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          Coronavirus lockdown: Japan's Makino attempting the tablecloth trick is the content we need right now

          • Chris Wright, Toe Poke writerApr 28, 2020, 11:33 AM

          With almost all football postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic, star players have found themselves at a loose end.

          With many training grounds off-limits, clubs have sent footballers home, where they're adhering to an isolation period for the next few weeks. How are they passing the time?

          ESPN will be keeping a daily eye on what the world's best are up to, as well as how clubs are keeping busy by battling in online competitions against each other.

          - Stream new episodes of ESPN FC Monday-Friday on ESPN+
          - Stream every episode of 30 for 30: Soccer Stories on ESPN+

          Tomoaki Makino

          Japan international Tomoaki Makino has been busy in his efforts to alleviate the tedium of isolation.

          The veteran Urawa Red Diamonds defender posted a series of entertaining videos of his attempts at the classic trick of whipping away a tablecloth without breaking anything. But, to raise the stakes, he's doing it while performing an increasingly elaborate array of tricks.

          Things started in pretty straightforward fashion as Makino sent the cutlery flying while doing keepy-uppies.

          The 32-year-old centre-back then upped the ante by sitting at the table and juggling the ball with one foot while trying to remove the cloth with the other.

          Makoni then abandoned the football concept entirely in favour of something a little different.

          It may be costing him a small fortune in crockery and glassware, but it is just the sort of ridiculous content the rest of us need while we're stuck at home without any sport to watch.

          Nicklas Bendtner

          Elsewhere, Nicklas Bendtner effectively won the "Flip the Switch" challenge with a fantastic effort featuring a cameo from his pet dog.

          David Alaba

          David Alaba is also dabbling in a little cultural pursuit of his own after trying his hand at painting. The Bayern Munich defender presented his maiden piece on Instagram

          "What do you think? How much would I get for that masterpiece?" he wrote.

          Honestly, given the nature of the art market it could be $10 or it could be nearer $100,000.

          Cristiano Ronaldo

          Cristiano Ronaldo's daughter Alana is obviously getting a little fed up of watching her parents work out all the time, so took measures to bring mother Georgina's fitness session to an abrupt halt.

          Joao 'Jota' Filipe

          Benfica winger "Jota" has been putting his excess spare time to good use by using the lockdown period to learn Russian.

          The 21-year-old revealed that unlike the vast majority of his peers, he doesn't own a PlayStation and instead prefers to read books and garner new language skills when not playing football.

          "I've been learning Russian in the past few weeks. I've started with a difficult language," Jota told Portuguese newspaper Record. "Spanish? Italian? I already speak them. I don't know why Russian came to my head.

          "Some of my friends have asked me if it's because I'm interested in someone [Russian], but it's not true. It's because of the culture."

          The youngster also mentioned that when he gets stuck on difficult phrases he utilises a well-placed tutor in the shape of Benfica's Russian goalkeeper Ivan Zlobin.

          "When I have some doubts, I send them to Ivan. He sends the doubts he has regarding Portuguese for me to help him. We entertain ourselves that way."