As Wayne Rooney’s team-mates set off in pursuit of the England captain, Wembley rose as one to salute the country’s greatest goalscorer. It was a fitting and giddy tribute.
Why such acclaim? Because it is a feeling we will never have: that adulation, that recognition, that longevity for a player who has been doubted throughout his 12 year international career.
With football royalty in the shape of David Beckham on hand to witness history, making his way out to the edge of his executive box as Rooney waited to take his penalty, you know something special is about to happen.
It was only last June, at the World Cup in Brazil, when Frank Lampard buried his head in his hands at the mere suggestion that Rooney could be dropped from this England team.
Rooney is the England team, maturing into a first class leader of men as Roy Hodgson hurtles towards his third major tournament in charge of his country.
To score 50 goals for England – our England – really is something special.
Next month, when England face Estonia in another Euro 2016 qualifier, Sir Bobby and Gary Lineker will present him with a golden boot before the game to honour this achievement.
Inside the England dressing room he was presented with a commemorative shirt with ‘50’ on the back and he reluctantly made a short speech to the squad and coaching staff. Good on him.
You can be sure that he has never hit a penalty with more conviction in his life than the one that hit the roof of Yann Sommer’s net in 84th minute.
He had to wait, keeping more than 75,000 supporters in the stadium on tenterhooks until he was given a free shot on goal from the penalty spot after Raheem Sterling had been felled.
Wembley lit up like a Robbie Williams concert, with the flashlights on mobile phones being switched on to record the moment when Rooney went one ahead of the record he briefly shared with Sir Bobby Charlton.
Before that there had been a couple of chances in open play, steering one effort wide of the Switzerland keeper’s far post in the first half and just failing to beat Sommer when he pounced on Gary Cahill’s header.
So what next for Rooney, who has scored in his last six competitive games at Wembley, after inching ahead of his idol in the record books?