bad off side calling. Thanks!
20.34 C Alberto, obvs.
20.33 The images are so familiar, so beloved. I guarantee you will guess the goal from this terrible blurry grab.
20.30 Right then. Eyes down, look in.
20.24 Oh God they've all got Neymar caps on.
20.20 Refreshed and refuelled by some landfill-grade sushi, I am back. Readers, who is going to win this football match and why? I really need to know.
20.08 Anyway. Enough GCSE sociology. Who is playing in this football match?
Brazil: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Dante, Luiz, Marcelo, Gustavo, Fernandinho, Hulk, Oscar, Bernard, Fred. Subs: Jefferson, Dani Alves, Paulinho, Maxwell, Henrique, Ramires, Hernanes, Willian, Jo, Victor.
Germany: Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Hummels, Howedes, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Muller, Kroos, Ozil, Klose. Subs: Zieler, Grosskreutz, Ginter, Schurrle, Podolski, Draxler, Durm, Mertesacker, Gotze, Kramer, Weidenfeller.
Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)
20.03 I guess it's hard to think of anything other than sport that could unite a huge developing nation. Actually, not a sport. A star sportsman. Actual sport is too unpredictable and complex. Loving a sportsman though, well that's an easy get for even the most socially excluded person. But my God the pressure and the weight of expectation and the unreasonable demands. Sachin Tendulkar might know how Neymar feels, but I bet there's not many others who do. Nobody in the West, I think. I mean, sure, Wayne Rooney is under pressure, but only the very saddest of the sad in England take it as seriously as all that.
20.00 I'm not saying "it's only a game." We're all far too into sport to say something that glib and shallow. But, you know, it is only a game. When you think of the corruption, the inequality, the poverty... and the huge pressure heaped on these young men to distract everyone from it. It's a wonder they don't all go quite mad.
19.58 This is the beef with Brazil, then, I think. This bit. "I will have my heart on the field to help these players and Neymar’s heart will be out there too." It all feels very overblown, almost unsustainably so, the hysteria and the hype. He's a footballer, a very good one, who has been injured and will miss the match. He's not dead. He's not crippled. He's not, also, living in a shack and being beat up by the police. The mania of Brazil, which we used to patronisingly go "Oh ho ho ho, samaba football, aren't they passionate, phwoar look at that girl in the bikini..." It feels somehow a bit slick now, a bit Disney, given all the problems in the country. Keep smiling and don't look at the poor people, Majesty. Bread and circuses, and all that.
19.55 Here is Paul Hayward's preview of the match.
Brazil are trying to surf to the World Cup final on emotion. “I will have my heart on the field to help these players and Neymar’s heart will be out there too,” said Thiago Silva, the host nation’s captain whose appeal against suspension failed on the eve of their semi-final with Germany.
Silva, who called Juan Camilo Zuniga’s challenge on Neymar in the Colombia game a “coward” tackle, will watch from the sidelines in Belo Horizonte but has seized the role of rabble rouser and cheerleader. “This is a derby in world football and everyone wants to watch this match,” he said. If Brazil’s fans seem overcome with feeling, try listening to the coaching staff and players.
“We will not have Neymar but we have another 22 players who have been hand-picked because they are special,” said Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazil’s coach. “I have a fantastic group of players. I’m sure that we are going to play for us, for Neymar, but also for the goal of reaching the final.”
When Brazil score at this World Cup the noise from the fireworks is more sonic boom than bonfire night. The skies crash and shake. These turbo-pyrotechnics express not only the people’s love but an edge of aggression that also shows in the team’s increasingly robust play.
19.48 Are you of a betting persuasion? If you fancy Brazil to do it, they're generally around 10/11 to qualify and the Germans basically evens. To win in 90 minutes, the Brazils are 7/4 and Joachim Low's lot are about 2/1. The draw priced around 9/4. On Betfair it’s money back as a free bet if the match goes to Extra Time. All Semi-Final Games. All Customers. Selected Markets
19.46 An email from Nic.
Germany look faster every time I watch them play. I do not think Brazil can keep up with them. On the other side, Argentina, with their "suspect" defense and "very average" team apart from Messi, have only given up three goals this tournament, two to a very athletic Nigeria. (Although I will concede that they have also scored the fewest goals of the teams remaining.) And while their final two games should indeed be their most challenging of the tournament, Lionel & Company continue to produce exactly what is needed. Argentina are the only squad remaining to win every game thus far (without needing a penalty shootout), and they have won each game by exactly one goal.
