Pablo Fornals had his thunder stolen by masked hooligans and doping control – but he hopes his best moment as a West Ham player is still to come.
The Hammers substitute scored the stoppage-time winner against AZ Alkmaar which sealed their place in the Europa Conference League final.
But the Spanish playmaker's joy was tarnished by Dutch thugs attacking West Ham players' families in the stand – and then he had to listen to the dressing room celebrations after he was picked for doping control.
After the stormy finish, manager David Moyes admitted he was concerned for the safety of his 87-year-old father, David senior, who had travelled to Holland for the game.
There is no suggestion that Moyes' family were caught up directly in the violence after dozens of hooded 'ultras' were allowed to force open a gate and rush 40 yards along the front of a stand to throw punches.
Several West Ham players, including Michail Antonio, Said Benrahma, Aaron Cresswell, Lucas Paqueta and Flynn Downes, jumped over the barrier and waded into the melee to support their families and friends.
Somewhere amid the disturbing scenes, Fornals was left sobbing on the ground, overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment.
Just as his spectacular goal in the 4-0 win at Bournemouth last month reduced him to tears, Fornals' sixth goal of the season brought out the garden sprinkler again in Alkmaar.
Will West Ham beat Fiorentina in the final? Have your say in the comments section
He said: “When the referee whistled for the end I just threw myself into the floor and started crying like a kid. I don’t know why, but I seem to cry a lot this season!
“Obviously I was really concerned about how the family of my team-mates and the West Ham family are. Hopefully, everyone is OK and the police can do their job and realise who did it.
“It’s not great when you are in that beautiful moment and people try to use violence against you. We can’t do anything else but try to help the police and pray for the family of my people being healthy.”
Fornals has had to settle for a bit-part in West Ham's balancing act of conquering Europe while stumbling towards Premier League safety.
They are all but safe in the relegation battle now, and a point against Leeds on Sunday will make survival mathematically certain.
Then the Irons can turn their attention to the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina in Prague on June 7.
Fornals said: “Just to have the chance to play the final is very good but after this complicated season, if we can bring the cup to east London it will be even better. That’s what we’re going to try to do.
“Hopefully this will not be the best moment of my West Ham career and there are more to come. It’s going to be the first final I’ve played in so it’s massive for me, massive for the lads, massive for the club. That’s how happy we are.
“This season has been a challenge for everyone mentally. Everyone is waiting for their moment, the manager is having to support everyone and pick the players he thinks are in the best moment or the best shape - the rest of us are just waiting for our moment.
“I got picked for doping control, but I could hear the guys shouting and they’re really happy. That made me a bit sad because I would like to be in there and part of it as well.
“I was emotional because it’s been difficult and in difficult moments, any good news is even bigger.
“I’m having a lot of feelings inside myself and when I score or have moments like that, when I’m with my son receiving a hug or a kiss from him I realise how happy I am and how proud to be here right now.”
Hammers skipper Declan Rice paid tribute to Fornals' professionalism, saying: "He's not played as much as he wanted this year, but every time he has come on he has given everything for the badge, for the shirt.
"To score that goal to send us into the final, his name is going to be written in West Ham history forever."
Moyes concurred, saying: "He is a real team player. I think if there was any player I wanted to score that goal, it would have been Pablo."
