The Summer World Tour, running from July 4 to 20.
The Beijing Olympics, scheduled from August 6 to 23.
It was possible to catch both opportunities.
There were no scheduling conflicts between the two events.
However, there was one issue: Ho-young had never been part of the Olympic team before.
Common sense dictated that it was nearly impossible to go straight to the Olympics without playing even a single warm-up match.
No matter how proven Ho-young's talent was, football is fundamentally a team sport.
In that sense, for Coach Park Sung-ho, selecting Ho-young was a gamble.
His age and ability didn't matter.
What did matter was whether he could adapt to the strict atmosphere of the Olympic squad.
That evening, Coach Park's request for a phone call with Ho-young was precisely for that reason.
"Ahem."
Ho-young cleared his throat once before answering the call.
"Hello."
— Ah, yes. Ho-young, right? This is our first time speaking, isn't it?
"Yes, hello."
— Haha, right. I'm Coach Park.
With a calm and gentlemanly voice, Park Sung-ho introduced himself.
From managing Pohang Steelers to coaching the Korea U20 team and then the senior national team, he listed off his major accomplishments in succession.
— That's who I am, Ho-young.
"I see."
Of course, Ho-young knew exactly who Park Sung-ho was.
'The manager most hated by Busan fans.'
That was because, after taking over as Busan I'Park's manager, he left for the Olympic team just two weeks later.
Rumor had it that even the "seagulls" of Busan would gang up on him at the mere mention of his name.
Still, no one could deny his coaching ability.
Soon, Park got to the point.
— I want you to join the Olympic team and get a chance to play with your seniors. But the thing is...
"Yes?"
— It's not that I doubt your skills. I've watched your videos endlessly. But I think it would be best for you to come to Korea and undergo a test. If you're going to Beijing, you should at least spend two weeks getting used to your teammates. Understand?
"Yes."
The final roster needed to be confirmed by July 24, just two weeks before the Olympics, for Park to be at ease.
And it was true that he needed time to adjust and build chemistry with the team.
Ho-young agreed with that.
However, due to the World Tour, his available time was limited.
Both the Olympics and the World Tour were golden opportunities Ho-young couldn't afford to miss.
Especially the Olympics. Even without the military exemption, it was a chance to meet world-class players.
Ho-young still remembered the likes of Messi and Ronaldinho from the 2008 Olympics.
And perhaps, just maybe...
There was even a chance he could obtain the talents of athletes from other sports.
Ho-young spoke up.
"Then I'll meet you when I visit Korea on the 15th."
By the end of June, most of the world's football leagues had wrapped up their seasons, but Europe was still burning with excitement.
Euro 2008 was underway.
Just like how Greece shocked the world four years ago, another upset had emerged.
Russia, led by Guus Hiddink and powered by the dazzling performance of Andrey Arshavin, had miraculously made it to the semifinals.
However, the magic ended there when they faced the unstoppable Spanish armada.
That summer, Spain got even hotter.
Placed in Group D, Spain dominated the midfield in every match with a crazy lineup of David Silva, Cesc Fàbregas, Xavi, and Andrés Iniesta.
Up front, David Villa and Fernando Torres handled the finishing touches, propelling Spain to the final.
On June 28, Spain defeated Germany in the final, taking advantage of Michael Ballack's slump.
Thus, Ballack further cemented his status as the eternal runner-up, while Spain marked the beginning of their golden era.
It was the scorching end of June.
At that time, one person became busier than anyone else.
Bernd Schuster, now entering his second year as manager of Real Madrid.
With the World Tour approaching next week, he was racking his brain over squad selection.
Understandably so, as most of the first-team players were completely worn out from Euro 2008.
He was considering giving young prospects more chances and was sketching out different combinations.
But there was one dilemma.
'How should I use Ho-young?'
Shadow striker?
Poacher?
Trequartista?
There were just too many roles Ho-young could play.
It was a happy headache.
He wanted to try various combinations by utilizing Ho-young's versatility.
'If used properly, he could be a valuable backup even in the first team.'
Schuster was planning to primarily use Ho-young in cup matches rather than the league.
Just like he had done with Balboa the previous year, he intended to give Ho-young at least a minimum opportunity.
To him, age didn't matter.
Talent was everything.
Of course, just a while ago, Schuster hadn't trusted Ho-young at all.
Just because someone dominated in the Segunda División for one season didn't mean they could shine in La Liga.
The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.
But after Ho-young joined the first-team training last month, Schuster's opinion changed.
'Woo... he's not just another prospect.'
He began to understand why the board was pushing to promote Ho-young.
Still, Schuster didn't believe Ho-young could immediately become a starter after debuting for the first team.
The key would be how well he adapted to La Liga.
To do that, he needed to be given the right position.
So he wouldn't end up wandering like a lost lamb in an unfamiliar environment.
'If Zidane can stay fit until winter, a Zidane-Ho-young-Robinho line might actually work.'
There were plenty of options.
But the coach's job was only to provide the opportunity. The rest was up to the player.
That's why this pre-season tour... was something he looked forward to more than ever.
The next day, Real Madrid announced the pre-season tour squad on their official website.
