AL RAYYAN, Qatar : Brazil’s team of superstars were left ruing what might have been and flexing every sinew of stoicism on Friday after a heart-breaking World Cup quarter-final loss on penalties to Croatia which left them sobbing on the turf.Minutes from the semi-finals after Neymar had smashed the ball into the roof of the net at the end of a sublime move in extra-time, they allowed Croatia substitute Bruno Petkovic to fire home to level.With Croatian keeper Dominik Livakovic rightly named man of the match for a gargantuan performance, penalties were the last thing five-times champions Brazil wanted, and so it proved as Livakovic saved the first penalty - from Rodrygo - and Marquinhos slammed a post to seal Brazil’s fate.“It's difficult.
You have to lift your head,” Brazil captain Thiago Silva said. “I'm very proud of the boys and what we've done, but unfortunately, it's part of football.
When we lose something important that we had as a goal, it hurts a lot."But now it's time to try to lift my head and carry on.
There's no other alternative. I'm a guy that every time I fall, I get up.”Midfielder Casemiro, who scored for the five-times champions in the shootout, said: “We are sad, we are sure that everyone in the group gave their best.“We were upset by the way it happened.