Kashima Antlers showed too much respect to Real Madrid in their Club World Cup clash on Wednesday, according to Zico.
The AFC Champions League winners missed out on a place in the final of the tournament after succumbing to a 3-1 defeat in Abu Dhabi.
Gareth Bale scored all three goals for Madrid, the Welshman's 11-minute hat-trick seeing the European champions through to face surprise package Al Ain on Saturday.
Former Brazil international Zico - who both played for and managed Kashima but is now a technical director - was disappointed with the display from the J1 League club.