From earlier, thank you for assuming the less dubious implication of "bracket", the word used in the USA for the tree diagram of a tournament's elimination stage -- to be filled out before the tournament and compared with those of one's peers for taunting, shaming and often betting purposes. I will be more judicious in my attempts to avoid cross-cultural perversions going forward.
19.45 In reply to the question above, "who will win tonight?", Ainar writes:
I will give it to Germany.
Very generous of you, Ainar. Wait. You're not like a match-fixing overlord or something?
19.40 Ha. On the subject of the Neymask...
19.32 The Telegraph's Alan Smith has here run the rule over the men who will likely be starting tonight. Do you agree with his assessment of the key match-ups?
19.30 So no Nemyar for Brazil. We'll talk about the sad and serious implications of that in a bit, I guess. But meanwhile... Here are the men who might replace him, via Project Babb.
19.28 Maybe I have just seen too many horror films.
19.27 Those Prince William and Kate oneswere pretty terrifying, too.
19.25 None more creepy than a sportsman mask. This is the worst I have seen since Andrew Flintoff. (Foreign chums - he was an England cricketer). I give you, with all apologies, THE NEYMASK.
19.20 Digging this stat.
19.15 An email arrives from Muhammad Waleed:
Microsoft has had used a specially designed software which assess Teams' overall record and some other information to predict results, which astoundingly proved to be right. My recommendation would be to use any FIFA game and it would produce the same result at cheap cost. Lastly, My prediction is Germany. Doesn't sound as outrageous as those anticipating brazil's win?
Funnily enough, Muhammad, we've had some of our top experts working on JUST SUCH A PROJECT. Here is our Digital World Cup, with Thom Gibbs and JJ Bull.
19.10 Telegraph star man Henry Winter has done a Google hangout, in which our Germany and Brazil columnists Randall Hauk (@odroku) and Allen Chahad (@allenchahad), preview the match, including the options open to head coach Luis Felipe Scolari and the threat posed by free-scoring Thomas Muller. Have a butcher's here.
19.00 Splendid stuff. And as if that were not enough, how about this. It's a team of David Luizs. Of David Luizes. Of David Luizi. Anyway. You know what I mean. Actually, you won't know what I mean until you click on its full magnificence. Check it out on our Project Babb website.
Brazilian sports website Globo Esporte have found an ingenious way for the world’s office-workers to waste time before Brazil v Germany kicks off, by giving them the chance to add any face they like to the unique hairline of one David Luiz.
Here’s our David Luiz XI. An attacking lineup, perhaps, but marshalled well by Roy Keane and, erm, David Luiz at the back, in front of the safe hands of (yes, indeed) Sideshow Bob. James Rodriguez’s attacking instincts at left-back would be complemented by Louise’s eternally defensive instincts on the right side of defence.
Up front, a delighted-looking Wayne Rooney forms a formidable partnership with Lionel Messi and Robin van Persie.
Here's a sneak peek of the horror that lies ahead once you click. Don't say I didn't warn you.
18.55 I have been trawling the highways and byways of the internet, so you don't have to, and here are some of the best pre-game things that I have found. First up, and this is quite splendid, it's the Manic Street Preachers hit song Motorcycle Emptiness with its lyrics changed to incorporate the names of various German players.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you.... Mertesacker Emptiness.
18.50 Our first email of the evening comes from Nic Chimenti, who says:
If Germany and Argentina win today and tomorrow, I successfully picked the final game and should win my bracket. This proves, as always, that picking your bracket at the last minute without analyzing the teams always produces better results.
I am assuming bracket is some sort of American betting thing rather than London slang for cocaine, but good luck to Nic in his venture. Who do you think is going to win?
18.45 Evening all. Alan Tyers here. And World Cup semi-finals here! How exciting. A fascinating match in store as Brazil take on Germany. If you'd asked most neutrals before the tournament who they would want to win a semi out of these two, the response would surely have been utterly one-sided: Brasiiiiiiillll.
