For several minutes after the full-time whistle had blown in Australia's 4-1 loss to France in the World Cup group stage on Wednesday, full-back Nathaniel Atkinson was seen standing by himself on the sideline, staring into the middle-distance.
We can't know for sure what he was thinking. But after a game in which Paris Saint-Germain winger Kylian Mbappe had almost entirely eclipsed him, and where his heavy touch resulted in France's second goal, it's easy enough to assume where Atkinson's mind went.
As the players and staff milled around, shaking hands and collecting their things before heading to the dressing room, Socceroos captain Mat Ryan walked towards Atkinson and put two reassuring hands on his shoulders. The goalkeeper spoke gently and at length to his young teammate, who nodded along, even while looking completely and utterly defeated.
