It is written, in their native language, on the wall in their personal area in the team's dressing room, which also features a space dedicated to the late Seve Ballesteros – Europe's long-time talisman in the biennial contest.

On their way to the first tee at Marco Simone, the last thing the players will see is a large image of Ballesteros, designed by local art students, bearing the Italian phrase: "Per sempre nei nostri cuori" – Forever in our hearts.

Donald has unashamedly cranked up the emotion in the build-up to Europe's attempt to regain the Ryder Cup, bringing his players to tears with messages from family and friends and in Rory McIlroy's case his caddie, Harry Diamond.

"Previous Ryder Cups we've gone pretty light-hearted at the start of the week and then we get hit with an emotional bomb before we go play Friday," McIlroy said.

"It's a little different this year. It flipped a little bit and I think that was part of Luke's plan and strategy."

Joining LIV Golf in June 2022 and subsequently resigning from the DP World Tour meant that Ryder Cup stalwarts Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were ineligible for Donald's team, although whether the ageing trio would have qualified or been selected anyway is up for debate.

U.S players remained eligible through membership of the PGA of America, but captain Zach Johnson made it clear he had zero interest in performances in the LIV Golf League and only PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka was selected after narrowly failing to qualify.

That meant no place for the likes of Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, who garnered seven and a half points from eight matches in 2021, yet the visiting team can still boast three of this year's major winners, six of the world's top-10 and all 12 players ranked inside the top-25.

"Previous Ryder Cups we've gone pretty light-hearted at the start of the week and then we get hit with an emotional bomb before we go play Friday." – Rory McIlroy.

Europe have five players outside the top-30, including three of their four rookies, but can call on the World No.2, 3 and 4 in McIlroy, Masters champion Jon Rahm and FedExCup winner Viktor Hovland.

They also have home advantage in a contest which has seen just one away victory in the last eight, namely the "Miracle at Medinah" in 2012 when Jose Maria Olazabal's side recovered from 10-4 down to pull off an incredible win.

That also remains the last close contest and the United States have not won on European soil since 1993, a fact their players have been keen to play down.

"We have so many guys that have not played a foreign Ryder Cup, an away game, if you will. I think that ignorance is bliss in my opinion," U.S Open champion Wyndham Clark said.

Clark also said he wants to face McIlroy in the singles to prove he is the better player and that Europe's team could be "leaking oil" on the final day. Whether he is sipping champagne or eating humble pie on Sunday will be fascinating to see.