WATCH: Emotional Neymar in Tears After Brazil Loses vs. Croatia in What Could Be His Final World Cup
What was supposed to be Brazil's return to the top of the soccer world ended in tears and disappointment as Croatia upset and eliminated them from the World Cup. Brazilian superstar, Neymar, was seen in tears as his team lost.
It was a heartbreaker for Brazil, which came in as the favorite to win it all. It was especially heartbreaking for Neymar, who may be playing in his final World Cup, as the Paris Saint-Germaine star is getting older and may not be able to play for Seleção next time in North America.
This was the fourth time in five World Cup tournaments that Brazil was eliminated in the quarterfinals, according to Yahoo! Sports.
After the shocking penalty shootout, Neymar was seen in tears, sitting down on the field as his teammates tried to console the soccer star. A child reportedly ran to the field from the celebrating Croatian side and consoled Neymar. It looked like the child is from Ivan Perisic's family.
The child was initially stopped by security but was let through to console the sobbing soccer superstar. It was Neymar himself who allowed the child through and hugged the young Perisic.
Neymar Played Like a Hero in Brazil vs. Croatia
Regulation time ended in a scoreless draw, so the game had to go to extra time. However, in the game's 106th minute, Neymar showed why he is the team's superstar with a crucial goal, putting Seleção up 1-0. For a while, Neymar was the hero.
However, the celebrations in Brazil were halted around the 117th minute when Croatia managed to tie the game with a crucial goal. This forced the game to go to a penalty kick-off, much like the Argentina vs. Netherlands game.
Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic played hero for Croatia, stopping Rodrygo's penalty kick while Croatia's Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Luka Modric, and Mislav Orsic all sank their penalties, sealing Brazil's fate.
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Brazil Fans in Tears Following Another Quarterfinals Elimination
In Brazil, soccer is basically a religion, and Seleção losing is considered a time for national mourning. The heartbreaking defeat in Qatar was felt all the way home in the streets of Brazil, long considered the most soccer-crazy country.
Before the game, crowds gathered in the familiar yellow and green colors of Brazil, expecting the team to cruise to another victory. However, when the game ended, many were in tears as the team they expected to dominate was eliminated on penalty shots.
"This wasn't what we expected," a fan named Erico Vieira told The Guardian.
He went to a bar in Sao Paulo to watch the match with family and friends. "We played well but we couldn't finish. It was just one of those things. You have to put it down to luck," Vieira added.
Many in Brazil were angry. One sports commentator, Paulo Vinicius Coelho, not to be confused with the bestselling author, called the team out, saying "How can you lose a goal on the counter-attack with ... minutes remaining in extra-time?"
Brazil has not won the World Cup since 2002. This means that they would go at least 23 years without winning the big one. This will be their longest drought since they first won the title in 1958.
Thirty-year-old Neymar is now left wondering if he would be back for the North America World Cup in 2026.
Meanwhile, Croatia will be facing Messi Magic and Argentina next.
READ MORE: Brazil: Is Soccer a Religion in the South American Country?
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: "WORST EVER BRAZIL TEAM!" Emotional Brazil fans react as Croatia knock them out of World Cup! - talkSPORT