Argentina's Lionel Messi kneels on the pitch during the round of 16 match between France and Argentina, at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Saturday, June 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Thanassis... (Associated Press) 
 
 Argentina's Lionel Messi kneels on the pitch during the round of 16 match between France and Argentina, at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, Saturday, June 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (Associated Press) 
 
 MOSCOW (AP) — Lionel Messi stared, hands on hips, pain etched across a face once boyish and filled with limitless joy, now obscured by a brown beard and hardened by expectations for his nation unmet. 
 
 Four hours later and 950 miles (1,530 kilometers) away, Cristiano Ronaldo's eyes were wide in anger as he shouted in protest just ahead of the final whistle, once again arguing with a referee. The tirade got Ronaldo a second yellow card that would have suspended him for the next match. No worries, Portugal's World Cup ended with a loss. 
 
 Saturday will likely mark the end of an era for the World Cup, a decade in which much of the hype and pre-tournament talk has been about the best players in the world, the Spanish league rivals who have evenly split the last 10 FIFA Player of the Year Awards. Once again, both men have failed to replicate their club success for their countries. 
 
 Messi is a week past his 31st birthday and Ronaldo 33, former phenoms unlikely to reach Qatar 2022 or retain their exceptional skill if they manage to hang on. 
 
 For both superstars, a World Cup title remained an unreachable star. On Saturday, they were both outshined by a pair of Paris Saint-Germain teammates, France's Kylian Mbappe and Uruguay's Edinson Cavani. Younger legs have more speed and endurance. Most importantly, Cavani and Mbappe had more support and less pressure. 
 
 Messi hasn't won a senior title with his nation, losing finals at the 2014 World Cup, and the 2007, '15 and '16 Copa Americas, the last when Messi failed on his penalty kick during a shootout. He faced massive criticism at home and retired from the national team only to be lured back for this World Cup cycle. 
 
 Ronaldo lost a World Cup semifinal in 2006 but never got past the second round again. He did help Portugal to its first European Championship in 2016. 
 
 If Argentina and Portugal won Saturday, the rivals would have matched up for a spot in the semifinals. Instead, they'll race to the airport. Argentina lost to France 4-3 in Kazan and Portugal fell to Uruguay 2-1 at Sochi. 
 
 Brazil's Pele and Argentina's Diego Maradona became national treasures at home, celebrated for World Cup titles and global superstars. Fans who never saw them play for their clubs know of Pele and Maradona's accomplishments every four years at the global tournament. 
 
 Messi and Ronaldo will be remembered for great club success, but not country triumph. 
 
 Barcelona signed the 13-year-old Messi to a contract scrawled on a napkin in 2000. He was 17 when he made his competitive first-team debut. Titles accumulated at an unprecedented rate: four in the Champions League, nine in La Liga and six in the Copa del Rey. Adulation at Camp Nou turned into worship; media called him "La Pugla (The Flea)" for his small frame and unparalleled acceleration, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger equated Messi's moves with a video-game creation, proclaiming he was "like a PlayStation." 
 
 He scored at a rate once unfathomable: 383 goals in 418 league matches, 100 in 125 Champions League games and 552 in 637 first-team appearances overall. He was a lifer for one of the most popular clubs in the world, a brand of his own, earning love in Spain but detachment from his countrymen in South America. Too often, his World Cup failures were compared to Maradona's successes. 
 
 Ronaldo, too, debuted at 17, for Sporting Lisbon. His crossover dribble was already famous when Alex Ferguson snatched him for Manchester United ahead of the 2003-04 season and gave him the No. 7 of just-departed David Beckham. After six seasons that included three Premier League titles, one Champions League and one FA Cup, he moved to Real Madrid and scored 450 goals in 438 matches, winning four Champions League titles, and the league and cup twice each. He's set a Champions League record with 120 goals, leaving Messi a distant second. 
 
 They were soccer's yin and yang, Messi understated and distant, Ronaldo flamboyant with a model girlfriend and attention-grabbing hairdos. They are global spokesmen, Ronaldo for Nike, Toyota and many more; Messi for the likes of Adidas and Pepsi. 
 
