Chapter 7

On the training ground, when the youth team coach Waldemar de Oliveira once again asked if anyone was willing to help Rongguang with his basic drills, no one stepped forward this time either. However, when they heard about helping Rongguang, many people's expressions changed.

They became disdainful, filled with dissatisfaction, and some even glanced at Rongguang as if they were looking at an incurable fool.

With Waldemar's words, the atmosphere on the entire training ground seemed to shift.

Even Waldemar himself could sense it.

What's going on?

He felt puzzled.

The relationship between Rongguang and the other players on the team seemed to have worsened...

But everything was fine yesterday, what happened?

Lucas Sutton raised his hand again: "I'll do it, sir."

Waldemar nodded.

※※※

When Lucas and Rongguang started their basic drills in the corner of the training ground again, Lucas couldn't help but ask, "Are you crazy, Rong?"

Rongguang naturally knew what he was asking about.

He shook his head: "I'm not crazy, Lucas. This is my goal, I want to become... no, I want to surpass Kaká!"

"But you're just a beginner, and Kaká started training with the São Paulo youth team at the age of eight. Do you understand the gap between you two, Rong?"

Rongguang nodded: "I know. I'm eight years behind Kaká, so I have to train even harder."

Lucas really wanted to say, "Even if you train hard, the eight-year gap isn't so easily bridged, and Kaká isn't just sitting around, he's training too," but he suddenly remembered their training session yesterday. He hesitated and didn't say it.

With Rongguang's learning ability... maybe...

"Alright, even so... you didn't have to say something so provocative to everyone. Now everyone seems to have a grudge against you." Lucas pointed with his thumb at the youth team players training behind him.

At this, Rongguang got angry and huffed: "I just can't stand their attitude. Is Kaká some high and mighty god? Can no one else challenge him?"

He thought of the little girl whose attitude changed drastically yesterday. It was because she didn't know who Kaká was that she suddenly turned cold.

Is not knowing who Kaká is a serious offense?

Is setting a goal to surpass Kaká an unreasonable behavior?

Who is the real fool here?

※※※

The Bragança training base, just a row of trees away from the youth team training ground, was the first team training ground.

The first team and the youth team did not share the same locker room.

The youth team's locker room was on the youth team training ground side, while the first team's locker room was on the first team training ground side, separated by two fields and a row of trees.

However, this distance was still relatively close.

With such a close distance, news always spread between the two sides.

After finishing his day's training, Kaká was showering and changing in the locker room.

After his shower, feeling refreshed, he came to his locker to change clothes.

Just as he finished dressing, a teammate approached.

"Kaká, have you heard?" The team's forward, Renaldo, said mysteriously to Kaká.

"Heard what?" Kaká was puzzled.

"There's a kid in the youth team who claims he's going to take you down!"

As soon as he said this, Kaká hadn't even responded when several teammates gathered around.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard the youth team players talking about it... And do you know what? The one who said this nonsense is a beginner who only scored his first goal two days ago! It's really laughable!"

"A beginner? That's too much! What's going on in his head?"

"Kids these days are really getting more and more impolite..."

"Or maybe they're just getting more and more arrogant..."

Actually, Rongguang had only said he wanted others to discuss him like they discuss Kaká, but the rumor had changed in the retelling.

So by the time it reached Kaká's ears, it had become "A beginner in the youth team claims he's going to take him down."

What about Kaká?

What did he think?

Kaká shrugged and smiled warmly: "It's not bad to be someone else's goal, right? By the way, everyone, let's do our best in the Rio-São Paulo Championship!"

He shifted the topic to the Rio-São Paulo Championship and didn't give any more thought to the challenge.

After saying this, he said goodbye to everyone and left with his sports bag.

Watching his back disappear into the locker room, everyone marveled at Kaká's grace and demeanor.

"Truly, Kaká is a popular figure! So humble and charming!"

"If it were me, I would have been furious and felt humiliated."

"That's why Kaká is so popular with female fans..."

"Speaking of which, it's really enviable! Ninety percent of the women's screams outside the training ground are for Kaká!"

"More like a hundred percent, ha ha!"

"The only flaw is that he's too shy, especially around women... Facing so many female fans, he's as bashful as a little boy, it's such a waste! I wish those female fans were mine!"

"Daydreaming, you pervert!"

"Don't pretend, don't you want it too?"

"Ha ha ha!"

In their conversation, they forgot about Rongguang. A beginner in the youth team, an unknown nobody whose name they didn't even know, had no place in their hearts.

