What to make of Argentina? There was a clear narrative laid down for Alejandro Sabella's team and, quite frankly, they've been rather inconsiderate in not following the script.
If they were to reach the final, it was to be Lionel Messi's doing. If they were to win the World Cup, it was to be Lionel Messi's World Cup. Everyone was comfortable with that. And then Javier Mascherano arrived at the party.
While Messi has failed to score in the knockout rounds, it's the wild-eyed, shaven-headed destroyer in the middle who continues to excel.
Wednesday's semifinal was the kind of game that cries out for someone like Messi to dominate. Even in the absence of domination, a moment of magic would be nice. But here there was nothing.
Messi sent a free-kick straight at Jasper Cillessen in the 13th minute and then wasn't seen again until his cooly taken penalty in the shoot-out. For all anyone knows, he could have been back in the dressing room, lazily leafing through a paperback for the rest of the night.
Hand a paperback to Mascherano and you suspect he'd slide tackle it into the advertising hoardings.
Mascherano wasn't supposed to be the face of this Argentina side, but he has come to represent all of its greatest strengths. He is indefatigable, he is indomitable and there are rumours that he cannot be killed by conventional weapons.
You only have to look at how the Belgians reacted to his snarling presence to see the effect he has on other teams. Marc Wilmots' team decided that they'd rather bypass the middle and punt the ball long to their strikers than take the chance of crossing Mascherano's path.
He shouldn't even have been on the pitch on Wednesday after appearing to lose consciousness following a heavy blow to the head. Fortunately for Argentina, FIFA are yet to display any awareness of the dangers of concussion.
Mascherano, clearly still dazed, shook his head like a wet dog and wandered back into the fray, albeit perhaps with no idea what his name was, or what all of these people in orange shirts were doing in his house.
There are two things in life you cannot choose: Your family and the heroes of a World Cup. The marketing men wanted Messi, but tough tackling and tight marking has diminished his contribution.
In his place stands Mascherano, ironically a man all too familiar with the concepts that have neutralised his teammate.
The temptation was to say that if Argentina are going to win the World Cup, they'd need Messi at his best. The truth, based on what we've seen so far, is that Mascherano is now their key player.