Paulo Dybala's relationship with the Argentina national team has never been idyllic.
Firmly behind Lionel Messi in his preferred position and having consistently failed to impress on the occasions when the wizard has been absent, the Juventus star has become a forgotten man for Lionel Scaloni as other talents of his age or younger have been given the chance to shine.
Now it is Emiliano Buendia's turn to leapfrog Dybala into consideration with his first international call-up. And for a six-time Scudetto winner, seeing a Championship player jump ahead is as clear a signal as any that his international career is in serious jeopardy.
Not to say, of course, that Buendia's inclusion in the squad which will face Chile and Colombia in two World Cup qualifiers at the start of June – and which, one would assume, will form the bulk of the 23-man list Scaloni picks for the subsequent Copa America – is anything but richly deserved.
The Norwich man responded magnificently to last year's relegation to the English second tier, staying put at Carrow Road and contributing 15 goals and a breathtaking 16 assists as the club took first place to go straight back up.
Buendia is the first player from the Championship to win an Argentina call-up since Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez went down with Newcastle United more than a decade ago and, unsurprisingly, is determined to make the most of this opportunity.
“I am going with great hopes, the expectations are huge,” the 24-year-old explained to TyC Sports on Wednesday. “I will go with all the motivation in the world, obviously you want to get in and stay there, that is my next goal: play as many games as possible.
“Seeing my name in the list is a dream come true.”
But Buendia's inclusion is a nightmare for Dybala, who despite suffering through an underwhelming 2020-21 season could have expected to at least have made Scaloni's shortlist for the qualifiers.
“He is a player we like, but we made the decision because in terms of positions almost all the spots have been filled and we had to make it,” Scaloni offered by way of explanation to ESPN.
“Honestly, Paulo has not been playing these last few months, his club is going through problems qualifying [for the Champions League] and it is important players arrive in good shape.”
That last sentiment, though, would seem to be contradicted by the inclusion of Leverkusen pair Lucas Alario and Exequiel Palacios and Tottenham's Juan Foyth, all of whom are currently injured.
The more plausible explanation would be that Dybala, for all his talent when on top form (which he is most definitely not), simply does not fit into this Argentina team.
Scaloni's plans are based around a dynamic, mobile engine room, pace down both wings and close, rapid touches in the penalty area between Messi, Lautaro Martinez and a late-arriving midfielder before getting the shot away.
The likes of Nico Dominguez, Joaquin Correa and Lucas Ocampos have performed that task admirably, while the experience and current form of Angel Di Maria also makes the Paris Saint-Germain man a clear alternative.
Buendia only adds more depth to this key role thanks to his direct style which marks him out in comparison to the more static Dybala.
If Messi is unavailable, meanwhile, experience has taught that a direct replacement like Paulo is unlikely to yield the same results. In that case, Argentina are far more likely to line up with two orthodox strikers, with Martinez and Sergio Aguero far ahead of their peers in Scaloni's considerations.
Perhaps most troubling for Dybala is that Buendia's call-up demonstrates he is no longer the golden boy. His 28th birthday is in November, making him older than all but 11 in Argentina's latest 30-man squad.
For a player of his obvious ability, a return of 29 international caps and just two goals since debuting in 2015 is frankly just not good enough. The chances have arrived, but he has not taken advantage; no wonder that, unlike his predecessors, Scaloni has made a point of looking for alternatives even if he has had to do so at less 'fashionable' clubs.
Many of his gambles, despite a fairly rocky start to life as Argentina boss, have ultimately paid off, leading to a fresher, more exciting Albiceleste compared to the tired side which trudged through the 2018 World Cup.
Dybala still has time to prove he can be a part of it, but the risk that new kids on the block like Buendia will push him further down the pecking over will only grow.