The A team, which Ho-young belonged to, took to the field in a 4-3-1-2 formation, following the coach's instructions.
Carlos had ordered them to play aggressively.
That was why Ho-young, placed as the attacking midfielder, immediately launched into a drive forward the moment the kickoff whistle blew.
"!"
A surprise move, charging into open space.
Then, as soon as he saw an angle, he fired off a mid-range shot. The net rippled.
Swoosh!
It was a breathtaking play that left everyone watching stunned.
Not only the players, but even the coaches were wide-eyed.
"He's insane."
"That kid is the real deal."
With that powerful first impression, Ho-young had seized control.
But B team's response wasn't weak either.
If A team had Ho-young, B team had the U15 ace.
The boy was born in 1991 and would later be recognized as one of Brazil's top three prospects alongside Neymar and Lucas Moura.
His position was closer to a shadow striker or attacking midfielder.
He wasn't the type to dominate the ball himself or serve as a technician who controlled the tempo through sharp distribution, but he was a player with great football intelligence who could lead the game to his advantage.
'I'll get that goal back right away.'
The boy had his eyes on Ho-young.
He was always confident, proud of his play, and never wanted to lose to anyone.
Especially not to a newly promoted Asian boy.
And then it happened.
"Play me!"
Oscar, who had found space with clever movement, received a pass.
With a clean touch, he attempted a forward run.
It was his favorite style of play and his most confident attacking route.
But his intention didn't go through.
Tap.
"What the…!"
Just before the pass, a player closed in from behind.
It was Ho-young.
'This pressing is…!'
The angle of his foot aimed at intercepting the ball.
His movement to steal possession.
Ho-young's defensive ability was so exceptional that it made one doubt whether he was truly an attacking midfielder.
The boy felt like he was in a duel with a solid defensive midfielder.
'I can't push any further.'
He knew it.
There was no getting away from Ho-young's pressing.
If he tried to hold onto the ball any longer, it would be stolen.
He had to pass or offload it quickly.
But.
"Ugh!"
His balance was already broken.
Ho-young's solid physical strength kept him firmly pinned.
In that instant, A team's backup players swooped in and snatched the ball away.
"Argh!"
The boy was furious.
And embarrassed.
Ho-young, despite being shorter than him, had unbelievably strong physicality.
Just one mistake from him had broken the flow of the attack.
And that wasn't the end of it.
Ho-young's interception led to a swift counterattack from A team.
'Did he intentionally bait me to create space for a counter?'
Just then.
"Pass and run!"
Receiving the ball in midfield, Ho-young surged forward.
Oscar, watching from behind, got goosebumps.
From the way Ho-young charged like a raging bull, there was an indescribable aura.
And it didn't stop there.
Ho-young covered nearly 50 meters in a flash, then slotted a perfectly timed through ball to Douglas up front.
Usually, when someone dribbles that fast, the quality of the pass drops, but not for Ho-young.
He demonstrated exceptional passing ability, delivering a precise and composed ball.
'Is there anything he can't do?'
A type of player he had never encountered before.
Ho-young carried a sense of awe.
Douglas, receiving the clean pass, finished decisively.
A team's second goal, and a brilliant result of Ho-young's perfect playmaking that left Oscar in despair.
"Damn it."
The boy couldn't do anything.
Despite his title as U15's ace, he wasn't making an impact.
Worse, he had a tendency to spiral downward once things started going badly, and today, he couldn't escape Ho-young's grip.
Every time he touched the ball, it was a nightmare.
'How much of the pitch is this lunatic covering?'
Ho-young.
He controlled the midfield, constantly shifting between the second and third lines.
His attacking instincts were sharp, but his defensive play was just as impressive.
On top of that, his solid heading ability gave him dominance in aerial duels in midfield.
No one could be greedier than this guy.
Versatile.
That was the only word that came to mind.
The confident boy from before had completely disappeared.
'No… it's just because our team is weak…'
That was all he could tell himself for comfort.
But five minutes later, he got his chance.
He was subbed in as an attacking midfielder in place of Douglas from A team, and Ho-young moved up to play as a forward.
Just moments ago they had been rivals, but now they had to work together.
The boy looked at Ho-young.
'Time to show what I'm really made of.'
He vowed to take back the coaches' attention that had been focused on Ho-young.
At the same time, Ho-young stared at the boy.
With a desire burning in his eyes.
[Oscar]
[Possessed Talents: Football Genius (A-), Razor-Sharp Decision Making (A-), Excellent Positioning (B+), Consistent Off-the-Ball Movement (B-), High Work Rate (B-), Rhythmic Flexibility (C+2), Fairly Accurate Ball Interceptions (C+)]
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the required conditions.)
(Condition 1: Play together in official matches for over 150 minutes.)
(Condition 2: Both score at least 1 goal in an official match.)
(Condition 3: Win Round 1 of the National League.)
(Condition 4: Achieve 3 wins in the National League.)
Oscar.
He was a player with weaknesses in both physicality and stamina.
Unlike the typical Brazilian player, he wasn't particularly technical either.
