Every now and then, a football player does something that takes you completely by surprise.
Philipp Lahm cutting in from the left and curling home a beauty for Germany against Costa Rica in the opening game of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Then-AC Milan centre-back Philippe Mexes cushioning the ball on his chest and catapulting an overhead bicycle kick over the opposition goalkeeper from outside the penalty area in a UEFA Champions League game against Anderlecht.
Vincent Kompany thundering a 25-yard shot into the top corner of the Leicester City goal to essentially win the Premier League title for Manchester City.
Football’s evolution means that even goalkeepers and centre-backs possess the technical skills that were once the preserve of only the game’s most talented players. But while it is no longer a surprise to see a goalkeeper execute a pinpoint 60-yard pass or a central defender pull off a textbook Cruyff turn, some players have developed particular skills that might have escaped your attention.
Virgil van Dijk: Free-Kicks
Giorgio Chiellini: Long Throws
Ederson: Penalties
John Terry: Goalkeeping
Jan Vertonghen: Freestyle