World Cup 2014: What went wrong for Brazil
Thursday, 10 Jul 2014, 11:15 hrs IST

There was the theatre of the absurd that accompanied Neymar's absence, with stand-in captain Luiz holding aloft Neymar's No 10 jersey when the national anthem was played. It was as if the circus of the player's absence had hijacked the semifinal. Hidden behind all the feel-goodness was an arrogance that hurt them. Scolari picked this squad weeks ahead of the deadline. He overlooked the proven talents of Kaka, Robinho and Ronaldinho as he drafted a plan that seriously lacked playmakers of pedigree. (Imagelibrary/EPA Photo)