Stanley Park famously separated Liverpool's two great clubs; in Lisbon, just over a mile of motorway and a mazy spaghetti junction sits between Benfica's Stadium of Light and the Jose Alvalade Stadium, home of the green and white hoops of Sporting.
Two of Europe’s renowned clubs in this footballing city on the Atlantic coast, and while not currently among the continent’s elite, both certainly worthy of an elevated table, with a view over UEFA’s ever-expanding football family.
Benfica, the home of the great Eusebio, while Sporting were responsible for showcasing the incredible emerging talents of Cristiano Ronaldo, which led to a move to Manchester United, following a wing-wizardry masterclass, which Ireland assistant head coach John O’Shea gets reminded of on a regular basis.
"Jet lag" was always the excuse of O’Shea as United had just returned from a pre-season game in America, however, the Déise man must have recently revisited for revisionism reasons, attempting to change that particular narrative.
"The jetlag game, no?" laughed O’Shea earlier this week, when the inevitable reference popped up.
"He didn't turn out a bad player, did he? You should actually watch it back again. A lot of exaggerations, you know, on these podcasts this day and age. A lot of exaggerations."
Twenty-two years later, while O’Shea will take his seat in the Ireland dug-out alongside manager Heimir Hallgrimsson and fellow coach Paddy McCarthy, Ronaldo, 40 years young, looks set to lead the line for the home side in a star-studded Portugal outfit, who look certain to top the group and qualify automatically.
That particular Ronaldo revelation happened to be the first ever game played at tonight’s venue, a 52,000-seater stadium, perfect for football with the crowd close to the action and barely a poor view throughout the emerald arena.
The original stadium dates back to 1956, named after Sporting’s first club member, while in its maiden international fixture, Portugal welcomed Northern Ireland for a World Cup qualifier – the match finished 1-1 and the North went on to qualify for the 1958 tournament.
What chances of history repeating itself with the Republic in town? Hallgrimsson’s side would quite happily take a 1-1 draw in order to plot a path to next year’s showpiece in North America.
The under pressure Ireland manager has kept the head down in the build-up to tonight’s game, and when he showed up at the stadium for Friday’s obligatory pre-match press conference, he looked like a man who has been waiting for this game to start since about five minutes after that game in Yerevan finished.
Putting on a brave face for what looks to be the toughest test of the group, the hope remains that his side can Lazarus-like, conjure a remarkable bout of bouncebackability to take something tangible from the game.
Uncharacteristically curt in response to one question, it was a case of "you'll see tomorrow" when asked whether he felt the team could actually produce the goods.
By the time the squad sauntered out onto the pitch half an hour later, the Icelander had perhaps thawed somewhat in the sunshine, and told the onlooking media that they were welcome to stay for the entire session, rather than the standard UEFA directive of first 15 minutes, which usually comprises of an activation stretching session with the odd rondo or passing drill before it’s time to depart the scene.
The squad went through the early stages of the session shrouded in the safety of the shaded side, before they finally worked their way into full view in the centre of the pitch.
"We’re not doing any tactics," said Hallgrimsson, when offering the media extension, however, the team were clearly working on certain things throughout the hour-long session.
An all-inclusive drill to begin, which had a mesmeric effect on the side-line viewer, as each player would pass and move into the next spot on the conveyor belt, taking the place of whoever was in front in the process.
It was a clever drill of quick passing in a small space before the ball was eventually switched at pace with the receiver getting in on goal to test one of the three keepers occupying goals on either flank, rotating accordingly.
The session then moved into a fast and furious 11-a-side game with the goals brought all the way to the edge of the box and the sidelines squeezed by about twenty yards.
Again it looked like the team were working on closing down the space in the middle of the pitch, which should make it difficult for Portugal to play through that central stretch.
Paddy McCarthy the vocal in-game coach was, it appeared, really concentrating on preventing play from building up in front of either goal - no shots from the edge of the box the aspiration, no doubt.
After the game, it was noticeable how Seamus Coleman went around almost every player in the squad shaking hands and backslapping, which just shows the finer details that the experienced Everton man can bring to the set-up.
Another thing that could not escape the eye was Nathan Collins going through a few individual drills out on the touchline, however, it did not look as though he was carrying a knock or anything that might rule him out of the game.
Around Lisbon, throngs of green jerseys were traipsing the town on the eve of the game as Pink Street turned green with the Fields of Athenry echoing about the city centre.
Most would have booked long before the atrocious Armenian escapade, and they will be hoping that tonight’s game will be a lot easier on the eyes than this City of Seven Hills is on the legs.
Watch Portugal v Republic of Ireland in World Cup qualifying from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to live radio commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
