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IS THERE REALLY A POSSIBILITY?

If you haven’t seen the footage of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a unusual dribbling move at Everton’s training ground, it’s worth viewing. By pulling off a move so nasty that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters show game, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a informal game to conclude what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how non-professionals can get another opportunity after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is expertly placed to speak on this topic. “Don’t focus on the rejection and one day your luck is going to come through,” he told a young player shortly before deploying said spectacular skill on his opponent, in doing so perfectly illustrating the gulf 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 gleefully humiliating a young shot-stopper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this unique area – but the former Liverpool man is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have caused kids to weep with a series of brutal nutmegs, although it’s considered that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “setbacks build character” – 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 be defeated against 100 children when the trio competed during the interval of their final match for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso were more competitive when they faced 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. But back to the start, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing organized youth football in England will ever play in the Premier League, a harsh truth for aspiring footballers across the country.

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Tune in with Scott Murray from 7.45pm GMT for real-time tournament updates of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be tracking events for the other games happening later.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The game guided me but it never abandoned me because I never gave up on my goal. I went from place to place. The devotion to the game carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was taking me. But today I have the understanding” – Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his training to discuss his journey.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. With luck, if he goes to the Bigliest Most Peaceful Cup next year, he’ll research how to get about the tournament sites – let’s avoid him being disoriented in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended due to suspected participation in a betting scandal. 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 math, that’s about 33 more perfectionists. If I offer to be suspended 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 frequent consumer and Florida resident, can I proactively complain about the upcoming week-plus of published letters about which highway 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 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.

“Apropos Wythenshawe FC, I recollect many years ago playing for a Sunday, very casual team, Turnpike Lane Hibs, on Clapham Common. One morning a bloke known as ‘Danny’ turned up to play. I have no idea who brought him along. Supposedly 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 oldest player is pushing 80, while the most junior are in their young adulthood. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the quality of player: you can be quick or talented, but preferably not simultaneously. We occasionally have players who disregard this principle, but usually typically reduce them to our quality over time” – Lars Esbjerg.