( CNN ) -- They say in Brazil that football is second only to breathing in importance . On Tuesday , 200 million people in the World Cup host nation had their breath stolen away from them in a dazzling , dizzying display of scoring by the No . 2 team in the world , Germany . No one could have predicted a 7-1 scoreline . That 's something from qualifying when a big fish hosts a minnow . It 's not the result of a match between the top powers of the sport . Here 's a look at some of the record-setting numbers that came from the rout of all routs : . 1 . They were in it -- for 10 minutes . You 'd have to be almost 100 years old to have been in attendance for the last time Brazil was thumped this badly . At least we think it was Brazil . It certainly did n't look like the product of a nation that has won five World Cups . The funny thing is Brazil was pretty good for the first 10 minutes . They pressed the Germans , mostly kept the ball in the German half . But Germany scored in the 11th minute when Thomas Mueller was left so alone he could have set up a grill in the penalty area and made steaks for everyone . And then the Germans made a meal of the Brazilian defense , stuck in first gear , while the Germans were zipping both ball and strikers artfully through the confused Brazilians . A tearful David Luiz apologized to his countrymen . `` I just wanted to see my people smile . We all know how important it was for me to see all of Brazil be happy , at least because of football , '' the defender said . 2 . Step aside , Ronaldo . It was a triple disappointment for Brazil on Tuesday . Not only was the Selecao beaten badly , but famed goal scorer Ronaldo was bumped off the top of the all-time World Cup goal scoring list . German striker Miroslav Klose scored his team 's second goal , giving him 16 in World Cup matches , one more than Ronaldo . `` If you 've scored the most goals in the history of the World Cup , you 've had to earn it . He 's still playing at the highest level and scoring goals , '' German coach Joachim Low said . A more inexperienced player might not have scored . Klose 's first shot was saved by a sprawling Brazil keeper . The 36-year-old pounced on the rebound and knocked it into the goal . And there was more disappointment . Germany now also lays claim to most goals by one nation in its World Cup history -- 223 . In second , Brazil at 220 . 3 . That sure did escalate quickly . Brazil survived the first knockdown . But like a boxer sensing he can knock his opponent out with a flurry of well-targeted body blows , Germany unleashed hell on Brazil midway through the first half . Minute 23 and 24 . Bam . Bam . Minute 26 . Bam . Minute 29 . Meet the canvas . It was 5-0 before the first half hour . Germany scored a quartet in six minutes . You do n't even do that in training . `` We could n't react to going behind . We got disorganized and panicked after the first goal and then it all went wrong for us , '' Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said . 4 . Where 's the defense ? You think semifinal , and you imagine two teams playing cautiously , worried to give up a first goal that would doom them . Of the previous six semifinals , four of them had ended 1-0 . Another was 0-0 after 90 minutes and did n't see a goal until Minute 119 . Not these guys . They went forward with spirit . And it ended with a scoreline from the early days of the World Cup . Germany appeared content to cruise after holding a 5-0 halftime lead , but the Brazilian defense was so lame , the Europeans went ahead and sent two more in to claim another couple of records . They became the first team to score seven goals in a semifinal and to hold the largest margin of victory in such a game . 5 . By the way , you guys get one more . Do n't pack away the boots just yet , lads . You still have to play in everyone 's ( very least ) favorite contest -- the third-place match . What do you get if you win that , a gift certificate for dinner for two at Rio 's best steakhouse ? Can you imagine what the scene will be like if Argentina loses to the Netherlands and has to play its archrival in what is usually meaningless match ? Heck , we 'd even watch this game for a change .
Brazil was feeling pretty good after 10 minutes . Then the defense faltered and let in a goal . That was n't so terrible -- until things really fell apart just a few minutes later . Germany set many records and broke many Brazilian hearts .