Portugal were dumped out of the tournament with a 3-2 loss to Germany in an enthralling quarter-final on the newly-laid turf at Basle's St Jakob-Park, bringing a disappointing end to the Brazilian's five-year tenure.

Scolari, who will become Chelsea manager on July 1, has seen his side lose both of their games in Switzerland since his Stamford Bridge appointment was confirmed last week.

But the 59-year-old denied claims news of his departure had affected his team.

"If I hadn't announced it, we would have lost anyway," he said.

"We lost because we didn't do things with enough quality.

"It had nothing to do with this or that. Some people will imagine and will write that, but it had nothing to do with that."

Bastian Schweinsteiger scored one and set up two more - for Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack - to render Nuno Gomes' effort at the end of the first half and substitute Helder Postiga's towards full-time little more than consolations.

Scolari was not looking to shift the blame for Portugal's exit, however.

"I am responsible for choosing the players and placing them on the field in certain places, so the person most responsible for Portugal not being in the last four is the Portugal coach, who chooses players and tactics," he said.

"I am very sad because the Portuguese team could be in the last four. But in this game, a decisive game, we had some lapses of attention which meant we couldn't get the result we wanted."

Scolari was left to rue the fact Germany captain Ballack got away with a push in the back of his Chelsea team-mate Paulo Ferreira for what turned out to be the decisive third goal.

"I don't know if it would have changed things (if the goal had been disallowed) - we may have still lost 2-1," said the South American.

"But when we are pressing the opponents and we concede a third goal, we have to start all over again and the opponents start to grow in stature.

"I can't guarantee that would have changed the story of the game, but if it's a foul it has to be given."

Germany assistant coach Hans-Dieter Flick, overseeing matters from the dugout due to the one-match ban imposed on Joachim Low following his touchline bust-up with Austria coach Josef Hickersberger in the last Group B match, was not too concerned whether a foul should have been given.

"We don't have to think about that any more," Flick said.

"We won 3-2 and the match is over. Whether it was a foul or not does not really matter to me now."

Flick revealed Schweinsteiger had promised "a big performance" beforehand.

The Bayern Munich star returned to the starting XI after missing out against Austria on Monday through suspension following his sending-off against Croatia.

"He had some time to rest and get ready for this match," said Flick. "We talked to him and said he can't let the team down, and he promised to come up with a big performance.

"He was justifiably named man of the match for a great performance."

Schweinsteiger has now set his sights on revenge against Croatia, who triumphed 2-1 over Germany in the group phase.

Slaven Bilic's side face Turkey in Friday's second semi-final.

"Yes, of course, we'd like to have Croatia!" exclaimed Schweinsteiger.

Flick was taking everything in his stride after guiding his side into a last-four clash in Basle next Wednesday.

"This is something I experienced before, as a coach and a player, although not to the same degree," he said. "You have to be well prepared and we were. Towards the end I was getting very excited and it was a great relief on the final whistle."