Chapter 626: An Unexpected Strike
After completing the pre-match ceremonies, Bruno and his teammates returned to their half of the field to prepare for kickoff. Captain Cristiano Ronaldo went ahead for the coin toss.
Moments later, Ronaldo jogged back and signaled to the team, "They're starting. Stay sharp."
Bruno gave Ronaldo a thumbs-up, silently conveying, "Don't worry. I've got this." He was fully locked in.
The referee for the match was Argentina's Néstor Pitana. For Bruno and Portugal, this wasn't exactly good news, for reasons well known to football insiders.
As Pitana gestured for the French players to step into the center circle, Olivier Giroud positioned himself over the ball.
The final was about to begin.
With Pitana's whistle, the match kicked off. Giroud tapped the ball forward, and Antoine Griezmann passed it back to Paul Pogba.
The game was officially underway!
France had lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
Giroud was the lone striker, supported by Kylian Mbappé, Griezmann, and Blaise Matuidi.Pogba and N'Golo Kanté anchored the midfield.The defense featured Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti as center-backs, with Lucas Hernández and Benjamin Pavard as full-backs.Hugo Lloris was in goal.
Portugal stuck with their 4-3-2-1 "Christmas tree" formation:
Rui Patrício in goal.The backline of João Cancelo, Pepe, José Fonte, and Raphaël Guerreiro.A midfield trio of William Carvalho, João Moutinho, and João Mário.Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva supported Ronaldo up front.
France began the match cautiously, controlling possession without rushing their attack. Pogba adjusted the ball at his feet and scanned the field. Seeing Portugal's defensive shape still intact, he opted to pass back to Umtiti, the center-back, to draw Portugal out of their compact formation.
As expected, Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva pressed forward, targeting France's defensive line.
Aware that he was their target, Umtiti quickly passed the ball wide to Pavard on the right flank, avoiding unnecessary risk.
Pavard received the ball and immediately realized that Bruno was charging toward him, less than 10 meters away.
The young French defender froze for a moment, unsure of what to do. This hesitation—what footballers call a "brain freeze"—was all Bruno needed.
By the time Pavard decided to pass, Bruno was already upon him. With a perfectly timed lunge, Bruno poked the ball away.
The Luzhniki Stadium erupted with noise. Portuguese fans cheered wildly, while French fans gasped in shock. The combined roar filled the air, indistinguishable in its emotions.
Pavard's instincts kicked in. Without a moment's hesitation, he reached out and grabbed Bruno, halting his advance.
Pitana's whistle blew. Foul on Pavard. Portugal was awarded a free kick near the sideline in France's half.
"Wow! Just minutes into the game, and Portugal has earned a promising free kick in the attacking third!" the commentator exclaimed.
"This is surprising. Most pundits predicted that Portugal would employ a defensive counterattacking strategy to wear down France. Instead, they've come out aggressively with high pressing, catching France off guard!"
France's mistake was indeed a clumsy one.
Typically, Bruno would take free kicks in such positions, but this time, he jogged over to Moutinho and said, "João, you take this one. I'll head into the box."
Moutinho hesitated. "But I'm supposed to stay back and defend."
"William and João Mário can handle that. Trust me, if I move into the box, they won't expect it. You taking the kick will catch them off guard. It's a wildcard move—they won't have prepared for it." Bruno winked.
Understanding Bruno's plan, Moutinho nodded and stepped up to take the kick.
Before heading into the box, Bruno reminded Carvalho, "Stay back and cover with João Mário."
Then, he sprinted toward the French penalty area.
Ronaldo noticed Bruno joining the crowd in the box and smirked. He knew what Bruno was up to. To aid the plan, Ronaldo began moving unpredictably, weaving through the defenders and throwing his Real Madrid teammate Varane off balance. The confusion disrupted France's defensive organization.
Pepe, too, played his part, positioning himself as another aerial threat.
Bruno observed the chaos near the penalty spot. His teammates were doing an excellent job drawing the attention of the French defenders. Staying low-profile, Bruno positioned himself behind Ronaldo and Pepe, using them as shields to obscure his movements.
As expected, France's defenders focused on Ronaldo, Pepe, and Fonte, leaving Bruno unnoticed.
Moutinho delivered the free kick with precision.
The ball arced gracefully toward the penalty area. Ronaldo jumped, drawing multiple defenders with him. Pepe also leapt, further disorienting the French defense.
But the ball soared past them.
Bruno, perfectly positioned, surged forward from the shadows and met the ball with a powerful header.