 Ronaldo grew a goatee for this World Cup. He said it was because of a bet with Portugal teammate Ricardo Quaresma, but it coincided with the release of a commercial of Messi with a real goat — as in "Greatest of All Time." 
 
 They have entertained, becoming household names in continents far afield, royalty of the internet age when satellites beamed their twice-a-week matches to homes, bars and laptops in ways Pele, Maradona and predecessors couldn't envisage. 
 
 But now their time at the top has come to an end. Mbappe, just 19, and others in the next generation are ready for leading roles. It is too soon to proclaim which will emerge to become the best. As dusk descended late on a midsummer Russian night, dawn was just ahead. 
 
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 More AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/WorldCup ||||| Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup French players celebrate with the World Cup trophy after defeating Croatia in the final on Sunday, July 15. Hide Caption 1 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup French midfielder Paul Pogba celebrates with the trophy. Hide Caption 2 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France mobs Kylian Mbappe after his goal gave the team a 4-1 lead. Hide Caption 3 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia's Ivan Strinic reacts during the match. Hide Caption 4 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France manager Didier Deschamps is lifted by his players after the victory. Deschamps was also a player on the 1998 French team that won the World Cup. Hide Caption 5 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris makes a jumping save against Croatia. Hide Caption 6 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup French players celebrate after the final whistle. Hide Caption 7 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup French President Emmanuel Macron shows his excitement while watching the match. Hide Caption 8 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Paul Pogba, bottom, runs to the corner after scoring France's third goal. Hide Caption 9 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France's Lucas Hernandez tackles Ante Rebic. Hide Caption 10 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup The referee used video review on this play late in the first half and called for a penalty after Ivan Perisic handled the ball in the Croatian box. Antoine Griezmann stepped up to convert the penalty and give France a 2-1 lead. Hide Caption 11 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Perisic, bottom left, scored a spectacular first-half goal to tie the match at 1-1. Hide Caption 12 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Will Smith and Nicky Jam perform during the closing ceremony held before the final. Hide Caption 13 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgian players celebrate Eden Hazard's goal in the third-place match against England on Saturday, July 14. The Belgians won 2-0. Hide Caption 14 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Thomas Meunier opened the scoring for Belgium in the fourth minute. Hide Caption 15 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford reacts after the first goal against Belgium. Hide Caption 16 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Mario Mandzukic scores against England late in extra time to give Croatia a 2-1 victory in the semifinals on Wednesday, July 11. Hide Caption 17 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Mandzukic celebrates after his goal. Hide Caption 18 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia's Ivan Strinic, right, challenges England's Jesse Lingard. Hide Caption 19 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatian defender Sime Vrsaljko goes over Ashley Young for a header. Hide Caption 20 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A photographer is knocked over by members of the Croatian team as they celebrate the late Mandzukic goal. Hide Caption 21 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Players collide during the Croatia-England semifinal. Croatia played 120 minutes for the third straight match. Hide Caption 22 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Lingard shields the ball in the corner. Hide Caption 23 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France's Antoine Griezmann celebrates at the end of the semifinal match against Belgium on Tuesday, July 10. France won 1-0 to advance to the final. Hide Caption 24 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France's Olivier Giroud kisses teammate Samuel Umtiti after Umtiti scored on a header against Belgium. Hide Caption 25 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Giroud is challenged by Belgium defender Vincent Kompany. Hide Caption 26 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France's teenage sensation, Kylian Mbappe, jumps over Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Hide Caption 27 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Thierry Henry, assistant coach for Belgium and former French captain, consoles Belgian players after the semifinal loss. Hide Caption 28 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Luka Modric jumps for the ball during Croatia's quarterfinal victory over Russia on July 7. Hide Caption 29 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatian players celebrate after defeating Russia in a penalty shootout. The match was tied 2-2 after extra time. Hide Caption 30 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Russian forward Fedor Smolov reacts after the Croatia match. Hide Caption 31 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia's Mario Mandzukic, left, and Russia's Mario Fernandes go for the ball. Hide Caption 32 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia's Andrej Kramaric celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Russia. Hide Caption 33 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup English defenders Harry Maguire, left, and John Stones celebrate their quarterfinal victory over Sweden on July 7. Maguire scored the opening goal in the 2-0 win. Hide Caption 34 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup English manager Gareth Southgate celebrates his team's win. Hide Caption 35 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Dele Alli scores on a header for England's second goal. Hide Caption 36 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Swedish players are dejected at the end of the match. Hide Caption 37 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgian players celebrate the second goal in their 2-1 