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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

Should you have overlooked the clip of Iliman Ndiaye performing a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. In executing a move so nasty 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 wrap up what had been – up to that point – an revealing conversation about how Sunday league footballers can secure a fresh start after being let go from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being signed by Sheffield United at 19, is ideally suited to discuss this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to arrive,” he advised a young player immediately prior to using said impressive trick on his opponent, in doing so perfectly illustrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been attempting to dispel.

Ndiaye joins a list of professional footballer to go slightly overboard. A younger Michael Owen cheerfully overwhelming a young shot-stopper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this specific category – but the former Liverpool man is not alone in this. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s thought 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 good grace to lose their match against 100 children when the three played during the mid-game pause of their farewell game for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that featured Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they took on 109 Chinese kids in a similar experiment. But back to the start, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues in England will ever play in the Premier League, a harsh truth for toddlers and teenagers across the country.

STREAMING ON POPULAR SITE

Tune in with Scott Murray from 19:45 Greenwich Mean Time for real-time tournament updates of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be tracking events for the rest of the night’s action.

FEATURED STATEMENT

“The game guided me but it never abandoned me because I never abandoned my dream. 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 pauses briefly from his preparations to discuss his career.

READER CORRESPONDENCE

“Pleasant to learn that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. Hopefully, if he goes to the international competition next year, he’ll research how to get about 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 wagering issue. It would be amazing if that number could be bumped up to the same level of usual detail-orientation 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 (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 next several days of published letters about which highway one uses to get to various locations in your country? 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 entire tale. There’s no satisfying lesson to the tale. (I-4 links 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 recreational club, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke introduced as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who invited him. Apparently he was an actor; he had a decent left foot. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some colleagues and friends, 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 enjoyable experience for everyone, we have a basic guideline regarding the skill level: you can be quick or talented, but ideally not both. We occasionally have players who disregard this principle, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.