The losing gallery always fills up with each World Cup, but no scenario is more tragic and shocking than the one experiences by Brazil players and fans, having to digest the fact that they’ve just been humiliated by Germany in the semifinal, losing 7-1.

The tears were flowing in the first half, as Germany were mercilessly making Brazil pay for every defensive error. When the third goal came, it was clear this was something historic, something special. Something no one will ever forget.

The players who went through this humiliation will never forget it. No one will ever let them get it off of their minds. Scarred for life, no matter what else they achieve with their clubs or country. That’s how important football is. That’s how big in magnitude this loss was.

And Germany? They’ve grown accustomed to some big wins in recent years. They had two of them in the 2010 World Cup. They had one to start this World Cup with. But nothing like this, which will be remembered as the greatest in the history of the national team if they end up lifting the trophy.