What was the most shocking blowout in World Cup history?
Germany's 7-1 victory over Brazil in 2014 is the largest margin of defeat in World Cup semifinal history.
Known as the 'Mineirazo,' this match stunned the world as host nation Brazil suffered its first competitive home loss in 62 years. Germany scored five goals in the first 29 minutes, a pace so fast that broadcasters struggled to update the on-screen graphics. It remains the only time a team has scored seven goals in a World Cup semifinal.
Nerd Mode
On July 8, 2014, at the Estádio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte, Germany delivered a performance that rewrote the record books of international football. The 7-1 scoreline surpassed the previous record for a World Cup semifinal margin, which was held by three different 6-1 matches in 1930 and 1954. Germany's offensive efficiency was historic, as they scored four goals in a span of just six minutes between the 23rd and 29th minutes of the first half.Statistical analysis from Opta confirmed that Miroslav Klose became the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer during this match, netting his 16th career goal to surpass Brazil's own Ronaldo. Toni Kroos also set a record by scoring the two fastest consecutive goals in World Cup history, occurring just 69 seconds apart. The defeat ended Brazil's 62-match unbeaten run in competitive home games, a streak that had lasted since their loss to Peru in the 1975 Copa América.The psychological impact on the 58,141 spectators and the Brazilian population was compared to the 1950 'Maracanazo,' when Brazil lost the final to Uruguay on home soil. Data from Twitter showed the match set a record at the time for the most-discussed sports event in the platform's history, generating 35.6 million tweets. Germany's tactical discipline and high-pressing system under coach Joachim Löw culminated in them winning the final 1-0 against Argentina five days later.
Verified Fact
FP-0009332 · Feb 21, 2026