In the course of 18 minutes, world football might have changed forever. The World Cup that Brazil had long dreamed about, the one they had billed as the chance to redeem the 1950 loss to Uruguay on home soil, suddenly became a national embarrassment. Few expected Brazil to beat Germany today in the semifinal without Neymar and Thiago Silva, but I don’t think anybody saw the complete demolition coming. In just 18 minutes, Germany destroyed Brazil’s World Cup.

It’s hard to examine the play on the field in a game like this behind a certain point. Germany were incredible offensively, but after the second or third goal, as much of that was down to Brazil giving up as it was their own brilliance. That being said though, Germany played out of their minds in the first half and for much of the second. It seems wrong to single out any individual above any other, because really, they were all at their best in the 18 minutes that mattered. The midfield was given ample space and time on the ball in dangerous areas, and they picked Brazil apart with every single pass. The finishing was lethal, and there isn’t much more to say other than that die Mannschaft were simply a delight to watch.

Manuel Neuer was once again outstanding in between the posts, and even when Brazil threatened early in the second half, Neuer kept his composure and made all the necessary saves. Another performance like this one will put fear in Germany’s next opponents, as frankly, Neuer doesn’t look like he’s letting anything get by him in the final. As fluid as the German attack was today, Germany’s biggest strength is their keeper.

But the story won’t be about Germany hardly at all. It’s about a Brazil side that gave up without it’s star. When things went wrong, there was no fight – no desire to do anything about it. They were resigned to defeat the moment the game began. It’s one thing not to believe. But it’s another entirely to lose the will to compete in a World Cup semifinal on home soil. Watching so many players fail to close down German opposition – jogging instead of sprinting – should make every Brazilian sick. This Brazil team should be embarrassed beyond any reprieve. There is no excuse for giving up.

You wonder if this team will be given a free pass of sort because of Neymar’s injury. Yes, he was their superstar, their inspiration and the reason for their success, but Neymar is only one player in a squad of 23. He wouldn’t have been the one defending Germany today, and even if he had played, Brazil would have leaked goals. Neymar’s broken back may have caused the lack of fight, but the real cause of today’s embarrassment was the absence of Thiago Silva in defense. Without the Brazilian captain in the heart of defense, David Luiz, Dante and everybody else had no idea what they were doing. It was like they had never played together. There were spaces everywhere, and the disorganization was rather pathetic. Luiz and Dante are two of the best defenders in the world, but today they looked like high schoolers. Julio Cesar had no chance in net, and he has every right to be angry about the lack of defending in front of him.

There will be much written about Luiz Felipe Scolari and his inability to have his team prepared for life without Neymar and Silva. Much of the blame should rightly fall on him. However, the players themselves – Marcelo, Fernandinho, Luiz, Dante, Maicon, Hulk, etc. – deserve the brunt of the criticism. This embarrassment won’t soon be forgotten in Brazil, and the players have no excuses. People still talk about the Maracanazo in 1950, but this was much worse than even that. The lack of fight in this squad will be remembered forever.

For Germany, today was just about perfect. But in the grand scheme of things, this rout will mean nothing if they don’t carry over their form into the final. Should they fail to lift the trophy, the seven goals today won’t matter much more than any other game for the Germans. However, for Brazil, this result did matter. And everyone involved should be ashamed.