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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Should you have overlooked the video of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. By pulling off a move so impressive that it would have been appropriate at a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a informal game to finish what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how non-professionals can earn a second chance after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to address this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he informed a young player immediately prior to deploying said spectacular skill on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to push the boundaries. Prime Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this particular niche – but the one-time Reds forward is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have reduced toddlers to actual tears with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s thought that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “setbacks build character” – and the related tag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s previous Borussia partners Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the good grace to suffer a loss against 100 children when the trio competed during the interval of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But back to the start, it’s calculated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing structured junior soccer in England will ever play in the Premier League, a stark reality for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Tune in with Scott Murray from 7.45pm GMT for live international football action of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be on clockwatch duty for the remaining evening matches.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The game guided me but it never abandoned me because I never stopped believing. I went from team to team. The devotion to the game propels you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the solution” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic makes time from his preparations to share his career.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Ideally, if he goes to the major tournament next year, he’ll read up on how to get about the venue locations – wouldn’t want him to end up lost in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to suspected participation in a betting scandal. It would be fantastic if that number could be increased to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more pedants. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to assist my effort for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the upcoming week-plus of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your island nation? I mean, I was delayed in congestion on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the entire tale. There’s no rewarding moral to the tale. (I-4 joins Tampa on the Gulf Coast to Daytona on the Atlantic via Orlando/Walt Disney World, and can have delays at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Apropos Wythenshawe FC, I remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke known as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who recruited him. Reportedly he was an actor; he had a useful left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some associates and companions, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most experienced participant is pushing 80, while the least experienced are in their twenties. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the skill level: you can be fast or skilled, but preferably not both. We periodically have players who disregard this principle, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.