To see footage of Bukayo Saka asking for a selfie with David Beckham at the England training camp was to be reminded of the esteem in which he is held by generations of footballers that have followed him.
To say the younger players in Gareth Southgate’s squad were in awe would not be too much of an understatement.
Understandably so. He won 115 England caps, was a good captain - not ‘great’ as Harry Kane suggested - and scored in three World Cups. And he also set a new commercial benchmark for successful, high-profile footballers.
In the video released by England, there is also footage of Southgate hugging Becks after presenting him with a shirt with his ‘legacy number’ on it. It is a genuinely touching moment.
Alas, a part of Beckham’s legacy now is that he was bought by Qatar. The figures are disputed - some claim his deal is worth £150million - but he is earning a fortune to promote the state. He does not say much to promote it but his face is everywhere.
The man who once said he was proud to be a gay icon is the poster boy for a nation in which same-sex relationships are punishable by imprisonment.
His visit to the England camp actually took place a couple of weeks ago when the arguments over the wearing of the One Love, multi-coloured armband - with England amongst those at the centre - were still rumbling on.
Those arguments have evaporated and footage of Beckham’s visit has now been released. Just a coincidence, obviously. Anyhow, it was, as the Football Association was quick to point out, a personal visit, which is obviously true.
It was a personal visit by a hugely significant figure in the history of English football … and one of the highest-profile ambassadors for the Qatar regime. That is why he is in town, after all.
Now, Beckham is just one of many to take the Qatar riyal. Robbie Williams is another and before his concert at the Doha Golf Club, he also popped into the England camp. A nice touch as the players build towards the showdown with the French.
It is great for the players to meet these guys but the underlying message it sends out is that everything is normal.
Remember when we all wondered what sort of statement, stand or even a mere gesture England and the FA would make over concerns for the workers and human rights’ record of this country?
Turns out it was none whatsoever, unless you count lighting up Wembley arch in rainbow colours as a gesture.
Does any England fan - either here or back home - care? Probably not. England are in the quarter-final of a World Cup and that they beat France is all that matters.
And they are a brilliant bunch of lads, fine players and fine young men. Let’s hope they do, indeed, beat France. But as we approach the final stages of this tournament, it feels like Gianni Infantino has won.
England are not alone in this - in fact, they are in the overwhelming majority - but when the FIFA president told national associations to focus purely on football, there was an indignant response. But England and so many other national associations have heeded Infantino’s words.
And no matter how small - in the wider, grander context of glory on the World Cup field of play - that feels like a defeat.
