A fresh start, and some consolation, for Brazil

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In his second spell as coach of Brazil, Luiz Felipe Scolari has amassed a record of 19 wins, six draws and three defeats, with 70 goals scored and just 26 conceded. Since winning the FIFA Confederations Cup last year, his team have suffered just one defeat in 10 games. Unfortunately, that turned out to be as costly as it was painful: the harrowing 7-1 loss against Germany last Tuesday. The result ended a 64 year dream of winning the World Cup on home soil.

Having had just four days to recover from the defeat, Brazil now take on the Netherlands in Brasilia in the Play-Off for Third Place. While coming third is important, the team will have another source of motivation when they take the field. It is a chance for Scolari and his players to validate the work they have invested in a campaign in which the team achieved a winning percentage of 75%, yet still finished two steps away from their goal.

"Now we have to focus on the goal of coming third," said Scolari at a press conference. "We know that even a win won’t take away the disappointment, but we have to have objectives. We couldn’t achieve our aim of reaching the final, so now we have to play for a smaller dream.”

Historical precedents
This will be Brazil’s fourth appearance in the Third Place Play-Off. Interestingly, there are similarities between the current campaign and those of 1938, 1974 and 1978, the other years when Brazil played in the podium decider - with the crucial difference that the team was not the host nation on those occasions.

The 1938 FIFA World Cup was when Brazil first announced itself to the world as a major footballing power. After overcoming Poland and Czechoslovakia in the knockout stages, the team was eventually defeated 2-1 by eventual champions Italy in the semi-final. Interestingly, Brazil’s best player, Leonidas da Silva, was ruled out of that match due to injury problems, just like Neymar this year. Unlike the young striker, however, the Black Diamond recovered in time to play in his team’s last match, and scored two goals in a 4-2 win over Sweden. He eventually finished the tournament as top goalscorer with seven goals.

By the time the 1974 World Cup in Germany came around, the structure of the tournament had changed. The semi-final stage consisted of two groups of four teams, with Brazil facing Argentina, East Germany and the Netherlands. In the last match of the group, the reigning world champions were beaten by the fast-emerging “Clockwork Orange,” as the Dutch team was known. Although the 2-0 scoreline was far less impressive than what the Germans were able to achieve 40 years later, the result left the Brazilians equally stunned, coming just days after coach Mario Zagallo had guaranteed his team would win. In their final game in the tournament, Brazil lost again, this time 1-0 to Poland.

This same tournament structure was used at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. In the second phase Brazil were placed in a group with the host nation, Poland and Peru. Despite remaining unbeaten, Brazil were eliminated and had to watch as Argentina advanced to the final. The similarity between that year and the current campaign was the consistency of the team’s results, with coach Claudio Coutinho announcing he was pleased with his work even if the title had eluded his team. In the battle for third place, Brazil managed to overcome their disappointment by beating Italy 2-1, with a memorable goal from full-back Nelinho.

Starting Over
Three Third Place Play-Offs then, and two symbolic bronze medals for Brazil. Now it is the turn of Scolari's team to try to say farewell with dignity, in front of fans who never turned their backs on their team, even during its darkest moments.

“We didn’t expect such a catastrophic defeat, in terms of the number of goals we conceded. But don’t forget that this is the first time the team has reached the World Cup semi-final since 2002," recalls the coach. "It was a bad defeat, six minutes of total meltdown. If I knew how it happened I’d tell you, but I don’t.”

Scolari knows that many of the current group have a long future ahead with A Seleção. Now it is time to get back on track against the Netherlands. "Life goes on. It isn’t just about the defeats," concluded Scolari. "These players will continue to give everything for Brazil. At least 70 per cent of them will be back in 2018, with a different mind-set.”

Graduation ceremony to celebrate Brazil 2014 in the way

Before the year 2014 FIFA World Cup ™ final passage at the Maracana in Rio De Janeiro on Sunday, is a special closing ceremony with about 1,000 people that greatest values celebrate the world's most popular sport, as the tournament approaches its inevitable climax.

An integral part of which is competition in Brazil, but before that launches football and the masters decided meet South American rivals Argentina in the showpiece European heavyweights Germany, an 18-minute show in the stadium will pay tribute to the game and the most important symbols.

Starting with an on pitch expression of the values of sport through four characters - freedom, solidarity, passion and diversity - the ceremony is took part then included representations of all 32 teams in this World Cup, with a special focus on the two finalists: Joachim low's team and Alejandro Sabellas Albiceleste.

