Brazil have been blamed for not being attacking enough since the World Cup started but it was their once admired defence that will carry the can for Tuesday's incredible 7-1 loss to Germany.
Brazil will play Germany next week in what the hosts' players are calling the final before the final and manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is facing selection dilemmas four days ahead of the semi-final in Belo Horizonte.
Midfielder Riccardo Montolivo missed out on his second straight major tournament due to injury on Tuesday while Daniele De Rossi was included in Italy's 23-man squad for next month's European Championship in France.
Images from the World Cup quarter-final game between Brazil and Colombia.
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool raised the spirits with a rip-roaring 2-2 draw in a pre-Christmas Premier League classic on Sunday after a weekend marred by COVID-19 related postponements.
Torn muscle sidelines Robben for rest of the season; Lewandowski breaks jaw
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa produced a heroic performance in a 0-0 draw with Brazil and his Russian counterpart Igor Akinfeev was the villain in a 1-1 draw with South Korea as the World Cup produced more drama on Tuesday.
Photos of the World Cup match between Brazil and Mexico
'We created so many chances and simply weren't effective with them. In fact we created a rainbow of different chances and there are just some days when the ball refuses to go in.'
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Brazil scored an unconvincing 2-1 victory over Colombia to enter the semi-finals of the World Cup on Friday night. They will meet Germany.
New of all that's transpired on and off the football field on Saturday.
alaika Mihambo of Germany snatched the Olympic gold in women's long jump with her final leap of 7.00 metres in an enthralling final at the Tokyo Games on Tuesday.
Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata scored a goal and then missed a penalty as his side began their La Liga campaign with an eventful and nervy 1-0 win at home to Getafe on Sunday which saw both teams reduced to 10 men.
Hosts Brazil and Chile were locked at 1-1 at halftime in a feisty and open World Cup last-16 match on Saturday.
Images from Sunday's English Premier League matches.
Bayern Munich's success in reaching the final of the Champions League has been built on a very distinct tactical approach but it is one that carries big risks against Paris St Germain, leaving coach Hansi Flick with a major dilemma.
Bayern Munich swatted aside Raja Casablanca 2-0 in a one-sided Club World Cup final on Saturday that did little to boost the credibility of a tournament which struggled to an anti-climax.
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari knows his 23-man squadfor the World Cup finals and has chosen Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Julio Cesar and Fred to act as captains, he said on Thursday.
Paris St Germain clinched their first French league title since 1994 on Sunday thanks to heavy investment from Qatar as they proved that money spent on the right players can buy success.
Ansu Fati is the second-youngest player to represent the Catalan giants in La Liga aged 16 years and 298 days.
The league said last week that the deal, called 'Boost La Liga', would strengthen its clubs and give them funds to spend on new infrastructure and modernisation projects as well as increasing how much they could spend on players' salaries.
Bruno Fernandes struck from the penalty spot in the ninth minute of stoppage time to give Manchester United victory at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday after an incredible finale.
Paris St Germain's league record 36-game unbeaten streak came to an abrupt halt when they lost 2-1 at Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday.
Brazil survived an early scare and some physical tackling to beat Portugal 3-1 in a friendly in Boston that confirmed their early status as one of the favourites to win the World Cup on home soil next year.
Past and present Barcelona team mates Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano, Neymar and Luis Suarez were all there, as was Gerard Pique and his pop star wife Shakira.
Lionel Messi celebrated his sixth Ballon D'Or award with a brilliant hat-trick as Barcelona moved back top of La Liga with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Real Mallorca.
One goal determined the outcome of the Champions League final on Sunday but there could be no doubt that Bayern Munich deserve to be crowned European champions for the sixth time. With a 1-0 victory over Paris St Germain courtesy of Kingsley Coman's header, Bayern have achieved what no team have managed in Europe's elite club competition -- win every game.
Images from Saturday's matches in the Premier League.
AC Milan have been left dwelling on the past as they prepare to host Barcelona in a Champions League last-16 first leg tie on Wednesday when Lionel Messi will try to score for the Catalans for the 15th match in a row.
Brazil scored twice in a dominant first half to beat Japan 2-0 in their final Olympic warmup friendly on Saturday before they begin their bid for a first soccer gold medal at next month's home Games.
German champions Bayern Munich have completed the transfer of former World Cup winner Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid on a two-year deal as they seek to boost their midfield options following a string of injuries.
Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has joined other managers in lashing out at the packed European football calendar after deciding to rest Lionel Messi for Tuesday's Champions League trip to Dynamo Kyiv.
Sterling, 24, had a hand in all five goals, including an 11-minute hat-trick, as City romped to a 5-1 Champions League victory over Italian side Atalanta on Tuesday, to take his tally to 12 goals in 13 appearances this season.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
Manchester United eased the pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 3-1 win at Everton in the Premier League on Saturday with Bruno Fernandes scoring twice and Edinson Cavani grabbing his first for the club.
John Isner and Sam Querrey used their big serves to blast the United States into a commanding 2-0 lead over Brazil in their Davis Cup World group first round tie on Friday.
Coritiba forward Joel Tagueu's goal celebration went spectacularly wrong when he jumped over an advertising hoarding and disappeared into a hole during a Brazilian championship match.
Paris St Germain would be odds-on certainties to easily beat Chelsea and take a big step towards the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday if statistics and domestic form decided matches.
Draxler makes PSG debut as holders advance into French Cup last 32
