For the Bulgarian, the artistry of his performance seems, at times, more important than its impact.

“Football is like art and my aim is to create beautiful things on the pitch to help the team be successful,” he said in 2010.

Fortunately, such is Berbatov’s outrageous talent he delivers moments of rare beauty that few others can.

Now plying his trade in the appropriate affluence of Monaco, Berbatov yesterday helped Claudio Ranieri’s side to a crucial win to delay Paris Saint-Germain’s title celebrations.

With just four minutes on the clock, the 33-year-old found himself in possession on the edge of the Nice box. What happened next was as unique as it was glorious; a truly magnificent piece of skill.

The touch and finish are enough to marvel at in their own right, but the imagination and audacity of the finish mark it out as a goal of rare beauty.