Chapter 45 – The Weight of Expectation
The early morning light crept softly through the narrow window of Jota's room at the Bruges academy dormitory. Outside, the sprawling training grounds were coming alive with motion: players jogging laps in rhythmic unison, coaches shouting crisp instructions, the sharp thud of balls meeting nets echoing in the cool air. But inside that small room, Jota felt a storm building—a tension tightening like a noose around his chest.
Today wasn't just any training day. Today was the day Coach Deschamps would announce the starting eleven for the weekend's crucial match against Anderlecht's youth squad—one of Belgium's top-ranked teams. For Jota, this was more than a game; it was a test, a proving ground, a moment where all the sacrifices, the miles traveled, the sleepless nights might finally be measured.
