Chapter 10

When the head coach and assistant coach of the first team came to the youth team training ground at the same time, even a fool should know what they were there for.

The first team was currently plagued by injuries, and their performance had become unstable as a result.

The first team was definitely here to find players from the youth team to fill the vacancies.

There had always been rumors that the first team couldn't even put together a list of eighteen players.

Now it seemed that this might not be a rumor after all...

So everyone was very excited to see the two coaches.

What do the youth team players train hard for?

Isn't it to join the first team and participate in real professional matches one day?

Just like Kaká.

Why did the youth team players resent Rongguang setting Kaká as his goal?

Because in the hearts of the youth team players, Kaká, who also came from the youth team, was their role model.

For this rookie Rongguang to dare set their role model as his goal was truly a collective insult to them!

Because none of them dared to set their role model as their goal!

They took Kaká as their role model, but they never thought about surpassing or defeating Kaká.

They just hoped that they could, like Kaká, be promoted to the first team based on their outstanding performance in the youth team, and then establish themselves in the first team, which would be enough to satisfy them.

The new youth team coach, Robert Rojas, also paused the training.

The youth training director, Mauro, said to Rojas, "Let the players have a match."

Everyone knew what this meant.

When the players heard they were going to play a match, they were all very excited.

Even Lucas, who usually lacked enthusiasm in the youth team, was eager to try.

The first team!

Just the name was enough to attract these young people to fight with all their might.

But this had nothing to do with Rongguang.

When the youth team players started to form teams for the match, Rongguang continued his "wall-facing" training.

※※※

Soon, the youth team's match began.

Everyone played with all their might, full of fighting spirit, and the competition was very intense.

In situations where the ball was evenly contested, both sides would definitely fight hard to get it, even if the opportunity wasn't very good, they would still give it their all!

If you got past me, I would definitely tackle you to the ground next.

The expressions of the players were fierce, as if the opponents were not their teammates but their mortal enemies...

Even Lucas Sutton, who was known for his lack of fighting spirit in the youth team, played very hard in the match.

Everyone wanted to show their abilities to the two coaches from the first team, especially the head coach.

This passionate and intense atmosphere spread across the youth team training ground, infecting everyone.

Even Rongguang, who was on the sidelines, was affected.

He came back to his senses from the monotonous and mechanical training and realized that the training ground behind him had changed.

He turned his head and saw that the training had turned into a match, and the scene looked quite intense...

He felt puzzled—what was going on?

Did the coach say they would have an internal match before training today?

He stopped training and decided to watch the match.

He also yearned for matches... this desire had not diminished with the daily monotonous basic training but had become even stronger.

The match was very intense, and he watched it with great interest.

He saw the red team pass a through ball, but it was too long, and the receiving player couldn't catch up, so he gave up chasing it. The ball rolled out of bounds, and the blue team took a goal kick. The red team's attack ended like that.

Seeing this, he snorted: "So slow!"

If he were the one to receive the ball, he would definitely catch it!

Then, when everyone was stunned, he would receive the ball, and the opposing defender wouldn't react in time. He would then calmly score a goal!

Thinking about this, Rongguang smirked.

What calm goal? He didn't even know how to shoot yet...

Thinking of this, Rongguang suddenly felt that the match wasn't very attractive to him.

Basic training, basic training...

He should practice diligently.

Rongguang turned around and continued his training, kicking the ball even harder against the wall.

The sound was even louder than before!

Bang!!

Bang!!

Bang!!

※※※

Bang!!

Bang!!

Bang!!

When this dull but powerful sound rang out, it seemed to dispel some of the tense and intense atmosphere on the training ground.

Even the players in the match couldn't help but turn their heads to look.

This sound not only attracted the players' attention but also the coaches' attention.

Oswaldo Oliveira and Mauro looked in the direction of the sound and saw a player outside the training ground who was continuously kicking and receiving the ball against the wall.

"Who is that?" Oswaldo pointed to Rongguang and asked the youth team coach, Robert Rojas.

But before Rojas could answer, Mauro introduced him: "Oh, him, his name is Rongguang, a Chinese beginner."

"Beginner?" Oswaldo was immediately interested when he heard that there was a beginner in the São Paulo youth team.

"Yes, he only started learning football at sixteen and is currently doing basic training in the youth team. Yes... I was the one who decided to sign him."

Hearing this, Oswaldo was even more surprised.

Mauro had become his assistant coach after he became the head coach of the first team. Although they hadn't worked together for long, he could see that Mauro was a very professional and capable coach.

If Mauro allowed this rookie to join São Paulo, there must be a reason.

What about this rookie attracted him?

