'Worst end' for World Cup elimination, says Argentine press

Argentina's coach Diego Maradona hugs Lionel Messi after Germany won their 2010 World Cup quarter-final soccer match at Green Point stadium in Cape Town July 3, 2010. [Agencies]

BUENOS AIRES - The main Argentine dailies said on Sunday that the elimination of the national soccer team from the World Cup of South Africa 2010 was the "worst end" ensuing Germany's 4-0 victory over Argentina in the quarterfinals.

"The illusion is over," the daily "Clarin" said in its front page, and added a picture of the coach Diego Maradona hugging player Lionel Messi.

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Clarin said that "the elimination of the World Cup was due to a non-stoppable series of goals" and the team "stayed at the quarterfinals, in line with 2006 also against Germany," with a team that "did not have answers".

The daily "La Nacion" headlined: "The worst end for the illusion" and added that "with 4-0 Germany eliminating the (Argentine) team," while "Maradona sets doubt on his continuity."

The daily "Diario Perfil" said it was a "shock of reality" and added that "the force of the German team left Argentina out of the World Cup".

"Even more that the indisputable 0-4, the difference was in weight of the ideas deployed in the field. Rumor: Maradona does not want to continue," Diario Perfil said.

Sports daily "Ole" said "they cut our veins," comparing to the famous phrase "they cut my legs" of Maradona when he was expelled from the World Cup of the United States 1994.

"Diego, depressed, doubts if continue or leave. Germany annihilated us, it erased our figures and left us without World Cup and everything. A lesson of team work," Ole said.

Meanwhile, daily "Pagina 12" said "it was nice as it lasted" and added "the dream is over. The team did not play good and lost 0-4 to a superior Germany, which will face Spain at the semifinals".