win over Brazil on July 6. They advanced to play France in the semifinals. Hide Caption 38 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Brazilian star Neymar reacts after the final whistle. Hide Caption 39 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgium celebrates their first goal, which came off a deflected header in the 13th minute. Hide Caption 40 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois leaps for a loose ball in the box. Hide Caption 41 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Kevin De Bruyne controls the ball against Brazil. Hide Caption 42 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France's Olivier Giroud, left, and Uruguay's Martin Caceres battle for the ball during their quarterfinal match on July 6. France won 2-0. Hide Caption 43 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera watches the ball leak into the net after he misplayed an Antoine Griezmann shot in the second half. Hide Caption 44 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France's Benjamin Pavard, top, and Uruguay's Cristian Rodriguez compete for a header. Hide Caption 45 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A France supporter cheers ahead of the match. Hide Caption 46 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup English players react after their shootout win over Colombia on July 3. It was England's first-ever shootout win at a World Cup. Hide Caption 47 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Colombian striker Radamel Falcao heads the ball toward goal on July 3. Hide Caption 48 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup England's Harry Kane tries to control the ball against Colombia. He scored a penalty during regulation time. It was his tournament-leading sixth goal. Hide Caption 49 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Falcao reacts after receiving a yellow card. Hide Caption 50 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Sweden's Emil Forsberg, left, celebrates after scoring against Switzerland on July 3. Sweden won 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. Hide Caption 51 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A Sweden fan shows his support during the Switzerland match. Hide Caption 52 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri is challenged by Ludwig Augustinsson. Hide Caption 53 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgium players celebrate after Nacer Chadli, third from right, scored with just seconds remaining to win the round-of-16 match against Japan on July 2. Hide Caption 54 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Chadli slides the ball past Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima to finish off Belgium's 3-2 comeback victory. It is the first time since 1970 that a team has come back from two goals down to win in the World Cup knockout stage. Hide Caption 55 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A Japan supporter cries after the match. Hide Caption 56 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Takashi Inui, left, gave Japan a 2-0 lead early in the second half. Hide Caption 57 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgium defender Vincent Kompany nearly scores in the first half. Hide Caption 58 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Brazilian star Neymar is fouled by Mexican defender Edson Alvarez during their round-of-16 match on July 2. Brazil won 2-0. Hide Caption 59 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Neymar stretches for a cross to score Brazil's first goal in the 51st minute. Hide Caption 60 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Neymar is held on Paulinho's shoulders after the first goal. Hide Caption 61 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Mexico's Hirving Lozano watches the ball during the Brazil match. This is the seventh straight time that Mexico has been eliminated in the World Cup's round of 16. Hide Caption 62 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia's Luka Modric celebrates with teammates after their victory over Denmark on July 1. Croatia won on penalties after the match ended 1-1. Hide Caption 63 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia's Ivan Perisic stops the ball during the Denmark match. Hide Caption 64 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev saves an Iago Aspas penalty to give Russia an upset victory over Spain in the round of 16. The match went to penalties after ending 1-1. Hide Caption 65 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Russian players mob Akinfeev after the final save. Hide Caption 66 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Russia's Artem Dzyuba celebrates after scoring against Spain in the first half. Hide Caption 67 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Spain's Isco and Russia's Mario Fernandes vie for the ball. Hide Caption 68 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Dzyuba is defended by Sergio Busquets. Hide Caption 69 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Edinson Cavani celebrates his second goal in a 2-0 victory over Portugal on June 30. Hide Caption 70 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo receives a yellow card from referee Cesar Ramos near the end of the match. Hide Caption 71 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Argentina's Lionel Messi reacts after his team was knocked out of the World Cup by France on June 30. Messi had two assists in the 4-3 loss. Hide Caption 72 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Kylian Mbappe was the star in France's victory over Argentina. The teenage sensation scored twice and drew a penalty that gave France its first goal. Hide Caption 73 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup An Argentina fan reacts after the match. Hide Caption 74 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Gabriel Mercado deflected a Messi shot past Hugo Lloris to give Argentina a brief 2-1 lead. Hide Caption 75 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup French players celebrate after Benjamin Pavard tied the match at 2-2. Hide Caption 76 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France fans celebrate during the match against Argentina. Hide Caption 77 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Colombian defender Yerry Mina controls the ball during a match against Senegal on June 28. Mina headed in a second-half goal to lift his team to a 1-0 victory -- and first place in Group H. Hide Caption 78 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Colombia's Juan Quintero jumps over Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye. Senegal