Nothing photographs better than the agony of defeat, so here’s our selection of the best photos showing players going through the tragedy of their World Cup dream ending with crying, tears or just a painful and excruciating look on their faces.

South African fans can’t enjoy their 2-1 win over France, which wasn’t enough – The host nation didn’t make it out of the group stage

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Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama covering up his face after Nigeria couldn’t beat South Korea, making a group stage exit for the 2010 World Cup

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Slovenia needed one point in their match against England to qualify from the group stage. They lost 1-0, and got knocked out after Donovan scored for the United States

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Medhi Lacen of Algeria can’t take the crushing injury time 1-0 loss to the United States, sending his side home after three group matches

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Australia’s captain, Lucas Neill, after their 2-1 win over Serbia, which wasn’t enough to secure a place in the next round

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Samuel Eto’o couldn’t lead Cameroon to grab any points during the group stage, losing three times in the 2010 World Cup, leaving the last match in tears

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Fabio Quagliarella was fantastic after coming on as a sub against Slovakia. That didn’t help the former World champions, Italy, avoid a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Slovakia, and make an early exit for the 2010 World Cup

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South Korea’s Lee Chung-Yong scored, but it wasn’t enough for the Koreans who lost to a brilliant Luis Suarez double. The rain doesn’t help when you lose

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Arturo Vidal of Chile doesn’t handle Chile’s 3-0 loss to Brazil too well. Chile started with two wins showing some impressive style, but when facing class opponents like Spain and Brazil couldn’t avoid defeats

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Wayne Rooney couldn’t cope with the huge expectations, and failed to perform in each and every single match during England’s 2010 World Cup. The 4-1 painful loss to Germany was no different

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Yuto Nagatomo of Japan can’t hold back the tears after their penalty shootout loss against Paraguay

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Portugal’s keeper, Eduardo, conceded only goal in four matches during the 2010 World Cup. Unfortunately, David Villa’s goal was the one that sent him packing

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Kaka’s 2010 World Cup wasn’t one he’d like to remember, and he clearly shows his emotions walking off after Brazil’s 2-1 loss against the Netherlands

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One of the most amazing and tragic turn of events in World Cup History. Asamoah Gyan can’t hold back after Ghana getting knocked out by Uruguay, losing in the penalty shoot out. Gyan missed a 120th minute penalty that would have sent Ghana into the Semi Final

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Gabriel Heinze needs Maradona to console him after Argentina got humiliated by Germany in the quarter final, 4-0

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Bastian Schweinsteiger was the key to Germany’s dominating midfield during the first five matches and especially in the 4-1 and 4-0 victories over England and Argentina. In the semi final loss against Spain he wasn’t at his best, like the whole team, and here he’s consoling Philipp Lahm, who was very emotional after the 1-0 loss to Spain

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