More important than the disappointment, Trengrouse said, is that Brazil’s staging of the tournament is considered a triumph.
“It was a huge success for Brazil and its image overseas, and Brazilians are very proud of this,” Trengrouse said. “That outweighs the impact of the losses.”
In another sense, Brazil’s failure signaled a democratizing of soccer at this World Cup. Costa Rica, for instance, reached the quarterfinals for the first time and came within a game — a loss to the Netherlands in a penalty shootout — of the semifinals.
“In current football, anything can happen,” Raul Meireles, a midfielder from Portugal, said early in the tournament. “There are no easy games. I don’t think there are favored teams anymore.”
In the end, two international powers met in Sunday’s final. And at least among Brazilian fans, the outcome was deserved and jubilantly received.
“Germany beating us, 7-1, was still better than Argentina winning today,” Juliana Nunez, 19, a day care worker, said at Copacabana Beach in Rio.
“It was a huge success for Brazil and its image overseas, and Brazilians are very proud of this,” Trengrouse said. “That outweighs the impact of the losses.”
In another sense, Brazil’s failure signaled a democratizing of soccer at this World Cup. Costa Rica, for instance, reached the quarterfinals for the first time and came within a game — a loss to the Netherlands in a penalty shootout — of the semifinals.
“In current football, anything can happen,” Raul Meireles, a midfielder from Portugal, said early in the tournament. “There are no easy games. I don’t think there are favored teams anymore.”
In the end, two international powers met in Sunday’s final. And at least among Brazilian fans, the outcome was deserved and jubilantly received.
“Germany beating us, 7-1, was still better than Argentina winning today,” Juliana Nunez, 19, a day care worker, said at Copacabana Beach in Rio.
Those wearing yellow and green jerseys, Brazil’s colors, cheered loudly at Maracanã when a goal by Argentina was disallowed after an offside call in the 30th minute. They pumped their arms when Messi rolled a shot just wide in the 47th minute. And they hugged when Götze scored the winning goal in the 113th minute.
“I’m very happy,” Alex Domingues, 17, a security worker, said near the stadium. “We didn’t want Argentina to take the title in Brazil. It would have been a national shame.”
