The gameplay is much improved, and it is this that has many fans licking their lips. The prospect of PES on PS3 in a few years time is frightening. Once Konami are up to speed with the complexity of the console, they are sure to produce a stunning game. For a first attempt though, this isn’t intrinsically bad by any means. Passing is slicker. You can ping the ball about left, right and centre and actually find the man you are looking for. Gone is the lead-balloon effect of last year where your passes used to take an eternity to reach its target.

Running with the ball feels more realistic too. Send Ronaldo or Wright-Phillips down that wing and the ball will stick to their feet like it’s glued on. It feels as if you have more control of the ball, and manoeuvring around the pitch is as majestic as ever before. Find the gaps for your playmakers to run in to and then release your strikers and wingers with precision. It is the beautiful game. When has Pro never been?

It’s hard to judge the shooting in the game. It feels different, but not in a bad way or a good way. The jury’s still out. The fact that the ‘keepers are the worst in the entire series counteracts this though. If you thought they were bad on PES6, they’ve hit an all time, Paul Robinson-esque low in this one. From time to time, they’ll somehow manage to fumble a timid Gary Neville shot on a goal, or parry what should have been an easy catch to an onrushing goalhunter. Even more bizarrely, they’ll then go on to pull off the save of the season.

So what’s new? Well, for the first time, you can dive on the game. With a quick press of L1+L2+R2 your player will tumble to the ground. It’s quite an art really, as most of the time, you’ll get booked despite the insistence of the commentary team that you were brutally hacked down, even though you fell to the ground with no opponents within 20 yards of you just because you were trying it out…. Figure out how to use it correctly though, and it’ll be something useful to have in your armoury when you’re locked in an extra time battle with your mate.