Corinthians and Sao Paulo FC are competing in the final of the 1998 Campeonato Paulista. This is a huge match. Not just because of the stakes but also because of the rivalry.
Coincidentally, this is the same final that will be played by the first team as well.
In the Copa do Brasil, Sao Paulo were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Vasco Da Gama. But, we beat them. We couldn't make it to the final, but that's okay. I just need one trophy with the youth team for the mission to be successful. I couldn't complete the mission to be the top scorer in the Copa do Brasil. But, I am the top scorer in Paulista.
So far, I have played 12 matches. Scored 20 and assisted 27 goals. Insane numbers. There is no way anyone is beating me to be the top scorer. And I had the most assists as well. So, that's one mission done and possibly one hidden mission done. All I need to do now is to win a trophy. That would get me two injury protection cards. Even though they're minor, they will be massive. I could take on players more freely if I had a card equipped. I will use them in important matches and where there's more physicality.
The stats were singing on us, because the match was happening in our stadium. Estadio do Morumbi is hosting both legs of the final. Since Corinthians are our rivals, they're going to have fans inside as well.
A day before the match, the coach called us and told us that each player had 10 tickets that they could use to invite people. This was the first time such a thing happened to us. We were all excited. I had three people at home. I would invite Juan and Carlos from school. That's 5 people. I would give one ticket to Alex, although he might have one already since he plays for the club. I need to check with him. If he doesn't need it, I still have 5 tickets. There are many people from the school I could invite but most of them will come anyway. I wanted to give the tickets to people who wouldn't usually come.
I called Alex and confirmed that he had a ticket for the final. I called Juan and Carlos and they said that their parents wouldn't be coming, so only 2 tickets are enough for them. So, I gave the remaining 5 tickets to my father and asked him what to do with them. In his infinite wisdom, he decided to invite Gloria and her family. With all the stuff that has been going on, I didn't update my family about my talk and how we are not on speaking terms. Before I could tell him, he called them up and invited them. And to my surprise, all 4 of them would like to come. I raised an eyebrow at that. Huh! Wouldn't talk to me, but would come to see the match. Teenagers are weird! I hope we don't cross paths. I don't want awkward encounters in front of my family.
Only one ticket remained. So, my mom said that she has a friend at the church whom she wanted to invite. That was settled! All 10 tickets went away in 10minutes. Now, what happens in the future? Would I get 10 tickets for future matches as well? That is a neat deal to have 10 home tickets for all the matches I play here. This information needs to be contained, if not people are going to harass me for free tickets.
I was very nervous for some reason. I didn't want to mess it up. I didn't want things to be tense. I do not want to go to their place and be under immense pressure to score. It would be nice to do it, but I would rather feel safe by scoring more in the home leg. I didn't sleep properly. I was twisting and turning and at one point I went into the system and watched some old finals. I didn't have the internet for entertainment, but when it came to football, I had everything in the system.
My mom noticed my state in the morning.
"I will not lecture you much on the importance of rest before big matches since this is your first big final. But, once this is over, I am going to nag you about relaxing. This is not good Kaká. Not good for your own performance."
"I know mamãe! I just couldn't get myself to sleep. My thoughts were running all around the place and I couldn't relax or calm down. I do not want to fail. Not again. I want to win this. Not for the team or someone else, but for myself. I need to do this."
"And you will, baby. Trust yourself and take your chances. We'll be there cheering for you. The lord will be watching over you. You've put in the effort in practice, now it is time to trust the process and just let things happen. Do not push it. The win will come if you are yourself"
"You're right. I am overthinking. I hope I don't do it in the middle."
She then just came and hugged me. It eased my worries away for a bit.
Once we were done, we went to the church and prayed. I liked this routine before big matches. The calmness of the church and the feeling I get when I'm inside, makes me actually feel blessed. I was thankful for my mom for bringing me here every time.
They dropped me off at the gate and they went to find parking. We thought that we would be here before everyone else, because I had to be here early for practice and team talks. But, it looks like the stadium is packed today. People have already settled in and we could hear some chanting already. Brazil never disappoints me!
