Chapter 50 — "The First Week of April: U-15 Clash Against Palmeiras"
Date: April 3, 2020
Árman Azvedo — Age: 10
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The sun rose over the sprawling São Paulo U-15 training complex, casting a warm glow on the pristine pitch. A gentle breeze carried the faint smell of freshly cut grass. Today was not a practice; today was a match day. Not just any match — a clash against Palmeiras' U-15 squad, a team known for their physicality, speed, and tactical discipline. Coaches, scouts, and parents were all present, and whispers about the 10-year-old prodigy Árman Azvedo buzzed quietly but insistently in the background.
Árman entered the locker room early, calm, collected, like a seasoned 18-year-old despite his age. He adjusted his kit, tying the laces perfectly and brushing back his white, silky hair. His golden eyes flickered across the tactics board, memorizing the opposition's formation: a 4-2-3-1, aggressive pressing on the wings, high defensive line.
He whispered to himself, as he always did before a game:
"Stay calm. Observe. Predict. Execute."
The coach, Leonardo Carvalho, watched him with pride. "Árman, you ready?"
He smiled softly. "Always, Dada."
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Pre-Match Warm-Up
The U-15 squad lined up on the pitch, stretching and jogging lightly. Árman began ball touches—short dribbles, alternating feet, practicing sudden stops and direction changes. His control was mesmerizing: each touch precise, almost magnetically glued to his feet. Even the older players, some four to five years his senior, glanced at him in subtle awe.
"Focus on the touch, position, and vision," Árman muttered as he ran through passing drills, scanning teammates' movements and potential gaps in the Palmeiras defense. His internal system worked silently, calculating optimal angles, velocity, and timing — the product of all his acquired football skills, merge and synthesis, and superhuman perception.
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Kickoff — First Half
The whistle blew. Palmeiras started with possession. The ball pinged around midfield; Árman held his position slightly forward as an attacking midfielder, reading every pass like a chessboard.
Minute 3: Palmeiras pushed aggressively down the right flank. Árman anticipated a through-ball and drifted into the passing lane. He intercepted effortlessly, turning his body to shield the ball. He advanced, drawing two defenders in. A subtle flick and a precise 10-meter pass found the left winger open. The crowd murmured, impressed at the composure of someone so young.
Minute 8: Árman's first real chance. Receiving the ball from midfield, he dribbled past three defenders in quick succession — the first with a simple shoulder feint, the second with a quick step-over, the third with a sudden change of direction. His mind projected several possibilities simultaneously: pass to the overlapping wing, chip over the keeper, or a direct shot. He chose the shot.
The strike was immaculate: a low, driven ball curling just inside the far post. Goal. 1–0 São Paulo. The crowd erupted. Coaches scribbled notes furiously, assistants whispered, "He's ten… ten!"
Minute 12: Palmeiras retaliated with a corner. Árman, noticing the ball's trajectory, marked the nearest attacker tightly. Using anticipation and positioning, he intercepted a header and executed a perfect one-touch return to midfield, initiating a counterattack.
Minute 18: A textbook example of tactical brilliance. Árman received a backpass under pressure, feinted a defender, accelerated, and drew another defender into his path. Observing his teammate in space on the left, he threaded a precise through-ball. The winger sprinted, received the ball cleanly, and slotted it past the keeper. Assist #1 for Árman.
Minute 27: Another burst of genius. Árman took possession near the half-line, performing a series of body feints, feigning a pass before exploiting the minimal gap between two center-backs. He shot, keeper parried, but the rebound was calmly tapped in by a teammate. Second assist.
Minute 34: Palmeiras' defensive adjustments made it harder, double-teaming Árman whenever he touched the ball. But his 10,000x multiplication skill and supreme spatial awareness allowed him to maintain control. One clever flick over a sliding tackle, followed by a precise dribble around a second defender, created space for a shot on goal — another strike! Goal. 2–0.
Half-time arrived, and the scoreboard read: São Paulo 2 – Palmeiras 0. Coaches were both shocked and exhilarated. "This kid sees the field like he's played a hundred professional matches," whispered an assistant. Árman, as usual, remained calm. He walked off, eyes glinting, not with pride but with focus, replaying the first half in his mind and calculating the adjustments for the second.
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Halftime — Tactical Adjustments
Coach Carvalho huddled the team. "They'll press harder now. Watch their wingers. Árman, you'll need to drop slightly to receive the ball early and dictate tempo."
Árman nodded. "Understood."
In the locker room, scouts from a few clubs noticed the efficiency of his movement. "Did you see that one-two in the 18th minute? He's anticipating at an almost impossible level for someone his age," murmured one.
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Second Half — Palmeiras Strikes Back
Minute 47: Palmeiras came out aggressive, scoring their first goal after exploiting a lapse in midfield concentration. The crowd gasped. 2–1.
Minute 50: Árman didn't flinch. Using his predictive tactical skills, he intercepted a cross-field pass and immediately threaded a diagonal ball to the forward. Quick turn, shot — GOAL! São Paulo 3–1.
Minute 57: A display of absolute vision. Árman picked up the ball near midfield, faked a pass, drawing in three defenders, and in one motion threaded a precise through-ball to the right winger. Keeper advanced, but the wing tapped in. Assist #2.
Minute 65: Palmeiras mounted a furious attack. Árman dropped back, intercepted a dangerous pass, and executed a perfectly weighted long ball over two lines of defenders to a striker sprinting into the box. The striker scored. Assist #3.
Minute 72: He was everywhere — orchestrating, dribbling, distributing. Each touch calculated, each pass weighted for maximum efficiency. By now, teammates were following his movements instinctively.
Minute 78: Another shot, another goal — Árman curls the ball past the keeper into the far corner. The crowd erupted again. São Paulo 5–1.
Minute 85: Palmeiras tried desperately to mount a comeback, but Árman's presence disrupted every attempt. Tackles intercepted, positioning flawless, leadership quiet but absolute.
Full-Time: São Paulo 5 – Palmeiras 1. Árman's individual stats:
Goals: 2
Assists: 3
Key passes: 8
Successful dribbles: 14/15
Pass accuracy: 96% under pressure
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Post-Match Reactions
Coaches shook their heads in disbelief. "He's 10…"
Scouts scribbled notes furiously.
Players approached him with admiration, not envy. He smiled gently. "Team effort. We played together."
His father, Leonardo, hugged him. "You were incredible, meu filho. Calm, smart, precise. I couldn't be prouder."
Árman blushed slightly, still humble.
Later that night, he entered his private dimension. Sitting on his divine throne, he replayed every action, merging moves mentally, refining strategies, and storing every opponent pattern for future reference. His system confirmed:
"Master, all football skills are integrated. Your understanding of Palmeiras' play and U-15 level tactics has increased exponentially."
Árman smiled softly, closing his eyes. "Tomorrow… I get better."