Who knows how large a role Julian Pollersbeck's cheat sheet played in Germany's shootout victory but the intent did not go unnoticed on social media.
As usual, England fell victim to heartbreak on penalties to Germany in a semi-final thanks to Pollersbeck's saves against both Tammy Abraham and Nathan Redmond.
However the 22-year-old could not remember the instructions he received from his goalkeeping coach in the build-up to the European U21 Championship last four clash on Tuesday night.
Luckily, he'd managed to scribble down the likely direction that the English penalty-takers would aim when the pressure was on.
For all we know, the paper that was stuffed in his sock simply read "Dive to your right every time" because that's exactly what Pollersbeck did, foiling Abraham and Redmond from 12 yards.
More than a handful of viewers noticed the cheat sheet.
https://twitter.com/MiaSanMiaDFB/status/879789305924694016
https://twitter.com/wanderingrooh/status/879797492564582401
https://twitter.com/watanabe2k/status/879772197228859392
https://twitter.com/joedoubIeu/status/879771984548159488
https://twitter.com/LouiseSampson/status/879771973471141888
https://twitter.com/Ell10ttW/status/879771944123604993
https://twitter.com/AManHasAKane/status/879771763378339840
https://twitter.com/rosshawkes/status/879771819070431232
It's not the first time that a goalkeeper has consulted notes before a shootout.
Edwin van der Sar famously double-checked the strategy prior to saving Nicolas Anelka's spot-kick in the 2007/08 Champions League final.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ6-0TAegHY
