There would one day be a Brazilian player who received such an evaluation:
A flawless crack with everything a playmaker needs.
A versatile genius who could play as a winger, attacking midfielder, and central midfielder.
A boy who took advantage of his background in futsal, combining Brazil's signature rhythm and footwork with agility and deadly through passes.
That boy was Coutinho, who was now being overwhelmed by São Paulo FC's relentless attacks.
[Philippe Coutinho]
[Possessed Talents: Football Genius (A-), Fairly Flashy Footwork (B), Excellent Passing (B), Excellent Agility (B-), Fairly Threatening Body Feint (C+3)]
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the required conditions.)
(Condition 1: Record 2 attacking points)
(Condition 2: Block a pass)
'He's definitely easier to handle than last time. Even the conditions are better.'
It looked like he'd walk away with a decent reward today.
Since he had already obtained Fairly Flashy Footwork (B) in last month's league match, he set his eyes on Agility this time.
Just because he'd scored the opening goal didn't mean he could afford to let his guard down.
Even if Coutinho was having a bad game, he was still a top prospect.
A flawless crack.
You never knew when or where a super play might burst out.
That's why Ho-young kept his focus on the match.
Midway through the first half.
It turned into a one-sided half-court game.
The ball barely left CR Vasco's defensive third on the right, and it was frustrating enough to make Coach Fábio visibly uncomfortable.
Despite reinforcing the midfield and defense, the possession stats were an outrageous 9 to 1.
He even considered switching to an ultra-offensive strategy, but São Paulo had shown they were solid at the back too.
'This isn't last year's São Paulo anymore.'
The club had shown incredible growth over the past year.
With overwhelming attacking power and a solid defensive structure, São Paulo FC now stood at the top of the U15 category.
'It's nothing short of a miracle.'
Everyone knew that the one who had sparked that transformation was an East Asian boy.
Yet, even after watching today's match with his own eyes, Fábio could hardly believe it.
Ho-young.
'He's something else.'
Still, he didn't think the boy was quite at the level of a generational talent.
He wasn't Pelé or Maradona. Even compared to the youth versions of Romário, Ronaldo, or Adriano, his impact seemed slightly less.
'At least, in terms of physical attributes.'
Even so, if he continued growing steadily, he might just become a player who could represent all of Asia.
But more than that, what made Ho-young truly intriguing was the strange kind of presence he had.
'Maturity?'
He wasn't quite sure how to define it.
Regardless, it was undeniable that it had driven São Paulo FC's growth.
'If Coutinho is a flawless crack, then Ho-young is a unique crack.'
Given that, Fábio had only one viable tactical option: to hold on and wait for a counterattack.
The classic strategy for an underdog.
That was the best they could do.
Piiik!
The whistle blew, announcing São Paulo's second goal—and nearly making Coach Fábio's blood pressure explode.
Oscar, who had scored with a long-range shot after receiving a through pass from Ho-young, was now celebrating with an innocent smile.
"Good grief..."
Fábio's sigh said it all.
'It's over.'
It was a match that couldn't be given up easily, not in a nationwide competition to decide the best team in the state. But the result was already clear.
He felt like he had done everything he could as a manager.
In the 40th minute of the first half, CR Vasco took a couple of hooks and finally got knocked out by a straight punch.
A dazzling run by Ho-young and a fantastic chip shot from Douglas led to a third goal.
That was the knockout blow.
The first half ended with São Paulo FC leading 3-0.
Naturally, their locker room was filled with a celebratory mood.
After all, the game was as good as done.
And yet, one boy remained calm and composed.
"It's not over until it's over."
That was Breno, speaking in a calm tone.
He had always had a gentle nature, but now, with the captain's armband on, he was exuding real charisma.
Seeing how much he'd matured, Ho-young couldn't help but smile.
'Everyone's grown up.'
Breno, Oscar, Casemiro, Douglas...
They were only a year older than last season, but so much had changed.
And today's match made that crystal clear.
'Yeah. It's not over until it's over.'
As expected from someone with burning fighting spirit, Ho-young was fired up from head to toe.
His passion wouldn't cool until the final whistle blew.
He jumped to his feet.
