Argentina flattered to deceive in their early performances in the World Cup but in the end lost it all - including their tempers - in a quarter-final penalty shoot-out defeat to Germany.

Coach Jose Pekerman resigned after the exit with Argentina's players venting their frustration on their opponents in the melee that followed Germany's success.

Argentina were entitled to feel a little aggrieved with Maxi Rodriguez cautioned for diving at the end of normal time for what looked a rock-solid penalty claim after a lunge by Philipp Lahm.

But in the end it was another disappointment for a team that had a collection of individual players that most national team coaches could only dream of.

The 6-0 thrashing of Serbia and Montenegro showed what can happen when all the individuals pull together with Esteban Cambiasso's goal coming after 26 passes and a Serbo-Montenegrin defence that had conceded only one goal in their whole qualifying campaign.

That had followed a 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast when Argentina took control of the game but then relaxed and almost let the Ivorians back in.

It meant the clash with Holland which had been hyped up as the match of the first phase was devalued as both teams had already qualified for the second round and a goalless draw was the result.

Argentina had their talismanic Diego Maradona acting as principal cheer-leader, wearing the national team shirt, smoking, and kissing European royalty in the VIP area as he roared on his successors.

Javier Saviola, Lionel Messi, Hernan Crespo and Rodriguez provided all sorts of attacking options for the Albiceleste and Pekerman did his best to accommodate them.

Roberto Ayala, Gabriel Heinze and Juan Pablo Sorin were marshalling a solid-looking defence and everything seemed in place for Argentina to go close - or very close to reaching the final.

First up in the knockout phase was a last-16 match with Mexico who fired the first warning shot that Argentina were vulnerable by taking an early lead through Rafael Marquez.

Argentina, somewhat fortuitously, equalised through Hernan Crespo although it looked to most observers to be a Jared Borgetti own goal.

However, as the game went into extra-time it appeared as though the Mexicans, coached by Argentinian Ricardo Lavolpe and containing some Argentinian-born players like Guillermo Franco, might be prepared to pull off a shock.

A dream strike by Maxi Rodriguez, a candidate for goal of the tournament as he controlled the ball on his chest and struck a 25-yard left-footed volley beyond the reach of Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, eventually sealed victory for a relieved Pekerman.

It was always going to be the quarter-final with Germany that would show whether Pekerman and his men had the making of world champions or not - and that is how it turned out.

Argentina adopted the obvious tactics of trying to frustrate and worry a young Germany team playing under the burden of home expectation in the Berlin Olympic stadium.

It seemed to be working when Ayala's header gave them a second-half lead. Victory was within sight when a rare collective lapse by the Argentinian defence allowed Miroslav Klose to equalise.

The refusal of a penalty was another blow to the Latin Americans but when it came to the shoot-out, it was Argentina's temperament that deserted them.

The likes of Messi and Saviola will be in their prime in 2010 in South Africa and it could be the conditions will be more to the liking of South American teams than Europeans. But 2006 will for Argentina always be a case of what might have been.