Tuesday 21 April 2020 11:22, UK
A performance "without soul" where Lionel Messi "did nothing" - Argentina's newspapers were damning about the country's loss to Croatia.
Having failed to win either of their opening two games for the first time since 1974, Argentina are on the verge of exiting the World Cup in the group stage, just four years after they reached the final in Brazil.
Thursday night's 3-0 defeat by Croatia left them second bottom of Group D with a solitary point - having drawn with Iceland in their opening fixture last Saturday.
After Willy Caballero's error handed Ante Rebic a free shot at goal which he took with aplomb, Luka Modric doubled the lead with a wonderful strike from outside the box, before Ivan Rakitic sealed victory in injury time.
The front pages of the Argentine press were understandably damning in their criticism of the national side, and daily newspaper Ole called their display "broken", from "players without soul" and accused Messi of "disappearing" and "doing nothing".
A running theme across the newspapers was the "miracle" Argentina now need to progress, which La Gaceta accompanied with a headline condemning "a selection without soul, without Messi and without future."
La Capita said the defeat left Argentina "in the middle of a nightmare", while La Voz's headline was "only shadows", to which they added underneath: "We played horribly, and our defeat was even worse against Croatia.
"We are on the edge of elimination. A team without football, without blood and without a leader."
