Sam Dean

When the ball swirled towards his back post in the 79th minute of this remarkable knockout match, Gabriel Magalhães found himself in a situation that no defender ever wants to be in.

Manchester City striker is tournament’s joint-highest scorer but is supported by wealth of talent and nation wrapped up in World Cup fever

When the end finally came for Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup dream, he was as powerless to prevent it as any of the 70,000 spectators in the stands here in Dallas. Ronaldo has spent two decades shaping matches and determining outcomes but here he was peripheral, almost to the point of absence, as Spain claimed a dramatic round-of-16 victory.

Yes, they have Lionel Messi. And yes, they had the referee to thank for a remarkably generous decision in this extraordinary game. But Argentina also have another quality that any World Cup-winning team needs: spirit. A willingness to fight. A refusal to stop. An absolute insistence that this competition belongs to them and that nothing can get in their way.

Yes, they have Lionel Messi. And yes, they had the referee to thank for a remarkably generous decision in this extraordinary game.

They call him Mr Nonchalant, on account of his reserved demeanour, but nonchalance simply isn't the right word to describe Michael Olise.

London-born forward was schooled in English football and his choice of national allegiance is a failure of Premier League academy system

They call him Mr Nonchalant, on account of his reserved demeanour, but nonchalance simply isn't the right word to describe Michael Olise.

Never before in the history of the World Cup has an outfield player as old as Lionel Messi had an impact as spectacular as this.

At the age of 39, the Argentinian's greatest superpower is his ability to conserve energy and choose the right moments to attack