Manchester City's transfer chiefs would have grimaced as Cristiano Ronaldo scored two late goals for Portugal on Wednesday.
Ronaldo, 36, was quiet for most of Portugal's World Cup qualifier against Ireland, but when his side needed a moment of brilliance most - two minutes from full-time and trailing by one goal - he duly obliged when finding space to head into the back of the net.
That goal meant Ronaldo had scored the most international goals in football, but for the ultimate athlete, for a player that has almost single-handedly redefined football, that was never going to be enough. While the 10,000 fans in the Estadio Algarve revelled in the late equaliser, Ronaldo sensed something more tangible than history was within his grasp.
With the five minutes of added time having been played, 10 of Ireland's players were in the box, desperate to protect their point and they were cautious of Ronaldo's stalking presence they had been excessively warned about in their pre-match discussions.
While they knew what Ronaldo wanted to do, though, they were ultimately helpless to stop it - Ronaldo is simply inevitable.
Within a fleeting moment, Ronaldo sparked into life in the box to fashion a small window of opportunity that Ireland's players didn't think was there and among a sea of white shirts and green shorts emerged Portugal's finest footballing son.
"Ronaldo's there again, would you believe it!? That is why he's a legend," rattled through from the commentary while Ronaldo waltzed shirtless into the corner as scenes of ecstasy ensued, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
The meaning of the word 'legend' has been diluted over the last decade, often overused and lazily branded, but Ronaldo is certainly fitting of that title, unlike most, and that's why his two goals in the dying embers on Wednesday night didn't come as a surprise.
Ronaldo just scores goals - 674 club career goals to be precise - and, although he's no longer the complete player he once was, his gift of finding the back of the net still remains intact and Manchester United will greatly benefit from his arrival this season.
Although City's PR machine has claimed they decided against signing Ronaldo, the reality is quite different because the MEN understand it was actually United's targeted campaign of affection aimed at the Portuguese star that made the difference.
When Jorge Mendes made his client available, United greats past and present got to work with text messages and phone calls.
When United came calling for Ronaldo, he was never going to sign for the blue half of Manchester and, while City supporters will claim to be unfazed by the snub, which allows them to save face, they still missed out on exactly what they needed - again.
Pep Guardiola's side need a natural goalscorer and Ronaldo would have perfectly fit that billing and then some - it makes it worse their rivals now have what they've desperately tried all summer to sign and his brace on Wednesday rubbed salt in the wounds.
