After all, this is a striker who started England’s last tournament as their first-choice forward, a player who boasts absolute conviction in his quality, and yet currently finds himself towards the end of the line in a lengthy queue of contenders.

Top billing, and the coveted No9 jersey, will go to Harry Kane against Russia on Saturday with the outward perception being Sturridge will be quietly stewing on the sidelines.

It is an impression fuelled by the reality there was little love lost on occasions between him and Luis Suarez when Liverpool breathlessly pursued success. There was the glum expression the TV cameras caught the 26-year-old wearing in the aftermath of Marcus Rashford’s goal on his international debut.

And by the fact that, as the sun beat down on England’s public training session yesterday in front of a group of children given time off school, Sturridge summed up his intent in just seven words: “I am not here for a holiday.”

Yet when the curtain comes up on the national team in Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, he insists he will bide his time if omitted from Roy Hodgson’s starting line-up rather than rocking the boat.