He has made his reputation as one of the hardest defenders around, an old-fashioned stopper hewn from granite, but Sami Hyypia could not hold back the tears when the realisation hit him at Anfield yesterday.
A shrill blast of referee Peter Walton's whistle marked the moment his Liverpool days came to an end and, as he paused before heading down the tunnel one last time, it all became too much for a player who has taken countless knocks without flinching in the 10 years since signing from Willem II for just £2.5million.
Double act: Steven Gerrard races to congratulate Fernando Torres after the Spaniard's 14th league goal of the seasonPhysical discomfort has never been a problem for the 35-year old Finn, but the wrench of cutting his Anfield ties, ahead of embarking on a new adventure with Bayer Leverkusen, was a different matter as he briefly stood alone near the centre circle, dabbing away tears with his shirt sleeves.
Eager to spare his blushes, his team-mates moved in to mob him before keeper Pepe Reina hoisted him shoulder-high and carried him off to rapturous cheers from fans who had grown impatient for a final glimpse of their favourite.
Not only had Rafa Benitez denied him a starting place, the Liverpool manager kept him on the bench for 4 minutes before finally bowing to pressure from fans who repeatedly chanted: 'Sami, Sami, on, on, on.'
Benitez redeemed himself by choosing Steven Gerrard to make way, allowing the Liverpool skipper to wrap the captain's armband round Hyypia's bicep as they exchanged high fives, and he remained unrepentant over limiting the veteran centre back's farewell appearance to six minutes.
'I just felt it would be more special for the fans to see him for the last few minutes, and it was so nearly a fantastic finale,' he said, referring to an injury-time Hyypia header that was blocked on the line by keeper Heurelho Gomes. 'I was pleased to see him get a reception like that, but I feel sad to be losing such an outstanding professional.
'It was always the plan that Stevie should come off, so Sami could wear the armband, and I knew I couldn't leave it any longer because the fans were pushing and pushing.'
It might not quite qualify as one of Benitez's famous facts, but it remains a fairly safe bet that Liverpool would have pushed Manchester United even closer for the title but for Fernando Torres missing most of October and all of December through injury. Liverpool's record signing provided another reminder of the cutting edge that was sorely missed in his absence as he transferred Liverpool's dominance on to the scoresheet with a 31st-minute breakthrough.
Tottenham's defence left him unmarked, and the inevitable response followed as the £21m marksman planted a six-yard header in off the bar from Dirk Kuyt's cross for his 17th goal of an injury-shortened campaign.
Liverpool doubled their lead with a 64th-minute shot from Kuyt that looked to be drifting wide until Alan Hutton's outstretched leg diverted it past Gomes.
They were found as wanting defensively as Spurs had been in the 77th minute, though, as Robbie Keane marked his Anfield return by controlling a long through-ball before firing past Reina.
The former Liverpool striker, sold back to Tottenham after barely half a season at Anfield, chose not to celebrate and was applauded for his show of good grace.
Perhaps he sensed it was little more than a consolation goal, given a degree of Liverpool supremacy that was duly rewarded in the 81st minute, when Yossi Benayoun held off a half-hearted challenge from Ledley King and rolled a shot under the advancing Gomes.
Benitez was in no mood for giving away transfer secrets but his response to continuing reports of interest from Real Madrid in Xabi Alonso hardly dispelled growing fears that the Spain midfielder may be sacrificed to help fund Liverpool's summer spending plans.
Asked if Alonso will still be a Liverpool player at the start of next season, he said: 'Xabi still has three years left on his contract and is not for sale. I had a private conversation with his agent during the week, and it is interesting to see how some people have interpreted that.'
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