Brazil fires Felipe Scolari

Brazil’s football confederation (CBF) will not renew national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s contract, local media reported early Monday, just hours after Germany defeated Argentina to win the 2014 World Cup.

Scolari said that he would let the CBF decide his fate after his team lost the game for third place 3-0 to the Netherlands on Saturday, and after being crushed by Germany in a humiliating 7-1 defeat on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s performance was the country’s worst defeat since losing the 1950 final game to Uruguay in a tournament held in Brazil, a black mark on the nation’s psyche known as the Maracanazo.

Scolari, best known by his nickname Felipao, led Brazil to a World Cup victory in 2002 in Japan. He took over the team in December 2012, just before Brazil hosted the Confederations Cup.

Brazil won that tournament, seen as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, 3-0 in a final match over reigning champions Spain.

Brazil then began preparing for what they hoped would be a sixth World Cup trophy and their first Cup victory at home.

Critics however remained unconvinced by Scolari’s unelegant style and rough tactics.