The tightly packed schedule of the World Youth Championship was finally coming to an end today.
If Cha Bum-kun Football Academy lifted the trophy, it would be a perfect ending for both the academy and the tournament organizers.
But the problem was this guy.
[Holger Badstuber]
[Possessed Talents: Football Prodigy (B), Excellent Defensive Positioning (B-), Decent Ball Interception (C-)]
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the required conditions.)
(Condition 1: Win the match)
(Condition 2: Score 1 goal and provide 1 assist)
He would later be considered the future of Germany's defensive line, but due to his chronic injuries, he would end up as a case of unfulfilled potential.
Holger Badstuber.
'He's seriously way too tall.'
It felt like a white giraffe was standing right in front of him.
No matter how fast he moved his legs, it wasn't easy to get past Badstuber, who had a significant physical advantage.
Like watching a quick-footed ant trying to beat a regular-sized giraffe.
Eventually, just 15 minutes into the game, VFB Stuttgart scored the opening goal.
Piiiii!
"Ha…"
Ho-young exhaled heavily.
It was only 1-0, but the real issue was the obvious difference in level between the two teams.
To be honest, there was no realistic chance of winning.
'This is rough.'
The match was literally tough.
Stuttgart were pressing high with a disciplined and compact defensive strategy, suffocating the game.
It was 2002.
The trend of pragmatic football had been slightly adapted by Stuttgart.
Defend first, then counter.
A tactic aimed directly at Ho-young, the tournament's leading scorer.
With German players towering around 170 cm or more tightly pressing all over the pitch, what could a lone forward do?
There was no space behind, no angles for a mid-range shot, and no open gaps.
It was a complete tactical deadlock.
'Damn. Just wait. I'll get one goal no matter what!'
Even if they lost, he was determined to show what he could.
Ho-young had already scored 9 goals in the tournament. If he could register a goal contribution in the final, he had a strong chance of winning the Golden Ball.
"Let's gooooo!"
Ho-young burned with determination.
There were still 35 minutes left.
He wasn't going to go down without a fight.
But near the end of the first half, another headed goal came from Stuttgart off a continuous stream of crosses.
Then, in the 15th minute of the second half, yet another header pushed the score to 3-0.
[Ah, that's unfortunate. It's clear VFB Stuttgart came thoroughly prepared for this tournament. This is what people typically call 'physical football.']
[Yes. When the height difference exceeds 20 cm, it's nearly impossible to make up for that gap with skill alone. Especially in Ho-young's case, he's only 134 cm tall.]
[Indeed. Still, the good news is that this will be a valuable experience for the players of Cha Bum-kun Academy. Oh, just as we say that! Ho-young is charging straight down the middle! And here comes Holger Badstuber to meet him!]
Centre-back Badstuber aggressively rushed toward Ho-young.
But Ho-young didn't stop either.
Let's see who wins.
With that mindset, he forced his way into the penalty area, carving out space by sheer will.
"Move!"
"Ugh!"
Ho-young barged through like a bulldozer, and Badstuber, who had blocked his path, was knocked aside.
But the equal and opposite reaction couldn't be ignored.
Ho-young was also flung sideways, tumbling across the ground several times before finally coming to a stop.
"Ugh…"
It felt like his insides had been twisted.
Fortunately, the breakfall techniques he had consistently practiced in injury prevention training kicked in instinctively, allowing him to avoid injury.
Then.
Piiiii!
The whistle blew.
"Why?!"
Momentarily forgetting the referee was Korean, Ho-young corrected himself.
"Why? I was just running my path!"
But contrary to Ho-young's expectations, the referee wasn't heading toward him, but rather to where Badstuber had fallen.
Then he pulled out a red card.
'Oh. Well, that's a fair call.'
Ho-young accepted it without protest and prepared for the free-kick.
Even without home advantage, it was a correct decision.
Badstuber's charge had been reckless, overly forceful, and lacking in caution.
