England face Germany in a friendly at Borussia Dortmund's home ground, Westfalenstadion, on Wednesday evening, a game that will also serve as Lukas Podolski's international farewell.
A thought for the veterans
"They think it's all over"; Paul Gascoigne's tears; Gareth Southgate's penalty miss; the culmination of the Twin Towers and Kevin Keegan; Michael Owen's hat-trick; not to mention two World Wars.
The rivalry between Germany and England is nothing short of iconic, yet this clash has somewhat of a friendlier feel to the meeting in Dortmund.
With both sides preparing for important World Cup qualifiers, this match is just that, a friendly. Joachim Löw has offered a respectful tone by granting Podolski the captaincy has he makes his 130th and last appearance for Germany. Against an old friend and former colleague in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, no less.
Southgate, about to revisit the nightmares of Euro '96, has also nodded towards the veterans in this contest. 34-year old Jermain Defoe has been recalled after last representing his country three-and-a-half years ago.
Friends? What friends?
Numerous domestic colleagues will also greet each other as they go head-to-head in the shirts of their nation.
Shkodran Mustafi could be looking to halt Arsenal team-mate Oxlade-Chamberlain while Liverpool's Emre Can will be ready to stop the progress of Adam Lallana.
Leroy Sané and Raheem Sterling - both of Manchester City - could be looking to burst past each other. Dortmund's André Schürrle may be looking to curl the ball past former Chelsea teammate Gary Cahill.
Despite the friendly feel, there will still undoubtedly be a passionate and sparky nature to the contest. Every player on the pitch, coach in the dugout, spectator in the stadium and fan watching on television will have the blood of their country passing venomously through their veins as both sides try to prove who has the stronger nation once again.
Almost everyone that is, as there have been a number of high-profile withdrawals from both squads. Manuel Neuer, Mesut Özil, Julian Draxler, Mario Gómez, Phil Jones and Michail Antonio have all made themselves unavailable. What odds the majority of them will return for their club sides in a fortnight?
Recent history favours England but the Germans are in great form
The last encounter created a classic. 2-0 down, England fought back to win 3-2 as both Jamie Vardy and Eric Dier netted their first international goals last March.
In fact, England have won three consecutive games on German soil but have not won back-to-back games against Germany since that famous year of 1966.
Something will have to give on Wednesday. Germany have lost just one of 18 games they have played in Dortmund, winning 15. Meanwhile, England have lost just once on the road in their last 16 internationals.
Yet the visitors have not kept a clean sheet against the Germans in the last seven matches. They will be relying on outscoring the hosts with just three recognised strikers in Defoe, Vardy and Marcus Rashford, against a German side that have not conceded for nearly ten hours of football.
The ball is now firmly in the courts of the managers. Will they use this game as an opportunity to experiment with uncapped players such as Michael Keane, James Ward-Prowse, Jake Livermore, Kevin Trapp and Timo Werner? Or is winning all that matters in such a rivalry? Let the fireworks commence.