Silva: "The atmosphere was not good in the dressing room"

Saturday 3 July 2010

Brazil's playmaker Kaká insists he did all he could in their World Cup game against Holland, and understands the Brazil fans' frustration at the team's quarter-final exit.

The Real Madrid player only showed glimpses of his best form after an injury-hit season at club level, while he was also harshly sent off in the group game against the Ivory Coast.

"There are many people who are sad in Brazil, but nobody is sadder than we are," Kaká said.

"Unfortunately, expectations are always sky-high in Brazil in that people expect us to win the title and, when we don't, that creates frustration."

He added: "It was a complicated World Cup, the way I arrived. I did all I could - I fought, I battled, I really tried."

The Brazilians were great in taking their defeat.

"Those teams that reach the semi-finals are the four best sides," Kaka said.

"It was not because of a lack of quality. We lost because of details - we let in two goals from set-pieces and that allowed them back into the game."

Gilberto Silva admitted the side had lost their way in the second half. He said: "Twice we lost concentration and both times they scored. These things happen even to an experienced team like ours. But it is very hard to accept. It is not easy to be knocked out like this."

Felipe Melo has already been blamed by the Brazilian press for the quarter-finals exit and Gilberto Silva revealed that no-one had consoled the Juventus midfielder. "The atmosphere was not good in the dressing room," he said. "The players were very down. We have not spoken to Felipe Melo, we were all just too sad."

Brazilian captain Lucio said Brazil were stunned as well as saddened. The Inter Milan defender said: "We are in shock. We controlled the first half, looked very strong and then we conceded such a bad goal. Shortly after that we got the red card and then it was very difficult to come back."

"We didn't expect this," Brazil coach Dunga said. "We know that any World Cup match is about 90 minutes. In the first half we were able to play better, and we weren't able to maintain that rhythm in the second half."

Goals

Cards

14' J. Heitinga
	37' M. Bastos
47' G. van der Wiel
64' N. de Jong
	73' Felipe Melo
76' A. Ooijer

Lineups