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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

If you haven’t seen the clip of Iliman Ndiaye executing a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. In executing a move so nasty that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a casual practice to finish what had been – up to that point – an illuminating interview about how non-professionals can earn a second chance after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who competed in amateur leagues directly before being signed by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to address this topic. “Avoid dwelling on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he advised a young player shortly before using said ninja move on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gap between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been trying to bridge.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to go slightly overboard. A younger Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a teenage keeper in front of a smouldering Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the one-time Reds forward is just one of many culprits. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s thought that the latter was at least driven by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “this frustration makes a person stronger” – and the related tag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s former Dortmund teammates Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to lose their match against 100 children when the group competed during the half-time break of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But returning to the beginning, it’s approximated 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 aspiring footballers across the country.

BROADCAST ON MAJOR PLATFORM

Join 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.

DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“The game guided me but it never deserted 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 leading me. But today I have the solution” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic makes time from his preparations to reflect on his journey.

READER CORRESPONDENCE

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. With luck, if he goes to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll read up on how to travel around the venue locations – wouldn’t want him to end up lost in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to alleged involvement in a gambling controversy. 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 calculation, that’s about 33 more pedants. If I offer to be suspended from playing professionally in Turkey (not much of a loss at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the coming period of published letters about which highway one uses to get to various locations in your homeland? I mean, I was stuck in gridlock 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 connects 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 recall many years ago playing for a Sunday, very social side, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke introduced as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who brought him along. Reportedly he was an actor; he had a decent 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 experienced participant is nearing eight decades, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be speedy or technical, but ideally not both. We occasionally have players who violate this rule, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.