"His speed is very fast, and he has a strong learning ability," Mauro briefly introduced Rongguang's performance during the trial.

"Faster than the ball?" Oswaldo's eyes widened.

Mauro smiled and nodded: "Yes, his speed is that fast, which is why I decided to sign him."

"Very intriguing..." Oswaldo rubbed his chin.

He then asked the youth team coach, Rojas: "Why is he always training alone?"

"Uh, he practices basic training, and no one has the same progress as him, so he has to train alone..."

"Always like this?"

"Yes, always like this. But his learning ability is really strong." Although Rojas had only been in charge of the youth team for a short time, he was also impressed by Rongguang's learning ability. "He mastered juggling in just a week. He is now practicing passing and receiving and is already very proficient."

Oswaldo made a decision and said to Rojas: "Let him play too. Since he is a member of the youth team, I can't overlook him in my evaluation."

Hearing this, Rojas was surprised: "But he has always been doing basic training, never practiced with the team, and never played a match..."

"Then let this be his first match." Oswaldo's tone was firm and left no room for opposition.

※※※

When Rojas went to tell Rongguang that he could participate in the match, Rongguang was quite surprised and repeatedly asked: "Really? I can really play?"

Rojas had to nod repeatedly: "Yes, you can. The head coach of the first team is interested in you."

Rongguang smiled happily: "Ha! That's great!"

A stroke of luck!

He never thought that while training alone, he would catch the attention of the first team's head coach.

His luck seemed to be improving.

※※※

When Lucas saw Rongguang wearing a red vest and standing on the sidelines, ready to play, he was shocked—what was going on? Rong, who had never played a match, was going to play?

Not only was he shocked, but others were even more surprised.

The other youth team players were a hundred times more surprised than Lucas.

Lucas was Rongguang's best friend in the youth team and knew how fast Rongguang had improved, which surprised him. Others couldn't understand it at all.

How could this rookie play a match? Did he even think about going to the first team? Don't be ridiculous!

How could a rookie who had only been learning football for a little over a month go to the first team?

The first team would have to be completely wiped out before it came to the youth team!

Even if the youth team was wiped out, it wouldn't be his turn! He was even worse than the younger players!

The youth team players watched in shock as Rongguang finished his warm-up and ran onto the field.

Meanwhile, the red team's forward, Clayber, who was being substituted, looked very unhappy and dejected—was he being replaced by Rongguang? Did this mean he lost his chance to impress the first team's head coach and assistant coach?

"Poor Clayber... He must be very upset about the rookie, right?"

The other youth team players also felt sympathy for Clayber and shared his frustration.

Their dislike of Rongguang increased—this rookie, who hadn't even finished his basic training, was taking their opportunities and had already made Clayber lose his chance!

It was all because he was kicking the ball so hard on the sidelines... Maybe he did it on purpose? To attract the attention of the first team's head coach? And he succeeded!

How annoying!

※※※

Rongguang, wearing a red vest, entered the field. He was a player for the red team, playing as a forward—since he had told the coach that he wanted to be a forward after learning that forwards earned the most, it was natural for Rojas to let him play as a forward.

He and his good friend Lucas were not on the same team; Lucas was wearing a blue vest and was on the blue team.

In his red team, there was no one he was close to, and he was in a very hostile environment, but he didn't care about this.

His mind was filled with one thought: This is my first match! My first match! Finally, I have a chance to play!

I have to perform well! Maybe I can attract the attention of the first team's head coach?

The youth team players were right; Rongguang was here to compete for their opportunities!

Who wouldn't want to go to the first team?

Even if Rongguang was a rookie, he had the right to do so, and everything would be decided by performance. Just like the college entrance exam, if you did well, you could go to college; if you didn't, no matter how good you were, you wouldn't make it!

He ran onto the field with powerful and fast steps, as if he had a lot of energy to release.

"His speed is not bad..." Just seeing Rongguang run onto the field, Oswaldo nodded, confirming that Mauro hadn't lied.

Lucas shouted to Rongguang: "Go for it, Rong!"

He knew what kind of environment Rongguang was in and couldn't help him since they were on different teams. At this moment, he could only encourage Rongguang.

He didn't care about the unfriendly looks from his other teammates.

Rongguang heard Lucas's encouragement and gave him a thumbs up: "Don't worry! Watch me, Lucas!"

He looked very confident.

But his confidence only earned him more disdain, ridicule, and contempt.

Don't get cocky, kid! You'll cry when the match starts!

Oswaldo also smiled: "His fighting spirit is high."

The youth team coach, who was temporarily acting as the referee, blew the whistle, and the match, which was crucial for many players, resumed!