Brazil's 7-1 humiliation at the hands of the Germans was so much more than an elimination from a tournament, it jolted fans and players alike out of a reverie and false dream.

It made them realize that the team was far from being a contender and was simply an average side waiting to meet a team with the ruthlessness to put them away. They got lucky against Chile and then were given all the right calls (even when they were wrong) against Colombia.

But such a hammering obviously leads to a series of questions and complaints. Whose fault was it? Would it have been different with Neymar on the pitch? Or with Thiago Silva? Is Brazil really this bad? Or were they simply never as good as we thought? All of these are questions that will dominate the team and the Brazilian FA for days to come. But the reality is as follows:

Whose fault was it?
Everyone's. From coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to the players to the fans. Yes, the fans for their blind faith and not realizing that the team was mediocre. The players for failing to live up to the hype and hoping that the emotion would set them free. Seriously, what was David Luiz thinking when he was holding up a Neymar jersey during the national anthem of the semifinals? The guy was injured, not dead. It seemed a bit like overkill and made Neymar's absence a distraction.

Luiz was a disaster in that game against the Germans and was constantly out of position. Marcelo played like a forward and failed to cover back for his team. Julio Cesar gave up on a number of goals and looked like he didn't want to play anymore. The offense, led by the woeful Fred, was anemic the entire tournament and finally looked clueless against the Germans. Oscar, who was godly in the opener against Croatia, never had an impact thereafter.

Scolari shouldered the blame after the game and he certainly merits it. He was the one who opted for bringing Fred and Jo to the tournament as his top forwards despite having Leandro Damiao (might I mention a certain Brazilian-turned-Spaniard as well?) as a potential guy to lead the line. His tactics were lacking and he never really got this team playing the way it did last summer at the Confederations Cup. Brazil has now won three straight Confederations Cups in a row, but has failed in the big show.

Would it have been different with Neymar on the pitch? Or with Thiago Silva?
No and yes. Was Neymar really going to organize the defense? Was he going to score goals alongside a group of incompetent forwards? No. His last game against Colombia was rather poor on his part as he was rarely ever able to find the space necessary to unleash his skill. The Germans would likely have found a more effective means to shut him down.

If Silva had played, the team probably could have avoided a few goals and maybe would have been more organized at the back. Maybe his leadership spurs a rally after the first or second goal. Maybe. But maybe does not count.

Is Brazil really this bad?
Affirmative. Remember when everyone complained about the team getting lucky against Croatia. And remember how everyone was appalled by the way the horrific Cameroon side was pushing them around in the defensive zone? Remember how everyone said they were lucky to get past Chile thanks to two goal posts? And remember how millions were outraged by the ugly game against Colombia in which dubious refereeing handed them the win? There is clearly a common theme here and it does not say "Brazil is a great team." Which answers the next question ...

Or were they simply never as good as we thought?
Bingo! The team, which performed so admirably in the 2013 Confederations Cup, simply never had the same level of chemistry in this tournament. Paulinho, who had been key last summer, was on the bench for a poor performances in many games. Dani Alves and Marcelo were horrific on the wings and left the team naked on the flanks. Oscar, Hulk and Fred were the triumvirate of ineptitude, leaving poor Neymar with more weight than he could carry on his thin, lanky frame. The sad thing was that there was no one on the bench to make up for any inefficiencies on the pitch. The team's game plan resorted to hacking and attacking with abandon. It eventually cost them big time. Seven times in fact.

What's Next?
Despite his pleas to stay, Big Phil or Felipao, must go. His squad selection was woeful and his tactics were predictable and ineffective throughout the tournament. It almost felt as if Brazil was a ticking bomb ready to explode and that is exactly what happened. Scolari never quite changed the course and rightfully endured the night he calls the worst of his life.

Neymar will be the centerpiece moving forward, but the team needs to inject more youth in the side, especially on defense. Silva will be on the wrong side of 30 in four years (he'll be 33) while Luiz is not a good defender and finally proved it. Marcelo and Alves are done while the likes of Fred and Hulk may never put on the yellow shirt after Saturday's third place game. Oscar can still have an impact, but he might need to look for a new club.

This calls for a rebuild of the likes that took place four years ago after the debacle in South Africa. The difference here is that Scolari could have used someone like Robinho or Kaka or even Ronaldinho, if only for the leadership to help right this ship. But he chose to ignore the players that embody the lessons of the past and the team crashed and burned into ignominy.