But he had decision-making skills that far outweighed all his weaknesses.
Still, Ho-young wasn't intimidated.
He acknowledged Oscar's natural talent, but he also believed he had clearly dominated the previous encounter.
'Oscar's form fluctuates a lot.'
From what Ho-young knew, Oscar had issues.
While he was known for his good personality and sociability, he also had trouble controlling his emotions, once even getting into a brawl in the Chinese league.
'If you make him mess up a few times, he'll start to collapse on his own.'
Without a teammate to keep his mentality in check, Oscar couldn't even show half of his real ability.
That's how inconsistent he was.
But there was no doubt about his potential.
And now, Ho-young was on the same team as him.
'This should be fun.'
Not only was he not discouraged, he was actually enjoying the moment.
Pweeep!
This was the real match now.
A forward pass rolled toward Oscar.
Right as it reached him, Ho-young dashed into the left side of the box with lightning speed.
'Why is he going there?'
Oscar ignored Ho-young and instead passed to the right forward.
A low, fast ball.
But.
Tap!
The goalkeeper rushed out and intercepted the pass.
'…Damn.'
Only then did Oscar realize it.
He should've sent the ball into the space where Ho-young was making his run.
'That space wasn't visible just a second ago… when did he find it?'
At the time, he thought it was just coincidence.
But five minutes later, a similar situation unfolded.
"Here!"
As Oscar received the ball, Ho-young found and attacked the space inside.
The left side.
An opening invisible to others.
It was all thanks to the talent he acquired from Thomas Müller.
Clever Space Penetration (A+), which allowed Ho-young to exploit such gaps.
And Oscar sensed it.
'There it is.'
He knew instinctively.
Wherever Ho-young ran, a goal was likely to follow.
Tap!
Oscar's forward pass sliced cleanly between defenders.
There was just one problem.
'Damn. A bit too long.'
Oscar didn't have a passing-related talent, so he couldn't perfectly control the weight of the pass.
But that worry was unnecessary.
"...!"
Ho-young caught up to the ball right before it could cross the goal line, thanks to his incredible speed.
Then, without hesitation, he took a half-beat-early shot at the far post.
Effortless.
Swoosh!
Ho-young's second goal.
It was a build-up play worth praising.
His space penetration was phenomenal, and Oscar's playmaking made it possible.
But Oscar wasn't impressed with himself.
He was amazed by Ho-young.
'Crazy. He's faster than Pato.'
And it wasn't just that.
His speed was unmatched, faster than the pass itself, combined with his intelligent runs and calm finishing ability.
Ho-young had every quality needed for a complete attacking threat.
"Ha."
Oscar was truly impressed.
Where had a monster like this come from?
He had heard stories, but seeing it with his own eyes was something else.
"Not bad… really, not bad at all…"
Oscar had no choice but to acknowledge Ho-young's ability.
And just then.
"Nice."
Ho-young gave a thumbs-up.
Oscar's lips curved slightly in response.
From that point forward, A team dominated the match, driven by the synergy between Oscar and Ho-young.
And at some point, Oscar realized something.
He had adjusted his own playstyle to match Ho-young's.
It was strange.
Until now, every game had revolved around him. But today, it was the exact opposite.
It was like falling under a spell.
'Not bad at all.'
Most of all, their level of play was perfectly in sync.
Pweeep!
The 80-minute match came to an end.
Ho-young finished with 2 goals and 2 assists. Oscar recorded 2 assists.
"Huff…"
Ho-young collapsed onto the pitch, catching his breath.
He could taste sweetness on his tongue.
A natural result after running so much.
Then, a boy approached him.
Oscar.
"Not bad, huh?"
It was the highest praise someone as prideful as Oscar could offer.
And he extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you."
It was his way of acknowledging him as a teammate.
April had been the busiest month so far this year.
Ho-young focused on adapting to the team's style, and as a result, synced up with the U15 players and acquired several talents.
He also made significant progress in developing his own abilities.
Then, on Saturday, May 1st.
The U15 national league, officially named Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, kicked off.
Twenty teams competed in the top division, with CR Flamengo being the reigning champions.
But this year, no one could predict the outcome.
São Paulo FC had several top prospects, including Oscar, Casemiro, Douglas, and Ho-young.
Santos FC had recruited the super-prospect Neymar.
Those two clubs were now the favorites to win the league.
The attention from both domestic and international football was focused on them, making the first match all the more important.
The same was true for Ho-young.
As it was his U15 league debut, the match held special meaning.
How much of an impact he would make was one factor, but more important was how well he connected with his teammates.
'A mid-table team. Good.'
Their first opponent was Grêmio U15, based in Porto Alegre.
The match venue was Arena Paulo Stadium, São Paulo's city stadium.
It was a home game for São Paulo FC, and Ho-young's position was as a left-sided second striker.
Oscar was set to support him from below.
Just before stepping onto the pitch, Ho-young extended his hand for a shake.
"Let's do this."
At that moment, two football prodigies clasped hands.
(To be continued.)