The 2018 World Cup witnessed moments that will forever be
etched in the minds of football fans. The Kazan Arena, a stadium that has
hosted its fair share of drama, became the setting for the sudden exit of two
of football’s heavyweights: Germany and Argentina. While Argentina’s downfall
was perhaps not entirely unexpected—given their lack of tactical coherence and
direction—Germany's exit was nothing short of a riddle. Watching the World
Champions bow out to South Korea was a sight that defied belief. Since I began
following football in 1988, I have never witnessed a German side perform so
poorly on the World Cup stage.
Jonathan Wilson’s words about Kazan will surely echo through
the ages: “In years to come when this stadium is a crumbling white elephant,
they will sit in almost empty stands, hear the wind whisper across the marsh
that surrounds it, and believe what they hear are the ghosts of giants. In
three games, Kazan has claimed the winners of 11 World Cups.” The ghosts of
footballing greatness lingered in the air, but for some, the spectre of failure
overshadowed the hallowed turf.
But the biggest shock for many came on June 7, 2018, when
Brazil—still the overwhelming favourite—lost to Belgium in a dramatic
quarterfinal. With all due respect to Belgium, who had a formidable team,
Brazil's surrender felt like a betrayal of their legacy. The Samba Boys had all
the qualities necessary to lift the trophy—flair, skill, and an almost
invincible aura. But despite dominating the opening stages, Brazil were undone
by a combination of mistakes, missed opportunities, and clinical finishing from
Roberto Martínez’s men. To the astonishment of millions of Brazil's loyal
supporters, Belgium weathered the storm and advanced to the semifinals for the
first time in 32 years.
A Brazil defeat in the knockout stage of a World Cup is a
shock to the system, a jarring experience that takes the sheen off the
tournament for many. For decades, Brazil’s presence at the global stage has
been synonymous with brilliance. Their elimination—especially at the hands of a
side like Belgium—was nothing short of heartbreaking for their fans.
Why Brazil Lost - A Tactical Analysis
Several
interwoven factors converged to orchestrate Brazil’s downfall on that fateful
night—a tapestry of missteps, structural flaws, and cruel twists of fate. It
would not be hyperbole to describe their defeat as the consequence of a
sequence of unfortunate decisions and pivotal moments.
At the
heart of Brazil’s troubles lay the absence of Casemiro, the indispensable
shield of their midfield. Without his disciplined reading of danger and
forceful interceptions, Brazil’s spine was left exposed. Fernandinho, tasked
with filling this critical role, found himself outmatched throughout. His
struggles were twofold: not only did he fail to provide the robust screen
needed to thwart Belgium’s incisive counters, but he also unwittingly put
Brazil on the back foot with an own goal that would prove costly. His inability
to track Kevin De Bruyne or regain control under Belgium’s pressing proved to
be one of the night’s decisive fault lines.
Tite’s
decision to start Marcelo over the steadier Filipe Luís compounded these
issues. Given Romelu Lukaku’s intriguing deployment as a right-sided wide
forward, Brazil’s left-back was required to exercise caution and positional
discipline—qualities that have never been Marcelo’s foremost attributes. Too
often, he was caught ahead of the ball, leaving vast tracts of grass behind him
for Lukaku to surge into. It was from precisely such a scenario that Belgium
struck again, with Lukaku carrying the ball forward before laying it off to De
Bruyne, who dispatched a searing shot beyond Alisson’s reach.
As the
match wore on, Brazil gradually rediscovered their rhythm. Tite, seeking to
claw the game back, introduced Roberto Firmino and Douglas Costa to sharpen his
side’s attacking thrust. Wave after wave of Brazilian attacks ensued—over 20
shots in total—but time and again they found themselves repelled by Belgium’s
resolute defending and the towering presence of Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian
goalkeeper stood as an impenetrable wall, thwarting Brazil’s most intricate
efforts with an almost cruel certainty.
Structurally,
Brazil remained in their familiar 4-3-3, albeit with two significant
adjustments. Marcelo’s return from injury was supposed to restore verve down
the left, while Fernandinho stepped in for the suspended Casemiro. In the early
stages, Tite’s side created the more dangerous opportunities, particularly
through inswinging corners that tested Belgium’s organisation. Thiago Silva
nearly handed Brazil the perfect start but saw his close-range touch ricochet
off the post.
