Sterling was brimming with confidence.
He had been dominating the youth league, tearing through defenses like paper. There weren't many who could stop him—especially not some unfamiliar kid.
When he approached Alessandro with the ball, he slowed it down and gave a quick feint to the right.
He watched with satisfaction as Alessandro mirrored the move. A familiar smile tugged at Sterling's lips.
He'd seen this a thousand times. Another basic defender biting on a simple feint.
Then—bam!
Sterling lunged left with a sharp cut, only to slam into a brick wall.
His grin vanished, replaced by wide-eyed shock.
Alessandro didn't just block him—he separated him from the ball with clinical ease, then pressed forward on the dribble.
Sterling was dazed.
That guy's built like a tank...
Or worse—how the hell did he read me like that?
While Sterling stood frozen in confusion, Alessandro was already shifting into another gear.
He could feel it.
The moment he stepped on the pitch, it was like his awareness expanded. As if he could see the flow of the match, feel the tempo, and predict movements like a chess master reading six moves ahead.
It reminded him of something from anime: like he had awakened top-tier Haki.
Even as Sterling threw out feint after feint, Alessandro saw through every trick. Interception? Easy.
Now, across midfield, he read the pitch like a map.
Januzaj made a diagonal run, hoping for a through pass.
But Alessandro held back.
He saw it—Liverpool's defensive mid, Jonjo Shelvey, was lurking. Although Shelvey seemed to be drifting inside, his body language betrayed him. His eyes were locked on Januzaj, ready to cut the pass the moment it came.
And Liverpool's whole defense? Dropping back, cautious, unsure of what this unfamiliar midfielder could do.
Perfect.
You want to be cautious? Then I won't be polite.
The feeling of being three steps ahead of everyone else sent a chill of excitement through Alessandro.
Then—boom!
He exploded forward with a burst of speed.
By the time the defenders realized they needed to challenge, it was already too late.
Alessandro grinned.
You're only thinking of tackling now? Too late!
He pulled back his right leg like a bowstring, his whole body coiled with power.
And then—release!
The full force of his muscles surged through his leg and into the ball. The contact was brutal—the ball deformed under his foot before it tore through the air like a comet.
The Liverpool U18 keeper barely twitched.
Bang!
The net bulged.
Goal!
Alessandro raised both arms to the sky, just as the system chimed in his head:
> Ding! You've completed your first goal in an official match! Gained 50 shooting experience points!
> Ding! Skill [Basic Shooting] has leveled up!!
As his teammates swarmed him in celebration, Alessandro's grin widened.
After the huddle broke, he opened his system interface.
---
[Basic Shooting]
Level: LV2 (0/1000)
Effect: Broad improvement in shooting attributes including finishing, long shots, and headers. All shooting stats +15.
Next Upgrade: 1000 EXP through training and matches.
Max Level: 10
Unlocks advanced shooting techniques at max level.
---
Alessandro's brow furrowed.
A level up was nice—but the gains were smaller now.
It made sense. Once an attribute passes 70, every improvement comes harder. From here on out, progress would be slow and hard-earned.
Which meant...
He needed more goals.
---
On the sideline, McGuinness and Bincers high-fived.
"His fundamentals aren't perfect yet, but that shot? Serious power and speed," Bincers commented.
"And taking that shot from a deep midfield position gives him massive tactical value," McGuinness added. "It's like he saw the whole play develop before it even happened."
"I thought we were getting a defensive midfielder," Bincers said. "Now I'm not so sure."
McGuinness stroked his chin. "He may be more versatile than we thought..."
"But I still suggest he plays as a holding mid," Bincers interrupted. "It's his best path to the first team."
That snapped McGuinness out of his thoughts. He nodded.
"Right. That's the key to catching the first team's eye."
He knew United's senior squad like the back of his hand.
They had no shortage of attacking players.
But full-time defensive midfielders? Just Park Ji-sung, and he was aging fast—losing speed, losing stamina, barely starting anymore.
If Alessandro could establish himself there, his window to break into the first team might open soon.
At seventeen, time was everything.
You didn't make the squad by being decent at everything. You made it by being outstanding at one thing.
Specialization wins attention.
And Alessandro's style was definitely drawing attention today.
From the sidelines, McGuinness watched on as Sterling—once the heart of Liverpool's attack—crumbled under Alessandro's pressure.
Sterling looked like he wanted to cry.
This wasn't just a bad game. It was trauma.
With Sterling neutralized, United's U18 squad began piling on the goals.
Final score: 6–0.
Even more shocking?
Alessandro, a defensive midfielder, scored three goals.
The long-range screamer—and two bullet headers from corners, thanks to his godlike anticipation.
A hat trick.
From a holding mid.
Unreal.
And of course, Man of the Match.
---
In the stands, scouts scribbled furiously, cameras zooming in, data being logged.
One scout, wearing a low baseball cap, stayed still for a long moment. His eyes never left Alessandro.
Then he pulled out the memory card from his camera and made a call.
"Get me Arsène Wenger. Tell him I've found a midfielder who combines Makelele's grit... with Gerrard's fire."
---