Tag: premier league

Cristiano Ronaldo: A Freak Of Nature

Born in Madeira and made in Manchester, this anomaly in the world of sport continues to thrive week in and week out in elite level Football, despite his naysayers suggesting to the contrary as soon as the return to his spiritual home of Manchester United was announced.

With only weeks before the beginning of a brand new season in the Premier League, a competition viewed as probably the harshest and most challenging in Europe, it seemed as if his arrival was already deemed a failure in earnest.

Famous pundits and rival fans alike questioned the appetite and staying power of an ageing performer, who according to many wouldn’t be the same player who left the theatre of dreams twelve years previous and went on to become the most iconic performer in world football, with a career that spanned three of the most prestigious clubs and competitions in the game.

In that regard I would certainly agree with these supposed experts as it is Ronaldo himself who saw that in order to stay relevant and as devastatingly effective on the pitch as he has always been, he had to take it upon himself to evolve. This transformation took him from a right sided winger that relied heavily on devastating pace into a deadly and feared central striker.

In this current guise he surely has no equal in the current landscape of the game, even at the grand old age of 36. He certainly doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon either, as one record after another seemingly falls to this monster of a footballer on almost a weekly basis.

In comparison, the signing of Romelu Lukaku by Chelsea was heralded as a master stroke by manager Thomas Tuchel, and a relative snip at £98 million by the Football media who heaped praise on the powerful Belgian as a man who was the final piece of the Chelsea puzzle. An out and out goal scorer which the club were lacking despite being the current European Champions.

In contrast the signing of Ronaldo for £26 million was instantly labelled a nostalgia act that would be unable to withstand the physicality and robustness of the Premier League. His subsequent arrival would be to the detriment of the talent pool of young players coming through at the theatre of dreams, despite Cristiano actually outscoring the younger Lukaku in Serie A that season with 29 goals whilst playing for Juventus.

To suggest this notion was both disrespectful and foolish to a man that is a shining example to any sports person in any field, as he has simply dedicated his entire being into becoming the greatest player ever. Thus, if you were to look at a record of his astonishing achievements I find it extremely difficult to look any further than this Portuguese marvel for that accolade as his list of individual accomplishments is quite frankly ridiculous.

The most notable would however be that he is now the greatest international goal scorer ever to play the game with 115 goals for Portugal, a five time Ballon D’or winner, and the Champions League’s greatest marksman of all time with 139 goals.

Alongside those towering accolades he has also lead his country and club sides to barnstorming success throughout his remarkable career winning multiple championship’s with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and his home nation Portugal.

His mere presence can surely only bring out the best in any team mates that play alongside him, as his attitude and dedication as an athlete must surely make him a shining light to any fellow professionals who wish to capitalize on every ounce of talent that they possess. This man has poured countless hours into training and hard work to go alongside his god given talents and now we can all see the fruits of his labors.

Alas, his subsequent homecoming to Old Trafford lifted the club and its supporters across the planet into a state of euphoria as the Michael Jordan of Football finally embarked on his pilgrimage home.

The return to these shores has seen Cristiano silence the doubters and critics as he has done so time and again whilst under the microscope of the British media, as he continues to drag Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stuttering Manchester United from the stale waters of mediocrity with his match winning exploits on a weekly basis.

He has given his heart and soul like no other at the club with his recent performances, yet he was derided as the man who would cause the club problems with his momentous return. Yet in my opinion it is surely down to the manager and the rest of the playing staff to provide him with the support he is crying out for on the pitch as it seems he is dragging the team along by the scruff of the neck by himself far too often.

It is an undoubted privilege as a Manchester United fan to have this once in a lifetime specimen back at the football club and I would suggest that many other fans feel the same regardless of their club allegiance.

It seems to me that football is currently being over run by clickbait and social media content that simply doesn’t reflect the views of true football supporters. Where snapshot clips from on the pitch or throwaway comments from pundits are hyped and promoted to an extent where they are seen as gospel on these platforms.

In contrast, I believe we must look to evaluate every players contributions across the entirety of 90 minutes based on what that performer brings to the table in every aspect of the game.

We are all entitled to voice our own opinions on the game and the players who participate in it, yet I prefer to form my own in accordance with the facts that are there for all to see, as Ronaldo has been simply outstanding upon his return with nine goals in eleven appearances. Whilst his never say die attitude must surely inspire and bring out the best in his team mates.

Admittedly he is no longer the dynamite heeled winger of yester-year, yet he still has outstanding ability in all facets of his game, powerful in the air, tricky, a ruthless finisher, and a turn of pace that defies his 36 years.

Thus, I would suggest that we sit back and enjoy this premiere athlete whilst we are still able to, as this seismic level of greatness cannot continue forever, yet with Cristiano Ronaldo you would certainly not put it past him.

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Phil.

Jose Mourinho: Special?

With his recent departure from Tottenham Hotspur still fresh in the memory it would seem that once again Jose Mourinho has failed to seize the opportunity to revitalise a career that has evidently begun to stagnate after such a glorious and successful journey through the game.

Recruited by Roman Abramovich in 2004 to become Chelsea manager, his swagger and confidence was a breath of fresh air to English football as he famously declared himself the special one at his very first press conference.

No stone was left unturned in the psychological aspect of the game as he famously built a siege mentality around his players. Although his attitude somewhat bordered on arrogance it couldn’t be denied that his methods translated to monumental success on the pitch as he built a powerful team in his own image as the likes of Dider Drogba, John Terry, and Claude Makelele all ran through brick walls for their beloved manager en route to trophy laden success for the London side.

His tactics and innovative approach to every aspect of the sport drew comparisons to the late great Brian Clough, as Mourinho cast aside 4-4-2 and introduced a new fangled 4-3-3 system that pushed two wingers further forward in support of the lone frontman. This would go on to be replicated by many other teams and became the new standard in the game, due it’s difficulty to negate and Jose’s bulldozer like success with it.

Every press conference and interview made for box office viewing as his entertaining and sometimes cutting remarks were always available in abundance as he shared his philosophy on the game. Never afraid to voice his opinion and go against the grain, Jose became a hugely popular figure for many football fans in England as we admired his profound ability to back up many of his beliefs and prophecies of victory on the pitch.

When his eventual departure from Chelsea came in 2008 it was deemed a great loss to the Premier League, as we would no longer be privy to Jose’s fascinating soundbites and magnetic personality on a weekly basis.

Serie A and Inter Milan would be his next port of call and the subsequent three years at the club were once again a resounding triumph, as Mourinho once again flexed his managerial muscle, leading them to a magnificent treble in 2010. The club duly became the first Italian club in history to land the Scudetto, the Italian Cup and the European Cup all in one season.

Real Madrid would inevitably come calling as his unparalleled success as a manager in a variety of countries showed Jose to be a man who could adapt to new cultures and football methodology at the drop of a hat. His move to the Bernabeu was finalised soon after his European Cup victory, with Los Blancos paying a hefty financial compensation package for his services.

It is here in the Spanish capital that the very first cracks in the Mourinho foundations began to appear despite another era of success in La Liga, as he delivered every domestic trophy in his three years at the club.

However, Real Madrid is an institution that is geared towards European silverware, and domestic honours alone are not enough to satisfy the demanding fan base of one the worlds most successful teams.

The rapport he developed and nurtured with all of his players at past clubs was always crucial to his success, as his tough love and sometimes blunt criticism always seemed to be embraced by his players as he led them to glory. Yet in Madrid it seemingly had the adverse effect, as it served to create a divide and a fractured working relationship with the clubs galactico’s. Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, and Iker Casillas all having well publicized fall outs with the manager.

This internal power struggle between the manager and his players would see Jose eventually sacked, and as a return to London with Chelsea beckoned it would seem that a pre-cursor to the future had already been set at Real Madrid. As it seemed that Jose could no longer cultivate or motivate his players, who had previous bowed down to his managerial excellence, and now they seemed unwilling to follow his lead.

In my opinion Football in 2021 has shifted in a new direction, as society itself is now crying out for inclusion and positivity across the board as we have all endured a torrid time in this tiresome global pandemic. So to criticize and ostracize any player can only surely only breed negativity in not only the person himself but in the training camp as a whole, as the games primary ethos is built on teamwork. For me personally, I would suggest that to encourage and nurture yields the greater response from us as human beings in all walks of life.

It is where the great Alex Ferguson would often excel as he always knew when the time was right for an arm round the shoulder rather a than a rocket up the backside. He certainly recognized that in order to be a success it is a fundamental that any manager in any walk of life is able to communicate and build a rapport with his or her team, as one size no longer fits all in our modern world.

Thus, I feel that here is where Jose has been unable to halt the slide of his managerial failings as he has been unable to rectify and learn from his mistakes. His confrontational methods have been shown to be on a very rocky path after his experiences in Spain.

His return to Chelsea again resulted in a league title, as he built a new powerful team with the marquee signings of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa firing them to success. It wouldn’t last very long however as Mourinho’s failure to develop relationship’s based on mutual respect would rise to the fore all over again, with both Eden Hazard and Diego Costa falling foul of the manager. It was an all too familiar tale for Mourinho and he would part ways with the club in late 2015.

Jose would subsequently become Manchester United manager in 2016 and he delivered silverware in the form of a Europa and League Cup triumph. However, the hierarchy and support base of the club had been accustomed to dining out on gourmet football for decades via Alex Ferguson. He was a manager that genuinely seemed to care for his players and he had an emotional affinity to the club that Jose could never grasp in his short period at the club.

His cold and negative concepts alienated fans who wanted a return to its attacking principles that the clubs foundations had been built on through its rich history. He stubbornly refused to embrace that vision, and continued to place faith in the tactics that had brought him success nearly a decade earlier.

Public defamation of characters such as Luke Shaw and Paul Pogba were yet again on the menu as he created division within the club. Personally, I do feel that player power is a serious problem in the game that needs eradicating and the likes of Paul Pogba do not need their egos stroked any more than is already evident across social media. But to publicly humiliate your players is a sure fire way to create a palpable discord between both parties and is an almost certain recipe for disaster.

Manchester United would eventually see enough of this unsavoury approach and dismiss him in 2019, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replacing him in an effort to mirror a more measured and cultured approach.

Tottenham Hotspur would represent the last chance saloon for Jose in my opinion and with his recent sacking I would suggest that it is now final orders for him in the Premier League.

His surly and antagonistic approach never endeared him to the Spurs fanbase, as his attitude towards his players and negative tactics drew outrage once again. Both club record signing Tanguy Ndombele and fan favourite Delle Ali would be publicly lambasted in interviews by Jose, as it became apparent that the same tired old path was being tread once more which would lead to only one perceivable outcome.

Sure enough he was sacked by the club after just eighteen months, and he departed for the first time in his career without clutching silverware. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur look to return to a far more serene work place environment with the appointment of the very likeable Nuno Espirito Santo.

As the world continues to change and evolve around us I feel that it is Jose’s stubborn refusal to accept the changing face of modern Football that has led to fans of the sport to question his standing in the game. His achievements leave me in no doubt that he is one of the greatest managers in the history of the sport, yet old father time waits for no one and it is his failure to evolve that has led to his recent shortcomings as his personal views and tactical approach are viewed as grossly outdated by many.

He is now penciled in to take the reigns at AS Roma as he makes his long awaited return to Serie A after a ten year hiatus, and it will be fascinating and compelling viewing to see if his own tried and trusted methods continue to amass clout a decade down the line in Italy.

Jose will always polarize opinion wherever he goes and if he revitalizes his approach at his new club we may well indeed see the return of the special one. However, it is a yarn we have been spun by the man himself many times before, as he always professes to have learnt from his previous misdemeanors, despite the mask soon slipping as soon as adversity looms on the horizon.

So in order for Jose Mourinho to maintain possession of the moniker he famously bestowed upon himself way back in 2004, it is about time that he realised the error of his own ways, and must surely reinvent his own footballing mantra.

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Phil.

Jack Grealish: The New Gazza?

Long heralded as a midfield superstar of the future, England’s latest international break may well have earmarked the long awaited breakthrough of one of the finest footballers to grace the engine room since a certain Paul Gascoigne.

Touted for greatness by many on the terraces and the press room, it is only now that Jack Grealish has been blessed with the trust of a manager in Gareth Southgate who has certainly not been swayed by the ever expanding media clamor to include the Birmingham born trickster into his starting eleven, that is until now.

Captain of his home town club Aston villa, his form in the previous season where Villa narrowly escaped relegation was suitably excellent, yet Southgate remained unconvinced, leaving him out of England squads on a regular basis.

Since the season has got underway both the club and himself have begun the season in fine fettle, with the villans currently nestled in 6th place. Whilst Grealish himself has been the chief architect of much of Aston Villa’s impressive form, registering four goals and five assists from the first seven games of the season, including a monumental 7-2 victory over the current champions Liverpool.

For Southgate to ignore his early season contributions would have been foolhardy, and he duly rewarded him with three starts in the last three fixtures against Belgium, Iceland, and the Republic of Ireland. The latter being the country that he had controversially shunned in order to represent England.

In return, Southgate was repaid by the bucket load with three performances that oozed composure, style and charisma. A player not afraid to take the game to the opposition , a constant menace, a creator, a goalscorer, and the most fouled man in the Premier League.

It can certainly be a valid argument that the England managers tough love may well have provoked an internal resilience and toughness in Grealish, who much like Gascoigne himself has been no stranger to off the pitch shenanigans making the front pages rather than the back. As during the first national lockdown in April he was caught breaking restrictions and became a figure of derision rather than the new found genius he is being touted as right here and now.

What will always be evident with the general public however is that regardless of your off the field indiscretions, as long as you give your heart and soul to the England badge, you can and will be forgiven for your sins. Therefore it is easy to see why the comparisons to the much loved Gazza are banded across our national newspapers and various social media channels.

Gazza himself courted much controversy throughout his career off the pitch, yet every time he stepped over the white line his ability on the field and emotion filled displays captured the imagination of us the fans like no other in recent memory. He shone on the grandest stages and made watching England a joy to behold, as he wove his magic across the pitch and every player who was fortunate enough to share a pitch with him lay testament to the fact he is a once in a lifetime talent.

Yet could we the emergence of a new maverick who can pick up the mantle from the Geordie artist and flourish in time for England’s assault on the re-arranged European Championships in 2021?

I believe that he certainly houses the talent to be a key cog in the England machine for many years to come but it remains to be seen if the mental resiliency to be able to perform at an elite level is in his make up. Certainly he shows a maturity on the pitch and is captain of the club he professes to love and recently signed a contract extension that will now fend off the many suitors that may well have distracted him from his on the field duties. In kind he has has finally got his just rewards with his recent maiden England start and after the last week it is certainly in his hands according to Southgate if he is to stay there, after impressing the previously stubborn and dubious England manager.

It is my hope that with the extra onus and responsibility placed on his twenty five year old shoulders, Grealish can raise his performances to a new level and if he does it consistently and shines at a major tournament I would then suggest it would be time to favorably draw comparisons between the two. However, I believe that Jack is his own man and must focus on the attributes that have won him so many glowing plaudits from fans and fellow players alike.

Unfortunately in English football we have seen many false dawns on this matter, as after one or two good performances we have seemingly found the new Gazza on numerous occasions, and like many others before him I hope that Jack doesn’t fall by the wayside.

The roll call of failed pretenders to the Geordie wizard’s throne make for unpleasant reading, with some cursed by injury and others succumbing to the the trappings and temptations that are now on offer off the pitch for the modern professional.

Jack Wilshere instantly springs into the forefront of this thought process, as at the tender age of 18 it seemed he was destined for the very top in the sport as his performances in an Arsenal shirt saw a meteoric rise in the pecking order for club and country, as it seemed as though we had that world class operator in our ranks once again.

His appalling injury record soon shattered any hope for him as a worthy successor, with persistent failure to rediscover his best form after a a seemingly endless catalogue of injuries, he now finds himself languishing in limbo without a club at 28 years of age.

Elsewhere we have seen the likes of David Bentley, Ravel Morrison, and Ross Barkley all flatter to deceive. Whilst most recently, and by far the most disappointing is the vanishing act of Dele Alli’s form for club and country in recent months.

Arriving from Mk Dons for a meagre £5 million pounds, here is another player who burst onto the scene with a hunger and youthful exuberance that made him such an explosive player to watch as his superb goals and assists ratio for Spurs propelled him into the starting line up for England.

For a time it seemed this gifted youngster had possessed something special as so many of his goals were dazzling and spectacular in nature, whilst his creativity in the centre of the park allowed him to establish a formidable connection with his club team mate and England captain Harry Kane.

However we have recently seen much of that early promise evaporate, as he has found himself dropped from England squads and can sadly now be found warming the bench at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as it seems fame and fortune may well have blunted his appetite and enthusiasm to be a cornerstone of England’s potential future success.

For Grealish to prosper in his new found status it is absolutely crucial that he avoids these pitfalls if he is to deliver on the vast promise that is clearly there for all to see.

Too many times we have seen the embers of a new dawn extinguished by hyperbole and poor professional application by players in order for us to get carried away once again. Yet it is my hope that Grealish can buck this trend and continue to light up both the Premier League and the international stage with his mature and sophisticated performances.

Whatever the future holds in store for both player and country, Jack must look to carve out his own niche as a performer and if that draws comparisons with Gazza along the way then so be it.

It is now evident that he must knuckle down and focus on the future if he desires to be a success and with his new found fame the pressure on him to perform will be amplified. It will ultimately be the ability to handle this pressure which will determine his fate as a future great of the game, alas his destiny is entirely in his own talented hands and feet.

I would strongly suggest that without a shadow of a doubt Jack has all the qualities required to thrive as his own man, and I hope he utilises every facet of his make up in order to excel in the game, which will hopefully lead to Success for English Football.

Furthermore, I am also certain that there will never be another footballer quite like the marvel that was Paul John Gascoigne.

Thanks for reading!

For further articles click on any of the links down below or use the menu button at the head of this page.

Phil.

Football: A Troubled Marriage

There has been various articles at this magazine where I have recollected some of the finer moments and memories that football has granted us throughout the years.

But today its time for a change of tact, to answer the question that has eaten away at my passion for the sport for a number of years now.

Has football lost its way?

For me It seems that the chasm between modern footballers and spectators of the game is ever expanding. For a pastime that was once billed as a game for the people it really is a crying shame that Premier League Football with its vast financial wealth and clout seem to have marginalised what makes our game so very special, us the fans.

The roar, the hustle and bustle of the matchday crowd is an event that you can always recollect fondly on your first time at an arena. Passion, emotion, and tension streams from the stands and vastly enhances the theatre that plays out in front of us, and now with the pandemic era of football in full swing this is more evident than ever before.

Players that share these traits now seem to be part of a by-gone era, as the celebrity Instagram culture seems to have penetrated into not only the realms of our everyday lives but also into many facets of modern Football, casting a shadow on our beloved national game that we have nurtured and cared for so much.

Watching the game growing up as a Manchester United fan I was transfixed by the blood and guts style of play not only by United, but also any opponent that would face off against them. Titanic battles between heated rivals such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea would leave me salivating for the next game on the horizon, as my own enthusiasm for victory would be mirrored by the warriors that would be stepping out onto the pitch every weekend.

Every match contested with gusto and thunder would keep us glued to our tv screens, teetering on the edge of our arm chairs or bar stools, as every win or loss for either team always seemed to matter so much more.

The battle would often begin in earnest as the teams lined up beside each other in the tunnel, a look of steely of determination in the eyes, fired up for the task ahead, waiting to leave every ounce of blood sweat and tears out on the pitch.

This has now been replaced by obligatory hugs, handshakes, and friendly chatter that seem to quell my own and the players thirst for battle before the match has even got underway. Whilst in defeat the same players are often seen smiling and swapping shirts afterwards whilst the fans trudge home disconsolate and broken hearted.

This attitude of the games new generation seems to have watered down such a vital dimension of the game and in my view it is what made football like no other sport and so rewarding for its fanbase, for victory achieved by grit and strength of character always tasted so much sweeter.

This tribal culture and sense of belonging to the badge has recently been derided and disregarded too many times by a new breed of football player.

Far too often extortionate amounts of money change hands for players in terms of transfers and wages, whilst within a few days the new kid on the block confesses his love for his new employers and how he has dreamed of playing there since he was a child.

It’s a yarn that has now been spun far too many times and myself and many others see straight through the façade, yearning for the days past where player loyalty and love for his team truly meant something. As it seems players no longer look towards championships and trophies, instead it seems that the pay packet is what drives any young talent coming through from grass root level.

I’m baffled by the obsession with social media and the constant flaunting of wealth by so many. This will only serve to widen the gap between spectators and footballers even more so, as it is that connection that we as supporters thrive on with our chosen team, and without it the game will eventually become meaningless.

I could never comprehend that my love for the sport would ever begin to dwindle, but here we are where it seems that it no longer holds such an important role in my life. Gone are the days of teams, managers and players fighting tooth and nail for medals and championship honours. Now replaced by young wealthy men that seem to be more concerned about their FIFA rating on Playstation, or the latest expensive car that they can lay there hands on, all without ever actually achieving anything in the game whatsoever.

I blame the shift in society for this new wave of unmotivated footballers as they have been raised in a culture where fame and notoriety can be won without a shred of actual talent. We seem to aimlessly compete with each other across social media platforms attempting to justify our own existence in the world, and that for me has seeped into mainstream sport as previously mentioned.

Fashion and clothing lines are even released by truly mediocre players that serve to line their already bulging pockets, which can only turn off the paying public who are being fleeced for money by multiple subscriptions services to even watch a match on tv.

I truly hope that one day we can close this gap and get back to what made us fall in love with the game to begin with.

Performance’s that echo our spirit and enthusiasm for the game need to follow from the players as too often a lack of commitment suggests that selfies and sponsorship deals matter more in the long term.

This article may be seen as a slight on our game as it currently stands, but it is something that I feel very strongly about, as there is too many Mesut Ozil’s in the game and not enough Cristiano Ronaldo’s.

Cristiano embodies some of the criticisms housed in this article, but it cannot be denied his fantastic ability and outright desire to be the best on the pitch and for that he deserves all of the trappings of his own monumental success.

I believe that greed and wealth from clubs and players alike is slowly detaching people from the sport and where it will all lead eventually can only be speculated on, as it has seemingly turned into nothing more than a millionaires playground for many.

Throw the introduction of VAR into an already volatile mix, it has now become a recipe for disaster.

Further contempt from avid followers of the game has arisen, with many up in arms with its affect on the sport. Since its inception it has been an unmitigated failure in my eyes as it has now turned many matches into atmosphere vacuums as we can no longer even celebrate the high point of any game, the goals.

Inconsistent decision making and flawed logic when making these refereeing calls is having a highly detrimental effect on the sport, as it is forcing us the fans to hold back our emotional investment in the game. This being the magical ingredient that the game must continue to encourage in order to withhold its mass appeal.

I hope that one day football can return to its former glories as it is such a marvellous spectacle when all positive facets of the game are on full display.

But this can only happen if clubs and their staff begin to understand that football is built on the foundation of its supporters.

Whilst continuing to raise ticket prices, replica shirt sales and subscription services to line rank average playing staffs pockets is no longer viable in the current climate.

Football will eventually find itself at a crossroads in my opinion and I sincerely hope that it will realise the errors of its own ways and we can embrace it once more as something to love and cherish all over again.

I would suggest Scrapping VAR and introducing a salary cap would be a mammoth step in the right direction.

Feel free to discuss any of my viewpoints down below.

Thanks for reading!

For further reading click on any of the articles down below or use the menu button at the head of this page.

Phil.

Football’s Most Incredible Moments: Top 10

Exhilaration, inspiration, drama, and at times pure heartbreak.

This a minor snippet of the vast range of emotions that the wonderful game of football manages to coerce from us over the course of 90 minutes.

This countdown is here to provide us with a reminder of the most enthralling moments that have taken us to the heights of ecstasy and the agony of despair.

Since its birth in England over one hundred years ago, we have boar witness to history making events that have impacted not only the sport itself but also society, due to the games long held ability to unify countries and community’s as one. Its vast popularity placing football at the forefront of the sporting fraternity for many decades.

Battles for supremacy on the pitch, fight backs from the jaws of certain defeat, exquisite goals, and outright controversy all find themselves in this compilation.

Read on as we delve into the archives and re-live some of the extraordinary events that have shaped and defined the history of the beautiful game.

10. Brazil 1-7 Germany.

World Cup 2014 host’s Brazil welcomed their German counterparts into their own backyard in a semi-final clash that was billed as a clash of the titans, with both teams owners of a rich history in football’s premiere international competition.

Shorn of their talisman Neymar after a fractured vertebrae in the quarter finals, much was still expected from the five time World Champions. What transpired was a comprehensive mauling that left a nations dreams crushed underneath the ruthless German hammer, as a completely lopsided contest played out in front of a partizan Brazilian home crowd that had come to expect so much from their national side.

Trailing 5-0 within the first 30 minutes of the match, the Brazilian players were all at sea as wave after wave of German attackers waltzed through a shambolic defence to plunder the Brazilian net time and time again.

Germany added two more in a second half that reinforced the sheer dominance that was on display, a team that would ultimately be crowned as winners of the entire tournament.

A late consolation from Chelsea midfielder Oscar would do little to console a crowd that had just witnessed the biggest annihilation in World Cup semi-final history, whilst the players themselves openly wept on the pitch. It was a performance later described as a national humiliation.

A result that seemed unfathomable beforehand left football fans around the world in utter disbelief, and for Brazil themselves it will never be forgotten for all the wrong reasons.

Click on the page numbers down below to continue the countdown.