"We were looking for a miracle in the end - and it was not to be." Ronaldinho's view was to the point after Brazil's quarter-final exit to France.

But the man who wowed Europe by winning the Champions League with Barcelona at the expense of Arsenal's French match-winner Thierry Henry missed out one other thing which Brazil neither looked for at this tournament or found.

Flair.

Brazil's achievement in winning the World Cup in Sweden in 1958 thus remains unique - for all the Ronaldos, the Ronaldinhos, the Roberto Carlos's and the Kakas it needed a Pele for a non-European side to lift the Cup on European soil.

As France, Portugal, Germany and Italy prepare to face off in the first all-European semi-finals in 24 years closer examination of Brazil's failure -- and that of neighbors Argentina -- shows the flair was not left behind in Rio, Sao Paulo or indeed Buenos Aires.

It was packed away with the European club shirts almost all of the Selecao will don once more in August.

Europe-based stars dominate Brazil, Argentina squads

Brazil's and Argentina's demise cannot be put down to factors of environment or cultural or climactic unfamiliarity. No fewer than 20 of Brazil's current squad and 18 of Argentina's players are European-based.

When faced with the unique challenge of Asia four years ago Ronaldo came up trumps for Brazil whereas Argentina totally failed to get into gear as England and Sweden sent them packing at the first stage for the first time since 1962.

This time, as Europeanized as they can get - witness the pragmatism of both Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira and Argentine counterpart Jose Pekerman, who left his best players on the bench against Germany - both South American giants missed the semi-final cut.

"It just didn't work out for us, and I am very sad," said Ronaldinho, who in contrast to Ronaldo suddenly found his worst form for his country while his teammate enjoyed a brief renaissance before drawing a blank against the French.

Brazil of 1998 makes a return in final re-run

Just as England did nothing when a goal down to the auriverde in the 2002 quarters, so Brazil fell back into the shell-shocked and shot-shy mode of the 1998 final on Saturday following Henry's volley.

In the end President Lula, embroiled in a spat over Ronaldo's weight as the tournament began, got it wrong when he said in midweek that "I carry out politics as Ronaldinho plays football - with happiness."

Ronaldinho's smile was conspicuous by its absence as Parreira harked back to the very un-Brazilian style of 1994, which brought a shootout victory over Italy 12 years ago following a dull final.

At least Brazil kept faith in Ronaldinho.

Pekerman's tactical flaws condemn Argentina

Argentina left his Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi, the "new Maradona," and Javier Saviola on the bench throughout the loss to Germany, when a second goal after Roberto Ayala's opener would have finished the hosts off.

Instead, the world witnessed tactical timidity, the new South American World Cup disease.

Brazilian anthropologist Roberto DaMatta perhaps put his finger on a truism in his recent book "A bola corre mais que os homens" (the ball runs more than the men).

As Pele noted, when Henry scored it was from a Zinedine Zidane free-kick which eluded "three men who were standing around doing nothing," a shocked Pele noted.

"These are mistakes which shouldn't happen. I don't know what the players were thinking of," Pele scolded.

Parreira only pointed the finger of "blame" at the magisterial Zidane. He added: "When you don't win the title, it's because something was missing. We needed a little more preparation, probably in terms of fitness and getting the team to play as a unit."

But a bit of flair might also have helped.