Germany’s 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in the World Cup semi-final was a “hammer-blow” that has damaged the hosts’ image around the world, Diego Maradona said.

The astonishing reverse was Brazil’s record World Cup defeat and their first loss at home in 64 competitive matches since 1975.

“I said Germany were better than Brazil, I didn’t like Brazil from the start, but I didn’t think Germany were going to be so imposing, so devastating, so decisive,” the former World Cup winner said on a chat-show late on Tuesday.

“Brazil just didn’t turn up and I think the worst thing for Brazil is that they gave an extremely poor image. OK, Germany were strong but the Brazil players simply weren’t on the pitch.”

Maradona knows what it is like to be humiliated by Germany: he managed Argentina at the World Cup four years ago where the Germans beat his team 4-0 in the quarter-finals.

That, he argued on the Venezuelan-based TV network Telesur, was different, because Argentina fought harder and let in three late goals rather than capitulate from the start.

“I’m sorry because Brazil was so proud of its team, they wanted to reach the final, but sometimes football gives you these hammer-blows,” Maradona added.

Though respectful in his comments on air, some media reported that privately Maradona was mocking the Brazilians, who are Argen-tina’s traditional rivals.

On the programme, he criticised how Brazil’s midfield and defence seemed to melt away at every German attack in the game on Tuesday night at the Mineirao stadium

“Brazil didn’t stop anything in the midfield, anyone could get through. The defenders, Dante and David Luiz, had no coordination,” Maradona said.

“It was like five-a-side. You give it to me, I give it you, and you shoot,” Maradona added of the ease with which Germany’s strikers stroked the ball around in the build-up to the goals.