If FIFA doesn’t remove the third-place match from the World Cup after Saturday’s horror show, it never will.
Brazil was subjected to more torture on Saturday, as the football-mad nation had to watch its listless, stunned Selecao take another insult, falling 3-0 to the Netherlands.
Robin van Persie gave the Dutch a lead after just three minutes after Brazil captain Thiago Silva, fresh off suspension, conceded a penalty to Arjen Robben.
Daley Blind made it 2-0 only 16 minutes into the match, after receiving a gift off an atrocious header from defender David Luiz, who had another horrendous match on the Brazil back line.
The humiliation was complete when Georginio Wijnaldum scored to make it 3-0 in second-half injury time.
Neither team was excited at the prospect of trotting out for an essentially meaningless game. In the days leading up to the game, Dutch coach Louis van Gaal told reporters the third-place game is meaningless and should be removed from the schedule.
And forcing the Brazilians to suffer the ridicule of the fans again, after that historic German thrashing, could be considered a form of cruelty in some countries.
The fans at Estádio Nacional obliged by booing the home side mercilessly at times during the match, especially during the final few minutes.
Now Brazilians must watch Argentina play Germany in the final on Sunday (CBC TV, cbc.ca/fifaworldcup, 3 p.m. ET).