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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

If you haven’t seen the clip of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. By pulling off a move so impressive that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters friendly display, the skill instantly ended what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to finish what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation 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 recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to speak on this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he informed a young player shortly before using said impressive trick on his victim, in doing so clearly demonstrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to push the boundaries. Peak Michael Owen gleefully humiliating a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this unique area – but the ex-Anfield star 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 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 accompanying hashtag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s previous Borussia partners Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the decency to suffer a loss against 100 children when the three competed during the interval of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that contained Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they played against 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 structured junior soccer in England will ever play in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for aspiring footballers across the country.

STREAMING ON POPULAR SITE

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 other games happening later.

DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“Soccer carried me but it never left me because I never stopped believing. I went from place to place. The love of football drives you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the solution” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic makes time from his preparations to reflect on his path.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Hopefully, if he goes to the major tournament next year, he’ll read up on how to navigate 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 banned due to alleged involvement in a wagering issue. It would be wonderful if that number could be increased to the same level of characteristic precision associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my calculation, 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 assist my effort for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a daily reader and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the next several days of published letters about which route 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 rewarding moral to the tale. (I-4 connects Tampa on the Gulf Coast to Daytona on the Atlantic via Orlando/Walt Disney World, and can have traffic issues at any time)” – Rasteen Nowroozi.

“Concerning Wythenshawe FC, I recall 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. Apparently 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 most junior are in their late-20s. To ensure a enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the quality of player: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not simultaneously. We periodically have players who break this guideline, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.