World Cup 2018: 10 Most Dramatic Moments From The Group Stage

Argentina have one of the greatest footballers of all time among their ranks and made it to the final of the 2014 World Cup, so were expected to make relatively light work of a group featuring lowly Iceland, struggling Nigeria, and a Croatia team that were widely regarded as solid but unspectacular. But it didn't quite turn out like that. Argentina did qualify in the end, but they drew their first game against Iceland and then got torn apart in the match with Croatia.

Messi and co were expected to get their campaign back on track in this game, but they failed to do so in remarkable fashion. Argentina did have a few chances in the early stages of the game, but Croatia were by far the more threatening side and got their first goal after goalkeeper Willy Caballero made an absolute mess of an attempted pass to one of his defenders.

As Argentina pushed and pushed, Croatia hit them on the counter with two really well-worked goals. The drama of the game was heightened further in the closing minutes as Argentina's players started to lose their cool, notably with Nicolás Otamendi almost kicking Ivan Rakitić square in the face.