By Graham Wood, PA International

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Gabriel Batistuta wanted to put an exclamation mark on the end of his international career by leading Argentina to their third World Cup.

Instead, his final major tournament for his country was halted in mid-sentence.

Batistuta and his star-studded team-mates were among the pre-tournament favourites but they failed to beat Sweden and now leave Japan and South Korea shell-shocked and emotionally spent.

So where does that leave Batistuta, whose best mark in three World Cups was reaching the last eight at France 98?

An explosive figure down the years, with pace, a great aerial presence and blockbusting boots, the young Batistuta watched in awe as Mario Kempes lifted the World Cup for Argentina in 1978 and, in 1986, he was beginning his professional career when Diego Maradona inspired the national team to their triumph in Mexico.

He has since gone on to achieve a better scoring record for Argentina than both Kempes and Maradona and is the national team's record scorer with 56 goals.

But that will be scant consolation for a man who has known nothing but success in his domestic career, only to see his internationals days end in colossal disappointment.

Before the tournament, he said: "I dream of lifting the World Cup, it would be the ultimate conclusion with the national team."

Batistuta was left to ponder an entirely different international send-off as he shed tears at the final whistle.

"The time is over and the pain is twice as bad," he said. "I dreamed of a different ending.

"I will never watch this match again, I do not need to see it again to know that we could have made it through without any problems in this group."

For Batistuta, the lack of a world title takes some of the shine off an otherwise glorious career so far.

At Fiorentina he is legend. A statue outside the Artemio Franchi Stadium has been erected in his honour.

At Roma in 2001, he captured a Serie A crown.

But this year had been a difficult one for the man they call 'Batigol'.

Batistuta found his ability questioned for the first time following a miserable return of just 6 goals in 23 matches for Roma in a season which saw him troubled with knee injuries.

Such talk that his best days were behind him was supposedly going to be dismissed as soon as he donned the blue and white stripes for his country.

All appeared to be going to plan as his headed goal gave Marcelo Bielsa's side an opening win against the Super Eagles.

That proved a false dawn for the 33-year-old, however, as he struggled to make an impression against England and Sweden.

He was substituted in both games.

"We did everything we possibly could, there was nothing left inside of us," he said after today's game.

"We feel for the people of Argentina, it was very close and being unable to repay the debt to them makes us feel bad."

PA International