For Kahn, it was the same tearful scene that was played out by England's David Seaman when he also made the fatal mistake of giving Brazil an inch in the knowledge they would take the full yard in the quarter-final.
Kahn was a disconsolate figure slumped against his post, a month's magnificent work undone in a second.
The Bayern Munich goalkeeper's stature is such that his grief was a magnet for team-mates and management.
Germany coach Rudi Voeller headed straight for the man he labelled "the best goalkeeper in the world" in an attempt to offer consolation.
And referee Pierluigi Collina, who added a World Cup final to his list of magnificent matches, broke with the normal etiquette to seek out Kahn and offer a very public gesture of comfort.
It was all played out against the backdrop of Ronaldo draped in the flag of Brazil, a hero who can now take his place alongside Pele in football's Hall of Fame.