Argentina's crestfallen players skulked away from Green Point Stadium with their World Cup dreams shattered and their reputations in tatters. Elimination had been inflicted with their heaviest loss in this tournament in 52 years. The muttered assessments offered in the immediate aftermath of defeat were pained.
There were admissions from some that might have applied to England's players in the previous round. Diego Maradona pointed to a lack of "energy and freshness" and claimed Germany had been quicker than his charges. Fabio Capello had come to similar conclusions in Bloemfontein six days earlier. Yet lessons are clearly not being learned against this German side.
"We didn't play as a team, and that was our biggest problem," said Carlos Tevez. "We knew Germany would play on the counterattack, like they did against England, and our mistake was not being able to stop that. It was the fact that we didn't play as a team that cost us. Of course that's what happened – are you stupid? We have some of the top players in the world. Germany and Holland don't have top players, but they won their games and made it as a team."
Those celebrated individuals had been inconsolable in the aftermath. Lionel Messi, who followed Wayne Rooney's lead by ending the tournament without a goal to his name, was hugged by Maradona in the dressing room as the tears flowed. The manager himself had to delay his post-match media conference until he had regained his composure and, even then, he was numbed and monotone through the event. "The changing room was full of sadness," said Javier Mascherano. "It was horrible to be in there."
"It's not a total failure for us because, until Saturday, we were one of the favourites and I don't think just because we lost this game we should forget everything that came before," added Tevez. "But it was more painful losing this game to Germany than the one four years ago because it was 4-0. Last time was on penalties, but to lose 4-0 in a quarter-final hurts a lot.
"The World Cup can be cruel. You wake up one day and get up from the wrong side of the bed, and then you're out and going home. A few mistakes and that's it. We knew what Germany would do, that they wouldn't let us attack in the way we wanted to, but we just played badly.
"They did what they were capable of doing, and we did not. I am very, very sad and disappointed with the result, but I gave everything I could – my heart, my legs, everything I have. But it was not enough." © Guardian News and Media 2010
