Published: 17:00, 23 October 2025 | Updated: 17:00, 23 October 2025

Within Chelsea, they call it ‘crossing the road’ when an academy boy receives word that he has been called up to train with the first team.

The two buildings at the training ground are separated by a single lane where you will usually see the groundsmen driving their buggies up and down. The zebra crossing is small, only three white lines to it and somewhat hidden by hedges, but the symbolism is seismic.

It is considered an honour to cross that road at their Cobham HQ and on Tuesday, it was the turn of a 15-year-old midfielder called Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli to work in front of Enzo Maresca.

The next afternoon, Nicoll-Jazuli started and scored for Chelsea’s Under 19s in a 6-3 win over Ajax in the UEFA Youth League. Later that night, Chelsea did not name an academy graduate in their starting line-up for the first time in 54 matches, but they finished with four on the field as their seniors defeated their Dutch visitors 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.

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