Casemiro.
Born in 1992, his primary position was defensive midfielder. He was known as the next Makelele, boasting top-tier defensive ability among his age group in Brazil.
Not to mention, he was significantly taller than Ho-young. So stopping him, in his mind, would be a walk in the park.
'That kid is only fast. That's it.'
Casemiro did acknowledge Ho-young's on-the-ball speed.
But.
'Speed alone doesn't win games.'
As Brazil's next-generation hope, Casemiro silently waited for the right moment, then suddenly stepped in.
His trademark move, his specialty — ball interception.
Among his Brazilian peers, he prided himself on having some of the best footwork and believed this was the perfect opportunity to snatch the ball from Ho-young.
But.
"Huh?"
He was so shocked that his thoughts froze.
The reason? Ho-young's monstrous breakthrough.
In an instant, before Casemiro could even react, he had already been passed.
'How is he that fast...?'
It wasn't like Ho-young had used some flashy move like a flip-flap or phantom dribble.
He had simply pushed the ball left and sprinted.
In other words, using terrifying speed, he escaped Casemiro's defensive zone in the blink of an eye.
It was like a cheetah slipping away from a trap laid by a hunter waiting in ambush.
Casemiro's outstretched foot ended up kicking nothing but grass.
But Ho-young, unfazed, bulldozed into the penalty area.
The goalkeeper rushed out belatedly, but it was pointless.
The ball had already left Ho-young's foot.
Thud!
"Wooooooah!"
The goal, perfectly slotted into the open left side of the net, sent the stadium into a frenzy.
Parents of the Shoot Dori players, as well as sports journalists, were so busy snapping photos that they barely had time to process what was happening.
Even Producer Choi, usually calm and composed, was yelling at the top of his lungs.
[AAAAAAAH! Ho-young! What just happened?! He's fired a goal past the prestigious São Paulo FC, one of the most renowned clubs in Brazil! Can you believe this?!]
[Absolutely incredible! I sincerely apologize for ever doubting the Shoot Dori kids! Haha! Viewers, this is Korea's bright football future!]
It was just one goal, but the way it had come about made it deeply moving.
He had outpaced Douglas Costa, São Paulo's ace, and beaten Casemiro, the defensive core, in a solo effort. It was nothing short of perfection.
The absolute dominator of both attack and defense on the field.
'That should be the subtitle right there.'
Producer Choi, overwhelmed with admiration and busyness, felt chills all over his body.
"Wow... how can a kid be this good? I think we'll easily exceed our expected ratings this episode."
"I think so too. You know there's a huge waitlist at football academies these days. It's a Shoot Dori craze. Especially because of that kid."
Right then, as always, Ho-young was captured by the jimmy jib camera as he sprinted across the field.
"Woohoo!!"
After finishing his celebration, Ho-young finally understood why Cha Du-ri was called the Korean Maicon.
'It's like he's wearing a cheat code. But... my knee kinda hurts.'
At that moment, the crowd erupted with cheers for Ho-young.
"Oh Victory Korea~!"
Clap clap!
The World Cup had long ended, yet the Red Devils' chants still echoed in the air.
His chest swelled with emotion.
Though he was still playing on low-level pitches, having people cheer for him like this filled him with immense happiness.
The cheers were so loud that he couldn't clearly hear Coach Kim Jong-kook's instructions, but the energy lifted his spirit.
'Today, I'm going to dominate everything!'
And then, it appeared before his eyes.
[Select the talent you wish to obtain.]
Football Prodigy (B+)
Sharp Interceptions (B)
Reliable Ball Stopping (C)
'Obviously, Football Prodigy.'
Once selected, the grade of his existing Football Prodigy talent rose by one level.
[Ho-young]
[Possessed Talents: Football Prodigy (B+)↑, Powerful Long Shot (C), Fitness Enthusiast's Muscular Build (C), Stylish Curved Free Kick (C-), Chaminator's Run and Drive (U)]
'Alright. That's one level up.'
He then checked Casemiro's status again.
[Casemiro]
[Possessed Talents: Football Prodigy (B+), Sharp Interceptions (B), Reliable Ball Stopping (C)]
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the required condition.) (Condition 1: Successfully dribble past him five times.) (Condition 2: Score a hat-trick.)
'Five successful dribbles and two more goals.'
There were about 30 minutes left. At this pace, it was definitely doable.
'Next is ball interception.'
As long as it wasn't an inconsistent or risky talent, anything he gained was a bonus.
If he could expand into defensive talents, it would help him become a more complete player.
Ho-young kept sprinting.
Tweet!
Substitutions were made at the start of the second half.
Douglas Costa was replaced by another forward.
With the World Youth Tournament approaching, Coach Carlos couldn't risk further draining Costa's condition. This was a tactical substitution, or more precisely, a form of "consideration" before things got worse.
