It’s no small irony that the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, although almost universally hailed as one of the best tournaments ever, is destined to retain a unique place in football history, not for all its great games and great goals, but because of one match when, to put it at its mildest, the sublime gave way to the ridiculous.

As Germany and Argentina prepare to contest tomorrow’s decider at the Maracana, there is one last opportunity for a sensational World Cup to finally achieve greatness

Brazil has been numbed by the 7-1 humiliation to Germany in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday night.