The 61-year-old, who has been in charge since 2016, had previously made no secret of the fact that he would leave the post after the Qatar tournament regardless of the result. “It’s a painful defeat, but I go in peace. It’s the end of a cycle,” he told reporters after Brazil’s dramatic exit from the competition at Doha’s Education City Stadium. “I said that a year and a half ago. I didn’t come here to win and then turn around and say I would stay. People who know me know that.”
After a goalless 90 minutes, Brazil took the lead midway through extra time through Neymar, only for Bruno Petkovic to equalize for Croatia in the 117th minute.
That meant penalties and Rodrygo’s first kick for Brazil was saved by Croatian man of the match Dominik Livakovic.
With Croatia scoring four penalties, Marquinhos had to convert as he stepped for Brazil, only to hit the post.
Tite had already overseen an exit in the quarterfinals by Belgium at the last World Cup in Russia four years ago.
In between, Brazil won the Copa America on home soil in 2019, but lost the final of that tournament last year as hosts to Argentina.
The Brazilian Football Federation has previously said it will not choose its next coach until January.
When asked about his time as leader, Tite said: “In time I will be able to respond better.
“I’m not in a position right now to evaluate all the work we’ve done, but in time you will be able to make that assessment.
“I don’t have the capacity to do that now that we’re out.”
Meanwhile, Tite was asked why Neymar didn’t step up to take Brazil’s fourth penalty instead of Marquinhos when they needed to score to stay alive in the shoot-out.
“Because he takes the fifth and decisive penalty,” he explained.
“The player with the most quality and the right mentality leaves when there is the most pressure.”
Neymar never got a chance to take a penalty, having previously equaled Pele’s record of 77 goals for the Brazilian team.
It is only the second time Brazil have lost a penalty shoot-out at the World Cup, after they were similarly beaten by France in the quarter-final of the 1986 tournament in Mexico.
“When you’re 1-0 up in extra time and you get the equalizer after 13 minutes into the second half of extra time, it’s difficult,” Tite said of his team’s state of mind going into the shoot-out.
“It’s hard to stay mentally strong in a situation like that.”
(This story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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