The following article concerns the performance of Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They played their first home-soil World Cup after 64 years, since the 1950 World Cup, and thus were automatically qualified for the group stage.
Brazil qualified as first at their group, winning two matches (Croatia and Cameroon) and drawing one (Mexico).
They eventually reached the semi-finals, beating Chile and Colombia. Brazil, however, were then knocked out by the eventual champions Germany in a match known as the Mineirazo. In the match for third place, Brazil lost to Netherlands and therefore ended the tournament in fourth place.
Host selection
In March 2003, FIFA announced that the tournament would be held in South America for the first time since 1978, in line with its then-active policy of rotating the right to host the World Cup among different confederations. The decision meant that it would be the first time that two consecutive World Cups were staged outside Europe and the first time two consecutive World Cups were held in the Southern Hemisphere (the 2010 edition was held in South Africa). Only Brazil and Colombia formally declared their candidacy but, after the withdrawal of the latter from the process, Brazil was officially elected as host nation unopposed on 30 October 2007.
Pre-tournament friendlies
Squad Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari
The final squad was announced on 7 May 2014. The squad numbers were revealed on 2 June. Neymar suffered a fractured vertebra following a foul by Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zúñiga in the quarter-final; it was announced that Neymar would miss the remainder of the tournament.
Group stage
Brazil vs Croatia
The two teams had met in two previous matches, including in the 2006 World Cup group stage, won by Brazil 1–0. Croatia forward Mario Mandžukić was suspended for the match, after being sent off in the team's final qualifier against Iceland.
Croatia opened the scoring through a Marcelo own goal, as the ball bounced off him into the net after Nikica Jelavić deflected Ivica Olić's cross. Neymar equalised for the hosts with a shot after receiving a pass from Oscar. In the second half, Brazil took the lead with Neymar's penalty after Dejan Lovren was judged to have fouled Fred in the penalty area. Croatia had a potential equaliser disallowed, after a foul was called on the Brazilian goalkeeper, Júlio César. In added time, Oscar sealed the win, toe-poking the third goal for Brazil from after receiving a pass from Ramires.
Post-match, FIFA referees chief, Massimo Busacca, defended the officials for awarding the penalty, and insisted there had been some contact between Lovren and Fred even if it was minimal. On the other hand, renowned former top-level FIFA referee Markus Merk criticised FIFA for having Yuichi Nishimura as the referee in the opening match, labelling the refereeing in the match as "embarrassing".
The game was notable for a number of pioneering events. This was the first occasion in FIFA World Cup history on which an own goal (which was also the first ever own goal scored by Brazil in World Cup finals) opened scoring in the tournament. As the first game played at this World Cup, the match also saw the first use of vanishing spray to mark free kick spots, and the advent of goal-line technology, two innovations introduced during the tournament.
GK 12Júlio CésarRB 2 Dani AlvesCB 3 Thiago Silva (c)CB 4 David LuizLB 6 MarceloDM 8 Paulinho DM 17Luiz Gustavo RW 7 Hulk AM 11OscarLW 10Neymar CF 9 FredSubstitutions:MF 18Hernanes MF 20Bernard MF 16Ramires Manager:Luiz Felipe Scolari GK 1 Stipe PletikosaRB 11Darijo Srna (c)CB 5 Vedran Ćorluka CB 6 Dejan Lovren LB 2 Šime VrsaljkoCM 10Luka ModrićCM 7 Ivan RakitićRW 4 Ivan PerišićAM 20Mateo Kovačić LW 18Ivica OlićCF 9 Nikica Jelavić Substitutions:MF 14Marcelo Brozović FW 16Ante Rebić Manager:Niko Kovač
Man of the Match: Neymar (Brazil)
Assistant referees: Toru Sagara (Japan) Toshiyuki Nagi (Japan) Fourth official: Alireza Faghani (Iran) Fifth official: Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)
Brazil vs Mexico The two teams had met in 38 previous matches, including three times in the FIFA World Cup group stage, all won by Brazil (1950: 4–0; 1954: 5–0; 1962: 2–0). Their most recent meeting was in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage, won by Brazil 2–0.
Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made four outstanding saves to deny Brazil. In the first half he saved a header from Neymar tight to his right to push around the post and blocked a close-range effort from Paulinho. In the second half he saved a low shot from Neymar and a late point blank header from Thiago Silva.
This was the first time since the 1970 World Cup that the host team drew 0–0 in the group stage. Mexico became the first team from outside UEFA or CONMEBOL to take a point from Brazil in the World Cup.
GK 12Júlio CésarRB 2 Dani AlvesCB 3 Thiago Silva (c) CB 4 David LuizLB 6 MarceloDM 8 PaulinhoDM 17Luiz GustavoCM 11Oscar RW 16Ramires LW 10NeymarCF 9 Fred Substitutions:MF 20Bernard FW 21Jô MF 19Willian Manager:Luiz Felipe Scolari GK 13Guillermo OchoaCB 2 Francisco RodríguezCB 4 Rafael Márquez (c)CB 15Héctor MorenoRWB22Paul Aguilar LWB7 Miguel LayúnDM 23José Juan Vázquez CM 6 Héctor Herrera CM 18Andrés GuardadoSS 10Giovani dos Santos CF 19Oribe Peralta Substitutes:FW 14Javier Hernández MF 8 Marco Fabián FW 9 Raúl Jiménez Manager:Miguel Herrera
Man of the Match: Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)
Assistant referees: Bahattin Duran (Turkey) Tarık Ongun (Turkey) Fourth official: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway) Fifth official: Kim Haglund (Norway)
Cameroon vs Brazil The two teams had met in four previous matches, including in the 1994 World Cup group stage, won by Brazil 3–0. Their most recent meeting was in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage, won by Cameroon 1–0. Cameroon midfielder Alex Song was suspended for the match (first match of a three-match ban), after being sent off in the previous match against Croatia.
Brazil, where a draw would guarantee their qualification to the knockout stage, opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Luiz Gustavo crossed from the left for Neymar to beat the goalkeeper with a first time low side-footed finish to the corner. Already-eliminated Cameroon equalised when Allan Nyom beat Dani Alves on the left before crossing for Joël Matip to finish from close range. Neymar put Brazil back in front when he collected the ball from Marcelo and ran at goal before finishing with a low right foot shot that wrong footed the goalkeeper from just inside the penalty area. In the second half, David Luiz crossed from the left for Fred to extend Brazil's lead with a close range header before half-time substitute Fernandinho completed the scoring when he collected a pass from Oscar before finishing with a low right footed shot. The result assured that Brazil pipped Mexico on goal difference to qualify to the knockout stage as group winners.
The match was Brazil's 100th in the World Cup, and they followed Germany (which played their 100th match in their first game of the 2014 World Cup) to become the second team to reach the milestone.
GK 16Charles ItandjeRB 22Allan NyomCB 3 Nicolas N'Koulou (c)CB 21Joël MatipLB 12Henri BedimoDM 7 Landry N'GuémoCM 17Stéphane Mbia CM 18Eyong Enoh RW 13Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting LW 8 Benjamin Moukandjo CF 10Vincent Aboubakar Substitutions:MF 20Edgar Salli FW 15Pierre Webó MF 11Jean Makoun Manager: Volker Finke GK 12Júlio CésarRB 2 Dani AlvesCB 3 Thiago Silva (c)CB 4 David LuizLB 6 MarceloDM 17Luiz GustavoRM 8 Paulinho LM 11OscarRW 7 Hulk LW 10Neymar CF 9 FredSubstitutions:MF 5 Fernandinho MF 16Ramires MF 19Willian Manager:Luiz Felipe Scolari
Man of the Match: Neymar (Brazil)
Assistant referees: Mathias Klasenius (Sweden) Daniel Wärnmark (Sweden) Fourth official: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway) Fifth official: Kim Haglund (Norway)
Round of 16
Brazil vs Chile
The two teams had met in 68 previous matches, including three times in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, all won by Brazil (1962, semi-finals: 4–2; 1998, round of 16: 4–1; 2010, round of 16: 3–0).