Yet
football often punishes wastefulness. It was Belgium who struck first,
capitalising on Brazil’s vulnerability when Fernandinho inadvertently headed
into his own net. Chasing the game from the 13th minute, Brazil began
funnelling their attacks down the flanks, as Belgium’s midfield compacted
centrally. Neymar, however, found himself shackled by a clever Belgian
plan—Marouane Fellaini and Thomas Meunier doubled up effectively, denying him
the space to weave his magic.
Marcelo’s
overlapping runs were infrequent and oddly hesitant. Too often he lingered
behind Neymar, resorting to hopeful crosses that were easily dealt with by
Belgium’s imposing back three. The samba spark was conspicuously absent,
replaced by a mechanical rhythm that Belgium dealt with comfortably.
The game’s
pivotal tactical imbalance lay in Fernandinho’s positioning. With Belgium
continually threatening in transitions, the Manchester City midfielder drifted
right to cover for the advancing Fagner, abandoning the centre. Even so, this
adjustment did little to plug the gaps. It was precisely from this fractured
shape that Belgium added their second—Lukaku bulldozing forward, unchallenged,
before releasing De Bruyne for a stunning strike that underscored Brazil’s
fragility.
Neymar and
Coutinho began finding greater joy down the left as the half wore on.
Coutinho’s smart movements and curling deliveries probed Belgium’s back line,
but the usually incisive runs of Paulinho went missing. Despite Neymar’s
darting dribbles, Belgium stood firm and took their two-goal lead into the
break.
Tite’s
second-half substitutions were proactive but ultimately insufficient. Firmino
replaced the peripheral Willian, pushing Gabriel Jesus wide right—a position
that nullified his central instincts. Later, Douglas Costa’s introduction gave
Brazil direct dribbling threats on both flanks. The Juventus winger
relentlessly drove at Belgium, forcing Jan Vertonghen to step out and leaving
central gaps. Coutinho began to exploit these spaces, and it was through such a
passage that he picked out Renato Augusto, whose delicate header breathed life
into Brazil’s hopes.
Augusto’s
energetic runs continued to trouble Belgium, and he might have equalised had he
not scuffed a gilt-edged chance wide. Belgium, by continuing to leave three
players forward, lived dangerously. Neymar and Costa gradually seized control
of the channels, stretching Belgium’s defensive shape to its limits. But time,
cruelly, slipped away, and with it Brazil’s composure in front of goal.
A late
flourish was thwarted by Courtois’ acrobatic intervention, cementing Belgium’s
place in the semi-finals and sealing Brazil’s fate. As the whistle blew, it was
clear this was not merely a tactical defeat, but a narrative woven from missed
chances, individual lapses, and the brilliance of Belgium’s counter-attacking
symphony—a night where destiny favoured the Red Devils and left Brazil to
contemplate what might have been.
Neymar’s
Disappointing Performance
Then there was Neymar. The Brazilian talisman, who had been
hyped as the man who would lead his country to World Cup glory, was
disappointingly absent when Brazil needed him most. Neymar had his moments, but
the spark and magic that we associate with Brazilian football legends like
Pelé, Garrincha, Romário, and Ronaldo was missing. His performance was far from
the game-changing influence fans had hoped for, and even his PSG teammate,
Thomas Meunier, remarked on Neymar's lacklustre display. The weight of
expectation proved too much for the 26-year-old, who failed to make the impact
that Brazil so desperately needed.
The VAR Controversy
Adding to Brazil’s woes was the controversial role of VAR.
Throughout the tournament, Brazil felt that they were not given the necessary
support from referees or VAR. The tackle by Vincent Kompany on Gabriel Jesus in
the penalty box, which many thought should have been a penalty, was not
reviewed, and no action was taken. Whether it was a case of bias or simply bad
luck, the lack of favourable calls left many Brazilian fans frustrated and
feeling unjustly treated.
Unlucky Brazil?
Luck, as they say, plays a significant role in football, and
on that night, Brazil had none on their side. As Jonathan Wilson pointed out,
Belgium rode their luck, enduring numerous close calls. Thiago Silva’s header
against the post, Paulinho’s miss, and Courtois’s heroic saves were all moments
where fortune could have swung in Brazil’s favor. Yet, Belgium remained
resilient, cutting through Brazil on the counterattack, always looking
dangerous with every break forward.
Martínez’s Tactical
Masterstroke
Head coach
Roberto Martinez made two significant changes to Belgium’s starting line-up,
introducing Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli in place of Dries Mertens and
Yannick Carrasco. Tactically, Belgium retained their now-familiar defensive
back three in possession, though this often morphed into a back four when
defending deeper.
