WATCH | Cavani knocks over VAR in anger as Uruguay exit World Cup

The sight of a tearful Luis Suarez hiding his face in his shirt and an enraged Edinson Cavani knocking over a VAR monitor encapsulated Uruguay's sadness and frustration at their World Cup exit.

For the two striking greats, both 35, it was a deeply underwhelming and undignified way to leave the biggest stage for the final time.

Uruguay beat Ghana 2-0 on Friday but crashed out of the Qatar tournament on goals scored because of South Korea's last-gasp 2-1 win over Portugal.

But the South American side did not go quietly or with dignity.

Their players surrounded and harangued German referee Daniel Siebert after the final whistle, with the official dishing out two yellow cards, including to Cavani.

Cavani vs. el VAR ??#Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/y6OGeIzRCw

There had been similar scenes during an incident-packed match in which Siebert awarded a penalty to Ghana but waved away two Uruguayan appeals.

Having hit the woodwork three times in their two previous games and conceded another controversial penalty in their 2-0 defeat to Portugal, Uruguay leave Doha with a lot of regrets and a feeling of what might have been.

Suarez and his teammates believe they were the victims of injustice, penalised by refereeing decisions that went against them, even after VAR reviews.

"Leaving a World Cup hurts but we have the tranquility that we GAVE EVERYTHING for our country," Suarez wote on Twitter.

"PROUD to be URUGUAYAN even though THEY DON'T RESPECT US" he added in a barb presumably directed at world football's governing body FIFA.

Anonymous

The sense of injustice was a common theme in the emotionally charged aftermath of Friday's match -- a member of the Uruguayan delegation berated a journalist in the post-match press conference about the penalty given