finished with four points in Group H, the same as Japan, but Japan advanced on the "fair play points" tiebreaker. Japan had two fewer yellow cards in the tournament than Senegal. Hide Caption 79 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Senegal fans salute before the match against Colombia. Hide Caption 80 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Poland's Jan Bednarek, left, competes for the ball with Japan's Gotoku Sakai on June 28. Poland won 1-0, but Japan advanced to the next round. Hide Caption 81 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Poland forward Robert Lewandowski dribbles through two Japan players. Hide Caption 82 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Japan supporters clear litter from the stands after the match. Hide Caption 83 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgium's Adnan Januzaj curls in a stunning goal against England on June 28. It was the only goal of the match. Hide Caption 84 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup The Belgium-England match was notable for how many top players didn't see the field. With both teams already assured a spot in the knockout stage, many of their usual starters took the night off. Among those on the bench for Belgium were captain Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne. Hide Caption 85 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the winning goal against Panama on June 28. Tunisia won 2-1. Hide Caption 86 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Panama players celebrate after an own goal gave them an early lead against Tunisia. Hide Caption 87 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Germany's Marco Reus reacts after his team lost to South Korea and was knocked out of the World Cup on June 27. The defending champions lost 2-0 and finished at the bottom of Group F. Hide Caption 88 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup South Korea's Lee Jae-sung, left, chases down a ball with Germany's Jonas Hector. Hide Caption 89 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Ludwig Augustinsson celebrates after scoring Sweden's first goal in its 3-0 victory over Mexico on June 27. The result meant that Sweden would top Group F and Mexico would finish in second. Hide Caption 90 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Mexican defender Hector Moreno heads the ball in front of Swedish forward Marcus Berg. Hide Caption 91 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Brazilian defender Thiago Silva celebrates after his powerful header gave Brazil a 2-0 lead over Serbia on June 27. Brazil won Group E with two victories and a draw. Hide Caption 92 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Brazil's Willian and Serbia's Filip Kostic fight for the ball. Hide Caption 93 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Brazilian star Neymar controls the ball during the Serbia match. Hide Caption 94 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Switzerland's Blerim Dzemaili celebrates after scoring the first goal in his team's 2-2 draw with Costa Rica on June 27. Switzerland finished second in its group to advance to the knockout stage. Hide Caption 95 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Kendall Waston had a goal for Costa Rica in the match against Switzerland. Hide Caption 96 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Costa Rican defender Cristian Gamboa, right, closes in on Switzerland's Ricardo Rodriguez. Hide Caption 97 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Argentina star Lionel Messi rides on the back of Marcos Rojo after Rojo's late winner against Nigeria on June 26. With the 2-1 victory, Argentina clinched a spot in the next round of the tournament. Hide Caption 98 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Rojo controls the ball earlier in the match against Nigeria. Hide Caption 99 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Argentina legend Diego Maradona was in the crowd once again, drawing attention from fans just as he did when he was a player. Hide Caption 100 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia's Josip Pivaric prepares to chest the ball during the team's 1-0 win against Iceland on June 26. Croatia improved its record to 3-0 in the tournament. Hide Caption 101 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia supporters kiss ahead of the match against Iceland. Hide Caption 102 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Danish players acknowledge fans after their scoreless draw with France on June 26. Both teams advanced to the knockout stage. Hide Caption 103 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Denmark's Martin Braithwaite, left, is tracked by France's N'Golo Kante, center, and Presnel Kimpembe. Hide Caption 104 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Australian player Mark Milligan is joined by his children after a 2-0 loss to Peru on June 26. Hide Caption 105 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Milligan stretches to clear a cross. Hide Caption 106 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Aaron Mooy tugs on the jersey of Peru's Paolo Guerrero. Hide Caption 107 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Portugal's Ricardo Quaresma, left, is embraced by Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring against Iran on June 25. Iran scored late to tie the match, but the 1-1 result was enough to see Portugal into the next round. Hide Caption 108 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup An Iran fan enjoys the pre-match atmosphere. Hide Caption 109 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Iranian forward Sardar Azmoun shields the ball from Portuguese defender Jose Fonte. Hide Caption 110 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Moroccan goalkeeper Munir catches the ball against Spain. That match ended 2-2, with Spain winning the group. Hide Caption 111 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Egyptian star Mohamed Salah reacts after Saudi Arabia's winning goal in second-half stoppage time on June 25. Egypt lost all three of its matches at this World Cup. Hide Caption 112 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Salem Al-Dawsari celebrates with a flip after scoring the match-winning goal against Egypt. Hide Caption 113 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Russia's Artem Dzyuba, in white, competes with Uruguay's Sebastian Coates during Uruguay's 3-0 victory on June 25. Uruguay won all three of its matches in the group stage. This was Russia's first loss. Hide Caption 114 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A Uruguay fan, right, poses with