Mohamed Salah suffered Africa Cup of Nations final heartache with Egypt on Sunday, with a frustrating evening for the Liverpool forward seeing him offered a whistle and cards by match referee Victor Gomes at one stage.
The 29-year-old, who is a national hero in his homeland, was unable to make a telling contribution with major silverware on the line in Cameroon.
Emotions got the better of him on a regular basis, with the match officials losing patience with his constant complaints during a keenly-contested opening 45 minutes in Yaounde.
What happened with Salah?
The two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner was able to make an important impact early on against Senegal, with his advice allowing Egypt goalkeeper Gabaski to keep out a seventh-minute penalty from Sadio Mane.
Salah will have seen his Liverpool team-mate take plenty of spot-kicks down the years and told his international colleague to dive to his right and parry a well-stuck effort to safety.
Egypt were unable to kick on after surviving a serious scare from 12 yards, with opportunities in the final third proving hard to come by.
Salah fired in just two efforts on goal in 120 minutes of action, with a scrappy encounter broken up by the awarding of 53 free kicks.
The Anfield icon took issue with plenty of those decisions, leading to South African referee Gomes asking him if he would like to take over as a goalless first half came to a close.
Salah sheepishly turned down the offer from Gomes, with it made clear to him who was in charge.
Things would not get any better for Egypt’s talisman after the break, though, as he continued to toil against stubborn opponents.
Did Salah take a penalty?
With 120 minutes failing to produce a winner, with Mane squandering the most gilt-edged of opportunities, a major final had to be settled in a penalty shootout.
Both teams fluffed their lines from 12 yards as nerves began to fray, but it was Senegal that ultimately emerged victorious.
Liverpool winger Mane held his nerve to step up again when his nation needed him most, with no mistake made second time around as he crashed home the decisive spot-kick.
Salah was left in tears after seeing his international dreams dashed, with the African superstar denied the opportunity to take a penalty himself as he was due to step up for Egypt’s fifth – and the contest never got that far.
Mane sought to console a club colleague as the celebrations began for Senegal, but those words will have fallen on deaf ears for a man that never got going on the night and must now realign his focus ahead of a return to club competition in England.