Besides the weakness in dribbling, stamina consumption was also a factor. Therefore, in today's world-class football, the majority of attacking midfielders and forwards are between 180cm and 189cm tall. It is extremely rare for anyone to exceed 190cm, and Itoshi Sae's height was exactly 180cm.
Seeing his opponent charge directly at him, Itoshi Sae's eyes glinted. At the very instant before physical contact, he gently flicked the ball to the side with the top of his right foot. This was a basic change of direction, similar to a crossover in basketball. The effectiveness of the move depends on the player's feel for the ball, body coordination, and speed.
Itoshi Sae's feel for the ball and speed were naturally top-notch, and his technique was unquestionable. Don't forget, he played in La Liga, which boasts the best footwork in the world.
However, Itoshi Sae didn't just do a simple cut and change of direction.
As Tendou's body leaned, Itoshi Sae made his next move almost simultaneously. He stepped on the ball with the front of his foot, his body began to rotate clockwise, and he used his back to shield the ball from Tendou. As his body turned, his right foot pulled the ball to his other foot, and he smoothly pushed it forward, leaving Tendou completely behind him.
A flawlessly executed Marseille Turn!
All these actions were completed almost at the same time. By the time the ball passed Tendou, Itoshi Sae had also shifted his center of gravity forward, bursting past Tendou's side.
"Great move!"
"What an amazing Marseille Turn! He's Itoshi Sae, after all!"
"I told you, that kid is finished!"
"Excellent! I've disliked that arrogant kid for a while now."
The group of university students exclaimed from the sidelines.
Unlike the English players who often crash into each other in life-or-death struggles, the football of the Matadors is always so elegant and beautiful, like dancing on the edge of a knife.
"So fast!"
Tendou was taken aback. After getting past Tendou, Itoshi Sae exploded with speed, cutting through the air and charging forward like a sharp arrow.
"So this is all he amounts to."
Itoshi Sae caught up to the ball in one breath, preparing to shoot. A one-on-one in football is just like that; once you get past the defender, it's easy to score against an undefended goal.
But just as he was about to shoot, a monster wreathed in black flames suddenly appeared at his side.
"What is this?!"
Itoshi Sae froze. This was a situation he had never encountered before. Then, he saw the white-haired guy burst through the black monster.
So it wasn't a monster, but this guy had caught up!
"You almost shook me off."
"Mr. Lower Eyelashes."
"Dismantle!"
Tendou let out a low shout, his right foot striking out like lightning, kicking the ball away just before Itoshi Sae could, clearing the danger.
"He can even catch up to that?" The people on the sidelines stared with wide eyes. They had seen it clearly. After Itoshi Sae got past Tendou, it was Sae who started accelerating first. Tendou had to first turn his body around before bursting into a full sprint to chase him, starting later than Sae.
Yet he still caught up.
Doesn't that mean... Tendou's explosive power and sprint speed are even greater than Itoshi Sae's? But that arrogant high school student is definitely over 190cm tall!
"That kind of height and still that kind of speed? What kind of athletic ability is this?"
Regardless, for someone of Tendou's size, the sprint speed he had just displayed was enough to be called exceptionally talented. Not every big man possesses that kind of speed.
Itoshi Sae never imagined his shot could be blocked. He gave Tendou a slightly higher appraisal.
Just for a moment.
"Perhaps I underestimated you, you monster."
This guy is really full of himself.
Tendou replied, "Or maybe you overestimated yourself."
"This kid is seriously arrogant!"
The audience, who had just been marveling at Tendou's explosive power, started shouting again. They felt this high school student was far too conceited. Itoshi Sae could say things like that because he had already proven himself. As a key member of Real Madrid's youth academy, it was only a matter of time before Sae made his debut in one of the top five leagues.
And you? What are you, a high school student?
...
Possession changed.
Tendou mimicked his opponent, standing in front of Itoshi Sae with his foot on the ball.
"Here I come. Be careful, Jie-ge."
Jie-ge? (A Chinese pop culture reference, implying someone is a predator).
The 'Jie' from 'Shichi-ketsu' (Eleven Heroes/World XI)?
Itoshi Sae wasn't sure what this meant, but given Tendou's flamboyant personality, it definitely wasn't a compliment. It was clearly a provocation.
Itoshi Sae decided to get serious and turn up the intensity on this kid who seemed to have some decent talent. But the next second, when he saw Tendou actually start to run, he finally understood just how fast this guy was. He didn't even have a chance to meet him head-on before he was already forced to retreat.
"So fast!"
Itoshi Sae's eyes sharpened. He immediately focused, watching his opponent's every move. The sway of his shoulders, the movement of his feet, the trajectory of the ball—he didn't miss a thing.
Tap!
Tendou gently tapped the ball to his right, a move that was somewhat similar to Itoshi Sae's earlier move.
"An eye for an eye?"
Itoshi Sae felt he had more or less figured out the kid in front of him. He was the type of person who seeks revenge on the spot—an extremely domineering personality.
He also began to sway his shoulders, but it was a feint; his center of gravity didn't shift significantly, as he was wary of Tendou's next move.
However.
"Your future is all within my sight."
Tendou's pair of Six Eyes glowed with a sky-blue light.
Without any extra moves, having already seen through Itoshi Sae's defensive actions, he simply poked the ball forward with the tip of his foot.
Tap!
The ball quickly rolled forward.
"This guy!" Seeing this, Itoshi Sae stomped his right foot hard on the turf, twisting his body to quickly give chase.
Future?
What does that mean?
Does it mean he saw through my movements?
Itoshi Sae's brain was spinning rapidly, trying to make sense of the information. Tendou's words weren't hard to decipher. It was just... how was that possible?
And also, isn't this guy a bit too fast?
To have this kind of athletic ability at this size left even the well-traveled Itoshi Sae astonished. No, it was more than that; it wasn't something he had just heard of. He had previously heard teammates in the club's youth academy mention that a monster had appeared in Norway. His physical talent was apparently quite explosive.
He was 18 years old, the same age as himself, but not a member of the New Generation World XI because he had been playing for a first-division team in the Norwegian league for a long time and had even scored a staggering 4 goals in a single match.
It was also said that he had been scouted by a Bundesliga team this year and had already made his debut in the German league.
At 18, he had become a member of a first-team squad in one of the top five leagues! Even more bizarrely, the Serie A giants Juventus had apparently invited this prodigy, but he had refused.
"The same type of player?"
"Fine. I'll just consider this practice for adapting to higher-intensity confrontations."
Itoshi Sae's eyes narrowed, and he accelerated to close the distance. Being the same age, 18, he refused to believe he was inferior to anyone.
But then.
The moment he got close, Tendou simply used his strength and bumped him. "Jie-ge" Itoshi Sae was sent flying.
The audience on the sidelines instantly exclaimed, "Holy crap, he's devouring people!"
...
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