It is said in Wales that seldom have they seen Gareth Bale so downhearted, but that's understandable after not qualifying for the World Cup meant that the Real Madrid attacker has nothing but his club football to look forward to.
No Ballon d'Or nomination, no World Cup, and at this precise moment, no matches either.
Bale left the Cardiff national stadium without making any statements and almost sneakily kept his head low.
He went through to the dressing room to give encouragement to his teammates, but almost could not articulate the words.
The feeling of failure has weighed heavily on his conscience and his new injury left him out of one of the most important matches in Welsh history.
"The team accused Bale of being too depressed" said the Wales Online daily, which reflected on his contribution during the qualifying phase. "They don't blame him."
Not in the list of 30 names for the Ballon d'Or is a blow, and recovering from the injury in the soleus... there is very little good news for Bale at present.
Currently valued at 80 million euros, that's a figure lower than that paid by Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 for his services.
Zidane's hope
Despite going through the worst moment of his career, and looking for the positive side, those in his immediate environment believe that Wales' elimination can trigger a reaction in Bale for the remainder of the season.
"There is nothing left but Madrid and that should ensure he has a spectacular campaign," close friends have suggested.
In that sense, they think that if he looks after himself, and without the distraction of the World Cup, the Welshman can return to somewhere approaching his best version at Real Madrid.
To do this, Zinedine Zidane will play a decisive role, and the French coach will make every effort to recover Bale's best physical and, above all, mental state.
With the season just started, getting the best Bale back is a priority.