Some people recognised me and shouted at me to play well and win it today. I was surprised that someone recognised me, and I walked away in a daze. They must be die hard fans who would watch the youth matches as well. And they knew my name. This is my first encounter of such kind.
I quickly went to the locker room, changed into a warm-up kit and waited for the whole team to join in. Once everyone came over, we went out into the middle and we were surprised. The sheer size of the stadium, the number of people that were already there. The stadium holds around 70000 people. Judging by the number of people that are already here, it would either be a full house or at least 50000 people inside. And they would be cheering for us!
We practiced as usual, running drills, passing drills, shooting drills. On our way back, we decided to wave to some fans who were close.
For the final, we had proper kits. We received jerseys with our names on them.
Kaká. 22.
This is my first official jersey with my name on it. I was very emotional seeing it and wearing it. Everything felt so heavy. The weight of expectations. The weight of the moment. Everything felt real. I took a few minutes to compose myself and put on my kit and my shoes. The shin pads I wore today are a gift from Digão for my birthday. He asked me to wear them today.
If I win the trophy, I am saving the jersey and the shin pads and the shoes. I want to have storage for all the memorabilia. I am not giving these away. Maybe one day I will auction them off for charity.
You could feel the nerves in the room when the coach came in to give us the final pep talk.
"I am not going to say anything today about the match or the tactics or anything else. I just want you to take it all in. The locker room you're in. The pitch you're going to enter and play on. The fans chanting your names and supporting you. Feel it. And then, you make the choice. Do your absolute best today and make sure you have days like these again and again? Or just be okay with making it here and vanishing into your old lives. Today is the day that could shape the rest of your futures. I trust in you guys to make the right choice. Your skill is not going to be the difference. It will be your mentality. Prove to them that you want it more, go out there and take the match away from them. Good luck out there!"
We took his words in. He was right. We did everything right in practice. We had the skill. We just want to cross that mental barrier and go out there and take it away from them by force. Everyone was ready! It's showtime!
The moment we made our way on to the pitch, the crowd exploded. We couldn't hear our own thoughts. It was that loud. The chants, the drums, the atmosphere was electric. A lot of them had paid good money for these tickets. To support the club and to support the youth. It's time to pay that loyalty back!
From the get go, it was evident that they were rattled. They were misplacing easy passes and were shaky from the start. Remembering what happened at Palmeiras, we didn't want to let go of such a chance. So, we pressed on. And we attacked with relentless force. And when we attacked, we clicked. The passing was perfect and everybody played with a confidence that's normally not seen. Every single one of our players rose to the occasion. Spurred on by the chants, I took a shot from 45 yards. It barely missed the post. The collective "Ooooooh" from the crowd was music to my ears.
In the 25th minute, a similar chance occurred. I got possession of the ball and drove forward. And instead of stopping me, their players were moving back to their defensive line. This left me with acres of space to shoot from. So, once again, from around 40 yards, I let loose. This time, the accuracy hit true. The goal keeper could only watch it sail into the top right corner! It was a rocket!!! My first goal in a final.
I didn't know what to do. So I just ran to the corner and slid on my knees. Drogba style!
The noise inside was deafening. And suddenly I heard 30000 people sing and clap my name.
"KAKÁ! KAKÁ! KAKA!"
I cannot put that feeling in words. I took it all in. And my teammates immediately found me at the corner and piled on top of me.
The assistant referee had to break us up and ask us to rejoin the game.
Before going back, I just turned to where I knew my parents would be and beat my chest with my fist and pointed to them. It was for them! I knew they would see it and know it.
We were elated! We drew first blood and they were shaken.
We didn't let go of the pressure and immediately after the restart, we increased our intensity. Our defenders were putting in more challenges and winning the balls. Bodies were flying. Tackles were flowing. Their fans tried to encourage their players but they were drowned out by our fans.
In the midst of it all, Diego, Moraes and I were playing the most beautiful football. We were passing amongst ourselves and we were disrupting their shape continuously. After 20 odd passes, Diego suddenly passed the ball over the top of the defense and I had to look twice to see where he passed. I could not see before, but Adriano was lurking right about the edge of the box, barely beating the offside line, and he got the ball first. Immediately he dashed into the box, found himself one on one with the keeper and slotted the ball in.