Set to a soundtrack of Samba music, involving a cast of 400 persons and with GRES Pinelo stands do Rio Grande, a special reference to the coveted trophy at the Center, while a unique tribute to football symbolically unites the two sides fight to be crowned winner, when the full-time whistle in Rio is blown.

The Brazil 2014 closing ceremony close with a spectacular combination of music: Shakira, Carlinhos Brown and run "Dare"; Alexandre Pires, Carlos Santana and Wyclef Jean offer an interpretation of the World Cup anthem "we will find A way"; Furthermore, a medley of Brazilian songs courtesy of Pires and Ivete Sangalo.

Dutch to Brazil seal third place

The Netherlands secured consolation of third place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup ™ courtesy of a simple 3-0 victory over Brazil at the Estadio Nacional.

Fees for home - and in the case of trainer jobs in club football at Manchester drive recording a third successive clean sheet, Louis van Gaal United – avoid defeat in standard or extra time. For Luiz Felipe Scolari, there were men but to celebrate little.

Perhaps the sharpest edges to the representations of the Brazilian anthem, lacked the spine tingling, but voices have been raised before the game as A selection was looking for redemption. Still, the hopes of lasting memories smashed degradation by Germany within 90 seconds after kick-off in Brasilia in their semi-final.

Robin van Persie's slide rule pass into the left channel on the hosts defence married, has a blisteringly fast Arjen Robben dash in from the right. The winger was then torn down in pace Captain Thiago Silva turns, as he was dangerous to shoot at a distance. A penalty was the judgment of the referee, and Van Persie found above with aplomb.

After 17 minutes was line up 2: 0 Jonathan de Guzmán, a late inclusion in Van Gaal after a Wesley Sneijder injury during the warm-up, collected a Robben pass and drove to the byline. Once he slid there a seemingly harmless cross into the area only for David Luiz from top blind, refrained a touch his attempted directly on Daley control, others set and then calmly found the roof of the net.

Oscar haul car in the palms of Jasper Cillessen, de Guzman cut off from a central position to high to hit by more effective work set up by Robben, and Georginio Wijnaldum had to align perfectly to the rear post removed kick pesky look that kindly went in the direction of Paulinho. Still, another diabolical Oscar duty piece somehow deprived his teammates after a Luiz Gustavo-flick on.

Interested in increasing his World Cup goal tally at the start of the second half, Robben with a quick one-two with blind from a free-kick scenario completed and in the Brazil box powered; Compensation, however, Silva was quick to block sliding doors, an explosion of the 30-year old as Julio Cesar armed to prevent another addition to the scoresheet.

Ramires earned single-handedly room after a shot on Cillessen shortly before the hour mark through skip to a challenge by Defender Ron Vlaar to the edge of the Dutch territory, but the Chelsea midfielder dragged his effort on the left side of the goal. Next, the Netherlands goalkeeper was unconcerned by Charles Deadball--Pack drivers.

I looking for an injection of creativity and invention, Scolari introduced Hernanes and later Hulk procedure, but the home nation filled with frustration at almost every corner. If in the freedom on the left 10 minutes on the clock, the playmaker disappointingly, curled high and far from the post long Oscar scurry.

Wijnaldum, in fact, added more luster of the place reference for van Gaal team in the first minute of stoppage time, fire home low at the near post after in central position in the penalty area of unmarked links and by a delivery from the right flank by Daryl Janmaat replacement found.

So the history books shows, stopping the third Dutchman at the 20th Edition of the World Cup downs Brazil in fourth place. Now the focus shifts here and everywhere all over the world to the last remaining results be decided, on the biggest stage in the world of football - with Argentina and Germany in the competition for the trophy on Sunday.

Dempsey: The States have a 12th man in Brazil

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Forget ‘The Miracle of Belo Horizonte’. Forget Pele bumping down in the Big Apple. Forget the USA providing the stage for sport’s grandest spectacle. Forget Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan leaving their country 16 minutes away from bewildering Brazil and conquering the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Nothing has given soccer in the States a bigger popularity hike than this World Cup and the Stars and Stripes’ 2-1 win over Ghana in their 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ curtain-raiser. Barack Obama, Lebron James, Justin Timberlake, Jon 'Bones' Jones, Jimmy Fallon, Ryan Seacrest and Robert Kardashian were among the mega-celebrities who helped smash Twitter records. Many of their tweets were tributes to Clint Dempsey, whose impeccably taken goal after just 30 seconds – and refusal to go off after suffering a broken nose – propelled Jurgen Klinsmann’s men to victory.

