🔗 Share this article

COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

Unless you’ve missed the footage of Iliman Ndiaye pulling off a backwards bouncing trick at Everton’s training ground, it’s a good watch. Through performing a move so impressive that it would have been appropriate 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 Sunday league footballers can secure a fresh start after being dropped from professional academies.

Ndiaye, who featured in non-league games 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 materialize,” he told a young player immediately prior to executing said spectacular skill on his teammate, in doing so perfectly illustrating the difference between Premier League and amateur footballers he had been working to minimize.

Ndiaye isn’t the first professional footballer to push the boundaries. Prime Michael Owen happily embarrassing a young shot-stopper in front of a fuming Neville Southall is obviously the gold standard in this particular niche – but the former Liverpool man is far from the only offender. Both Christian Eriksen and Shinji Kagawa have made young children cry with a series of merciless tricks, although it’s considered that the latter was at least motivated by the Japanese player’s social media disgrace caption – “difficulty breeds resilience” – and the accompanying hashtag of #friendship.

Kagawa’s ex-BVB colleagues Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nuri Sahin at least had the manners to suffer a loss against 100 children when the trio competed during the mid-game pause of their final match 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 similar experiment. But back to the start, it’s calculated 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.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Follow Scott Murray from 7.45pm GMT for live international football action of England versus Serbia, while Luke McLaughlin will be monitoring the action for the other games happening later.

DAILY HIGHLIGHT

“Football took me but it never abandoned me because I never stopped believing. I went from team to team. The passion for soccer carries you. I couldn’t always see where it was directing me. But today I have the understanding” – head coach Veljko Paunovic takes time out from his preparations to share his journey.

FAN FEEDBACK

“Nice to hear that Kevin Mac Allister isn’t going to be left home alone by Argentina. Ideally, if he goes to the international competition next year, he’ll read up on how to travel around the tournament sites – hopefully he won’t get confused in New York” – James Humphries.

“Information shows that 1,024 players in the Turkish league have been prohibited due to suspected participation in a gambling controversy. It would be amazing if that number could be increased to the same level of typical pedantry associated with Football Daily – that is, 1,057 readers. By my math, that’s about 33 more pedants. If I agree to be excluded from playing professionally in Turkey (not much of a loss at my age and, um, ability), are there 32 more folks willing to join in my search for symmetry?” – Mike Wilner.

“As a frequent consumer 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 homeland? 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 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 casual team, 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 good left side. (Yes, Daniel Day-Lewis)” – Jason Steger.

“Together with some colleagues and friends, I play a game of football each Friday afternoon. Our most senior member is pushing 80, while the youngest are in their young adulthood. To ensure a good time for everyone, we have a straightforward principle regarding the quality of player: you can be fast or skilled, but ideally not both. We occasionally have players who break this guideline, but usually manage to drag them down to our level over time” – Lars Esbjerg.