'The last of Messi': Argentines mourn loss and end of an era

BUENOS AIRES: Nervous excitement and rowdy cheers turned into anguished groans, nail-biting tension and tears, as Argentines' hope of yet another epic comeback led by Lionel Messi in the World Cup fizzled out against Spain.At the Cafe Relax bar in the historic centre of Buenos Aires, fans with tears in their eyes after the final whistle blew on the 1-0 defeat said that what saddened them most was that it was almost certainly 39-year-old Messi's last shot at a World Cup."I feel empty. Empty because of Messi, because I won't see him in a World Cup again. This is the last one," said Camilo Cichero, a 22-year-old architecture student who was comforting his crying friend."It's not how we expected it to go. At least it gives me peace of mind knowing he's already won everything there was to win."