Messi's mum 'could die' from World Cup drama after suffering Netherlands torment

Lionel Messi's mum has joked that she fears a repeat of the penalty shootout drama that kept Argentina's World Cup hopes alive could 'kill her'.

Celia Cuccittini watched the nail-biting end to Friday night's match against the Netherlands from the stands with several relatives including her nephews and Messi's stunning wife Antonela Roccuzzo.

She admitted after watching her son score one of the penalties that made sure Argentina reached the semi-finals after their rivals snatched a 2-2 draw from the jaws of defeat towards the end of normal time.

She said: "I suffered terribly. I can't go through another match like this because I think I'll die.

“When Holland equalised we were devastated and the children were crying. None of us including the little ones were talking.

“Hopefully God will continue to illuminate our path and make sure we win this World Cup.”

Messi played a key part in the victory, threading through a brilliant pass to set up right-back Nahuel Molina for Argentina's first goal before slotting home a 72nd minute spot-kick and converting his penalty in the shootout at the end of extra time.

The seven-times Ballon d'Or winner then went on to insult Dutch striker Wout Weghorst, who scored Holland's two goals.

In a moment of anger during an end-of-match live TV interview by looking across at him and yelling: "What are you looking at, stupid!"

The dad-of-three also criticised Spanish ref Antonio Mateu Lahoz, claiming FIFA was wrong to put him in charge of the match.

Messi, 35, confirmed this World Cup would be his last before it started.

The dad-of-three previously suffered heartbreak in the 2014 final when an extra-time strike from Germany's Mario Gotze ended his dream of getting his hands on football's most coveted prize.