To some, it was the greatest disaster since ‘Maracanazo.’ To others, the loss in Belo Horizonte was even more heartbreaking than that infamous defeat. A national tragedy.
For Brazilians, that 7-1 loss has its own name: ‘Mineirazo,’ named after the Mineirão Stadium where the game took place. By now, you’ve probably guessed the match—Brazil’s crushing defeat to Germany in the semifinals of the 2014 World Cup.
Since then, that scoreline has haunted Brazil’s football history. It resurfaces time and again—sometimes as memes, sometimes when similar scorelines appear in other matches, or even when a team scores or concedes seven goals. For many fans, it’s also nicknamed ‘Seven-Up.’ The question is, why bring it up again now?
This time, it’s about a player. Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior. Yes, the name Oscar alone gives it away. What memory comes to mind when you hear his name? That’s right—the only consolation goal for Brazil in that 7-1 defeat was scored by him.
The attacking midfielder, who last played for the Brazilian national team in 2016, is back in the news. After shining at Chelsea—winning two Premier League titles and a Europa League—and helping Brazil win the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013, Oscar has returned to Brazil. He has rejoined São Paulo FC, the club where his professional career began, nearly 15 years later. Yesterday, São Paulo officially announced his signing as a free agent.
Since Oscar’s return has naturally brought back memories of that infamous 7-1 game, let’s take a look at the other players from that match. Where are they now? Are they still playing, or have they retired? How many are still in Brazil, and how many are playing abroad?
A total of 14 players took the field for Brazil in that semifinal, including three substitutes. While Oscar is back in Brazil, two others from that game are still playing outside the country. Winger Willian is with Olympiacos in Greece, while defender Dante plays for Nice in France.
As for the others, some have retired, and some are still active in Brazilian domestic football. Goalkeeper Júlio César, now 45, retired six years ago, with Flamengo as his final club. Right-back Maicon, 43, retired last year, his last club being Tre Penne in San Marino. Center-back David Luiz, 37, is currently without a club after Flamengo decided not to extend his contract last December. Left-back Marcelo, 36, is also clubless after his contract with Fluminense was terminated due to an altercation with the coach.
Defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo, 37, is still active and will now be teammates with Oscar at São Paulo. Another defensive midfielder, Fernandinho, 39, is playing for Athletico Paranaense. Midfielder Bernard, 31, is also playing domestically for Atlético Mineiro, alongside Hulk, the 38-year-old forward who was part of Brazil’s attack in that semifinal. Another forward, Fred, 41, retired two years ago.
Among the substitutes in that match were Willian, Ramires, and Paulinho. As mentioned, Willian is still playing abroad. Defensive midfielder Ramires, 37, retired two years ago, while Paulinho, also a defensive midfielder, retired this past September after playing for Corinthians.
In total, seven players from Brazil’s ‘Seven-Up’ disaster are still actively playing for clubs. Including the two clubless players, nine haven’t officially retired. But if we exclude the clubless players, that leaves exactly seven players—yes, the same number as the infamous scoreline: 7-1.
