Michael Sterling stood in the center of the room.
This was not the same team that had scraped survival two years ago. This was a collection of the strangest and most talented players in the world.
Lorenzo Ricci the Italian right back was standing in front of his locker. He had installed a portable LED mirror. He was combing his hair with a comb made of tortoise shell.
"Lorenzo," Michael said. "The game starts in twenty minutes. Is your hair ready?"
"My hair is always ready Boss," Lorenzo said smoothly. "It is aerodynamic. It helps me run fast."
"You do not run fast," Kaito Tanaka chirped from the bench. The Japanese sprinter was bouncing his leg up and down. "You run like a swan. I run like a cheetah. Zoom zoom!"
"Swans are elegant," Lorenzo replied without looking away from the mirror. "Cheetahs are sweaty."
In the corner Vladimir Petrovic sat on a reinforced bench. The Serbian giant was staring at a picture of Erling Haaland taped to the wall.
