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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Should you have overlooked the footage of Iliman Ndiaye executing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so impressive that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, the skill quickly concluded what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to conclude what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how non-professionals can secure a fresh start after being let go from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being picked up by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to speak on this topic. “Don’t concentrate on the rejection and one day your luck is going to materialize,” he told a young player shortly before executing said spectacular skill on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye is far from the only professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. A younger Michael Owen happily embarrassing a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this unique area – but the one-time Reds forward is just one of many culprits. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s considered that the latter was at least inspired by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “this frustration makes a person stronger” – and the related tag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s previous Borussia partners Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to lose their match against 100 children when the group lined up during the interval of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a comparable scenario. But coming full circle, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing organized youth football in England will ever appear in the Premier League, a harsh truth for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

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Follow Scott Murray from 19:45 Greenwich Mean Time for real-time tournament updates of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be monitoring the action for the remaining evening matches.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Football took me but it never abandoned me because I never abandoned my dream. I went from place to place. The devotion to the game propels you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the answer” – national team manager Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his planning to share his career.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Ideally, if he travels to the international competition next year, he’ll study how to travel around the tournament sites – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to alleged involvement in a gambling controversy. It would be amazing if that number could be raised to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my calculation, that’s about 33 more detail-oriented individuals. If I volunteer to be banned from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I in advance protest about the next several days of published letters about which road one uses to get to various locations in your country? I mean, I was delayed in congestion on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the whole story. There’s no satisfying lesson to the tale. (I-4 joins Tampa on the Gulf Coast to Daytona on the Atlantic via Orlando/Walt Disney World, and can have congestion problems at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Concerning Wythenshawe FC, I remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke presented 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 co-workers and mates, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most senior member is nearing eight decades, while the least experienced are in their young adulthood. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the quality of player: you can be speedy or technical, but preferably not both. We sometimes have players who break this guideline, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.