Cafu gave an interview to ESPN and analyzed, from his perspective, the reasons for Brazil's 2-1 loss to Norway and their elimination in the round of 16.

Cafu stated: "No one wants to be eliminated at this stage. The Brazilian team is sad, and the country is sad. I have always said that we won in 1994, lost in 1998, won again in 2002, and lost again in 2006. This is the cycle of generations of players; some eras make history, and some don't. But to be eliminated at this stage in this manner is difficult for everyone to accept. This is football. As the great Parreira said, football is not an exact science. We faced a team that was very well positioned. Norway had clear objectives on the field, and they implemented them from start to finish. We did not understand this well, and so we were eliminated."

Without a doubt, I hope everyone trusts these kids. I hope no one over-criticizes them now or rubs salt in their wounds. There will be many “what ifs” next, but there are no “what ifs” in football. These kids came to the FIFA World Cup to fight for victory, not to lose and not just to go through the motions. Now we need to continue working hard. One cycle has ended, and a new cycle has begun. The new cycle for 2030 will begin, and God willing, I hope Brazil can become six-time champions.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse all the latest news, comments, match details, and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com