Júlio César – 6 – Made some crucial saves late on, but also looked a little uncertain.
Daniel Alves – 6.5 – Was pushed back by Ivica Olić – who caused him problems throughout – but was an important outlet for Brazil going forward.
Thiago Silva – 7 – Solid enough from Brazil’s captain. Between him and David Luiz, they managed to stifle Nikica Jelavić, who was admittedly often left isolated.
David Luiz – 7 – Made some crucial blocks and last minute tackles. Looked composed alongside Thiago Silva, but often only had Jelavić to contend with.
Marcelo – 7 – Very adventurous going forward. Like Dani Alves, he was a useful outlet for Brazil, but was rarely tested defensively. Unlucky with the own goal.
Luiz Gustavo – 8.5 – Outstanding performance from the holding midfielder. He made key interceptions and used the ball wisely. Paulinho’s desire to get forward often left him exposed, but his positional sense ensured the defence has some protection against the counter-attack.
Paulinho – 6 – Made some dangerous runs forward, but was too often on the fringes of the game and failed to properly protect Luiz Gustavo.
Oscar – 8.5 – Worked tirelessly and scored a wonderful goal to round off the victory. His battle with Šime Vrsaljko was one of the highlights of the game.
Hulk – 5.5 – Poor performance from the FC Zenit forward, who too often struggled to produce in the final third. Admittedly, he worked hard, but was a weak link for Brazil going forward.
Neymar – 8 – Was fortunate not see to see his penalty saved by Stipe Pletikosa and could have been sent off for an apparent elbow on Luka Modrić, but was a constant threat and has shown that he can handle the weight of expectation.
Fred – 6 – Earned the decisive penalty with a dubious fall and was often on the fringes of the contest. Without good service, he was fairly redundant.
Substitutes
Hernanes – 6 – Brought on to help Luiz Gustavo. Played some neat passes, but struggle to grasp control of the game.
Bernard – 6.5 – Made some good forward runs that helped relieve pressure.
Ramires – 6 – Only got a few minutes, but assisted Oscar’s goal with some good pressing on Ivan Rakitić.
