The slogan on the side of Brazil's team bus reads 'Brace Yourself - The Sixth Is Coming' - underlining their proud World Cup history and self-belief that this was their moment again.
At half-time in their semi-final with Germany, five down and devastated beyond words, it looked like a bit of sick and sad joke.
Miroslav Klose made history as Brazil's World Cup dream turned into a national nightmare in a match that will live long in the memory and remain a lasting scar on the record of a proud footballing nation.
Germany scored five goals in the first 29 minutes to secure their eighth appearance in a World Cup final and deflate the expectant hosts, too sad, too stunned for words.
The last time Brazil hosted this tournament they went down 2-1 in a final to Uruguay, a loss so unexpected and devastating that it is to this day the paragon of failure for all Brazilians.
This blow will be felt even harder, not because defeat was a shock - Germany were always going to be keen rivals - but defeat was so one-sided. The humiliation was so total.
And the last time Germany dominated a team so comprehensively at this tournament was their 8-0 win in 2002 - against the might of Saudi Arabia.
It started badly for the hosts and it just got worse.
After only 11 minutes Thomas Muller netted his fifth goal of the World Cup, his tenth goal in all World Cups, and it was almost so simple he seemed embarrassed to celebrate.
Toni Kroos delivered an outswinging corner, Dante and the woeful David Luiz both missed it and an unmarked Muller fired in the easiest of volleys in from six yards out.
Klose then scored his 16th career World Cup goal, erasing Ronaldo from the all-time record books, after Kroos again unlocked the flat-footed Brazilian defence.
Klose's initial shot was fumbled by Julio Cesar into the path of the striker, whose predatory instincts from close range rarely let him down on this stage.
Two minutes later and Kroos went from provider to goalscorer, hammering past Cesar - grief etched on his face - from 20 yards.
And two minutes after that he scored again, Fernandinho lost the ball from the restart, Kroos seized the advantage and Sami Khedira's unselfish pass allowed Kroos the easiest knock in.
Three goals in just 179 seconds - historic for Germany, totally humiliating for Brazil.
Brazil may have been without talisman Neymar and captain Thiago Silva, who on this evidence has played a major role holding this side together on the run to the final four.
But this was still an abject display, lacking in conviction and courage from those that pulled on the fabled jersey in their absence. These fans, this World Cup, deserved more.
The ease Germany scythed through Luiz Felipe Scolari's team was the most stunning thing yet about a tournament that has normally left you speechless for other reasons.
The game over, before it had barely begun, pride was all that was left but Germany weren't content just to humour their hosts and Khedira, after a smart exchange with Mesut Ozil, swept home to make it five.
The carnival atmosphere had long since become a wake, as some started to make their way home from the Estadio Mineirao before the half-time whistle, knowing there was nothing left to see.
Scolari told the media pre-match that his critics 'can go to hell' - words he may live to regret in the days ahead, with the post-mortem from the Brazilian media expected to pull no punches.
There was no second-half fightback - though Manuel Neuer pulled off a couple of smart saves - and it was only a matter of time before it got worse.
Andre Schurrle, who replaced history man Klose, netted two second-half goals in ten minutes to make it seven.
First he headed home Philipp Lahm's cross and then let rip with crackling shot from the acutest of angles that even had Brazil's bereft supporters applauding.
Oscar's pointless late goal meant this performance didn't equal Brazil's worst ever loss - to Uruguay in the Copa América 94 years ago – but it still ended a run of home wins in competitive matches dating back to 1975.
But statistics don't do justice to this match, the most one-sided World Cup semi-final of all-time and arguably the most shocking scoreline in World Cup history.
