Phoenix Mountain Training Base.
The afternoon turf was scorched hot.
The national youth team’s scrimmage had been going on for over twenty minutes, but the scene was stagnant, like a pool of still water.
Team A was made up of the starters, while Team B consisted of substitutes and fringe players.
Logically, this kind of internal scrimmage should be the time for substitutes to fight desperately to prove themselves and for starters to solidify their positions.
Yet everyone on the field looked like they hadn’t woken up yet.
Passes were hitting heels, balls were being trapped out of play, and before the strikers could even turn after receiving a pass, defenders would casually stick out a leg and intercept it.
Team B was even worse off.
The midfield couldn’t hold the ball at all, the defenders just hoofed it forward, and the strikers gave up after chasing it for two steps.
The whole team was like a falling-apart bicycle; no one wanted to run even an extra step.
On the sidelines, two coaches sat under a sunshade, holding mineral water.
One was called Coach Li, and the other was Coach Chen.
Coach Li scanned the field and frowned.
“Why are these kids playing as if they’re taking a stroll?”
Coach Chen, however, didn’t mind.
He smiled.
“It’s just a warm-up match.
Don’t take it too seriously.
The starting roster is basically set; the remaining spots just depend on connections and attitude.”
“That’s true.”
Coach Li nodded, his gaze landing on the teenager at the very edge of the substitute bench.
The teenager was wearing a Team B training vest.
He had black hair, clean-cut features, and a slender build.
Although he wasn’t bulky, his legs were long, and he had been sitting there quietly the whole time.
Tobías.
A player of Chinese descent from the Pampas, a River Plate youth academy midfielder.
No one outside the camp looked favorably on his inclusion in the national youth team’s training camp roster this time.
To put it bluntly, he was just brought in to make up the numbers under the overseas player policy.
Coach Li raised a hand and pointed.
“Tobías, go warm up.
Get ready to go on.”
Several players on the substitute bench were stunned.
Someone muttered, “Are they really letting him on?”
“He came from a foreign youth academy and hasn’t even gotten used to the language yet.
Can he even understand our style of play?”
“Heh, he’s just here to fill the quota.”
Tobías ignored these voices.
He stood up and stretched his ankles.
He had transmigrated into this world over a decade ago.
He grew up in the Pampas and played his way into the River Plate youth academy.
Originally, he had held some expectations for the Chinese team; after all, Chinese blood ran in his veins.
But after these few days of training camp, he saw everything clearly.
Many people here weren’t here to play football; they were here to pad their resumes.
Especially Team A’s captain, Gu Fei.
Gu Fei was tall and wore the captain’s armband.
On the surface, he was the core of the national youth team’s midfield and attack, but in reality, he acted more like a coach than the actual coaches.
The reason was simple.
His father, Gu Jianguo, was the team leader of the China national football team, so everyone in the squad had to give him some face.
Gu Fei was also used to being fawned over.
He was late for training, and no one said anything.
He didn’t track back during scrimmages, and no one said anything.
If a teammate’s pass was a bit slow, he would curse them out.
“Do you even know how to play?”
“Where are your eyes?”
“If you play like that again, don’t blame me when I kick you out!”
The others either forced a smile or hung their heads.
Only Tobías never crowded around him.
He didn’t offer water, didn’t suck up to him, and didn’t call him “Brother Fei.”
Gu Fei had long since taken note of this.
At that moment, seeing Tobías coming on, Gu Fei curled his lips and smiled at the people beside him.
“Look at that, our overseas genius is going on.”
Several starters from Team A joined in the jeering.
“Brother Fei, be careful, he’s from the River Plate youth academy.”
“Don’t get juked and fall over.”
Gu Fei sneered.
“Him?
Just wait.
I’ll let him know that not just anyone can survive in the Chinese team.”
Tobías heard them, but acted as if he hadn’t.
Coach Li shouted from the sidelines, “Tobías, go up and play midfield.
Organize the play for Team B.”
