By Brazil crashed out of the World Cup after penalty shootout drama against Croatia on Friday while Argentina survived a furious comeback from the Netherlands to also win on spot kicks.
Argentina advanced to the semi-finals against Croatia after Brazil star Neymar was brought to tears.
Messi, at the age of 35, still has a chance to win his first World Cup, but a distraught Neymar claimed he might never play for Brazil again.
After a goalless 90 minutes, Neymar appeared to have kept Brazil’s chances of a sixth World Cup victory alive by initiating and executing a beautiful move in extra time to tie Pele’s international scoring record of 77 goals for the country.
However, Croatia fought hard to get back into the contest as Bruno Petkovic stepped up to tie the score.
Neymar’s moment of brilliance ignited a tight contest that Croatia’s Dominik Livakovic won the game for, making a series of incredible saves to hold the Brazilians at bay.
Petkovic connected with a cross as extra time expired at Education City Stadium, and his deflected shot got past Brazil goalkeeper Alisson.
If the late equalizer had shaken Brazil, a series of nerve-wracking penalty kicks would make matters worse.
The tone was established when Nikola Vlasic smashed the opening penalty down the centre and into the net, before Rodrygo’s initial effort for Brazil was turned away by Livakovic.
In the end, it came down to Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Marquinhos, but his kick deflected against the post, giving Croatia a 4-2 shootout triumph and a spot in the World Cup’s final four for the second time in a row.
The Croatian squad, led by Zlatko Dalic, followed up their previous round triumph over Japan on penalties with this historic victory.
“We’re raised as fighters. We spare no effort – we’re always giving our best and that’s our recipe for success,” said Livakovic, who saved three spot kicks against Japan.
Brazil will have to wait at least another four years to compete for a sixth World Cup championship; by 2026, it will have been 24 years since they last won the tournament.
Neymar, visibly moved, stated that he might not wear the yellow shirt again.
“I am not closing any doors on the national team but I am also not guaranteeing 100 per cent that I will return,” he said.
Argentina cling on
Instead of a sensational all-South American semi-final, Messi is up against Croatia, the surprise runners-up in 2018.
On Friday, his team appeared to be in complete control at Lusail Stadium as Nahuel Molina scored first and Messi himself converted a 73rd-minute penalty.
Wout Weghorst scored twice in the last minutes of normal time to give Argentina a two-goal advantage.
For pure brilliance, his second goal will be remembered for years to come – Steven Berghuis formed to shoot, but instead slid a pass towards three Dutch players in the wall, and Weghorst shook off his Argentine defender and poked the ball past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
After extra time failed to provide any more goals, the second quarter-final of the evening was decided on penalties.
Dutch luck had run out this time.
Virgil van Dijk, their captain, went up first, but Martinez spared him. Messi followed and made no mistakes before Martinez saved Berghuis again.
Despite an Enzo Fernandez miss, Argentina won the shootout 4-3, with Lautaro Martinez hitting the game-winning penalty.
Messi applauded his team’s resilience — but was unhappy with Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz, especially at his allocation of the free-kick that allowed Weghorst the chance to equalize.
“We knew how to suffer when it was our turn, but we got through to the semi-finals. It’s beautiful, something impressive,” Messi said.
“I don’t want to comment about the referee because they reprimand or penalty you right away, but I think people witnessed what occurred.”
“FIFA has to look into it; it can’t allow a referee like that a match of this importance if they’re not up to it.”
On Saturday, the focus shifts to the heavyweight matchup between reigning champions France and England, while Morocco faces Portugal in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
