The one feeling the most embarrassed at the moment? None other than Blazevic, head coach of the Olympic squad.
As the national Olympic team prepared for their crucial qualifier against Australia, the press conference took a turn that left him frustrated.
Every single question from the reporters focused not on the match—but on one player:
Alessandro Dybala.
Ironically, Alessandro wasn't even on the Olympic team.
Yet he had become the biggest headline of the event.
"Coach Blazevic, will you consider recalling Alessandro Dybala to the team?"
Blazevic looked at the reporter, tight-lipped. His face darkened.
He couldn't afford to be impulsive—not with the money involved.
"Coach Blazevic…?"
"Blazevic…"
The press barrage continued.
And in his head, there was only one name, echoing again and again:
Alessandro.
If it were up to him, he would've brought the kid back already.
But the football association had made it clear: Alessandro was untouchable.
So all Blazevic could do was repeat a rehearsed line:
"I will not answer any questions unrelated to the upcoming match."
When it became obvious the coach wouldn't budge, the reporters turned their attention to team captain Wu Qian.
The poor guy looked like a deer in headlights.
"Uh… I don't really know anything," Wu Qian stammered. "Sorry, no comment. Team selection is the coach's job."
He was drenched in sweat.
He didn't want to say anything wrong—especially not about Alessandro.
He knew the truth.
The association had blacklisted Alessandro, not just from the Olympic squad, but likely from future national team rosters as well. Even domestic clubs would stay away.
No one dared touch a player the FA had labeled radioactive.
And that was baffling—because Alessandro wasn't just good. He was brilliant.
In this new era of money-driven football, with clubs like Changzhou Titans leading the way in massive wages, talented players were commanding salaries in the millions.
Alessandro could've easily secured a 5-million annual contract had he played along.
Instead, he had chosen a different path—one that cut off his future at home.
"A fool," Wu Qian muttered in his mind.
But…
---
Across the continent, Alessandro had no idea people thought him a fool.
He was fully immersed in training with Manchester United's U18s.
And day after day, he was shocking everyone with his relentless intensity.
He didn't just complete the training with excellence—he exceeded it.
When official sessions ended, he stayed behind for hours, practicing the basics:
Passing.
Shooting.
Ball control.
So frequently did the stadium staff have to come and ask him to leave that it became a running joke.
Yet Alessandro never left disappointed.
Every extra drill, every rep, gave him something valuable.
This wasn't just hard work—it was progress backed by his system.
Today, he lined up a dozen footballs, preparing to practice his shooting again.
Tires were strung up inside the goal frame, simulating the tightest corners possible.
Boom!
A clean strike.
The ball rocketed off his foot and curved straight through the upper corner of the tire ring.
"Ding! You completed 100 perfect ten-corner shots and gained 1 experience point!"
Alessandro grinned and checked his system panel.
---
[Basic Shooting: LV1 (50/100)]
---
Just 50 experience points away from leveling up.
Once upgraded, all his shooting-related attributes would rise. Once maxed, he'd have elite-level accuracy across the board.
The higher his attributes became, the slower they would increase. That's just how the system worked.
But even that didn't discourage him.
He would grind it out, no matter what.
"I'll become the best in the world," he muttered, firing another shot.
Boom!
Same angle. Same tire. Same sharp whistle as the ball cut through the air and slipped into the goal.
From afar, McGuinness, the head coach, watched with admiration.
"His long-range shot is phenomenal," he said.
"For a defensive midfielder to have this kind of strike… he could become unstoppable."
Spencer nodded. "So… he'll start in the next match?"
"He has to. With this work ethic and output, how could we not start him?"
"But the next game is a tough one."
"You mean against Liverpool's youth squad?"
Spencer frowned slightly. "There's a monster in their ranks too. That kid's no joke."
McGuinness smirked, eyes fixed on Alessandro sweating on the pitch.
"Well, so is ours. Let's see which one's the real monster."
Spencer looked unsure. "He's never played in England before. Do you think he's ready?"
McGuinness didn't hesitate. "The Premier League will be a thousand times tougher. But I think he's on the right path."
"Do you think he'll make the Premier League?"
"I can't say for sure," McGuinness shrugged. "But I'm certain of this—he'll make his first-team debut this season. Whether it's the FA Cup, League Cup, or Europa League, he'll get his shot."
"And until that moment comes," he added with a proud smile,
"Our job is to make sure Alessandro is ready."
---