At their best each man offers a thrilling spectacle. Where Ronaldo surges and shimmers before bemusing goalkeepers with shots that weave and dip viciously, Salah simply explodes. From his regular station on the right wing, he cuts inside his marker and moves across the face of the penalty area before shooting with his stronger left foot, usually aiming to place the ball inside the far post.

Both have alternative weapons in their armoury. Ronaldo, at 6ft 2in, has the power and the leap that enable him to score memorable headed goals. The 5ft 9in Salah exploits his low centre of gravity to twist and turn inside the penalty area, flicking the ball away from more cumbersome opponents with something of Messi’s mesmerising deftness.

A sixth win for the pouting and obsessively groomed Ronaldo, now with the edge perhaps gone from his once blistering speed, or a first for the smiling, tousle-headed Salah, entering his prime propelled by an infectious optimism? Whichever way it goes, this is one final likely to justify the hype.

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