When Marcus Rashford softly caught the ball over his shoulder with his first touch and then accelerated away with the second touch on the same foot, I realized why players don’t seem as special as the legends of the past. Everything they do looks simple.

There is nothing simple about what they do, but they don’t even have to strain to do it. There’s no angst on their face when they perform a highly technical action. It is another Saturday to them.

They play a game of optimization. There is very little deception or unpredictability because it’s as if they were told they don’t need to be unpredictable. They can rely on their athleticism to get them through.

Legends like Ronaldinho, Gerrard, Zico, Eto’o, Cafu all had that same technical quality and athleticism, but the players around them did not. They always had to make that touch and be the main character, thinking differently, remaining unpredictable to create the chance for their inferior teammates. They were on an untouchable tier above everyone else.

The floor rose. Now everyone is on a similar technical and athletic plane. You don’t have to deceive to stand out; you have to execute. You are a member of the team, not the main character. We are overexposed to this level of touch, pace, control, acceleration, stamina.

When everyone is capable of that touch Rashford made, there is no surprise. It is expected because it is common and normal; it is not rare. It is hard to differentiate yourself.

You have to be like Rayan Cherki. How can I deceive not only the opposition but also my teammates and the fans? How can I create that element of surprise?