Without Neymar in the squad, Brazilian fans are left wondering what will be left of their dream. Being able to win a World Cup is a prize in itself, but being able to do it in your own country is the greatest prize of all.
The Barcelona star suffered broken vertebrae against Colombia, which will more than likely see him miss the remainder of the tournament. Thiago Silva’s yellow card will also see him miss out on Tuesday’s semifinal meeting with Germany.
We will take a look at some facts and stats, which may or may not help you figure out who could come out victorious between these two international football giants.
Germany Has Never Played Brazil En Route To A World Cup Title
With three World Cup titles their name, Germany has never had to go head-to-head against the samba kings during any of their three championship campaigns. In 1954, then West Germany defeated Hungary 3-2, earning themselves their first ever World Cup triumph.
Twenty years later, West Germany hosted the World Cup. Gerd Müller and his German squad went on to claim their second title, having only conceded four goals in the tournament.
In 1990, Germany returned to World Cup glory in Italy. An 85th minute goal from Andreas Brehme was enough for Die Mannschaft to raise the title once again.
Luiz Felipe Scolari Is Undefeated In The World Cup As Manager Of Brazil
At age 65, Scolari has managed over 20 clubs and countries, and he is now on his second stint with the Seleção. His first time around, Scolari led Brazil through a remarkable campaign in the 2002 World Cup. They won all three of their group matches against Turkey, Costa Rica and China, scoring 11 goals and only conceding three along the way.
After knocking out Belgium, England and Turkey, Felipão helped his squad overcome Germany in the final. Two goals from Ronaldo sealed the deal for Brazil, earning them their fifth World Cup title.
Miroslav Klose Is Chasing The Record
Klose is already 36-years old, but that will not stop the Polish born striker from going after a historic milestone. With 15 goals scored in the World Cup, Klose is tied with Brazil’s Ronaldo for the all-time leading scorer in the tournament. One goal will put him above the Brazilian striker, in what could be his final World Cup.
His debut World Cup was in 2002, when Brazil defeated Germany in the final. In that tournament, Klose scored five goals, all of which were headers. He also scored give goals in the 2010 World Cup, earning himself the Golden Boot of the tournament, making him the first German to win the title since the reunification.
Not knowing if he will get a second chance, if given the opportunity, Klose could put himself in the record books, against Ronaldo’s Brazil on Tuesday.
Goals Should Be Expected
From their last four meetings, whether that be a friendly or an official match, there have been 14 goals scored between the two of them. That gives us an average total of 3.5 goals per match when these two sides meet.
They have both scored 10 goals in the current tournament, having played five matches. Conceding has not really been their thing, as they are both averaging less than a goal against thus far. The hosts have conceded in every match with the exception of their scoreless draw against Mexico. As for Germany, only their two African opponents were able to score on them, Algeria and Ghana.
We are still yet to see if Neymar's absence will hurt their goal-scoring abilities. Meanwhile defensively, without Thiago Silva, the Brazilian back-four will be put to the test against a German side that has the personnel to create a lot of chances.
Watch the 2014 World Cup Semi-Final Brazil vs Germany
Don’t miss the highly anticipated match featuring hosts Brazil against the mighty Germany. Brazil will do everything they possibly can to ensure they make the final which will be played in the Maracanã. The match kicks-off at 4pm EST / 1pm PST / 8pm GMT.
Check our complete and comprehensive global broadcast listings across all platforms (Internet, TV and Radio) Check Brazil vs Germany Live broadcast listings.
