Cheers erupted from the commentary booth.
[Goal! It's a goal! Ho-young scores from the halfway line! The ball tears into the back of the net!]
[Unbelievable! Can a child really produce a shot like that? And look at that celebration! The passion, the hunger for victory, absolutely fantastic!]
"Eh?"
The opposing goalkeeper scratched the back of his head, stunned by the unexpected long-range strike.
He had never faced a shot like that before.
Even the adults watching from the sidelines, who had been smiling leisurely, suddenly leaned forward in shock.
It wasn't the most powerful strike ever, but to think a ten-year-old boy could produce such a goal was hard to believe.
Even Coach Lee Sang-woon of the Cha Bum-kun Football Academy was left speechless.
'What on earth…? They said these kids were just amateurs from a local team, didn't they?'
Lee Sang-woon was not just any coach.
A former K-League player with seven years on the national team and a club legend for Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, he was now a respected youth coach at the Cha Bum-kun Academy.
And even in his eyes, that goal was extraordinary.
'Hmm. He doesn't even have the physique to generate that much power.'
At only about 134 centimeters, Ho-young was below average height.
Yet, for someone that small to strike with such force…
'He's gifted.'
Natural-born talent.
That was the only explanation.
It might have seemed premature to judge after just one shot, but Lee's instinct, honed from years as a player and coach, was sharp.
The same instinct that made FC Barcelona's sporting director Carles Rexach scout Lionel Messi at a single glance.
And Lee Sang-woon could see it too, the boy's potential.
'That kid knows how to shoot properly.'
Knowing how to strike the ball correctly was something most young players never truly grasped, no matter how much coaching they received.
Without innate talent, it was almost impossible to master.
'He was born to play sports.'
You could tell just by the shooting form.
"Phew…"
Having run tirelessly through both halves, Ho-young exhaled deeply.
The pitch was only about one-sixth the size of a normal field, but the amount of running required was no joke.
And with it being a 6v6 match, the space each player had to cover was huge.
'Man, I'm out of breath.'
Meanwhile, the net behind him rippled again.
[Goal for FC Cha Boom's Hwang Ki-dong! That's his third of the match! The score is now 3-8!]
[Ah, that's why they're an elite academy. After conceding the first goal to Ho-young, they quickly regrouped and have now scored their eleventh goal of the day.]
[That's right. Their teamwork is simply on another level. But perhaps, with time and training, FC Shoot Dori could reach that level too?]
[Haha, if they can get even one win this month, that'd be a miracle.]
[Laughs.]
FC Shoot Dori was a mess.
Some kids danced with joy even after conceding, while others burst into tears after getting hit in the face by the ball and had to be substituted.
'Doesn't matter. I expected this.'
Ho-young hadn't come expecting a team victory.
If he still had an adult's body, maybe he could have carried the team on his own, but talent didn't make him a superhuman.
There was a physical limit to how much a ten-year-old body could do against six opponents.
'That's fine. I just need to show what I can do!'
Tightening the laces on his football boots, Ho-young focused again.
Coach Lee had already instructed his players to mark Ho-young closely.
And three minutes into the second half, it happened.
Thud!
An FC Cha Boom goal kick crossed the halfway line, and Ho-young darted forward, intercepting it cleanly.
It was such an intelligent move that it almost seemed like he had baited the pass on purpose.
But as soon as he touched the ball, the opposing players swarmed toward him.
A full-on group press.
A primitive form of total football aimed entirely at stopping one boy.
However—
Whoosh!
Ho-young slipped the ball cleanly through a defender's legs, then burst forward with explosive speed, leaving three players behind in seconds.
[Did… did you see that?!]
[It's like the ball is glued to his feet!]
The commentators couldn't hide their amazement as Ho-young dribbled circles around five defenders, toying with them like a shepherd herding sheep.
Then, evading the goalkeeper who had come off his line, he calmly struck the ball.
A low, driven shot that rolled straight into the bottom corner.
Thud!
"Sui!!!"
[That's a one-man show! Incredible! Ho-young is unstoppable today! That's already his fifth goal!]
[He didn't even stand out this much in training, did he? Maybe he's made for the big stage?]
[Hahaha!]
He was in a class of his own.
With the Football Prodigy (B) talent and the tactical mind of a 24-year-old adult, there was no way kids his age could keep up.
'My body's ten, but my brain's twenty-four!'
His spatial awareness and decision-making were on another level.
The perfect combination of elite hardware and next-generation software.
Beep!
The final whistle blew.
The result: 5-14.
FC Cha Boom claimed a resounding victory, but the real winner was clear.
The boy who scored five goals single-handedly and dominated the field—Ho-young.