a Russia fan before the match. Hide Caption 115 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez, left, reacts after the second goal deflected past Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev. Hide Caption 116 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Colombian forward Falcao celebrates after scoring against Poland on June 24. Colombia won 3-0. Hide Caption 117 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Colombian defender Yerry Mina opened the scoring with a header in the first half. Hide Caption 118 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A Colombia fan before the Poland match. Hide Caption 119 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Senegalese players huddle up before the second half of their match against Japan on June 24. The two teams tied 2-2. Hide Caption 120 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A shot of the crowd at the Ekaterinburg Arena during the Japan-Senegal match. Hide Caption 121 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup English striker Harry Kane celebrates after scoring a penalty in the 6-1 rout of Panama on June 24. Kane finished with a hat trick. Hide Caption 122 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Panama players gather after their defeat. Hide Caption 123 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup German players celebrate after Toni Kroos scored on a late free kick to stun Sweden 2-1 on June 23. Hide Caption 124 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup South Korea's Ki Sung-yueng, right, argues with Mexico's Edson Alvarez as Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa lies on the ground on June 23. Mexico won 2-1. Hide Caption 125 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup South Korea's Lee Yong, left, duels for the ball with Mexico's Hirving Lozano. Hide Caption 126 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A Mexico fan waits for the start of the match against South Korea. Hide Caption 127 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgium's Romelu Lukaku scores against Tunisia on June 23. He had a pair of goals in the match, which Belgium won 5-2. Hide Caption 128 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Captain Eden Hazard also scored two for Belgium. Hide Caption 129 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Players watch the ball during the Belgium-Tunisia match. Hide Caption 130 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgium's Jan Vertonghen, left, challenges Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri. Hide Caption 131 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Serbia on June 22. Switzerland won 2-1. Hide Caption 132 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Swiss players defend Serbia's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Hide Caption 133 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer catches the ball over Milinkovic-Savic. Hide Caption 134 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Nigerian midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo kicks the ball during a 2-0 victory over Iceland on June 22. Hide Caption 135 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Ahmed Musa celebrates after scoring his second goal of the match against Iceland. Hide Caption 136 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Iceland fans perform their famous viking clap. Hide Caption 137 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Neymar celebrates his last-second goal that finished off Brazil's 2-0 victory over Costa Rica on June 22. Hide Caption 138 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Neymar taps in his goal late in the match. Hide Caption 139 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatian players celebrate the second goal in their 3-0 victory over Argentina on June 21. The victory clinched them a spot in the knockout stage. Hide Caption 140 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatia's Luka Modric is tackled by Argentina's Nicolas Tagliafico. Hide Caption 141 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Willy Caballero is dejected after his flubbed clearance gifted Croatia its first goal. Hide Caption 142 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup France's Kylian Mbappe, right, celebrates with teammate Antoine Griezmann after scoring against Peru on June 21. It was the only goal of the match. Hide Caption 143 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Peru's Andre Carrillo is challenged by French players Paul Pogba, left, and N'Golo Kante. Hide Caption 144 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A Peruvian supporter waits for the start of the match. Hide Caption 145 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Australia's Robbie Kruse, foreground, and Denmark's Henrik Dalsgaard go for a header during the teams' 1-1 draw on June 21. Hide Caption 146 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Australia's Joshua Risdon jumps over Thomas Delaney. Hide Caption 147 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Spain's Diego Costa, right, celebrates with teammate Isco after scoring against Iran on June 20. Spain won 1-0. Hide Caption 148 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A fan has his face painted with the colors of the Spanish flag on June 20. Hide Caption 149 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Referee Andres Cunha speaks with Iranian midfielder Ehsan Hajsafi during the match. Hide Caption 150 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal in Portugal's 1-0 win over Morocco on June 20. Hide Caption 151 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Uruguay fans cheer outside the stadium before the match with Saudi Arabia on June 20. Hide Caption 152 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Saudi Arabia's Fahad Al-Muwallad, left, challenges Uruguay's Diego Godin. Hide Caption 153 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Uruguay's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring against Saudi Arabia. It was the only goal of the match, and the final result meant Uruguay and Russia would both advance to the tournament's knockout stage. Hide Caption 154 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Mohamed Salah kisses the ball before scoring a penalty for Egypt on June 19. Russia won, however, by a final score of 3-1. Hide Caption 155 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Egypt's Tarek Hamed, left, and Russia's Aleksandr Golovin compete for the ball. Hide Caption 156 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Russia's first goal came when the ball deflected off Egypt's Ahmed Fathi. Hide