The total headcount was 23 players. Most of the Euro 2008 stars were given rest and excluded from the squad.
However, most of the others were included.
Ho-young's eyes scanned the squad list on the monitor.
Goalkeepers – Jerzy Dudek (35), Jordi Codina (26), Antonio Adán (21), Felipe (20)
Defenders – Roberto Carlos (35), Míchel Salgado (vice vice-captain, 32), Pepe (25), Sergio Díaz (23), Daniel Guillén (23), Miguel Torres (22), David Mateos (21), Marcelo (20)
Midfielders – Zinedine Zidane (vice vice-vice-captain, 36), Guti (vice-captain, 31), Mahamadou Diarra (27), Rubén de la Red (23), Tébar (22), Woo Ho-young (14)
Forwards – Raúl (captain, 30), Javier Saviola (26), Robinho (24), José Callejón (21), Gonzalo Higuaín (20)
"Just as I heard yesterday."
The absence of the Dutch connection made the squad look a bit thin, but not a single legend like Carlos, Zidane, Guti, or Raúl was missing.
'Finally!'
He had earned the chance to share the pitch with football legends.
Talent acquisition aside, just being with them was exciting in itself.
The tour would kick off in three days, but he already knew he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
Three days later, on July 4, the Real Madrid squad boarded their chartered flight.
Starting in Seattle, followed by Chicago, Los Angeles, Korea, and Tokyo, they had five scheduled friendlies lined up.
Upon arrival at Seattle Airport, the team checked in at the hotel and held a light training session at the nearby VMAC training center.
That evening, Brian Robson and Denis Irwin, ambassadors for the Seattle Sounders, visited the hotel to welcome the team.
The next day, a fan signing event was held at the iconic Space Needle, the symbol of Seattle.
Most fans swarmed around Zidane and Raúl, but a few people came up to Ho-young.
It was puzzling in many ways.
"Haha, nice to meet you. Do you know who I am?"
"You're a Real Madrid player!"
That was the typical reaction.
Understandably so, as football wasn't a major sport in the United States.
This wasn't Spain. It was unlikely that Americans, who often didn't even recognize their own national team players, would know Ho-young.
Still, a handful of Korean fans recognized him.
Either way, it became a meaningful moment and further motivation for Ho-young to push himself.
Two days later, on Sunday, July 6 at 2:15 PM.
At Qwest Field, the home ground of Seattle Sounders, the friendly match against Real Madrid kicked off.
With over 67,000 fans filling the stadium, both teams entered the pitch amid great anticipation.
Real Madrid started in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Raúl as the lone striker.
Whistle!
As soon as the match began, Real Madrid displayed overwhelming dominance, pushing Seattle onto the back foot from the outset.
A true powerhouse.
Just 10 minutes into the first half, Raúl scored the opening goal.
It was a stunning goal created through brilliant link-up play between Carlos and Zidane on the left flank.
The second goal came in the 40th minute.
Once again, Raúl capitalized on a perfect opportunity, this time combining with Robinho to bag a brace.
Seattle tried to find their footing and mount a comeback, but the experienced defensive wall of Míchel Salgado and Roberto Carlos proved impenetrable.
Real's attacks only grew sharper as time went on.
With Zidane, Guti, Robinho, and Raúl leading the charge, Real Madrid completely overwhelmed Seattle throughout the first half.
But the second half was a different story.
Veteran defenders were subbed out, replaced by younger players like Mateos and Miguel Torres. However, they looked shaky and repeatedly made mistakes.
Just 10 minutes into the second half, a defensive blunder led to Seattle scoring a goal.
Real Madrid may be a prestigious club, but the Seattle Sounders were no pushover.
They were one of the most historic clubs in MLS and had a strong record against European giants during summer tours, including the likes of Manchester United and Barcelona.
Real's backline, made up of prospects with little to no first-team experience, looked completely unprepared.
As a result, the match quality dropped significantly in the second half, with Real failing to show their usual class.
Even when they created a few key chances in front of goal, Saviola, who was playing as the striker, squandered every opportunity.
In the 72nd minute.
With the score still at 2-1 and momentum slipping, Bernd Schuster looked to shake things up.
He made a substitution to change the flow of the game.
And that was the debut of an Asian boy.
[OUT 9. Javier Saviola]
[IN 43. Woo Ho-young]
Ho-young's unofficial debut.
As his name flashed on the big screen, replacing Saviola, the crowd buzzed with excitement.
Not because they knew who he was.
They were simply intrigued by the sudden appearance of an Asian player.
"Who's that?"
"Even a club like Real Madrid has an Asian player?"
"No idea who he is, but he sure is handsome."
The American fans voiced their curiosity.
As murmurs spread, Real Madrid switched to a 4-1-3-2 formation.
Zidane, Guti, and Robinho lined up across the second line with wide spacing.
Raúl moved slightly left up top as the main striker.
And just diagonally behind him on the right, in the role of a withdrawn striker, stood Ho-young.
His presence ignited even more curiosity from the spectators.
And then it happened.
Tap.
As play resumed, Zidane's pass found its way to Ho-young.
With his heart pounding, he took a deep breath and set the ball rolling.
Real Madrid's white kit was shining on him.
(To be continued.)