FRENCH IMPLOSION

Diego Maradona made seven changes to his side and promoted Lionel Messi to be Argentina's youngest World Cup captain for the match against Greece.

Argentina's Lionel Messi (R) fights for the ball with Greece's Avraam Papadopoulos during a 2010 World Cup Group B soccer match at Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane June 22, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

Messi was below his best and Argentina did not break Greek resistance until 13 minutes from time through Martin Demichelis, with Martin Palermo doubling the score in the 89th minute.

For France, runners-up at the last World Cup and winners in 1998, it could not have been a worse tournament.

France's Thierry Henry and Franck Ribery (R) leave the pitch after exchanging jerseys in their 2-1 loss to South Africa during a 2010 World Cup Group A soccer match at Free State stadium in Bloemfontein June 22, 2010.  [Photo/Agencies]

They will return to a savaging from the French public and media after not only coming bottom of a group they were favourites to win, but also creating an unseemly side-show with their protests at the expulsion of striker Nicolas Anelka.

President Nicolas Sarkozy sent Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot to try and sort out the mess after players boycotted a training session in support of Anelka who was sent home for insulting coach Raymond Domenech.

"The match was a catastrophe. We're all in despair after all this," Bachelot told TF1 television.

Revolt leader and captain Patrice Evra was left out of the side on Tuesday, and France looked shell-shocked even before Yoann Gourcuff was sent off after 25 minutes.

Their implosion has brought soul-searching at home, with some saying it reflected deep weaknesses of materialistic modern society. Team sponsors have begun running for the door.

Uruguay and Mexico will be joyous at reaching the second stage and continuing a fantastic tournament so far for Latin America whose teams have shone from the off.

A clinical header by striker Luis Suarez after 43 minutes settled the game for Uruguay, champions in 1930 and 1950, against the fluent-passing Mexicans.

"The South American teams are showing in the World Cup we are here and we are up to the standard," Maradona said.

South African leaders have appealed to the population to stick with the tournament, even without Bafana Bafana, worried that empty fan parks and stadium seats will rob the continent's first World Cup of its atmosphere.

Whatever happens now, a legacy of investment and job creation in Africa's biggest economy is guaranteed, President Jacob Zuma said in an interview with Reuters Insider television.

"The event itself has created such an opportunity that our economy is not going to be of the same size after the 2010 World Cup," Zuma said.