Back in another life, when I was a sports writer for a daily newspaper, I spent a weekend on holiday at the PAX South gaming convention in San Antonio. At an after-hours party at a nearby bar I met a girl who had just reached a milestone as a Twitch streamer and was quite proud of herself. 

When I told her what I did for a living, she responded: “Oh, so I’m kind of like email and you’re kind of like snail mail.”

During Cristiano Ronaldo’s quicksilver rise at Manchester United and with the Portugal national team — which was highlighted by his inclusion in the 2004 UEFA Team of the Year at the tender age of 19 — perhaps no quote better illustrated the winger’s otherworldly talent than the praise heaped on him by United’s golden No. 7, George Best: “There have been a few players described as the new George Best over the years,” he said, “but this is the first time it’s been a compliment to me.”