And yet, it feels as if something has changed, over this World Cup. The cliche of sex, sand, samba and soccer was already wearing a little thin, but this particular team's pragmatic, hard-tackling approach has surely blown that away for a generation. The likes of Paulinho, Fernandinho, Hulk and Thiago Silva seem more Stoke than Samba, and without Neymar, there aren't many in this team who you would put in anything like the class of previous wearers of the famous yellow shirt. Function has totally trumped finesse.
But if you want to talk about cliches, how about the efficient Germans? It would be stretching a point to call them a loveable team, but the clever probing of Ozil, the glorious free-running of Muller and the passing of Kroos can be a delight to watch. Not saying they would be a popular winner tonight, but in terms of footballing merit they are, to this neutral at least, more deserving than Brazil.
Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte
Kick-off: 21.00 BST
TV: BBC ONE.
Today Football Columnist Henry Winter, together with Germany and Brazil columnists Randall Hauk (@odroku) and Allen Chahad (@allenchahad), discussed the options open to head coach Luis Felipe Scolari and the threat posed by free-scoring Thomas Muller. And who they think will win the match. Emotions are running high in Minas Gerais. Will the ice-cool Teutons vanquish the hot-blooded samba kings?
Team news
Brazil (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Cesar; Maicon, Luiz, Dante, Marcelo; Gustavo, Fernandinho; Willian, Oscar, Hulk; Fred.
Germany (Possible, 4-3-3): Neuer; Lahm, Hummels, Boateng, Höwedes; Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Kroos; Özil, Müller, Götze.
Referee: Marco Rodríguez (Mexico).
Germany want to avenge their 2002 final defeat to Brazil by knocking the hosts out in Belo Horizonte to reach Sunday's final in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil's quest to win a sixth title on the home soil, meanwhile, has been dealt a huge blow as they will not only be missing top scorer Neymar, but also suspended captain Thiago Silva after his appeal against the booking he received in the quarter-final win over Colombia was rejected on Monday.
Neymar suffered a fractured vertebra towards the end of his side's bruising 2-1 win over the Colombians on Friday.
Brazil paid the price for their rough treatment handed out to James Rodriguez as Colombia met fire-with-fire before Juan Zuniga's challenge on Neymar left the Selecao star in hospital.
The hosts committed a tournament high 31 fouls against their fellow South Americans and Loew is hoping Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez, who missed Luis Suarez's bite on Giorgio Chiellini early in the competition, doesn't allow the game to get out of hand.
"I hope the referee Rodriguez will clamp down, because I have seen in the last few matches that Brazil's physical energy is going beyond of what we see in Europe," said Loew.
"If the games had been played in Europe, none of the 22 players would have finished the matches."
Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari admitted his side's passage to the last four hadn't been in the image of his country's once famed 'Jogo Bonito' style, but insisted winning on home soil was the most important thing.
"We are doing everything step-by-step, not always in the most beautiful way but we are getting closer to playing the final at home and so everything is as scheduled."
And Scolari has urged his squad to use Neymar's absence as an extra motivating factor.
"The way Neymar spoke to the players made them understand that he had done his share and now we need to do our share.
"Myself, the other players, all the Brazilian people. This match is very important, it could take us to the final.
"We are playing for our country, it is everything we imagined and dreamed of, and also for Neymar."
Willian is one of the prime candidates to replace Neymar and the Chelsea midfielder insists Brazil still have the quality to overcome the Germans.
"We know the quality that we have. We are all very sad at losing him but we are now even stronger after what happened and we can continue to pursue our dream."
Remarkably for two World Cup powerhouses with 24 semi-final appearances between them, this will be just their second meeting in the competition after the 2002 final.
"It's an honour and a challenge to play against the hosts, but it have would be better to play Brazil in the final," said German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
"It doesn't matter how much experience you have, to play the hosts in this football-crazy country is something special."
With Silva suspended, Germany are expected to meet a familiar face in centre-back Dante, which could help both sides, according to his Bayern Munich team-mate Schweinsteiger.
"I hope he starts, we know him very well and know his strengths and weaknesses, but he also knows how we play," said Schweinsteiger.
Germany are desperate to end their 24-year wait for a fourth World Cup title, while Loew's side are determined to avoid a defeat which would mean the third-place play-off - for the third consecutive time.
"I really do not need that, that's something I want to rule out," joked captain Philipp Lahm, who was on losing teams in semi-finals at the 2006 and 2010 World Cup finals.