FIFA caught up with the 31-year-old to discuss that deadlock-breaker in Natal, his injury, Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, the terrific support USA have received in Brazil and the Americans’ immense interest in this World Cup.

FIFA: Clint, you shocked the entire crowd by scoring in the first minute. How did that feel?
Clint Dempsey: It’s what you think about all day. You want to try to help your team do well and you want to try to step up in major competitions and for me, I've been able to do that in three World Cups – three consecutive World Cups – and I was happy I was able to get the goal.

What does scoring in three World Cups mean to you?
Every time you score a goal in a World Cup it's always a dream come true. As I little kid it's what I used to pray about when I'd go to bed, that one day I could play in a World Cup and hopefully score, and I've had the opportunity to do it in three!

USA showed great spirit to not let their heads drop and get the winning goal…

Yeah, I think we have a lot of character in our team. If we had got a draw from the game it would have felt like a loss, even though Ghana had more possession and more chances, just because of the fact that we had led for so much of the game. But being able to come back and get the game-winning goal shows our character and our resilience, that we keep going to the end. That's what we're going to have to do if we want to get out of this group.         

You took a nasty kick to the face against Ghana. How’s the injury?
I'll be better [against Portugal] than I was second-half. I couldn't breathe because I had, I guess, q-tips. I don´t even know what it's called! They're plugs I guess. They put them in your nose, so I couldn't breathe out of my nostrils. Now I can breathe out of my nose, so I'll be fine.
It’s going to be hot in Manaus…
I think it will be a difficult thing that both teams will have to deal with, in terms of how you manage the game because of the humidity and the heat. But at the same time we prepared the best that we could in terms of locations. Our last location that we were at was Jacksonville, Florida. There was a lot of humidity as well there. I mean I grew up in Texas. Some of the boys are used to these conditions but at the end of the day, both teams have to deal with it.

How have you been preparing for Portugal?
Every game is difficult. You prepare the best you can, watch tapes, [look at] strengths and weaknesses, figure out ways that you can exploit their weaknesses and try to give you an advantage to get points from the game, but it's still going to be a difficult game. They have a lot of quality players and we'll have to be at our best to get points. We really want a result because last thing you want is going to the last game needing other teams to try and do you a favour.    

Is there extra focus on stopping Cristiano Ronaldo?         
I think that you have to focus on the team as a whole. Yes, there are players who can make a difference and make something out of nothing, but at the same time you have got to focus on the whole team and figure out a way to manage the game and try to put yourself in the best position to get points.

What do USA need to do to qualify for the next round?
We've got to get more points, hopefully we will do that sooner rather than later. In an ideal world, if you get the three points [against Portugal] then we will be able to go through the group, but that is easier said than done, it's going to be a very difficult game, we will have to be at our best to get points.         
This World Cup has really grabbed the attention in the USA. Does this create added expectations?
Our expectations don't change. It’s always to try to get out of the group and take it from there. In terms of more people in the States getting involved and mainstream America watching these games, it's better for the game, to help continue to grow the game in the States. But our expectations don't change: it's to get out of the group and get into the one-off games. Hopefully we’ll get to the [knockout phase].

The support you received from the US supporters in Natal was pretty overwhelming. What did you make of that?

Yes, it's awesome, because that's the 12th man for you. And to be able to have that feeling of feeling that you're at home is pretty special, especially when I remember playing games in the States when I first got in the national side, where you'd be playing and they'd have more fans than you even in your home country. So now things are starting to change and the fact that we are here in Brazil, and playing in these different stadiums, you feel like you have that home-field advantage. It shows how far the game has come in the States.

Brazil warm up with friendly win

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Brazil started their preparations for Tuesday's FIFA World Cup clash with Mexico by beating the U-20 side of Rio de Janeiro club Fluminense in a friendly on Saturday morning.

The game, at the Selecao's training base in Teresopolis, ended in a 3-0 win for the World Cup hosts, with Ramires, Hernanes and Willian finding the net. Of the team that started in Thursday's 3-1 Group A win against Croatia in Sao Paulo, only midfielder Paulinho featured in the line-up this time, and he was eventually replaced by diminutive winger Bernard.

The game was the chance for the back-up players to impress, and Chelsea midfielder Ramires in particular stood out, but Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is unlikely to make many changes to a winning team against Mexico at the Castelao Stadium in northern city Fortaleza.

Mexico began their World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory against Cameroon in Natal on Friday.