FIFA World Cup 2014: Brazil 0-3 Netherlands - Five talking points

Two early goals from Robin Van Persie and Daley Blind were enough to knock the wind out of Brazils sails and a stoppage-time goal from Wijnaldum ensured a comfortable victory for the Dutch as they finished third in a World Cup for the very first time. Billed as the game that would salvage a modicum of pride back for the hosts, it ended up being just as bad as the semi-final against Germany.Here are the five talking points from the game.

#1 World Cup of dreams turns into a nightmare for Brazil

This was supposed to be the tournament in which Brazil banished the ghosts of 1950 when they lost to Uruguay in the final. Instead, over the course of two games, they were given a harsh reality check and shown what they really were: a barely functional team who were carried into the semi-final by a superstar who was injured for their final two games.

The only saving grace for Brazil up until the quarter-final was Neymar and once he got injured, there was only ever going to be one result. But nobody could’ve predicted the capitulation that followed.

In a matter of two games, Brazil conceded 10 goals and the hopes of 200 million people were crushed. After the humiliation at the hands of Germany, victory against the Dutch would’ve provided only scant consolation to the grieving hearts, but the hosts couldn’t manage that as they bowed out of their own World Cup with the worst defensive record in the tournament.