Australia’s World Cup dream has come to a brutal end after a flash of brilliance from Lionel Messi and a brain explosion from goalkeeper Mat Ryan led the Socceroos to a 2-1 loss.

The skipper’s 57th-minute howler recalled former Socceroos’ keeper Zeljko Kalac’s horror fumble that gifted Croatian midfielder Niko Kovač a goal in the group stage of the 2006 World Cup.