But Douglas didn't take it that way and protested to Carlos.
"My condition was the problem, that's all!"
"If that's the case, it's better to rest on the bench."
"But still..."
"Dougie. You learned something valuable today. Sit on the bench, reflect on what you learned, and show us next time."
Samba football was all about flexibility.
That applied to youth systems too.
Having a flexible mindset was a prerequisite for being part of Brazil's Seleção.
"But what could I possibly learn from Asians? I'm Brazilian, destined to be in the Seleção."
"What?"
"Ah... I'm sorry..."
"Dougie. Listen carefully. If I were a referee and not your coach, you'd already be sent off for making a racist remark. And if you can't acknowledge another's skill, then take the observer's perspective. See for yourself what's real."
With that, Costa looked toward the pitch with a dissatisfied expression.
More precisely, he fixed his eyes on Ho-young, who was rampaging across the field.
And on São Paulo FC, getting dismantled and overwhelmed.
"That kid. How can he be that good at his age...?"
"Dougie. You turned twelve two months ago, right?"
"Yes, coach..."
"You're not that young anymore. You know Ronaldo debuted for a pro team at age fourteen, right?"
"Of course..."
"Then you understand what I'm saying. The only ones who'll baby you now are your fans. And even that depends on your talent."
"...I'm sorry."
As Costa admitted his mistake and returned to the bench, Carlos observed the match with a thoughtful gaze.
'He's got stamina, solid muscle, and insanely fast on-the-ball speed.'
Where did such a monster come from?
Carlos was a seasoned coach at São Paulo FC.
He had trained countless youth players who went on to join prestigious European clubs.
Many of Brazil's top players had passed through his hands.
'And that kid is among the best I've seen. We'll have to keep an eye on him.'
The game continued with Ho-young dominating the flow.
Eventually, as Ho-young's stamina dropped near the end, São Paulo FC seized the chance.
[São Paulo scores! They've finally gotten one back!]
[Looks like they've finally settled in. Maybe it was jet lag earlier, or perhaps they were adjusting to the Korean cold.]
[Hahaha! That's right. It's not too late. São Paulo still has time to turn this around.]
It was entirely possible.
Football wasn't a one-man sport, and Ho-young was exhausted by the second half. There wasn't much he could do now.
'Come on, you Shoot Dori kids! Move!'
Ho-young, more than ever, wanted to win this one.
Beating a prestigious club like São Paulo FC would make huge waves.
But in the end, the match ended with a win for the away team.
In a chaotic back-and-forth battle with Ho-young, São Paulo came out on top with a baseball-like score of 9-4.
But the real victor wasn't the away team.
São Paulo FC may have salvaged their pride, but they lost much more.
This match was meant to boost morale ahead of the World Youth Tournament. Instead, it backfired.
Team morale had dropped.
Still, there was one unexpected gain.
"That kid shows promise. Don't you think?"
"Yes, coach. He reminds me of Ricardo a few years back. His on-the-ball speed is remarkable. Not much top speed normally, but when he's dribbling, he's explosive. I'm curious how he'll be once his body fully matures."
The assistant coach gave an objective assessment.
His style resembled that of Kaká, Brazil's top young talent at the time. Especially that explosive pace while dribbling was something special.
It was a performance that deserved high praise.
"If he has technical ability too, then he's not just a star. He's a phenomenon."
Pele, Romário, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaká...
Those called not just stars, but geniuses, emperors, even gods of Brazilian football.
A phenomenon.
"But his fundamentals are oddly lacking."
However.
"He's fast, nimble, sharp, and most of all, enjoys football. Hmm... I think he could become a great player."
"Haha. That part about enjoying football really hits home."
The two men had no idea they were watching a 24-year-old who had returned to the past and was dominating young kids.
Still, Carlos was undeniably impressed.
"Whether he's an outstanding genius, an average prodigy, or just a fleeting talent... we'll have to wait and see."
As the post-match player interviews began, Coach Carlos stepped away and, accompanied by the MBS translator, headed toward the stands.
He stopped in front of a young couple in their thirties.
With a warm smile, Carlos greeted them in Portuguese.
"Ola!"
"Ah... ¡Hola."
The person who replied in Spanish was Kim Hee-sun, Ho-young's mother.
Carlos' mustache curled into a cheerful arc.
"Oh, you speak Spanish?"
"Yes. I was born in Spain."
"Haha. What a coincidence. Then I suppose we don't need a translator."
Carlos sent the interpreter back.
Important conversations were best handled directly, without a third party.
"I'm Carlos, head coach of São Paulo FC's youth team. May I speak with you for a moment, in Spanish?"
"Oh, sure. But... why is the coach approaching us like this...?"
Carlos did not hesitate.
"Is your son officially registered with any youth club?"
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
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