Notably,
Chadli’s role diverged from the conventional wing-back duties Belgium had
employed earlier in the tournament. Instead of forming a back five out of
possession, the West Bromwich Albion man frequently tucked into central areas,
bolstering Fellaini and Axel Witsel in shielding the middle. When Belgium had
the ball, however, Chadli and Thomas Meunier stretched wide, reverting to the
classic wing-back model and offering critical width.
Belgium
were content to cede early possession to Brazil, inviting them to advance their
lines. In an intriguing tactical wrinkle, Romelu Lukaku began on the right
flank, with Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne fluidly rotating across the forward
line. Brazil carved out the initial opportunities and arguably should have
taken the lead. But with De Bruyne occupying a more advanced, almost false-nine
role, Belgium posed an ever-present menace on the counter. Their rapid
transitions from deep began to repeatedly pierce Brazil’s structure, with De
Bruyne’s drifting movements forging seamless links between defence and attack.
It was
somewhat against the tide of play that Belgium struck first—Fernandinho
inadvertently nodding into his own net from a near-post corner. This setback
compelled Brazil into a more aggressive posture, precisely the invitation
Belgium craved. The ensuing spaces in midfield and defence proved fertile
ground for their blistering counters.
In
possession, Brazil pushed both full-backs high, with Fernandinho dropping
between the centre-backs to orchestrate from deep. Yet the Manchester City man,
deputising for the suspended Casemiro, lacked the same defensive acumen in
one-on-one duels, and Belgium repeatedly exploited this frailty. De Bruyne roamed
with almost spectral freedom, drifting from central pockets into the channels
before darting behind Brazil’s last line.
Belgium’s
most incisive transitions emerged through the elegant interplay between Hazard
and De Bruyne. Often gravitating toward the same flank, the pair drew Brazilian
defenders en masse, opening vast swathes on the opposite side. This frequently
allowed switches toward Meunier and Fellaini, who together outnumbered Marcelo
down Belgium’s right.
Despite
enjoying less of the ball, Belgium’s threat only swelled. Their second goal
epitomised the ruthless dynamism of their approach. Echoing their late winner
against Japan, they surged forward after a defensive clearance. Lukaku’s robust
hold-up play and surging carry dismantled Brazil’s midfield shape, before he
released De Bruyne, who drove an unerring shot low beyond Alisson into the far
corner.
The second
half, however, brought renewed challenges. Tite’s introductions of Roberto
Firmino and Douglas Costa injected directness and width, pinning Belgium back.
Maintaining three players high up the pitch, with De Bruyne only sporadically
dropping in to assist, Belgium invited waves of Brazilian pressure. When Brazil
finally clawed a goal back, Martinez acted decisively.
Belgium
shifted into a more resolute back five, though their earlier fluid transitions
between a back three and four had all but evaporated. While this reinforced
structure initially offered resistance, Brazil’s relentless advances—buoyed by
Firmino’s clever movement and Costa’s aggressive dribbling—had Belgium
teetering.
Yet this
aggressive Brazilian shape was a double-edged sword. Keeping Hazard, Lukaku,
and De Bruyne forward granted Brazil room to build but simultaneously preserved
Belgium’s capacity to break decisively. De Bruyne continued to drop and knit
passes through midfield, while Hazard and Lukaku’s positioning in the
half-spaces stretched Brazil’s defensive fabric thin. Surprisingly, Belgium
lacked the clinical touch for a third goal that would have sealed matters
unequivocally.
Ultimately,
it fell to Thibaut Courtois, with a late sprawling save, to safeguard Belgium’s
triumph. As the final whistle confirmed a landmark victory, Martinez’s side
stood tantalisingly close—just one win away from an unprecedented World Cup
final, their blend of strategic discipline and counter-attacking poetry having
undone one of football’s perennial heavyweights.
Conclusion
Brazil’s exit from the World Cup is a bitter pill to
swallow. Despite being well-prepared, the dream of a sixth World Cup
title—HEXA—remains unfulfilled. This defeat, though painful, is a reminder of
the unpredictable nature of football, where the best-laid plans can be undone
by a series of unfortunate events and decisions. The shock of Brazil’s
departure will linger in the hearts of millions, but as the tournament
progresses, the world will move on. For now, Brazil’s golden generation must
return home and reflect on a missed opportunity, while Belgium moves on,
continuing their quest for glory.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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