Tampil Berdarah-darah, Cacian Berubah Jadi Pujian bagi Javier Mascherano dalam Satu Babak

Kritikan mulai muncul, kepada gelandang 35 tahun akibat 'kesalahannya' tersebut.

Javier Mascherano is finished

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) 26 June 2018

Javier Mascherano deserved another yellow card, Nigeria was denied a clean penalty, the referee refused to make sure Javier Mascherano cleaned the blood on his face. Portugal benefited, now Argentina . This is unfair.

— Emmanuel Morrison (@iMorris_gh) 26 June 2018

Whether that is a penalty or not, this has been a disastrous #WorldCup for Javier Mascherano and it is sad to see this sort of performance from a player who has given so much to #ARG over the years.

— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) 26 June 2018

Not many people know this but Javier Mascherano actually graduated from university with first class honours in utter sh*thousery. #NGAARG

— Dream Team (@dreamteamfc) 26 June 2018

Diwajibkan menang, tak ada pilihan bagi Argentina selain memasukkan pemain bertipikal menyerang lagi berturut-turut, yaitu Cristian Pavon, Maximiliano Meza, dan Sergio Aguero.

Mascherano memimpin lini tengah Argentina bersama Ever Banega akhirnya harus berjibaku menahan serangan balik Nigeria. Wajahnya kemudian mengeluarkan darah, akibat benturan dengan pemain Nigeria.

Dalam pantauan BolaSport.com, darah terlihat mengucur dari wajah Mascherano sejak menit ke-68.

Hingga akhir laga, ia tetap melanjutkan pertandingan dan menolak untuk mendapatkan perawatan terlebih dahulu atau meminta pergantian.

Kemenangan akhirnya diraih Argentina, dan Mascherano pun menjadi salah satu pahlawan yang karena ia bertarung habis-habisan selama babak kedua.

Publik pun beralih dari mencaci ke memuji kerja keras Mascherano yang tetap tampil hingga akhir laga meski berdarah-darah.

The tears flowed tonight. Angel Di Maria. Lionel Messi. Javier Mascherano. All of them. #ARGNGA #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/n8DLaiFYJL

— The Field (@thefield_in) 26 June 2018

Admire Javier Mascherano's spirit, be he has absolutely no business in playing as a midfielder. Terrible!

— Barça Lens (@BarcaLens) 26 June 2018

So pleased for Javier Mascherano. Didn't deserve to finish his career with an error to send Argentina out. Tough to see how they can go much further with him as the single pivot though.

— Andy West (@andywest01) 26 June 2018

Dedication, thy name is @Mascherano pic.twitter.com/Zh684IIAAw

— Argentina Football (@ARG_soccernews) 26 June 2018

(Baca juga: Deretan Ekspresi Emosional Diego Maradona Saat Saksikan Argentina, dari Berdansa sampai Acungkan Jari Tengah)

Menurut catatan WhoScored, Mascherano tampil impresif dalam membendung pertahanan dan menguasai lini tengah.

Ia mencatatkan 3 tekel, 2 intersep, dan 3 sapuan. Sementara akurasi umpan Mascherano mencapai 86,8 persen dan catatan 12 umpan panjang.