Caption 157 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Members of the Senegal team celebrate after defeating Poland 2-1 in their match on June 19. Hide Caption 158 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Japanese defender Gen Shoji climbs over Colombia's Radamel Falcao to win a header in their World Cup opener on June 19. Japan won the match 2-1. Hide Caption 159 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup The referee shows a red card to Colombia's Carlos Sanchez in the third minute. Sanchez was deemed to have deliberately handled the ball in the box. Hide Caption 160 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup English players celebrate Harry Kane's first goal in the 2-1 win over Tunisia on June 18. Kane later added the winner in second-half stoppage time. Hide Caption 161 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A Tunisia fan shows his dejection after the final whistle. Hide Caption 162 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Belgium's Dries Mertens, right, competes for the ball with Panama's Jose Luis Rodriguez during their World Cup opener on June 18. Mertens scored a goal in Belgium's 3-0 victory. Hide Caption 163 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Panamanian forward Gabriel Torres controls the ball during the match against Belgium. Hide Caption 164 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Sweden's Pontus Jansson, top left, and South Korea's Ki Sung-yueng try to head the ball during Sweden's 1-0 victory on June 18. Hide Caption 165 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Switzerland's Steven Zuber celebrates after scoring a goal against Brazil on June 17. The two teams tied 1-1. Hide Caption 166 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Brazil's Philippe Coutinho and Switzerland's Breel Embolo compete for the ball. Hide Caption 167 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Brazilian star Neymar recently came back from a foot injury. Hide Caption 168 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Mexico's Hirving Lozano, left, celebrates with Jesus Gallardo after scoring the only goal in the upset victory over Germany on June 17. Hide Caption 169 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Fans wave German flags before facing off with Mexico. Hide Caption 170 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa makes a late save against Mario Gomez. Hide Caption 171 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Marcos Ureña runs onto the pitch during Costa Rica's opening match against Serbia on June 17. Serbia won 1-0. Hide Caption 172 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Croatian players celebrate after Luka Modric scored the second goal of their 2-0 win against Nigeria on June 16. Hide Caption 173 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Nigerian captain John Obi Mikel runs with the ball during the Croatia match. Hide Caption 174 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen reacts after he scored a goal against Peru on June 16. It turned out to be the only goal in the match. Hide Caption 175 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Peru's Luis Advincula, left, and Denmark's Martin Braithwaite fight for the ball. Hide Caption 176 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Argentina star Lionel Messi appears downcast at the end of a 1-1 draw with Iceland on June 16. Messi missed a penalty in the match. Hide Caption 177 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Messi and Iceland's Hordur Magnusson struggle for the ball. Hide Caption 178 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Fans of France share a kiss before the team's opening match with Australia on June 16. Hide Caption 179 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup French midfielder Paul Pogba keeps his eye on the ball against Australia. His shot deflected off an Australian for the match-winning goal. Hide Caption 180 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his first-half penalty against Spain on June 15. He added two more goals in the 3-3 draw. Hide Caption 181 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Spanish defender Nacho, left, competes for a header with Portugal's Bruno Fernandes. Nacho conceded the early penalty to Ronaldo but responded with a second-half goal. Hide Caption 182 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Fernando Hierro was making his debut as Spain's manager. The former captain took over when Spain fired Julen Lopetegui just before the tournament. Hide Caption 183 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Portuguese defender Raphael Guerreiro controls the ball in the match against Spain. Hide Caption 184 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Morocco's Aziz Bouhaddouz lies on the ground after heading the ball into his own net late in stoppage time on June 15. The whistle was blown just a few moments later, and Iran won 1-0. Hide Caption 185 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Iran's Alireza Jahanbakhsh grimaces in pain in front of Morocco's Romain Saiss. Hide Caption 186 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Uruguay's Luis Suarez, left, and Egypt's Sam Morsy battle for the ball on June 15. Uruguay won 1-0. Hide Caption 187 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Fans watch the Egypt-Uruguay match from temporary seats set up at the Ekaterinburg Arena. The seats had to be installed to meet FIFA's minimum-seating requirement. Hide Caption 188 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Egyptian midfielder Abdallah Said heads the ball during the match against Uruguay. Hide Caption 189 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Fedor Smolov fights off two Saudi defenders during the tournament opener, which Russia won 3-0 on June 14. Russia and Saudi Arabia came into the match as the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament. Hide Caption 190 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Fans watching from Yekaterinburg, Russia, celebrate Russia's first goal. Hide Caption 191 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup The ball flies past Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf for Russia's fourth goal. Hide Caption 192 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup A fan wears body paint in Russia's colors before the opening match. Hide Caption 193 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the crowd before kickoff at the Luzhniki Stadium. Hide Caption 194 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup Performers take part in the tournament's opening ceremony. Hide Caption 195 of 197 
 
