Sophie Howard calls it “the saddest but nicest picture I have”. At the Parc des Princes, in the seconds following Scotland’s exit from the World Cup, the Reading defender has staggered to her older brother, beneath whose protective arm she hides.

Her father, who has flown in from Spain, takes hold of her elbow. Her twin sister, for whom Howard has pictures of Winnie the Pooh characters on her shin pads because “growing up I was Winnie the Pooh and she was always Piglet, so every game she’s with me”, has travelled from Germany. Her host family from her stint in America are there. Her mum, grandparents, too. “I knew nothing could happen to me once I went in the stands,” Howard says.

The 3-3 draw with Argentina, which cost Scotland a probable place in the last 16 as one of the four best third-placed teams, hit Howard hardest because she felt it was her fault. After 73 minutes, 3-0 up, Scotland were on course to progress ahead of the final fixtures in groups E and F. Then Milagros Menendez made it 3-1. A Florencia Bonsegundo shot from distance smacked off the bar for 3-2. Four minutes from time, Howard, only introduced that minute, caught goalbound Aldana Cometti with her leading leg.