Brazil were knocked out of the FIFA World Cup at the quarter-finals for the second successive tournament after a 4-2 defeat on penalties to Croatia on Friday evening.
The Selecao were unchanged from their big win over South Korea, as Vinicius Junior, Richarlison, Raphinha and Neymar all started in attack. The Chequered Ones, meanwhile, recalled Mario Pasalic, who joined Andrej Kramaric and Ivan Perisic upfront.
Despite a cagey start, Perisic had a good chance to give Croatia the lead on 13 minutes after a cross found him in a good area in the six-yard box but he scuffed his shot wide.
Brazil looked to open up Zlatko Dalic's charges with combination play up top but the likes of Neymar and Vinicius Junior were not clinical with chances in tight spaces in the box.
The Chequered Ones gained control of the encounter after the half-hour mark, as they pinned the Selecao in their own half but they could not get spaces behind their defence, as the first stanza remained deadlocked.
However, the opening exchanges of the second stanza were completely different, as Croatia shot-stopper Dominik Livakovic had to make a reflex save from point-blank range to keep out a misdirected clearance by Josko Gvardiol.
With Brazil getting joy in the last third, Livakovic kept Croatia in the game after keeping out close-range efforts by Vinicius Junior and Neymar in quick succession.
However, Tite opted for different personnel going forward just before the hour-mark, as Antony replaced Raphinha and on 64 minutes, Vinicius Junior made way for his club teammate Rodrygo.
The changes seemed to have done the trick for the Selecao after Lucas Paqueta had an opening in the box just after that but his shot, through on goal, was again thwarted by Livakovic.
Brazil increased the intensity of their attacks, with Rodrygo and Antony instrumental and Neymar had a big chance in the last 15 minutes after he was teed up through on goal by the Manchester United winger but Livakovic closed down the angle and made a crucial save with his trailing leg.
The game was on the knife-edge in the closing stages, with the Selecao threatening to seal it on transitions but Livakovic and his defence thwarted their every move, as extra-time was required after a goalless draw in regulation time.
Neymar eventually broke the deadlock for the Selecao on the stroke of halftime in extra-time and equalled Pele's all-time goal-scoring record for the country, with a strike into a gaping net at the far post after combining with Paqueta in the box.
However, Croatia kept the belief, attacking with urgency and Bruno Petkovic snatched the equaliser in the last three minutes after his low strike in the box took a nasty deflection off Marquinhos and sailed into the back of the net.
Penalties were needed to sort out the result, as Croatia triumphed 4-2 after Livakovic saved Rodrygo's first spot-kick and Marquinhos crashed a decisive kick into the base of the post.
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