In-form Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo made ITV commentator and Scottish football icon Ally McCoist eat his words with his late goal against Senegal on Monday night.
The Dutch forward was subject to criticism from McCoist during the clash, as the Scotsman confessed he is not "100 per cent convinced" by Gakpo despite Premier League titans Manchester United reportedly leading the charge for his signature, though they have plenty of competition - including from big-six rivals Arsenal.
Speaking at the tail-end of the first-half of the Netherlands' first clash of the World Cup, McCoist revealed: "I know there's a player in there, but I'm just not 100 per cent convinced." He was left looking rather foolish by the end.
It appeared at times as if the deadlock was destined to never be broken, but Gakpo timed his run to perfection before latching onto a delightful Frenkie de Jong cross to guide his header beyond the onrushing Edouard Mendy.
His goal allowed the Netherlands to approach the last 10 minutes of the contest with a sense of calm, which in turn inspired Davy Klaassen to put the result beyond any doubt.
Gakpo was used just once during last summer's European Championship, but has established himself as a regular starter for his country after some sensational form for PSV Eindhoven last season and the first half of the current campaign.
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His 12 goals and 13 assists last term sparked a plethora of interest over the summer, with Erik ten Hag tipped to make him one of his first signings as United boss.
"I was close to leaving, I spoke to Erik ten Hag a few times at Manchester United," the forward conceded.
"In the end the deal didn’t go through, which was a shame, for me and my development, and because Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, but also for PSV, because to transfer a player to Manchester United is a good thing for the club."
Gakpo has picked up where he left off this season, with a stunning return of nine goals and 12 assists in Eredivisie outings. As a result, United are expected to ignore the implied advice of McCoist and reignite their interest soon.
It was first expected that the Red Devils would wait until the summer, but recent developments regarding Cristiano Ronaldo and his well-documented desire to force through an Old Trafford exit means Ten Hag is likely to be on the prowl for another forward sooner than he may have expected.
A January pursuit of Gakpo is unlikely to be totally out of the question.
