Messi’s success rate when aiming that way (to Courtois’ left, but our right, when viewing from the behind-the-kicker camera angle) is lower than his overall average, at 75.4 per cent. What seems curious is that he has not adopted the modern technique of locking eyes with the goalkeeper and rolling the ball wherever he isn’t, as perfected by Jorginho.

Equally strange is Messi routinely putting his penalties into what we will call the Gareth Southgate zone, albeit on the opposite side to the England manager’s meek attempt at Euro 96. The best modern penalties are unsaveable, pummeled into the side netting with terrifying speed and accuracy. Sadio Mané’s to clinch the Africa Cup of Nations for Senegal was a good recent example. Why can’t Messi do that?

There is an element of schadenfreude to his struggles from 12 yards. Here is the World’s Best Ever Player, bought by the World’s Most Glamorous Team playing the World’s Other Most Glamorous Team, in the Most Prestigious Competition… then missing a penalty like he’s David Batty.

In the end Mbappe secured the win for PSG but Messi was nowhere near the action, outside the box checking for offside, then strolling over to the celebratory bundle. It was tempting to view it as a passing of the baton to European football’s new preeminent game-clincher.

In Messi’s defence he is a victim of his own brilliance. His career has reframed the parameters of what great footballers are capable of, so merely being average is quite shocking. It feels like he should be able to put a stationary ball anywhere he likes, and perhaps he could on the training ground, when filming an advert, or on a Japanese TV show: