By the end of an emotional, energy sapping 120 minutes, all Lionel Messi could do was watch on in horror.
When Mario Gotze’s scored a goal which mere mortals can only dream about – who hasn’t thought of coming off the bench to score the winner in the World Cup final? – you could hear Argentine hearts snap all over Rio.
Messi and Argentina’s moment didn’t come. No shots on target, no hope, no glory.
That was left to Germany in their eighth – yes eighth – World Cup final to be crowned champions for a fourth time.
And how they deserved it. A squad bursting with talent, dynamism and sheer class are worthy winners of what is rightly being hailed as the greatest finals of all time.
The final itself was no classic but it was intense, gripping and exciting.
Germany will wake up this morning on top of the world but you only had to take a short stroll around Copacabana in the hours leading up to the match to see just what it meant for Argentina.
Thousands had made the pilgrimage to Rio, camping in cars, looking frazzled but excited.
They were wasting no opportunity to inform the locals, still hurt, dazed and confused about Brazil’s sorry campaign, just how it felt to be within 90 minutes of glory.
“Brasil decime que se siente” – Brazil tell me how it feels – has been the Argentine anthem here.
It’s a song which mercilessly digs at the hosts, how they are being bossed in their own backyard and, of course, how Maradona is better than Pele.
That is one debate which will never be settled, but last night was Messi’s chance to join the pantheon of World Cup legends.
It didn’t happen.
Oh how Brazil must have laughed.
His first 45 minutes showed flashes of genius, but nothing sustained.
His miss just after the re-start would normally have been taken.
Germany’s high line meant space in midfield was at a premium.
Messi was unable to make it happen.
Joachim Low’s side looked the most dangerous on the counter and even when Christoph Kramer, a late replacement for Sami Khedira who was injured in the warm-up, went off and was replaced by Andre Schurrle, Germany remained compact.
Losing Khedira was a huge blow though.
He was superb in the trouncing of Brazil and for a guy who has played just 12 minutes and making his first competitive start, it was a monumental ask for Kramer.
Bastian Schweinsteiger was keeping a close eye on Messi but nothing more.
Low, rightly, opted against man marking.
The fact is that despite bursts of magic, the Argentine has not been at his mercurial, brilliant best in Brazil.
Yet if Gonzalo Higuain had kept calm on 20 minutes, this match would have taken on a far different complexion.
Toni Kroos’ header back towards his own goal was a shocker, Higuain’s finish even worse.
The South American fans here – who outnumbered the Germans by some distance – kept believing.
They kept singing.
They kept jumping up and down in the stands.
Yet as the match progressed after the interval, it became tighter, fraught and more tense.
Yellow cards were being dished out with increasing regularity.
But at least Sabella, who sorely missed the injured Angel Di Maria, had steered his side away from the defensive gameplan carried out in the semi-final win over Holland.
Throwing on Sergio Aguero for Ezequiel Lavezzi at half-time told you a lot about Sabella’s mindset.
Argentina were far more adventurous in attack.
It was unlocking the German defence which proved difficult.
The fact South Americans failed to have a shot on target during 90 minutes said it all.
Space was opening up though chances remained at a premium.
Germany’s clinical finishing which so fantastically put Brazil to the sword was not apparent here, even Miroslav Klose, the man with the most goals in World Cup history, barely had a sniff.
Over 78,000 were steeling themselves for 30 minutes more.
It looked like we were set for penalties.
Nobody was giving an inch .
Then up stepped Gotze to leave Messi and Argentina with nowhere to hide.
