Taken last week at the FIFA World Player of the Year awards here we have ‘officially’ the five best players in the world, standing arm-in-arm, casually decked out for the occasion.
It can be disconcerting to see people you are familiar with in a professional capacity outside of work. Like the time I saw my old school teacher in the frozen-food aisle at ASDA with his mildly attractive younger wife. Something about the whole situation just wasn't right.
And there's something unerring about this picture. I think it's that outside of their usual context footballers are an odd bunch.
Contrary to his genius on the field, off the pitch Lionel Messi looks like a village idiot. Whether it’s the hair, the vacant look in his eyes or the cartoon emblazoned T-shirt, I’m not sure. But he doesn’t look like he’s all there.
Not many people in Manchester have a deep tan in mid-winter, but then again not many people are Cristiano Ronaldo. Not many people wear shiny metallic bomber jackets, either.
Turned out in his Sunday-best, Kaka looks like he’s come straight from Mass; and Xavi, for all intents and purposes, could be pouring your Rioja.
Which leaves us with Fernando Torres, who, to be fair, looks fairly normal.
They say a picture says a thousand words. I give you 197.