The best worst game in World Cup history?

It wasn't always good. In fact, it wasn't good for a lot of it. But the dramatic highs were peak of Everest stuff.

A long old night of World Cup football draws to a close with Argentina joining Croatia in the last four.

Join us again tomorrow to see if England will join them.

I'll leave you with the best action from a bonkers Friday night...

Image source, Getty Images

Another night that runs to plan (just about) for Argentina's maestro albeit he can probably thank Emiliano Martinez for his efforts:

• Lionel Messi has been directly involved in 17 World Cup goals (10 goals, 7 assists), surpassing Diego Maradona's record (16) for most goal involvements for Argentina in the competition since Opta has this data (from 1966).
• In giving Argentina a 2-0 lead, Messi scored his 10th World Cup goal, the joint-most of any Argentina player along with Gabriel Batistuta
• Messi has also assisted five goals in the World Cup knockout stages - since Opta have World Cup assists (from 1966), this is the most on record in the knockout rounds of the finals, surpassing Pele's four.

Rio Ferdinand
Former England defender on BBC One

It was breathtaking. This is what football does. here were so many emotions in one evening there. Argentina were coasting and then a tactical shift from the Dutch. Then they looked like they were going to throw the towel in and then the tide turned.

There was needle out there as well off the ball. There have been so many different things that played in this game that made it a fantastic spectacle.

Pablo Zabaleta
Ex-Man City and Argentina defender on BBC One

I wanted Brazil v Argentina in the semi-final. It would have been one of the best games of the World Cup but Croatia are still a really dangerous team to play against.

Kithmina: It's just after 6am in Hong Kong. Fully worth staying up through the night to watch two epic quarter-finals!

James: Feel sorry for the Dutch. What a wild game of football that was!

Paul: Strong possibility that Portugal and Argentina could still meet in the final. Its meant to be CR7 and Messi, the goats of my generation of football. One last dance on the biggest stage of them all, winner takes all.

Mario Melchiot
Former Netherlands defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

It was a bonkers game. It was like a lottery.

We saw that it’s not enough to win this World Cup with such defensive football.

Anna Holligan
BBC News Hague correspondent

"A real emotional rollercoaster…" - Luke and his girlfriend Jessie are recovering from a game they are adamant could have gone either way.

"We had the ball, they were lucky…" - Okker was optimistic until the end, "We went into penalties on a high after coming back from 2-0 down, we had the mental superiority."

Louis Van Gaal’s international career ends with a painful repeat of the 2014 semi finals,

Applause rang out around the bar for the veteran coach as he and the squad linked arms after the game.

There were 15 cards shown to players that entered the field of play in this match.

That is just one short of the 16 shown in the 'Battle of Nuremberg' when Portugal beat Netherlands in the round of 16 in 2006.

It's fair to say this man had an interesting game...

Image source, Getty Images

Rio Ferdinand
Former England defender on BBC One

That walk for someone who doesn't take penalties... but Martinez has to take credit. He looked supremely confident, with the history he has in competitions.

The reason it all kicked off. Again. The Argentina players making sure that their Netherlands counterparts knew full well who the winners were on the night...

Image source, PA Media

Tim Vickery
BBC Sport South American football expert

We have just seen one of the all-time great penalties.

Lautaro Martinez has looked awful in the last two games.

That is pure pressure. Had he missed, he is the villain 100x over.

He coolly bangs it in. That was huge. Massive character.

Pablo Zabaleta
Ex-Man City and Argentina defender on BBC One

Argentina were the better team. The last 10 minutes, we needed to play better, we gave free kicks away that gave Netherlands a chance.

Emi Martinez, a hero. We praise Messi, but Martinez is a hero.

It's always good to see a South American team in the semi-final. The fans have been amazing tonight, right behind the team.

All Argentina games, three quarters of the stadiums have been Argentinian fans. It makes me really proud. Qatar is far from Argentina, it is not easy to get here!

Chris Sutton
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Lautaro Martínez’s last penalty. What nerves of steel, what composure.

I am delighted for the Argentina fans, they have made this World Cup.

I feel for the Dutch, I wonder if there is that sense of ‘Why didn’t we continue with that same plan in extra-time?’

Image source, Getty Images

There were a couple of really good saves in that shootout from Emi Martinez. He set the tone by stopping Virgil van Dijk's first one.

His save to deny Steven Berghuis was the pick of the two, though. A superb reflex stop to parry a fiercely-hit spot-kick.

I'll even forgive him the little dance that followed.

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC One

What an incredible game, bearing in mind it took 33 minutes to have our first effort on target. It went absolutely crazy.

Just for that guy alone, Messi - they are not a great team but they have a genius up front.

Lionel Messi is enjoying himself. With Neymar having bowed out earlier, it might have been a blow too many for the big-name supporters if the little fella exited too.

Image source, Getty Images

The Argentina team are now dancing in a group on the pitch while the Dutch shed tears and walk around in a daze.

The bother has died down at least.

Martin Keown
Former England defender on BBC One

This was an epic tie, typical of this World Cup right now.

You couldn't call it until right at the end.

Image source, Getty Images

In the least surprising news of the night, it has kicked off again on the pitch.

The ref has his yellow card out again.

Ultimately, though, a mad night ends with Argentina advancing to face Croatia in the last four of the World Cup. The Netherlands kept the tie alive right until the end, but they go home and Louis van Gaal bows out with a penalty shootout defeat.