Raheem Sterling has had to wait for his opportunities in the Champions League.
He was one of the players acrimoniously left on the bench when Liverpool travelled to the Bernabeu back in 2014 as Brendan Rodgers chose to reward the players that had gone so close to winning the Premier League title by leaving them out of the most glamorous fixture the team had earned as a result.
It wasn't much better at Manchester City under Manuel Pellegrini. Having missed the quarter-final with Paris Saint-Germain with an injury, the young attacker was not picked to start either of the semi-final games with Real Madrid in 2016 as he fell out of favour with the outgoing manager.
Even Pep Guardiola made the controversial decision not to start him at Liverpool last year, picking Ilkay Gundogan instead to try and control the midfield and in the process losing control of the tie.
Gradually though over the last three years, Sterling has proven to the many doubters that there is no stage too grand for him.
A string of late winners in the Premier League showed both the quality and character to make him a key contributor to the Centurions campaign, and his finishing and decision-making has kicked on again; 23 goals from 98 shots this season is a lethal return.
His link-up play is so good, too, that he has created far too many brilliant partnerships to consider leaving him out. Be it Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane or whoever else is playing, they know exactly what to expect from his every touch and movement and vice versa.
VAR may have taken the winner - and another terrific hat-trick - from him, but what incredible composure in the box to receive the ball from Aguero in that situation and turn inside before firing home. Aguero's effort against QPR is immortalised, and while these stakes weren't quite as high it is sad that an offside call and all the drama around the disallowed goal will see the quality behind the finish quickly forgotten.
There will inevitably be questions about City, Guardiola, and the Champions League after another exit.
Does the manager overthink his selections? Is he too cautious in away games, or too cavalier in home games? As Ilkay Gundogan claimed last week, do the players lack the collective mentality when things go against them in big games? How much will the club regret this defeat given they knew it was Ajax rather than Juventus waiting for them in the semi-finals?
Whatever inquests are held, though, Sterling has no more questions left to answer.
Pep Guardiola has one regret after Man City Champions League exit
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