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COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

If you haven’t seen the footage of Iliman Ndiaye performing a reverse bouncing nutmeg at Everton’s training ground, you should check it out. By pulling off a move so nasty that it would have suited perfectly at a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition match, the skill immediately shut down what was meant to be a lighthearted kickabout to conclude what had been – up to that point – an informative discussion about how Sunday league footballers can earn a second chance after being released by professional academies.

Ndiaye, who played Sunday League football directly before being recruited by Sheffield United at 19, is perfectly positioned to address 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 ninja move on his opponent, in doing so perfectly illustrating the difference 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 cheerfully overwhelming a 13-year-old goalkeeper in front of a annoyed Neville Southall is undoubtedly the prime example in this unique area – 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 harsh skills, although it’s considered that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media regretful message – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the associated label of #friendship.

Kagawa’s previous Borussia partners Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to be defeated against 100 children when the three played during the mid-game pause of their last appearance for BVB. A Real Madrid XI that included Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso showed less mercy when they played against 109 Chinese kids in a like situation. But returning to the beginning, it’s approximated that only 180 of the 1.5 million boys currently playing competitive youth leagues in England will ever feature in the Premier League, a sobering statistic for toddlers and teenagers 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 monitoring the action for the remaining evening matches.

DAILY HIGHLIGHT

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

FAN FEEDBACK

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister won’t be excluded by Argentina. With luck, if he goes to the major tournament next year, he’ll research how to get about the venue locations – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Sources state that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been suspended 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 math, that’s about 33 more perfectionists. If I offer to be suspended from playing professionally in Turkey (not a huge sacrifice at my age and, um, talent), are there 32 more folks willing to participate in my quest for balance?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a regular follower and Florida resident, can I preemptively object about the coming period 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 entire tale. There’s no rewarding moral to the tale. (I-4 links 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.

“Regarding 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. Reportedly 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 nearing eight decades, while the most junior are in their twenties. To ensure a positive atmosphere for everyone, we have a simple rule of thumb regarding the skill level: you can be fast or skilled, but ideally not both. We periodically have players who break this guideline, but usually succeed in bringing them to our standard over time” – Lars Esbjerg.