Cool. Calm. Composed.
2-0.
Their coach made a substitution in the 35th minute and he brought in a new player in the midfield. And immediately, the new guy took control and he came in with instructions. Soon, they settled into a rhythm and were playing proper football for once. But, the damage was already done.
With a two goal lead, we were not going to slow down. Moraes and Adrian were enjoying the crowd loving their tackles and physical play, so they were roughing them up. We had multiple small chances till the first half, but couldn't score. It stayed 2-0 till half time.
In the locker room, we were having a blast. Even the stoic Roni was smiling. And was relaxed. They barely troubled us. We had control from the beginning and the crowd was a big help. They were relentless. They didn't know us. But they would cheer our defensive work and were deafening when we were attacking. The number of times we were asked to shoot from 40 yards out was laughable. But, we enjoyed it nonetheless.
They made one more substitution after half time, and we stayed the same. For 10 minutes, they were in attacking mode and they tried to thread through plays, but today we were locked in. We disrupted their passing and by the 60th minute, their hopes started dwindling. Like the coach said, it was a mental game. They should not have given up like that.
I put in multiple crosses from the right side, good ones even, but no goals came from it. Their keeper made a couple of good saves, and our heading is not so great.
Realising it, the coach made a bold substitution. He took off Diego and put in Oscar in the 65th minute. Adriano has the pace, Diego had the technical skills and Oscar had the physicality and heading. We needed that. It paid dividends a few minutes later.
Moraes slipped through a ball along the edge on the right side. And instead of taking a touch and cutting inside or running to the corner, I stopped in the middle and took a look around and whipped a cross with full power into the box. Unlike Adrian and Diego, Oscar hangs back a bit, but gets a running start, jukes his marker and jumps high to meet my cross and make the sweetest connection. GOAL!
3-0.
He ran the length of the field to the home side corner flag like a man possessed and hung in there in front of our fans! We all ran to him and jumped on top of him and hugged everyone.
The match was effectively over. But, we wanted to take it even further. We had to keep a clean sheet, not let them score an away goal. And if we wanted to, we could try to score a late goal. 4-0 is something you don't usually see people coming back from. Their fans have given up. Some of them have left. And it was disheartening to watch.
Once the game restarted, we had fresh instructions, to slow the tempo down and to control the play. We barely gave them the possession and we didn't make any mistakes and give the ball away chasing an extra goal. We were acting professional and we would take our chances when they're sleeping.
In the 82nd minute, Adriano won a penalty. His pass hit the defender's arm. He had them outstretched and not close to his body. It was always going to be a penalty.
Adriano was the designated penalty taker. Adrian was next. Moraes after him and I was 4th in the pecking order.
He took a deep breath and took it quickly and put the nail in the coffin.
4-0.
This didn't feel like a final. Their performance was so awful, it was like day and night! But I could empathize with them. I was there in their shoes at Palmeiras. With the crowd chanting and cheering on missed passes, clapping when they came off, it was torture. Unless one is mentally strong and is prepared, it is an experience one has to walk through. Trial by fire. They failed today.
The match ended 4-0. And the noise was incredible. Fans were happy. We were happy. We went around, clapping the fans and thanking them for making it possible. They've been incredible.
After we had a mini celebration in the locker room, I went and looked for my parents. I saw them from a distance and their faces were like a 1000 watt candle. They had the biggest smile on their faces. Those who knew them, congratulated them and they took it all in. The moment they saw me, I was engulfed in a bone breaking hug. I couldn't even make out what they were saying. But I get the gist. They're happy. They're proud and they love me. That was enough!
We went for a celebratory Italian dinner as is the norm and we filled ourselves with so much food, we could barely make it out of the restaurant.
That was a dreamy day!
The players didn't come back down from the high even after two days. You could see the way we played. We were on cloud 9.
The coach addressed us one day and asked us to let that previous win go. We had to win the next match and lift the trophy. We cannot rely on the 4 goal lead, it could vanish away if we are not careful.