It was practically a body slam.
"But... who's taking it? Our designated kicker is Jun-ho, but he's on the bench."
"I'll take it! I'm shooting!!"
Yelling while raising his hand, Ho-young rushed over and positioned himself.
As the team ace, no one objected.
'I'm scoring this one for sure!'
The distance was about 18 meters from the goal.
As he ran up and swung his right foot, it happened.
Thud!
The ball, with almost no spin, shot off cleanly and dropped sharply to the lower left corner with the wind.
Indeed.
It was the first time he had used this talent in an official match: [Stylish Curved Free Kick (C-)], better known as a toe kick.
Ho-young's slightly early strike completely caught the goalkeeper off guard.
He then leapt higher than ever in celebration.
"Suiiii!!"
As usual, Ho-young performed his trademark celebration that bewildered his opponents.
The match continued with Stuttgart down to 10 men.
Their manager switched to a complete lockdown strategy, and as a result, the game grew dull.
Though Ho-young kept knocking on the door, the final result was a 3-1 loss for Cha Bum-kun Academy.
Their first taste of bitter defeat in the tournament.
"Phew."
It was frustrating and upsetting, but at the same time, he felt relieved.
He had gained so much from this tournament that it was enough consolation.
And to be honest, reaching this stage had already been a miracle. At just ten years old, there was no reason to get too high or too low over one defeat.
Excessive competitiveness could be dangerous.
'Next time we meet, I'll win. Definitely.'
After the awards for the champions and runners-up, the individual awards ceremony began.
Ho-young shook off his regrets and stepped up.
"Haha."
It was frustrating, but he could still smile.
Because in addition to the Golden Boot, he also won the Golden Ball.
It was the award given to the tournament's best player, and with 10 goals and 5 assists, Ho-young was the obvious choice.
The combined prize money from the Golden Boot and Golden Ball totaled 4 million won.
"Wow."
It felt even more emotional because it was the first time he had earned money through football.
And there was still one more reward left.
[Select the talent you wish to obtain.]
- Fully Open Growth Plates (B+)
- Confident Heading (B-)
Ho-young rejoiced inwardly.
And on the way back to the team bus.
"Ho-young! You were amazing!"
"Our Ho-young is the best!!"
Cheers burst out from beyond the restricted zone.
They were members of Ho-young's fan club who had stayed until the very end despite the cold weather.
'Damn. Now I'm getting emotional again.'
"Sniff."
If only they had won, it would've been even sweeter.
Facing his fans, the disappointment hit harder.
But that's football for you.
Just do better next time and repay them twice over.
"Haha. I'll win next time for sure!"
He was just ten years old.
Yet he finished the U13 World Youth Championship with 10 goals and 5 assists, earning a runner-up finish.
But this wasn't even the beginning.
'Now it really starts. I'll become the best footballer in the world and win it all.'
Inside the team limousine where everyone else had passed out, Ho-young shouted with determination.
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
"Good grief, you scared me. We're at a red light, kid."
"Driver, which country is the king of football?"
"Brazil, of course."
"Right?"
Ho-young's newly sprouted wings were spreading toward that direction.
After the tournament.
Ho-young had a meeting with São Paulo FC and decided to study abroad in Brazil. As soon as the formalities were completed, he boarded a flight.
January 16, 2003.
That's how Ho-young, together with his parents, arrived in São Paulo, Brazil.
Woo Hwang-sun and Kim Hee-sun planned to stay briefly to help their son settle in before returning home.
"Wow. It's really hot."
Unlike the freezing winter in Korea, São Paulo was nearly 30 degrees Celsius.
As Brazil's largest city and economic hub, its population density was immense.
"Why are there so many people at the airport?"
Just then, as the family exited the arrival gate, a woman called out to them.
"Here! Over here!"
A woman in her mid-20s with a slender figure and long hair.
"Hello. I'm Choi Maria."
