NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia - Lionel Messi's frustrating international career may be coming to an early and anticlimactic finish after Argentina's worst loss in World Cup group play in 60 years.
With Argentinean legend Diego Maradona watching from the stands, the tournament's 2014 runner-up was routed 3-0 Thursday by Croatia, which is moving on to the round of 16 from Group D.
Messi got off only one shot in a defeat that pushed Argentina to the brink of elimination. Messi, who turns 31 Sunday, has never won a major title with his country's senior national team despite a decade of championships with La Liga's FC Barcelona and five player of the year awards.
"He is our captain, he leads the team and we quite simply couldn't pass to him," Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli said. "We work to give Leo the ball, but the opponent also works hard to prevent him from getting the ball."
Messi also missed a penalty kick in his team's opening 1-1 draw against Iceland.
Argentina, hurt by the poor play of goalkeeper Willy Caballero on Thursday, had not lost by such a large margin in the first round since a 6-1 defeat to Czechoslovakia in 1958.
Caballero, who gained the starting role when No. 1 keeper Sergio Romero injured his knee last month, mangled a clearance and kicked the ball toward Croatia defender Ante Rebic, who one-timed it into the net in the 53rd minute. Caballero buried his face in his hands while a giant television screen showed Maradona doing the same.
Frustrated by the Croatian defense, which never gave Messi space to operate, Argentina crumbled. Luka Modric scored with a hooking shot in the 80th minute, and Ivan Rakitic added the third in stoppage time.
"Argentina wasn't confused. We were excellent," Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said. "We beat a great Argentina with the best player in the world playing, Messi."
Argentina, which has not missed the second round since failing to qualify for the 1970 World Cup, has not been eliminated. But the two-time tournament champion needs to win its next match against Nigeria on Tuesday, as well as get help from results of other matches.
Croatia, which reached the 1998 World Cup semifinals but has not advanced past the group stage since then, will face Iceland on Tuesday in Rostov-on-Don. Croatia, which beat Nigeria 2-0 in its opener, has six points in the group standings.
Argentina and Iceland have one point apiece, and Nigeria has zero. Nigeria and Iceland play today.
Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986 - the last with Maradona as the star player - but has not won any major title in 25 years, losing the past two Copa America finals.
France 1, Peru 0
YEKATERINBURG, Russia - Kylian Mbappe's first World Cup goal put France into the round of 16.
The teenage forward tapped in a ball headed toward the goal in the 34th minute, and at 19 years and 183 days, Mbappe became the youngest scorer in his country's World Cup history.
With two wins from two matches in Group C, France is through to the knockout stage with a match to spare. Peru was eliminated from contention.
France coach Didier Deschamps made a pair of tactical adjustments after an underwhelming performance in the team's opening win over Australia, putting Blaise Matuidi and Olivier Giroud in the starting lineup while keeping his same 4-3-2-1 formation with Giroud out front. Both used their speed and passing to expose gaps in Peru's backline.
Paolo Guerrero had one of Peru's best chances in the 87th minute from a free kick, but his attempt went right at goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, the 31-year-old French captain who made his 100th international appearance.
Both teams play their final group matches Tuesday. Peru will face Australia in Sochi, and France takes on Denmark in Moscow.
Denmark 1, Australia 1
SAMARA, Russia - Australia's Mile Jedinak converted a penalty kick in the 38th minute to equalize, and the Aussies held on for the draw to give themselves new life in their bid to reach the knockout stage.
Jedinak's opportunity came when Denmark forward Yussuf Poulsen was called for a handball after a video review. Poulsen was also given a yellow card and will be suspended for the team's match against France because of accumulation of cards.
The goal was Jedinak's second from the spot at this year's World Cup, and it snapped Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel's five-match streak of shutouts for the Danes.
Christian Eriksen scored in the opening minutes for Denmark, which has gone unbeaten in 17 straight international matches.
Going into the tournament, Australia was the group's lowest-ranked team, at No. 36, with the others all in the world's top 12. Due to the Socceroos' loss to France this past weekend, when Denmark won its group opener against Peru, a defeat Thursday would have made it nearly impossible for them to advance to the next stage.
Now they'll try to move on at the World Cup for only the second time in five appearances.