He hadn't led his team to victory, but he had done everything within his power.
No regrets.
"Huff…"
Completely exhausted, Ho-young lay flat on the grass.
'Yeah, this is football. This is what it's all about.'
He couldn't stop smiling.
Something told him this match would definitely make waves.
"Ho-young."
"Hm? Oh, the cameraman?"
"Haha. How are you feeling right now?"
The VJ, who had been filming Ho-young all match under PD Choi's orders, crouched beside him for a post-match interview.
PD Choi had told him to capture everything, even his breathing.
Then, mimicking a familiar gesture, Ho-young grinned and said,
"I'm still hungry!"
It was the famous line from Guus Hiddink after South Korea's advance to the Round of 16 in the 2002 World Cup.
"I am still hungry."
The whole crew burst into laughter.
"Mom!"
"My son!"
Kim Hee-sun, who hadn't taken her eyes off him for a second, ran over and hugged him tight.
"You were amazing!"
She had worried he might get hurt, but Ho-young looked even healthier than when the match started.
"What do you want for dinner tonight? Should I make something Ho-young likes?"
"Yes! Chicken!"
"Haha. Sweet and spicy or fried?"
"Hmm… half and half!"
As Ho-young was deciding, a familiar face approached.
"Hello, ma'am!"
A man in his mid-thirties smiled politely as he greeted them.
It was Lee Sang-woon.
"Oh, hello. What brings you here…?"
At that moment, Ho-young immediately sensed what was coming.
'It's happening!'
Once filming wrapped, they sat down together on a nearby bench.
"I'm Lee Sang-woon, a coach at the Cha Bum-kun Football Academy."
"Of course, I know you. I've seen you often on TV."
Kim Hee-sun, having lived in Spain for a long time, was quite knowledgeable about football.
Bowing his head slightly, Lee spoke sincerely.
"Ma'am, your son's football ability is outstanding."
"Oh, really? Thank you."
Lee continued warmly.
"I'm not exaggerating when I say I still have goosebumps. Ho-young, you gave this teacher of yours a real treat out there!"
"Hoho, Ho-young, say thank you."
"Thank you. But, mister."
"Yes?"
With a bright, innocent face, Ho-young asked,
"Why are you calling yourself my teacher?"
"Haha, well, that's because…"
Lee turned back to Kim Hee-sun.
"Ma'am, I'll be direct. I'd like to coach Ho-young personally. What do you think?"
"Oh… that's very flattering, but is my son really that talented?"
She wanted to hear it clearly from an expert.
Lee explained in a serious tone.
"Usually, at our academy, it takes about three months to judge a child's potential. We can tell whether they belong in the hobby class or the player track."
"I see."
"Honestly, it's a bit early to say, but I can confidently tell you—Ho-young is close to a genius."
"Oh my…"
It was an objective, unembellished evaluation.
Lee continued, his face slightly flushed with excitement.
"It's probably unprofessional of me to say this, but I can't stop thinking about helping him reach his full potential."
"What do you mean?"
"The academy your son currently attends. If you're worried about switching, that's fine, but… may I ask which one it is?"
"Ah, I think there's been a misunderstanding. Ho-young doesn't attend any academy."
"What?"
Lee's eyebrows shot up.
"Then who taught him to play?"
"He just kicks the ball around with his dad sometimes. He's never had formal training."
"Oh… I see. Haha, unbelievable."
A brief silence followed.
Trying to regain his composure, Lee asked cautiously,
"Then, would you consider letting Ho-young pursue football seriously?"
"If he wants to, sure. But how much would that cost?"
"Well, the tuition depends on which class he's placed in after the entry test. But in Ho-young's case, he'd definitely start in the S-Class."
The special class wasn't open to just anyone, no matter how much money they paid.
The main requirement was raw talent.
Otherwise, they'd have to enter the A-Class, which had over a hundred students on a waiting list.
So S-Class was truly elite.
"For the S-Class, it's 120,000 won for three sessions a week, or 900,000 won for a full monthly plan."
Compared to municipal football programs that cost around 70,000 won per month, it was steep, but worth every penny.
At the time, the Cha Bum-kun Academy was considered one of the best youth systems in the country, even more structured than the newly established professional club academies.
It was also the most reliable path to joining a major European club.
But money was the problem.
Ho-young's Shoot Dori appearance fee was just 38,000 won.
Children's variety programs paid less than standard shows, and his rate was the lowest among cast members.
'That's nowhere near enough to cover tuition.'
Of course, any parent would want to support their child's dream, even if it meant breaking their savings, but Ho-young didn't want that.
There had to be a better way.
He looked up at Lee Sang-woon and said,
"Sir, can I pay later?"
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
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