Brazil opened the scoring when from a corner David Luiz turned Thiago Silva's flick-on into the net. While replays suggested that Chilean defender Gonzalo Jara may have had the last touch, FIFA later confirmed that the goal was scored by Luiz, not Jara. Chile equalised when Hulk lost possession after a throw-in in his own half, Eduardo Vargas stole the ball and passed to Alexis Sánchez to score. In the second half, Hulk's goal was disallowed as Howard Webb adjudged that the player used his arm in bringing down the ball and gave him a yellow card instead. Chances were few after that with Brazil dominating possession with Hulk forcing Claudio Bravo into a decent save, and the match went to extra time. The best chance of extra time came in the last seconds as Mauricio Pinilla's shot hit the crossbar. In the resulting penalty shoot-out, the score was tied 2–2 after four rounds, with Brazil goalkeeper Júlio César saving from Pinilla and Sánchez, while Willian missed and Hulk's shot was saved by Bravo. In the fifth round, Neymar scored his penalty, meaning Chile had to score, but Jara's shot hit the inside of the post. Brazil advanced to the quarter-finals to face Colombia.
The result meant that in all four World Cups where Chile qualified for the knockout stage, they were eliminated by Brazil.
GK 12Júlio CésarRB 2 Dani Alves CB 3 Thiago Silva (c)CB 4 David LuizLB 6 MarceloDM 5 Fernandinho DM 17Luiz Gustavo RW 7 Hulk AM 11Oscar LW 10NeymarCF 9 Fred Substitutes:FW 21Jô MF 16Ramires MF 19Willian Manager:Luiz Felipe Scolari GK 1 Claudio Bravo (c)CB 5 Francisco Silva CB 17Gary Medel CB 18Gonzalo JaraRWB4 Mauricio IslaLWB2 Eugenio Mena CM 20Charles AránguizCM 21Marcelo DíazAM 8 Arturo Vidal CF 7 Alexis SánchezCF 11Eduardo Vargas Substitutes:MF 16Felipe Gutiérrez FW 9 Mauricio Pinilla DF 13José Rojas Manager: Jorge Sampaoli
Man of the Match: Júlio César (Brazil)
Assistant referees: Michael Mullarkey (England) Darren Cann (England) Fourth official: Felix Brych (Germany) Fifth official: Mark Borsch (Germany)
Quarter-finals
Brazil vs Colombia
The two teams had met in 25 previous matches, but never in the FIFA World Cup. This was the first time Colombia had reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Brazil midfielder Luiz Gustavo was suspended for the match due to accumulation of yellow cards.
Brazil took the lead in the 7th minute, when Neymar's corner was turned in from close range by Thiago Silva. They doubled the lead in the 69th minute when David Luiz scored directly from a long range free kick. Colombia reduced the deficit with 10 minutes to go, when James Rodríguez converted a penalty kick, awarded after substitute Carlos Bacca was fouled by Brazil goalkeeper Júlio César. Neymar was kneed in the back by Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zúñiga in the 88th minute, which resulted in the striker's withdrawal from the match. Subsequent medical evaluation discovered a fractured vertebra, forcing the Brazilian to miss the remainder of the tournament. Brazil advanced to the semi-final, where they would face Germany.
Rodríguez's goal was his sixth of the tournament, enough to win him the Golden Boot award. He also became the first player to score in his first five career World Cup matches since Peru's Teófilo Cubillas (across the 1970 and 1978 tournaments).
GK 12Júlio César RB 23MaiconCB 3 Thiago Silva (c) CB 4 David LuizLB 6 MarceloCM 5 FernandinhoCM 8 Paulinho RW 7 Hulk AM 11OscarLW 10Neymar CF 9 FredSubstitutes:MF 16Ramires MF 18Hernanes DF 15Henrique Manager:Luiz Felipe Scolari GK 1 David OspinaRB 18Juan Camilo ZúñigaCB 2 Cristián ZapataCB 3 Mario Yepes (c) LB 7 Pablo ArmeroRM 11Juan Cuadrado CM 13Fredy GuarínCM 6 Carlos SánchezLM 14Víctor Ibarbo CF 9 Teófilo Gutiérrez CF 10James Rodríguez Substitutes:FW 19Adrián Ramos FW 17Carlos Bacca MF 20Juan Quintero Manager: José Pekerman
Man of the Match: David Luiz (Brazil)
Assistant referees: