It's the dream of so many youngsters around the world to become professional footballers.Unfortunately, only a small handful manage to achieve their goal.Gregoire Akcelrod didn't quite have the talent needed to make it as a professional footballer.But he was desperate to achieve his dream and did everything in his power to make it a reality.His story was told by the Daily Mail in 2021 and it is quite incredible.Akcelrod was so bad in his youth that his father banned him from playing the sport from 10-18.“I played my first game in front of my father at 10 years old. It was like the Champions League final for me. We played against a good team and we lost 4-0,” he said. “When we were in the car on the way back he said, 'Greg, I am so upset. You are so bad. You are so lazy. I don’t want to see you anymore on a football pitch.’“I was shocked. Being with my friends on the football pitch was the best time of my week.”

Between those years, Akcelrod only played football in his garden. But he wasn't going to be deterred.

Akcelrod created a fake website where he pretended he played for Paris Saint-Germain reserves.

He would copy and paste his name into top-flight match reports, replacing names including ‘Nicolas Anelka’ with his own.

The Frenchman, who was working at McDonalds at age 19, even snuck onto PSG's pitch and took 'official' photos of him in full kit.

He then sent off his CV to multiple clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal. The latter even sent him a letter explaining they only hand trials to players they've seen player either in person or on video.

While he was unable to secure trials at Britain's biggest clubs, he did manage to land trials at six different teams: Swindon Town (twice), Bournemouth, Norwich City, Poole Town, Falkirk and Dundee United.

In his second trial with Swindon, Akcelrod scored twice in a friendly, including a delicious lob.

One of his goals was shown on Sky Sports and he even gave an interview to the media outlet, where he urged Swindon to sign him.

Swindon decided against it, though.

Finally, in 2009, the right opportunity came along for Akcelrod.

CSKA Sofia had just qualified for the Champions League and wanted to bolster their squad. They believed Akcelrod could strengthen them and offered him a three-year contract worth £15,000-a-month.

But the move fell through after being spoiled by PSG fans. On the failed move, he said: "They took photos of my in the CKSA official jersey, I signed the contract, they published on the CSKA website that I was signing. 

"But it was the PSG fans who destroyed me. Overnight, one CSKA Sofia fan contacted a PSG online forum and asked, 'We are about to sign Greg Akcelrod, what do you think about him?'

"All the PSG fans didn't know me. They said I was fake, they checked my website. But some of it was true, the video at Swindon for example. 

"The CSKA fan contacted every journalist in Sofia and it was revealed the club were going to sign a fake player."

The club then had a change of heart and Akcelrod was sent on his way.

Akcelrod enjoyed a one-year stint playing for Mississauga Eagles in the top Canadian division before hanging up his boots.

Akcelrod still works in football as an agent, where he tried to get young players into academies.

He also penned an autobiography titled 'Pro At All Costs'.

What a mental story.