report from independent has it that Pablo Sarabia could not hold back the tears. Sergio Busquets wore a look of torment. Alvaro Morata, head bowed and eyes reddened, stared vacantly at the ground.

And, then, there was Rodri, who, long after many of his Spain team-mates had retreated to the relative sanctuary of the dressing room, stood there alone with his thoughts, trying to compute what had happened, the occasional pat on the back and hug from an official bringing no solace or comfort as the Moroccan celebrations rung in his ears and punctured his senses.

Spain was out of a major tournament on penalties, again, and the Manchester City midfielder looked like a man who is going to need weeks, perhaps even months, to get over this disappointment.

was over a year ago that Luis Enrique told his Spain players “they had homework to do” and set each a target of practicing at least 1,000 penalties before the World Cup – keen to avoid a repeat of their Euro 2020 semi-final shoot-out exit to Italy. Like errant schoolboys hoping to wing it through their exams, maybe they ignored their teacher’s instructions and thought things would be all right on the night. How else to explain the limpness of those three missed spot-kicks, as weak and nervy as Japan’s had been 24 hours earlier against Croatia?

Enrique said he had no regrets over his choice of penalty-takers and that “if I had another shoot-out, I would only substitute their goalkeeper”, but it was clear he recognises Sarabia is going to need some careful handling for a while.

The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder was introduced with just a couple of minutes to play, precisely to take a penalty and get Spain off to a good start in the shoot-out. He had a rather eventful few minutes. After brushing one post with almost the last kick of the game, he then hit the other with his penalty and set in motion the collapse. It did not feel entirely dissimilar to Marcus Rashford’s experience for England in the Euros final when he had also been brought on in the 120th minute and missed his penalty.