All Harry Kane could do was watch on. Suspended and therefore unable to make an impact, he was helpless as Bayern Munich threw away a Bundesliga title success during stoppage time on Saturday.
After achieving the incredible feat of becoming Tottenham's record goalscorer with 280 strikes over nine years as a regular, Kane made the complicated decision to leave with one desire in mind.
Serial Bundesliga winners Bayern would theoretically hand him the greater opportunity to win silverware that had evaded him throughout his time in England, with Spurs receiving a £100 million fee for the loss of their talisman and captain.
Approaching the end of a second year in Germany, on Saturday Kane's career-long for a trophy wait had the chance to be brought to an end.
It was just so unlucky that for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season playing Mainz last week, the 31-year-old was suspended for the Bundesliga title-decider at the Red Bull Arena.
Regardless, he travelled to Saxony to cheer on manager Vincent Kompany and his teammates from the stands. Kane's face was expressionless as the hosts cruised to a first-half two-goal advantage.
Fighting back after the break, goals from fellow former Spurs man Eric Dier, ex-Crystal Palace star Michael Olise and ex-Man City attacker Leroy Sane put Bayern on the brink of the title with seven minutes to play.
But then arrived Yussuf Poulsen, fresh from the bench for Leipzig, and after the ball broke kindly he chipped Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig to level up at 3-3 with five minutes of stoppage time played.
Kane, who had come down to the touchline expecting to charge the field in celebration, instead stood still and silent in disbelief.
As the curtain came down on the thriller, the former Spurs man joined his disheartened teammates as they made their way to the travelling Bayern fans to show appreciation.
Even if Kane is to wait for his first-ever trophy, he can at least fall back on the fact it is still entirely in Bayern's hands.
They sit nine points ahead of Leverkusen with an advantage of 30 on goal difference.
Xabi Alonso's side must follow by playing their third-from-last game of the season tomorrow against SC Freiburg. They cannot afford to drop points, otherwise the race is over.
The initiative would then go back to Bayern who play again next Saturday and will have the chance to win in front of their own supporters at the Allianz Arena when hosting Borussia Monchengladbach, and Kane will be allowed to play.