She was 28 years old, a second-generation Korean-Brazilian who ran a homestay in São Paulo.
She was the owner of the house Ho-young would be staying at—or more precisely, the eldest daughter of the owner.
She had been introduced by São Paulo FC, so there were no trust issues.
Next to her stood an Asian staff member from São Paulo FC who had come to greet them as well.
He spoke Korean with a slight accent.
"Hi. You're the famous Ho-young, right?"
"Hello!"
"Haha. Nice to meet you. I've seen you a lot on TV. You look even sharper in person."
He introduced himself as a 'Local Support Coordinator for Foreign Students,' helping Korean and Japanese players adjust at São Paulo FC.
His name was Lucas Kim.
"Welcome to São Paulo."
"Thank you!"
It was the long-awaited start of Ho-young's life in Brazil.
The club advised him to unpack and rest at his new accommodation.
At least until the medical test in two days.
Thanks to the club's consideration, his parents were allowed to stay for free in an empty room at the homestay for three days.
The house was located in Town Vitória Regife, an area filled with elite sports facilities.
It was the birthplace of many Brazilian athletes and equivalent to Korea's Taereung Training Center.
"Your room is on the second floor. Come with me."
"Yes."
While following Choi Maria up the spiral stairs, Ho-young bumped into a girl coming down.
"Hi."
She greeted him shyly in Portuguese.
She had sharp, well-defined features typical of South Americans, and everything about her seemed big.
'Wow. South American girls… she looks just like a Barbie doll.'
She seemed to have some Eastern European blood as well.
Later, Maria told him that the girl was staying in the room next to his.
"How old is she?"
"Monica? She's probably ten in Korean age."
"Ten… wait, same age as me?!"
Ah.
He had thought she was in middle school, but Western kids really do develop early.
She was at least 10 cm taller than him.
"Umm… so where's my room?"
"See that room at the end of the hallway? Mom and Dad, come take a look too!"
Creak.
When he opened the door, a cozy little room appeared before his eyes.
A low ceiling, one desk, and a single bed.
It even had that slightly musty smell from older homes, just like in the foreign movies he'd seen.
'This is more than good enough!'
In São Paulo, where the population density was high, getting a private room like this for 800,000 won a month was nearly impossible.
Besides, the club had promised to cover the homestay cost.
"This is perfect!"
Seeing how much Ho-young liked it, his parents were relieved.
Two days later.
Ho-young visited the club's medical testing facility with Lucas Kim.
It was a medical exam to determine which training group he would join.
"Don't be nervous. Just think of it like a physical check-up."
"Okay."
As the test began, Lucas went to speak with Ho-young's parents, who were waiting outside.
"Excuse me, but may I ask your heights?"
"I'm 168 cm, and my wife is…"
"166 cm."
"Hmm… the mother is quite tall, but the father…"
"I'm on the short side. Haha…"
"Ah, sorry if that was offensive. Actually, Ho-young is getting his growth plates examined right now. Since height is largely genetic… well, don't be too disappointed if the result is on the lower side. The club runs a growth management program too."
"Oh… I see. Thank you."
Genetically, Ho-young's chances of being tall were 50/50.
He might end up average like his father or above average like his mother.
Woo Hwang-sun was praying that his son would at least reach 175 cm.
Beep.
Just then, Lucas got a phone call.
"Ohh. 'Demais!'"
"Demais?"
Lucas hung up and grinned widely.
"Haha! That means 'good news.'"
"What's the news?"
"Well, we just got the results back. According to the current state of his growth plates, Ho-young is projected to reach between 6 and 6.2 feet tall."
"What?"
"Oh. To convert to centimeters, that's roughly 182 to 189 cm."
The couple was stunned.
Not 172 or 179, but 182 to 189?
There was no way their son could be that tall…
That was exactly the expression on Woo Hwang-sun's face, but one thing was clear, it was a moment to celebrate.
As a father, it felt like a great weight had been lifted.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
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