It was a fine indication of how the game in Samara had changed, and how Brazil’s entire game has changed.

In the opening minutes of their last-16 tie, a frenzied Mexican attack were so clearly targeting what they must have thought was a fragile replacement right-back in Fagner, and initially having what looked like success. Carlos Vela’s pace was troubling the defender, who was so clearly struggling to keep up. Except, really, Vela and the rest of the Mexican attack were still struggling to make any actual chances. The best they could muster was blazed shots from distance, such was the support around Fagner. And by the time the more desperate Mexican attack were trying the same approach in the last few minutes of the game, the right-back was himself so much more composed – and assertive.

After one rock of a block, he turned around to his defensive partners and masculinely embraced them, effectively celebrating a tackle.

Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Show all 22 1 /22 Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Alisson 7 Made a less than convincing start but improved towards the end of the first half and resolute in the second REUTERS Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Fagner 7 Tried to get forward, but also looked vulnerable against the Mexican counter attack, and Carlos Vela down his side Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Thiago Silva 7 Kept Hernandez remarkably quiet, and had little to do directly, as most of Mexico’s danger came from the wide areas. Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Miranda 7 Good in the air and combined well with Silva to nullify Hernandez. Looked solid in defence normally a weaker element of the Brazilians EPA Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Filipe Luis 6 Picked up a yellow card and struggled when left one-on-one with Lozano. Needed more support from midfield to help him, improved in the second half AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Casemiro 6 His holding position will have hoped to protect his defence from the Mexican counter attack but proved ineffective. Relied on the stars ahead of him Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Paulinho 7 Growing in importance since his move to Barcelona, Paulinho is one of the underrated players in this side – hard working but with flair to match Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Philippe Coutinho 7 Linked well with Neymar in particular but will be disappointed to fire off target when in his favoured position to the left of goal AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Willian 7 A quiet first half for a player that has showed some of what he is capable of in this World Cup but improved in the second half with his energy and skill on the break AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Neymar 8 Had a mixed game with flashes of brilliance combined with over playing and some selfish play. But he’ll be remembered for scoring one and making the second. Influential. Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Gabriel Jesus 7 Had a couple of chances with long balls played through to him, one in particular from Alisson that utilised his pace against the Mexican defence AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Guillermo Ochoa 7 Forced into a couple of routine saves in the first half but nothing spectacular, could do little for either goal from very close range AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Edson Alvarez 6 Picked up a yellow card in the first half for a poor, late challenge on Neymar and was withdrawn in the second half AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Hugo Ayala 6 One of many to tire in the second half, after an impressive first, but did stick to his task, and a couple of times dispossessed Coutinho in dangerous positions Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Carlos Salcedo 7 Had a relatively stress free game despite the attacking stars of Brazil, and the goal conceded was a well worked effort he could do little about Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Jesus Gallardo 7 Played well against Jesus, and even when beaten somehow find a way to recover despite the energy-sapping heat Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Hector Herrera 6 Had a couple of chances in attack whilst also making sure his defence were not exposed by the likes of Neymar and Coutinho AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Rafael Marquez 6 He may be 39, but Marquez dictated play, using his experience to make his teammates aware of gaps in the Brazilian defence. Withdrawn at half-time in 35C heat. Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Andres Guardado 6 Gave Mexico balance and looked promising going forward, as well as working well to get back for his team. Struggled in the second half AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Carlos Vela 6 Although sometime guilty of choosing to shoot when he could pass, he has been a danger for Mexico and has looked good on the break Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Javier Hernandez 6 Without that clear chance that he was desperate for, but good positional play, and some final balls were inches away from finding him. Withdrawn in the second half AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Mexico player ratings: World Cup 2018 Hirving Lozano 8 The biggest danger in this Mexican side, his tireless running, skill and confidence posed problems for Brazil particularly on the counter AFP/Getty Images

It immediately reminded of Giorgio Chiellini and Gigi Buffon at Juventus, making it all the more pointed that Brazil’s assistant Sylvinho actually brought up the defensive brilliance of the Italian champions after the game.

“Napoli plays offensive football very well, but Juventus is more defensive and more balanced,” the coach said. “The balance of a team has to do with not conceding and for seven years Juventus has been champion. Six times out of seven, they had the best defence on the league. [Max] Allegri always says that balance is the key to success. You can’t concede silly goals and be a champion… But this doesn’t make a team defensive. It’s a balanced team and very well organised.

“So we understand. It’s Tite’s signature, it’s our signature.”

It’s also the foundation this Brazil are built on, but there is so much more to it than – well – raw emotion seeing big blocks thrown into the right places.

Miranda forms part of an experienced defence (EPA)

There is a hugely intelligent blueprint and architecture, that displays a level of coaching maybe above anyone left in the World Cup, and is maybe why Brazil will end up a level above anyone else as champions.

It is not just that they are defending well in executing all the basics. It is how cleverly they are moving their defensive shape and thereby limiting the space of opposition attacks to do much before they even realise it. Just when they think they’re shaping for a shot, the opening is gone. This is what forwards as good as Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard are going to have to figure out in the quarter-finals.

This is why Brazil have only conceded five shots on target in four games, fewer than any other side. This is why Tite was so confident in actually mentioning such stats after the more underwhelming 2-0 win over Costa Rica, because he knew the fundamentals were right.

This is also what Tite was confident enough to go into deep detail about at the end of his post-match press conference on Tuesday. After all manner of pantomime questions about Neymar and the rest of the media circus around this side, the manager was willing to rise above that as well, and offer a seriously detailed deconstruction of his defensive approach.

The key with Brazil is that, in setting up their defensive phalanx, they first take command of the area. Once that is coordinated and sorted, they then focus on the ball in relation to the area, and then the opposition player in relation to those two.

It is a four-dimensional approach to the most two-dimensional part of the game, and almost to defending what Pep Guardiola does to attacking.

It also comes from a lot of hard work in terms of preparing and ingraining that coordination.

Alisson has had little to do in Russia (Reuters) (REUTERS)

“What we have is we mark the sectors,” Tite explained. “We don’t mark individually. You don’t race around and mark that person. We mark aggressively per sector of the pitch, that’s why we block so many finishes and so many crosses. When you worry about your area of the pitch, you shorten the space of our opponents. You’re marking the ball and then the man. You mark the area of the pitch, then you look at the ball, then you look at the man. That’s how we understand others, and this is also laudable, you mark the man ... That’s how you think you have to bet on a strategy and practice for it. We practice this style, first area of the pitch, then the ball, then the man and we put the pressure on.”

It regularly lifts the pressure on them in any game.

That this has been so illustrated the day after Spain went out is all the more notable. In the buildup to their self-inflicted defeat to Russia, Gerard Pique stressed that defensive solidity is the key to success in international knock-out tournaments, while Fernando Hierro began to obsess about the defensive records of past champions, showing them to his squad.

None of them seemed to pay it any head, because Spain made another sloppy defensive error, and they evidently hadn’t done anything like the kind of preparatory work that Brazil had. Tite himself so conspicuously mentioned that Russia deserved to go through due to their defensive work.

He knew Hierro was right. He knew what had to be done before this World Cup. This is why Brazil only conceded two under Tite in qualifying. This is why they should be favourites.