So, we were pushed extra hard for two days. That worked.
The second leg of the final was also happening at our home stadium. We couldn't ask for more. Even though they had 30000 fans inside, our fans dominated. They learned from the last time and they didn't back down immediately. The war of the fans was fully on.
We went in unchanged from the previous game. They made multiple changes. 5 new players started who didn't play last time.
Unlike last time, they didn't show any nerves. They were confident and it was end to end football for 30 minutes. Neither side scored, but there were plenty of chances.
In the 36th minute, we had a disaster. Adrian, our captain, went in for a tackle, missed the ball and caught the player. Both his feet were high and the referee showed a direct red. We begged. We protested. But, it fell on deaf ears. He was sent off.
Now, it was game on! We had to protect a 4-0 lead. For 60 more minutes. With 10 men. This changed things. The coach immediately made a substitution. Diego is not that great in defense. So, he had to sacrifice for Adrian's replacement.
We lacked a body in attack, but we were okay with it.
We held on for 10 minutes. But, in the injury time, our defense had a lapse in concentration and they missed a clearance. Corinthians pounced on the chance and they scored a quick goal in the 46th minute.
4-1 on aggregate.
During half time, we were given routine instructions. Do not push forward recklessly. Hold the shape. They were relentless. And their fans could smell the blood in the water. They were going after us whenever they were in possession. Our fans rose up to the occasion and drowned them out in Sao Paulo chants.
They scored a goal in the 65th minute from a set piece. It was straight from the training ground and they executed brilliantly. With one less body in the box, they didn't have any issues converting it.
4-2.
We had to hang in there for 30 more minutes.
During the 78th minute, we had kept possession for a while, but one of them just lunged at me and caught me off guard. It was a reckless challenge. He was shown only a yellow. I could feel discomfort in my ankle. I tried to carry on for a few minutes, but I gave up after 10 minutes. I also wanted to give some more time to our players to catch their breath. I took my sweet time getting off, and milked it for all its worth. I clapped the fans while coming off and the referee had asked me twice to move forward but I didn't. I didn't care if it was dirty. I wanted every advantage. I was shown a yellow for time wasting.
I sat on the bench and waited anxiously. 7 extra minutes were added on. By some miracle, we held on. Every minute felt like a decade. After 6 minutes, we pressured the refs to blow the whistle. Some of the players got booked again. Nobody cared.
Finally, the whistle blew and the crowd exploded. 4-2. We won!
I forgot my injury and just ran straight into the middle and hugged Moraes and Roni. They had been immense in the middle and to hold them back to only 2 goals being down a man like Adrian was no easy task. Some of us had tears in our eyes. I didn't even realise it. But, this was my first trophy in this life. I was also going to get the best player of the tournament. 14 matches played. 21 goals and 28 assists.
Once we hugged everyone on the field, we went around the pitch and clapped the supporters. They were immense today. They never let Corinthians bully us. And they were like the missing 11th player in the middle. We thanked them all.
We heard chants of our names. Some of the ultras were singing my name, Moraes' name and Roni's name. It was an incredible experience. Soon, our parents were let in. So we repeated the whole procedure with them. Hugged them in the middle and my mom was bawling.
After the setup was done in the middle, runners up medals were given first. And then, they gave the top goal scorer. I won that one. I went and collected the medal and a watch. They didn't give any money. Sad! Our goal keeper won the golden glove as well, since we barely conceded any in the group matches. I won the best player of the tournament. It was a trophy and 1000$USD. Now, that's what I am talking about.
Once that was done, it was time for the trophy lifting. This was our first time lifting a trophy as a team, so we acted hyped in the middle. Adrian collected the trophy and brought it to us and we roared and the crowd roared with us and they counted us in and Adrian lifted the trophy!
We all took turns lifting the trophy. And my parents recorded the whole thing.
Once the dust settled, I felt incredible. I won my first trophy. I won my first best player. I won my first top scorer. Winning is like a drug. I got the first taste now. And this is a drug I want to get addicted to. I'll keep winning as long as I have to, but I want to experience this feeling over and over again!