※※※

Rongguang had Kaká as his goal, but he was also very clear about the gap between himself and Kaká. He needed to train hard to surpass Kaká.

This was what he thought, what he told Lucas, and what he did.

Training.

Non-stop training.

Training at the training base.

Training after returning home.

Training when everyone else was training.

Training when everyone else had finished and gone home.

Every morning, he ran laps around an artificial lake park near the Gomes' house, then found a patch of grass to practice juggling the ball.

Every evening, he practiced juggling the ball on the rooftop of the Gomes' building, under the moonlight and starlight.

In just one week, he had mastered juggling with all parts of his body.

The ball control training was complete.

※※※

The youth team's warm-up was over, and just as Waldemar was about to assign training tasks, Rongguang stepped out of the line. In the surprised gazes of everyone, he walked straight to Waldemar.

He told Waldemar that he had mastered juggling and asked if he could start learning other skills.

Waldemar looked at the thin Chinese teenager in front of him, remembering that he had only been with the team for a week...

As for whether Rongguang was lying, he was very clear. Since the training was on the same ground, he could see Rongguang's training just by shifting his gaze. Since the first day Rongguang surprised everyone, he had been paying close attention to this Chinese beginner.

He saw how Rongguang juggled the ball now. If he told others that a week ago Rongguang didn't even know that you couldn't use your hands in football, few would believe it.

This learning ability... truly extraordinary!

When Mauro first told him that Rongguang had strong learning ability, he didn't take it seriously.

Strong learning ability?

How strong could it be?

Being a little better than the average person isn't significant.

If an average person needs a year to learn something, learning it in ten months isn't much better.

He didn't expect Rongguang's learning ability to be not just strong... but super strong!

With such results, Waldemar couldn't find any reason to refuse Rongguang's request to learn other skills.

But Rongguang's request still surprised him.

"Sir, can I start learning how to shoot?"

This was Rongguang's request.

Waldemar almost immediately rejected it: "Of course not!"

His response was as quick as a reflex.

The youth team players behind Rongguang burst into laughter.

As if they had heard the funniest joke.

"Such a rookie, just learned to juggle and already wants to learn shooting..."

"Ha ha ha! I've never seen such an idiot!"

"Does he think football is something you can learn without following the rules, just picking up whatever you want?"

Amidst the laughter, Lucas rolled his eyes.

He remembered their first training session, when Rongguang also wanted to learn shooting... This kid is so eager?

Waldemar glared at the youth team players. No matter what, Rongguang was their teammate, and it was impolite to mock their own teammate.

Then he looked at Rongguang and shook his head firmly: "You can't learn shooting."

"But why? I've already learned to juggle..." Rongguang was confused. "I think if I learn to shoot, I can play in a match."

Hearing his amateurish statement, the youth team players behind him couldn't help but laugh again.

Such an idiot actually wants to challenge Kaká...

"I admit your learning ability is strong, Rong. I don't doubt that you'll learn to shoot, but the key isn't in shooting. Even if you learn to shoot, it won't mean much. Can you pass the ball? Can you control it? Do you know how to position yourself? How much do you know about the rules of football? You don't know any of these things. Even if you learn to shoot, what can you do? Even if you play in a match, what can you do? You can't do anything, you won't even get a chance to shoot. So what you should do now is still basic training. You've learned to juggle, so now start learning passing and receiving." Waldemar didn't glare at his players this time because he also thought Rongguang was terribly amateur...

"Passing and receiving?"

"Yes, passing and receiving, the most frequently used technical skills in football. They are also the most important. When a player receives the ball, over eighty percent of the time they pass it to a teammate, the rest is shooting or dribbling. So passing and receiving are the most important. If you want to play in a match soon, then passing and receiving are the most important, the skills you must master." Although he didn't know why Rongguang was so eager to play in a match, he thought that if he used this as a carrot on a stick, it might make Rongguang focus on his basic training.

"However, before each training session, you still need to practice juggling for thirty minutes. And juggling isn't something you can stop practicing once you've learned it. Ball control needs to be maintained, so juggling practice will always be part of your routine."

Despite his reluctance, Rongguang had no other choice but to accept the reality of training in passing and receiving. When will I get to play in a match...

"Really overestimating yourself... tsk tsk!" Seeing Rongguang's reluctant expression, someone in the youth team sneered.

Watching Rongguang turn away with a slightly reluctant look, Waldemar thought about Rongguang's learning ability... He suddenly became curious. If Rongguang continues at this pace, how high will he go?

It's really something to look forward to!

Waldemar paid no attention to the sneering voices...

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