XtraTime Web Desk: Brazil fans ‘welcome back’ the players by pelting stones to the team bus as they lost against Belgium in the quarter finals.
For a long time the pressure put on England players to deliver a World Cup win, or at least a decent run at the thing, was given as one of many reasons for the Three Lions under-performing.
If people in England feel like that pressure has always been too much then it’s nothing compared to the pressure that is put on any Brazil side, expected to win all their games and every World Cup.
In the 2014 FIFA World Cup selecao’s handed a shameful loss by Germany 7-1 in front of the home crowd.
Brazil went 2-0 down in the first half against Belgium with Fernandinho’s own goal being followed up by a magical finish from Kevin de Bruyne, but in the second half they laid siege to the European’s goal.
Renato Augusto pulled one back for Brazil and the substitute could have scored another whilst Philippe Coutinho and Neymar also might have scored.
Gabriel Jesus might have won a penalty when Vincent Kompany took him down in the penalty area but even the VAR officials didn’t think it should have been a spot kick, not to say they also weren’t wrong.
Ultimately though the Red Devils’ defence was excellent and through Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard and De Bruyne they counter attacked brilliantly and caused the Selecao problems all night.
Brazil haven’t won the World Cup since 2002 which is their second longest run without winning it, can they stop the rot in four years time in Qatar?