Santa Cruz Cabralia: Brazilians in a north-eastern town near Germany’s training base adopted an “if you can’t beat them, join them” approach to Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final defeat by throwing their support behind the side that thrashed them 7-1 just hours earlier.

Several hundred Brazilians waited for hours in the pouring rain to cheer the Germany players as they disembarked their team bus shortly after midnight and boarded a ferry for the crossing to their quarters in Santo Andre.

Many in the crowd chanted “Alemann, Alemann, Alemann” (Germany, Germany, Germany) amid raucous celebrations as fireworks lit up the night sky and revellers ignored the showers that threatened to dampen the party atmosphere.

“We just like the way Germany play — all the creative goals and all the great passing they do,” said Breno Antunes, one of the scores of police officers keeping watch over the bus and players on the short journey to the ferry.

“If Brazil’s not in the World Cup anymore, at least there’s one team still in it that play like Brazil.” The Germans have been generally well received by those gathered to watch the regular ferry crossings but locals greeted the players with a resounding chant of “Brasilia, Brasilia, Brasilia” on Monday when they departed for their semi-final against the hosts.

However, any fears that locals would turn on Germany coach Joachim Loew and his players following Brazil’s humiliating loss in Belo Horizonte proved unfounded as the weary-looking victors were greeted as heroes by an enthusiastic crowd.

“I very much like Germany,” said Jose Amilton, a 32-year-old flight instructor who was leading the celebrations at the ferry crossing. “They play so well, they pass the ball and they’re so fast. They play like Brazil used to.”

Meanwhile, Germany’s national media were left swooning on Tuesday after their football team’s stunning 7-1 hammering of hosts Brazil in the World Cup semi-final.

“This victory is for eternity!” beamed top-selling daily Bild with Miroslav Klose referred to as a “football god” after scoring his 16th World Cup goal to become the tournament’s all-time sole top scorer.

Brazil suffered their worst international defeat while the Germans’ goal-haul led to the highest scoring semi-final in World Cup history.

“Argentina? Holland? It doesn’t matter! Germany are the favourites,” enthused Die Welt.

Those two nations will now meet in Wednesday’s other semi-final for a place against the Germans in Sunday’s final at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium.

“The miracle of Belo Horizonte is already legendary,” the Berlin-based broadsheet added after Andre Schuerrle and Toni Kroos both netted twice in the rout as Germany raced into a 5-0 lead after just 30 minutes.

Germany will contest their first final since 2002 with Munich-based Sueddeutsche Zeitung declaring “In a rush to get to Rio!” after Thomas Mueller put the Germans ahead after just 11 minutes.