Edinson Cavani knew that his time at Manchester United was up the moment that the Old Trafford club signed Cristiano Ronaldo last summer.
Uruguay forward Cavani had just scored 17 goals in 39 games in his debut season with United, but he was aware that Ronaldo's much-heralded return placed his position at the club under immense threat.
"At the moment it was done, I thought it was a good thing for Manchester to sign Cristiano," Cavani told ESPN Brasil in May.
"Knowing a bit about the world of football these days, the first thing I did was call my brother [Walter Fernando Guglielmone, who also acts as his agent] and said: 'Fernando, if this had happened a week ago, I would ask you to find me another club.'
"But not because I didn't want to play with Cristiano Ronaldo. No. Because I had the opportunity to know him, and he is a great professional, with his targets, and that is perfect for a sportsman.
"But as I know, after years in football, how things work these days. That's why I spoke to my brother.
"It was more about understanding the situation. Not because I couldn't play in my role at Manchester, but because there are many things in football nowadays that are different from how they were with other people, how it was before, years ago. And since it happened suddenly, I felt nothing. I thought: We'll play, do the best we can."
In the event Cavani stayed at Old Trafford, but he endured a forgettable campaign as, after handing his No7 shirt over to Ronaldo, he scored just two goals in 20 appearances for the club.
The 35-year-old eventually joined Valencia after leaving United in the summer, with Ronaldo now also on the move having had his contract at United terminated in the past week.
The pair will meet again in the World Cup when they come head-to-head on Monday evening, with the clash reviving memories of their meeting in 2018 when Cavani scored two goals in a 2-1 win for Uruguay, while he was also helped off the pitch by Ronaldo after picking up an injury.
The blow kept him out of Uruguay's quarter-final clash with France, which Didier Deschamps' side won 2-0 en route to lifting the trophy.
Uruguay started their 2022 campaign with a goalless against South Korea, with Cavani starting on the bench before coming on as a 64th minute substitute for long-term international strike partner Luis Suarez.
Ronaldo enjoyed a more successful opening game, scoring from the penalty spot against Ghana to become the first men's footballer in history to score in five different World Cups.
Portugal won the match 3-2 to hold the advantage going into Monday's clash.
