2014 World Cup: Brazil’s Player Performance Reviews vs. Croatia

By Sebastian Gonzalez

2014 World Cup: Brazil's Player Performance Reviews vs Croatia

Brazil v Croatia — Brazil's performance against Croatia wasn't as dominating as some would have hoped. Only until the very last minutes of the game, the outcome was still up in the air. But Brazil showed that their individual talents are more than enough to guide them through this tournament. Here are the ratings for each Brazilian player.

14. GK -- Julio Cesar

julio cesar brazil world cup

14. GK -- Julio Cesar

julio cesar brazil world cup — During the first half, Julio Cesar was a mere spectator. Asides from the goal, which he had no responsibility in, he had nothing else to do. When Croatia started to attack more in the latter portion of the second half, Julio Cesar answered well against shots from Modric and Rakitic. Julio Cesar recieves an 8 out of 10.

13. RB -- Dani Alves

dani alves brazil world cup

13. RB -- Dani Alves

dani alves brazil world cup — Dani Alves played similar to how he has played for Barcelona. While he made a habit of going up as much as possible, he left many open spaces for Ivica Olic to take advantage of. Eventually, Croatia's goal was a result of how wide open Olic was. Alves' passes weren't very precise either. His lackluster game only gets him a 6 out 10.

12. CB -- Thiago Silva

thiago silva brazil world cup

12. CB -- Thiago Silva

thiago silva brazil world cup — Up until the later stages of the game, Thiago Silva didn't have much to do. Whenever Jelavic tried to control the ball, he and David Luiz were right there. And when Croatia started to send in long balls, Thiago Silva responded with fantastic defensive headers. A solid performance, an 8 out of 10.

11. CB -- David Luiz

david luiz brazil world cup

11. CB -- David Luiz

david luiz brazil world cup — Similar to Thiago Silva, David Luiz responded perfectly whenever he was asked to defend. Together, they form perhaps one of the best defensive duos in the world. However, Luiz failed in a number of passes that he usually makes, which affected his performance. Overall, a 7.5 out of 10.

10. LB -- Marcelo

marcelo brazil world cup

10. LB -- Marcelo

marcelo brazil world cup — The Real Madrid left-back started out terribly, scoring an unfortunate own-goal that started the game. But he soon got over the mistake, and slowly began to play better. By the end of the game, he was defending just as well as he was going forward. But what he'll be remembered for is the disastrous own-goal. A 6.5 out of 10 for Marcelo.

9. CM -- Paulinho

paulinho brazil world cup

9. CM -- Paulinho

paulinho brazil world cup — Paulinho hustled for the time he was in the game, but that hustle never led to any concrete benefits. He gave away the ball too many times and didn't take advantage of the situations he was given. And because he wasn't getting the job done, he ended up being replaced by Hernanes. Paulinho only gets a 6 out of 10, mostly for effort.

8. CM -- Luiz Gustavo

luiz gustavo world cup brazil

8. CM -- Luiz Gustavo

luiz gustavo world cup brazil — Luiz Gustavo had a fantastic night. If you're wondering how a good defensive midfield should play, watch his performance tonight. Whether he was called to cover one of the wings, or bother Kovacic, or link up the defense and the midfield, Luiz Gustavo made few mistakes. He managed to get a yellow card though, which might affect his future play. A solid 8 out of 10 night for Luiz Gustavo.

7. RW -- Oscar

brazil world cup oscar

7. RW -- Oscar

oscar brazil world cup — Oscar came into the match being highly criticized for his lazy performances during the pre-tournament friendlies. He came out of the match as one of Brazil's best players. He was deployed on the right wing, and that's where most of the damage came from. His passing, crosses, and dribbling had Croatia wondering where they were. He topped off the night with an early candidate for goal of the tournament. Oscar deserves a 9.5 out of 10.

6. LW -- Hulk

hulk brazil world cup

6. LW -- Hulk

hulk brazil world cup — It was a very disappointing night for the superstar named after a superhero. He didn't show up very much throughout the match, and when he did, he was often well defended by Srna. He was rightfully taken out for a change of pace in Bernard. Hulk's performance only gets a 6 out of 10.

5. CAM -- Neymar

neymar brazil world cup

5. CAM -- Neymar

neymar brazil world cup — If you had doubts on whether or not Neymar could handle the pressure of a World Cup, you can put those to rest. Neymar had a fantastic night, highlighted by two goals. When Brazil wasn't playing well, it was Neymar who took the team by the horns and led them. His fantastic dribbling and amazing finishing should put the world on notice. A 9 out of 10 performance for Neymar.

4. ST -- Fred

fred brazil world cup

4. ST -- Fred

fred brazil world cup — It's tough to see how Fred is able to start in such a talented squad, but he fulfills the role that Luiz Felipe Scolari wants him to fill. Fred was the least impactful player in the Brazilian attack, hardly ever getting to touch the ball. He did, however, manage to invent a false penalty, which I suppose is worth giving credit for. Nothing special from Fred, though, so he'll only get a 6 out of 10.

3. Sub -- Hernanes

hernanes world cup brazil

3. Sub -- Hernanes

Hernanes brazil world cup — Hernanes went in as a substitute for Paulinho in order to give Brazil more of a direct attack. And although he only played a short while, the substitution proved successful. He was able to have a few brilliant plays that created solid chances for Brazil. 7 out of 10 for the Inter midfielder.

2. Sub -- Bernard

bernard brazil

2. Sub- - Bernard

bernard brazil — Bernard isn't as well known as Hulk, but after subbing in for him, his performance should get him as much recognition as Hulk. In just a couple of plays, Bernard had much more of an impact than Hulk did throughout his time on the field. His speed and nifty tricks were much appreciated by the fans. A 7 out of 10 for Bernard.

1. Sub -- Ramires

ramires brazil

1. Sub -- Ramires

ramires brazil — It would be unfair to give a rating to Ramires. The Chelsea midfielder played only a couple of minutes to ensure that Brazil didn't lose the match.

Share On Facebook

Share