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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Unless you’ve missed the video of Iliman Ndiaye executing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. In executing a move so impressive that it would have fit right in at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to finish what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how Sunday league footballers can secure a fresh start after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being signed 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 just before deploying said impressive trick on his opponent, in doing so vividly showing the gulf between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to take things that little bit too far. Peak Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a teenage keeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is clearly the benchmark in this particular niche – but the former Liverpool man is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of harsh skills, although it’s considered that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the associated label of #friendship.

Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to lose their match against 100 children when the three played during the half-time break of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they faced 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 feature in the Premier League, a stark reality for young players across the country.

BROADCAST ON MAJOR PLATFORM

Follow Scott Murray from 7.45pm GMT for real-time tournament updates of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be on clockwatch duty for the rest of the night’s action.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Soccer carried me but it never deserted me because I never stopped believing. I went from place to place. The devotion to the game carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was leading me. But today I have the answer” – head coach Veljko Paunovic pauses briefly from his planning to share his career.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister will be included by Argentina. Hopefully, if he travels to the international competition next year, he’ll read up on how to get about the tournament sites – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Reports indicate that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to suspected participation in a betting scandal. It would be fantastic if that number could be raised to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my estimation, that’s about 33 more pedants. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (hardly a difficult decision at my age and, um, skill level), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the coming period of published letters about which route one uses to get to various locations in your island nation? I mean, I was caught in a traffic jam on I-4 at 2am on a Tuesday night driving through Orlando once, but that’s the whole story. There’s no meaningful conclusion 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.

“Regarding Wythenshawe FC, I remember many years ago playing for a Sunday, very recreational club, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke known as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who recruited him. Supposedly 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 senior member is pushing 80, while the least experienced are in their young adulthood. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the skill level: you can be fast or skilled, but ideally not both. We sometimes have players who violate this rule, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.