 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World Cup British pop star Robbie Williams headlined the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 196 of 197
– Lionel Messi stared, hands on hips, pain etched across a face once boyish and filled with limitless joy, now hardened by unmet expectations for his nation. Four hours later and 950 miles away, Cristiano Ronaldo's eyes were wide in anger as he shouted in protest just ahead of the final whistle, again arguing with a referee. The tirade got Ronaldo a second yellow card that would have suspended him for the next match. No worries, Portugal's World Cup ended, reports the AP. Saturday will likely mark the end of an era for the World Cup, a decade in which much of the hype has been about the best players in the world, the Spanish league rivals who have evenly split the last 10 FIFA Player of the Year Awards. Once again, both men have failed to replicate their club success for their countries. Messi is a week past his 31st birthday and Ronaldo 33, former phenoms unlikely to reach Qatar 2022. For both superstars, a World Cup title remained an unreachable star. On Saturday, they were both outshone by two Paris Saint-Germain teammates, CNN notes, France's Kylian Mbappe and Uruguay's Edinson Cavani. Messi hasn't won a senior title with his nation, losing finals at the 2014 World Cup, and the 2007, '15 and '16 Copa Americas, the last when Messi failed on his penalty kick during a shootout. He faced massive criticism at home and retired from the national team only to be lured back for this World Cup cycle. Ronaldo lost a World Cup semifinal in 2006 but never got past the second round again. They were soccer's yin and yang, Messi understated and distant, Ronaldo flamboyant with a model girlfriend and attention-grabbing hairdos. They are global spokesmen, Ronaldo for Nike, Toyota, and more; Messi for the likes of Adidas and Pepsi. But their time at the top has come to an end.