Tobías nodded and ran onto the field.
Team B’s midfielder looked at him, his tone somewhat helpless.
“Brother, don’t think too much.
Team A is full of starters.
Let’s just try to keep the score down.”
Tobías glanced at him.
“Do you want to win?”
The man was stunned.
“Huh?”
Tobías said calmly, “If you want to win, run.
I can get the ball to you.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but the nearby Team B players all heard him.
Some wanted to laugh, but couldn’t.
They had been suppressed for over twenty minutes, and he still wanted to win?
Someone from Team A even shouted directly, “Hey, you from overseas, touch the ball before you start talking big!”
The whistle blew, and the match continued.
A Team B defender took possession and habitually prepared to hoof the ball forward.
Tobías immediately retreated and reached out for the ball.
“Give it to me.”
The defender hesitated.
The Team A striker was already pressing up, so the defender gritted his teeth and passed the ball horizontally.
Many people felt a pang of nervousness.
Losing the ball in this position meant a breakaway.
Gu Fei also rushed over, shouting, “Steal it from him!
Make him look like a fool!”
The ball rolled to Tobías’s feet, and Gu Fei thought Tobías would panic.
But in the next second, Tobías gently trapped it with his left foot and swayed his body to the right.
Gu Fei stuck out a leg.
But Tobías dragged the ball behind him with the sole of his foot.
He looked as if he had calculated Gu Fei’s move in advance, turning lightly and slipping past Gu Fei’s side.
Gu Fei lunged at empty air.
“Hmm?”
The water bottle in Coach Li’s hand paused, and Coach Chen sat up a bit straighter.
Someone on the Team B substitute bench widened their eyes.
“That move… he’s got some skills.”
Tobías didn’t stop; he looked up and scanned the field.
Team A’s midfield was pressing very high, leaving a huge open space on the right flank.
The Team B right winger was still standing there dazed, so Tobías hit a direct diagonal pass.
The ball skimmed the turf, passing between two Team A players.
The speed was neither too fast nor too slow, landing perfectly in front of the right winger.
“Run!”
Tobías shouted.
The right winger finally reacted and sprinted forward.
The Team A fullback hurriedly gave chase, but he was already a half-beat too slow.
Team B had reached the attacking third for the first time.
Although the final cross was cleared, the dynamic of the game had changed instantly.
The way the Team B players looked at Tobías was different now.
“Again!”
Tobías clapped his hands.
Soon, the ball was back at Team B’s feet.
This time, the Team B defender didn’t hesitate and immediately looked for Tobías.
Two Team A midfielders swarmed him.
“Double-team him!”
“Don’t let him turn!”
Tobías received the ball with his back to the goal, dropped his shoulder slightly, flicked his ankle, and tapped the ball from his side to a teammate behind him.
As soon as the teammate received the ball, Tobías had already turned and dashed forward.
“Give it back to me.”
The ball was passed back.
He played a one-touch pass and then distributed it to the wing.
Team B’s previously lifeless offense suddenly seemed to have been electrified.
Three passes, four transfers.
Tobías didn’t hold onto the ball for long each time he touched it, but every time, he delivered it to the most comfortable position.
The Team B players ran with increasing confidence.
“Here!”
“Tobías, look to the left!”
“Nice pass!”
Team A started to panic.
Gu Fei’s expression grew uglier and uglier.
He had originally thought Tobías coming on would be a joke, but it turned out the kid not only didn’t make a fool of himself—he had also brought that group of losers on Team B to life.
What was even more galling was that every time Tobías touched the ball, it felt like a slap to his face.
In the thirteenth minute, Team B intercepted the ball in the backfield, and Tobías dropped back to support.
Gu Fei rushed up directly this time, sticking very close, and cursed under his breath, “You really know how to put on a show, don’t you?”
Tobías didn’t speak.
Gu Fei reached out to grab his jersey.
Tobías shifted his body to shield the ball, flicked his toe, and played the ball through Gu Fei’s legs.
Nutmeg!