Jurgen Klinsmann has slammed Brazil's decision not to give Neymar the first penalty during their shootout against Croatia.
The South American side were knocked out of the World Cup on Friday night after they were beaten 4-2 by Croatia, with Rodrygo failing to score Brazil's first penalty and Marquinhos hitting the post, spelling heartache for the South American side.
But their bizarre tactics, choosing not to use their talisman forward, Neymar, as their first spot-kick taker were criticised by Klinsmann who claimed the PSG Superstar should have stepped up and 'set the tone for his side.'
'They had totally different approaches,' Klinsmann told BBC Sport after the game. 'Previously you saw your best penalty taker set the tone. 'For me Neymar would take the first one, you set the tone.
'The momentum really shifted with that Croatia goal, just before the end of extra time.'
'What goes through your mind if you are a Brazilian player, you get scared. The whole nation expects you to get through and you panic.
'You are far more nervous because you don’t have any time to balance yourself out.'
The German football legend's comments were echoed by Rio Ferdinand, who took to Twitter to express his confusion at the decision to leave their best penalty taker until last.
Ferdinand wrote: 'Lads in the studio all speaking on how your best penalty taker can’t be left until last… He never takes a pen half the time… Neymar now left thinking what if...'
It was heartache for the PSG superstar on full time though, with the 30-year-old breaking down in floods of tears, after he claimed that the 2022 World Cup could be his last.
After a cagey affair, the Brazilian No.10 broke the deadlock in the first half of extra time, breaking through on goal to slide a right footed shot into the back of the net.
Brazil should have put the game to bed, but for a long-range effort from Bruno Petkovic that beat several defenders, and Alisson Becker in net to send the game to penalties, with just three minutes left on the clock.
Croatia were clinical with their spot-kicks with all of Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer, Luka Modric and Mislav Orsic, converting.
Brazil meanwhile took a slightly different tactic opting to hold off on playing their star forward Neymar too soon, but their tactics did not pay off, despite Casemiro and Pedro both converting.