Argentina's shock 0-3 capitulation to Croatia left him shattered, but Shib Shankar Patra, a die-hard fan who painted his house in white and blue -- The South American nation's colours -- is not willing to compromise one bit on Lionel Messi's birthday celebrations like every year. Needing a victory after playing out a 1-1 draw against minnows Iceland, the South American heavyweights produced a diabolical show to leave their hopes of reaching the knockouts hanging by a thread.

Argentina will now have to depend on the results of other teams in Group D besides having to beat Nigeria in their last preliminary round engagement. "I did not watch the game against Croatia. I told my daughter to watch as I felt if I don't watch, maybe, they will win. Superstitions you see," Patra told IANS. Owner of a tea and snack stall in North 24 Parganas' Nawabganj township, the 53-year-old had saved up Rs 60,000 to travel to Russia this time but when a city-based travel agent informed him that his savings were not enough, he decided to utilise the money to paint his entire three-storied building in Argentina colours.