“To be honest I never thought I’d experience something like this again,” Palermo told reporters after the game. “It was hard to think clearly when it was raining so hard and desperation had taken over. This is a reward for all of my hard work, it’s one of the happiest days of my life. Men cry, too, of course they do. We suffered so much, it was so emotional. A goal like that needs to be experienced and really felt.

“What happened today was incredible and I can only hope that Argentine fans will now finally have found a place for me in their hearts.”