<p class="title">Lionel Messi sloped off down the tunnel in Nizhny Novgorod with his head bowed, knowing Argentina face the humiliation of a group-stage exit at the World Cup in Russia.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Barcelona star was silenced by a far superior Croatia side in a brutal 3-0 defeat that left the South Americans needing an unlikely series of results to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The World Cup is likely to lose the man who -- along with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo -- has dominated and defined football for a decade.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi is just days short of his 31st birthday. We may be witnessing him on football's biggest stage for the final time -- a talent curiously unfulfilled at international level despite his astonishing feats for his club.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final 1-0 to Germany after extra time, before suffering successive defeats by Chile on penalties in Copa America finals in 2015 and 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi hinted before the start of this World Cup that he could quit international football after the tournament, having already retired in 2016 before swiftly reversing his decision.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After missing a penalty in the opening 1-1 draw with Iceland in Argentina's first game in Russia, there was little doubt Messi was looking to atone against Croatia.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But he appeared tense even before kick-off, his body language betraying a man feeling the weight of expectations as he nervously rubbed his forehead amid deep contemplation during the national anthems.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An early darting run within seconds of the start suggested it could be his night, but it was not to be.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi was almost invisible as he was restricted to just 20 touches in an alarmingly subdued first half.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Only strike partner Sergio Aguero (seven) was less involved, with even goalkeeper Willy Caballero seeing the ball more frequently.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>Cracks</strong></p>.<p class="bodytext">His hat-trick to take Argentina to the World Cup had papered over gaping cracks, rescuing their campaign at the last, but the faultlines were plain to see on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A howler from Caballero gifted Croatia the lead. Messi went close when a sliding block from Barcelona teammate Ivan Rakitic denied him from close range but he was powerless to prevent Argentina's demise.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He desperately dropped back just in front of the defence at times to collect the ball but was repeatedly greeted by a wall of black Croatia shirts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Two late goals drove a dagger into Argentina's heart and Messi's flickering hopes, leaving the five-time world player of the year seemingly destined never to win football's greatest prize.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It is all in stark contrast to the heroics of his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who already has four goals at the World Cup and looks a shoo-in for a sixth world player of the year award.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The reality of the Argentina squad clouds Leo's brilliance. He is limited because the team doesn't gel with him as it should," was the verdict of coach Jorge Sampaoli.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The dream goes on for Ronaldo, also in his fourth and likely final World Cup, although Sampaoli was reluctant to be drawn on comparisons between the eternal rivals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I think Cristiano is a great player, you can look at all he has achieved for his club and his country," he said. "Right now we shouldn't compare these two players." </p>
<p class="title">Lionel Messi sloped off down the tunnel in Nizhny Novgorod with his head bowed, knowing Argentina face the humiliation of a group-stage exit at the World Cup in Russia.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Barcelona star was silenced by a far superior Croatia side in a brutal 3-0 defeat that left the South Americans needing an unlikely series of results to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The World Cup is likely to lose the man who -- along with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo -- has dominated and defined football for a decade.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi is just days short of his 31st birthday. We may be witnessing him on football's biggest stage for the final time -- a talent curiously unfulfilled at international level despite his astonishing feats for his club.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final 1-0 to Germany after extra time, before suffering successive defeats by Chile on penalties in Copa America finals in 2015 and 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi hinted before the start of this World Cup that he could quit international football after the tournament, having already retired in 2016 before swiftly reversing his decision.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After missing a penalty in the opening 1-1 draw with Iceland in Argentina's first game in Russia, there was little doubt Messi was looking to atone against Croatia.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But he appeared tense even before kick-off, his body language betraying a man feeling the weight of expectations as he nervously rubbed his forehead amid deep contemplation during the national anthems.</p>.<p class="bodytext">An early darting run within seconds of the start suggested it could be his night, but it was not to be.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Messi was almost invisible as he was restricted to just 20 touches in an alarmingly subdued first half.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Only strike partner Sergio Aguero (seven) was less involved, with even goalkeeper Willy Caballero seeing the ball more frequently.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>Cracks</strong></p>.<p class="bodytext">His hat-trick to take Argentina to the World Cup had papered over gaping cracks, rescuing their campaign at the last, but the faultlines were plain to see on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A howler from Caballero gifted Croatia the lead. Messi went close when a sliding block from Barcelona teammate Ivan Rakitic denied him from close range but he was powerless to prevent Argentina's demise.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He desperately dropped back just in front of the defence at times to collect the ball but was repeatedly greeted by a wall of black Croatia shirts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Two late goals drove a dagger into Argentina's heart and Messi's flickering hopes, leaving the five-time world player of the year seemingly destined never to win football's greatest prize.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It is all in stark contrast to the heroics of his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who already has four goals at the World Cup and looks a shoo-in for a sixth world player of the year award.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The reality of the Argentina squad clouds Leo's brilliance. He is limited because the team doesn't gel with him as it should," was the verdict of coach Jorge Sampaoli.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The dream goes on for Ronaldo, also in his fourth and likely final World Cup, although Sampaoli was reluctant to be drawn on comparisons between the eternal rivals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I think Cristiano is a great player, you can look at all he has achieved for his club and his country," he said. "Right now we shouldn't compare these two players." </p>