Ho-young couldn't keep his mouth closed throughout the match.
Sure, the view from above the pitch was incredible, but what truly left him in awe was a single football player.
A star player that even Pelé once described as perfection itself.
Handsome, skillful, and wealthy — the quintessential "golden boy" of football.
Ricardo Kaká.
Seeing Kaká play with his own eyes, Ho-young was genuinely amazed.
'So this really is the rising star of this era.'
He was the man poised to take over the mantle from Ronaldo and Ronaldinho as the next football icon of Brazil.
To witness such a player in action sent shivers down his spine.
'So this is what a complete playmaker looks like…'
The first thing that came to mind when thinking of Kaká was his legendary pace and all-round game.
A true playmaker who dictated the game and led the attack — that was Kaká.
'When will I be able to acquire his talent…? I heard he's headed to AC Milan soon.'
Ho-young shook his head.
It wasn't time yet. He had to stay patient and simply enjoy Kaká's performance for now.
Just then, as he sat mesmerized and practically drooling, a piece of bread was shoved into his mouth.
"Mmmpf."
"Dummy. Eat while you watch!"
"Why am I a dummy?"
"Because you're a football idiot. Are you a Kaká fan too?"
"Of course. I'm going to become a great player like him someday."
He had many role models, but Kaká was the one he wanted to emulate the most.
Their playing styles were the most similar within the team.
If he could model his game after Kaká's, he could maximize the efficiency of the talents he already had.
Watching today's match was proving to be extremely valuable for Ho-young.
'Still, I've got a long way to go.'
The quality of play between these top Brazilian teams was clearly different.
He hadn't realized it when watching matches at home, but now that he was learning football firsthand, viewing the game from this perspective felt entirely different.
He could feel in his bones just how impressive it was for players to run nonstop for 90 minutes.
And then a thought crept into his mind.
'When will I be able to play for a senior team?'
That thought tickled at his heart.
He had heard that Ronaldo debuted for a pro team at age 15. Could he do the same?
His chest thumped, and his body felt restless with anticipation.
He couldn't take his eyes off Kaká's performance for even a second.
At that moment, on the third-floor outdoor terrace.
Ancelotti, who had been closely observing Kaká, lowered his head slightly.
The terrace was built in a tiered structure, so he could look directly at the terrace below. There, he spotted someone.
Ho-young.
Watching him get just as engrossed in the match as himself brought back a certain comment Carlos had once made.
'That kid is São Paulo's most promising prospect, the one who might follow in Kaká's footsteps?'
It wasn't that he doubted Carlos's eye for talent.
Carlos was a master at discovering and developing young prospects.
Still…
'But he's Asian.'
No matter how you looked at it, ethnicity couldn't be ignored.
There was a reason people often said, "Asian players are like Maradona… but only until age 13."
Everyone looks like a prodigy until 13, then fades out like a paper tiger.
That was the image the world had of Asian youth players.
'He's probably just another one of those.'
A player who shines for a moment, then fades.
After his growth spurt, he'd likely return to his domestic league as a third-tier player.
Still…
'I should at least let the scout stationed in Brazil know.'
Carlos's instincts were not to be taken lightly. At the very least, it was worth taking a closer look.
For the future of AC Milan, even a small possibility was worth exploring.
He might even become part of the family someday.
The first week of May.
A major upset occurred in European football.
Two completely unexpected teams reached the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League final.
Portugal's FC Porto and France's AS Monaco.
As underdogs, they had taken down big-name clubs on their way to the final, shocking football fans around the world.
That was around the time winter was starting to creep into São Paulo.
Not that it meant much, temperatures only hovered around 10 degrees Celsius, so there was no real impact on Ho-young's training.
His schedule, packed with training, home, school, and more training, was intense. His passion only grew stronger with each passing day.
To top it off, the Super Championship tournament had just begun, leaving him no time to rest.
In the midst of that hellish schedule, Ho-young endured and pushed through.
As a result, his stamina improved, and he gained valuable match sharpness, a clear win-win.
There were concerns that this intensity might hinder his growth, but medical tests showed no such risk.
He was growing rapidly, day by day.
Because of that, Ho-young had to put extra focus on body balance training to match his growing frame.
"If you don't manage your body properly during a growth spurt, you'll pay for it later."
That was the opinion of the physical coach.
If he didn't handle it now, he'd end up having to fix his body's balance later, making body balance training all the more important.
"Ho-young, as shown in your last medical test, your compressed muscles are great, but your ligaments and tendons are weak compared to your muscle strength. It's probably from all the sprinting. If you don't correct this now, your balance could break down in an instant."
"Is it because my legs are too long?"
