Top matches of 2014 - 2) Brazil v Germany

David Luiz of Brazil reacts after conceding the fifth goal to Germany during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Semi Final. Photo / Getty Images.

2014 World Cup semi-final: Brazil 1 Germany 7

Every football diehard will remember where they were when Germany beat Brazil 7-1 in the semi-final of the 2014 World Cup.

I was at work, surrounded by a huddle of transfixed colleagues from the Herald sport department.

After 11 minutes, and with Germany 1-0 up, the newsroom operated at a fairly standard murmur.

But after 30 minutes, it was chaos. Germany had scored five goals and the office had been brought to a standstill. No one could believe what they were seeing. The tournament hosts - and the most glorified country in the history of the World Cup - were being utterly humiliated.

After 79 minutes it was 7-0 and the footballing world had been turned on its head. I was stunned. In the pre-match predictions I had tipped a Brazil win.

But this German side were electric. Led by Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and Miroslav Klose and backed up by Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, they were lightening quick on attack and powerful and well organised in defence.

Brazil were missing their captain and centre back Thiago Silva and their back four made to look like bumbling schoolboys, with nowhere to hide. By contrast, Germany looked like the best team in the world, and repeatedly tore shreds from Brazil's defence with ruthless precision.

Brazil were also missing Neymar, who had almost led Brazil's attack alone throughout the tournament. After suffering a fractured vertebra in Brazil's quarterfinal with Colombia, Neymar wasn't fit to strip up, and Brazil's pre-match preparation bizarrely centered around celebrating the striker, as if he had died.

And by the time the final whistle had sounded, the mourning was complete. 7-1 - the biggest winning margin in a World Cup semi or final. Germany went on to win the Cup while Brazil are still trying to recover.

Top matches of 2014:

10 - Djokovic v Federer
9 - Chiefs v Bulls/Cheetahs
8 - Kansas City v Oakland
7 - Panthers v Roosters
6 - Netherlands v Spain
5 - All Blacks 51 Wallabies 20
4 - Black Caps v India
3 - Black Caps v Pakistan