The ball rocketed toward the goal, leaving Lloris with no time to react.
GOAL!
The stadium erupted as Bruno ran toward the corner flag, pumping his fists in celebration. His teammates swarmed him, their cheers echoing throughout the stadium.
"Bruno Fernandes scores! What a brilliant set-piece routine by Portugal! They've taken the lead in the World Cup final!"
The French players were stunned, caught off guard by Bruno's unexpected positioning.
Bruno, however, was already focused on the next play. He knew this was just the beginning.
João Moutinho understood exactly what Bruno intended to do. Carefully placing the ball on the ground for the free kick, he stepped back and prepared himself.
The free kick was near the sideline, 39 meters from the goal. While it wasn't far from the edge of the penalty box, this type of free kick typically involved an outswinging cross aimed near the penalty spot, giving teammates the best chance to head it toward goal.
Once Moutinho set the ball, he waited for the referee's whistle.
When Néstor Pitana deemed the penalty box stable enough, he blew his whistle to signal the kick.
The match clock displayed 1 minute and 38 seconds.
Moutinho ran up and struck the ball with power, sending it into the air. It curved beautifully, arcing toward France's penalty area.
At the same time, Ronaldo and Pepe sprinted in opposite directions, both making it appear as though they were positioning for a header. The French defenders marking them followed, inadvertently creating a gap in the center of the box.
Suddenly, the space in front of Bruno opened up—a clear path, like a door flung wide open by Ronaldo and Pepe's movements.
This was the moment Bruno had been waiting for.
Bruno glanced up, tracking the ball as it flew through the air. He began his run.
One step... The ball reached the edge of the penalty box.
Two steps... The ball passed over France's left winger, Kylian Mbappé, whose half-hearted jump posed no challenge.
Three steps! Bruno leaped into the air.
The ball sailed into the crowded area. Ronaldo and Varane both jumped, trying to meet it, but their efforts canceled each other out, and neither reached the ball.
Bruno, unmarked, rose above the rest. In that moment, he was untouchable, soaring higher than anyone else.
The ball approached his position perfectly.
Suspended in mid-air, Bruno twisted his torso, coiling his body like a spring. He braced himself, ready to unleash all his stored energy the moment the ball arrived.
His eyes never left the ball. His calculations were exact—everything was unfolding as he'd envisioned.
When the ball reached its apex, Bruno's body exploded into motion. He snapped his legs, rotated his hips, twisted his waist, and flung his head forward. The momentum flowed through him and transferred entirely to his forehead as he made contact with the ball.
"Moutinho delivers the ball into the box... It's Bruno! It's Bruno! He jumps... and heads it toward the goal—!!" the Portuguese commentator shouted, his voice rising in excitement.
Bruno's header struck the ball cleanly, redirecting it like a silver meteor streaking through the sky. The ball accelerated, its trajectory veering sharply toward the net.
Hugo Lloris, France's goalkeeper, reacted instinctively, throwing himself sideways in a desperate dive. But Bruno's header was too powerful and too fast. Lloris could only grasp at empty air as the ball smashed into the back of the net.
"GOLO! GOOOOOOOOOLOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
The net rippled violently as the ball hit home.
The Portuguese fans, gathered in a section behind the French goal, had a perfect view of Bruno's incredible header. They saw him rise above everyone else, his header unchallenged, and watched as the ball rocketed into the goal.
Immediately, they erupted. Arms shot into the air as the fans leapt from their seats, screaming in celebration.
"GOAL!!! It's unbelievable! Just 1 minute and 50 seconds into the game, Portugal has scored! This is the fastest goal in World Cup final history! Who could have predicted this?"
"Bruno's header! France completely failed to mark him, leaving him free to attack the ball. This is a catastrophic error by the French defense!"
"Bruno! Yes, it's Bruno again! He always steps up in critical moments. This is his sixth goal of the tournament, tying him with Harry Kane for the Golden Boot lead!"
"What a beautiful header! Bruno soared higher than anyone else, meeting Moutinho's cross and driving it into the net!"
"Bruno! Bruno!! Bruno!!! The hero of Portugal!"
"Portugal has taken the lead just two minutes into the match. What an incredible start!"
Across television networks and radio stations worldwide, commentators were shouting, their voices trembling with excitement.
In the stadium, French fans were stunned into silence, while Portuguese fans celebrated wildly.
Bruno's goal had set the tone for the final, and as he sprinted toward the corner flag, fists clenched in triumph, his teammates rushed to embrace him.
Portugal had drawn first blood.
(END CHAPTER)
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