"If your proportions are too extreme, your coordination suffers. Plus, if your bones are long and thin, it's harder to withstand pressure. You get what I mean?"
"Yes. You mean I'm at high risk of injury, right?"
The coach nodded.
"You're especially vulnerable to an ACL tear. Considering your position involves quick directional changes and sudden sprints, you need to be extra careful."
A knee injury like that could end a football career in an instant.
With that chilling warning, the physical coach began to oversee Ho-young's posture correction and coordination training.
Adjusting his diet, increasing the workload on specific body parts, and introducing unfamiliar exercises became a daily routine.
'Stretch both arms back, slightly bend the knee joint, stick the stomach out like this, pull the chin in this much, and hold the posture for 3 minutes…'
It was an exercise to align the neck and waist balance, and there were more than five different types like this.
'The list of things I have to do just keeps growing.'
He had more than enough talents to develop, but not nearly enough time to train them all.
Still, given the timing, he had no choice but to sacrifice one thing for another.
Fundamentals were more important than anything. At this stage, balanced growth was more desirable than specialized focus.
For a better future.
Ho-young's winter was a warm one.
He poured sweat on the training ground and gave his all in matches.
Between training, workouts, and matches, even ten bodies wouldn't have been enough, but the effort paid off.
In this week's second round of the National League, Ho-young started and recorded two assists, leading the team to victory.
Another piece of good news was that his chemistry with Oscar was improving day by day.
There was little to worry about in the National League.
The real concern was the upcoming Round of 16 in the Super Championship on May 8.
The Super Championship was a prestigious tournament where the previous year's state league champions competed to determine the best state in the nation.
Naturally, the prestige and prize money were enormous.
Unfortunately, they were set to face one of the championship favorites right from the Round of 16.
Fluminense FC.
Not only had they won the Rio de Janeiro state league 29 times, they were also home to one of the most promising youth talents in the league.
Carlos called Ho-young and Oscar over for a word.
"Ho-young, Oscar. Starting today, the two of you will undergo special training to break down Fluminense's defense."
"So suddenly? Is there some hotshot prospect in their backline or something?" Oscar asked excitedly.
Carlos's face turned serious.
"Oscar, since you only joined earlier this year, you might not know, but Fluminense FC has a monster who no one's sure whether he's a defender or an attacker. That's why your role on the front line is crucial."
"Who is it?" Ho-young asked this time.
A 'monster' of a player,vif Carlos was saying that, it had to be someone he had heard of before.
Carlos flipped over the Fluminense FC scouting report and pointed to a page.
"Remember his face. You'll meet him at least four times this season."
A photo of a boyish-looking player was attached to the report.
His name was Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior.
Commonly known as Marcelo.
Along with Robinho, he was one of Brazil's top youth prospects, often referred to as a "grade-schooler" due to his young age.
The report compared the two teams in detail, listing strengths, weaknesses, and stats.
'They're not even a senior team, and this is intense…'
Ho-young was amazed by how systematic everything was, and surprised again to see how much São Paulo FC's U-15 team had lagged behind last year.
"Last year's U-15 team got completely dominated by that kid."
"Marcelo?"
"Yes."
It was one of the reasons Carlos had brought Ho-young up to the U-15 squad.
Partly to reinforce their attacking options, which had been lacking, but also because they needed a solid pillar who could break free from pressure and apply pressing in return.
"Marcelo's pressing ability comes from his explosive speed. He closes in before the forward even touches the ball, leaving no space. You understand what I'm saying?"
Oscar scratched his head in confusion, but Ho-young understood completely.
"You're saying I need to use my speed to shake off Marcelo's pressure and, at the same time, press from the front so he can't overlap."
"!"
Carlos's expression showed clear surprise.
He hadn't expected much, but Ho-young had not only grasped the basics but also identified the solution.
Most youth players lacked theoretical knowledge, which is why they were required to attend at least four hours of tactical education per week.
Still, it was rare for someone to absorb it this well.
Ho-young had never skipped those theory lessons, and it was showing.
Carlos, slightly taken aback, spoke again.
"But it's not as easy as it sounds. Marcelo's technique is excellent. And it's not just him, the rest of their backline ranks among the best in the league."
In other words, your role is critical.
That's how Ho-young heard it.
Carlos continued.
"Oscar, head to the tactics coach. Breno and Casemiro are waiting for you."
"Got it."
Oscar was set to undergo special tactical training with them.
Ho-young, now alone, asked,
"Then what kind of training will I be doing?"
"You'll start individual training from tomorrow."
"Individual training?"
"Come to the first-team training ground in the morning. I'll introduce you to a good coach."
(To be continued.)