"Let's go. Let's go play ball."
Having already made up his mind to leave Brazil soon, Ho-young was desperate.
He wanted to play even one more minute with them.
Second half.
CR Vasco parked the bus with a five-man backline and a double volante in front of it.
But a bulldozer doesn't stop just because a bus is in the way.
Ho-young, obsessed with perfection, was determined to finish things properly.
Using dribbles that included upper body feints, he carved open space and created breakthroughs, and his teammates immediately joined the attack.
CR Vasco defended with every ounce of strength they had, but it was nothing more than a game of hot potato.
The fire that had been lit finally exploded in the 57th minute of the match.
Splash!
A shot from right winger Douglas detonated the first bomb.
Five minutes later, an even bigger bomb followed.
Ho-young's bazooka-like mid-range shot ripped through the net once again.
And then came the final blow.
In the dying moments of the game, São Paulo earned an indirect free-kick.
A beautiful cross was delivered.
The ball bounced off Ho-young's head and flew straight into the goal.
Piiik!
It was a hat-trick for Ho-young.
[Your talent vessel is full. Football Prodigy (S-) will be available in 29 days.]
[Please select the talent you wish to obtain in advance.]
- Excellent Agility (B-)
- Fairly Threatening Body Feint (C+3)
Late in the second half.
Ho-young, having dropped slightly deeper, targeted Coutinho and completed both conditions.
He selected the former.
Right after, the final whistle blew.
With a 6-0 baseball-like scoreline, the players of São Paulo FC were awarded the 'Super Championship Trophy.'
It was like rain after a drought in the sweltering heat, marking their third trophy of the season—their treble.
That night.
An internet article made the front page of a Brazilian sports news site.
["Golden Ball Winner" Ho-young stands tall at the center of Brazil's youth league]
Ho-young (12, São Paulo FC) made his presence known to the world through the Brazilian youth league.
With this, São Paulo FC U15 lifted both the national league and Super Championship trophies for the first time since the Kaká generation.
"The world will soon recognize him as Asia's football hero, as long as his growth continues." The words of the Technical Director of the Brazilian Youth Football Federation were no exaggeration, proven by this very tournament.
Not only that, Ho-young was selected as one of Asia's top five prospects...
"The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) cited his performance in the Brazilian league as the basis for their evaluation."
At the FC Barcelona headquarters in Spain.
Reading the article was Carles Rexach, the club's Technical Director.
In front of him sat the club's finance manager and contract negotiator.
Once Rexach finished reading the article, the other two began to speak.
"We understand, but... the Vice President's opinion is critical."
"Yes. He still believes it's too early."
"So we have to convince him, don't we?"
Rexach looked visibly frustrated.
He had flown back the moment he watched the match between Santos FC and São Paulo FC.
And the first thing he did upon returning to Barcelona was push for Ho-young's signing.
But the Vice President was opposed.
In his words, the club had enough on its plate developing domestic talent. Why spend time and money on an East Asian prospect?
His buyout clause?
For a club like Barcelona, that wasn't even worth discussing.
But applying that valuation to a 12-year-old Asian kid made it a steep price.
They could bring in European U15 Golden Ball winners for less.
The contract negotiator opened his mouth.
"There are plenty of players in Europe like Ho-young."
"Maybe by stats alone, but it's a different story when you actually watch him play. Didn't I already show you his match footage?"
"Even so, he's Asian, and that's a bit..."
Then again, these were the same people who opposed signing Messi.
So, their reluctance toward Ho-young wasn't all that surprising.
It wasn't just his age. It was also the fact that he was Asian.
At that time, the perception of Asian footballers was still poor.
On top of that, youth players were always a gamble.
A player could either flop or explode in just a year.
That was the exact reason FC Barcelona remained cautious.
It was too risky a bet.
But if Ho-young had been Brazilian, not Asian, the conversation would be different.
"What about Pato? The club seems more interested in him..."
"I already submitted the report. What more do you want to know?"
"I'm asking for your personal opinion."
"My opinion? That we need to make an offer as soon as possible. For Ho-young."
"But... deciding based only on his stats is dangerous."
"Are you questioning my eyes?"
It was like trying to lecture a silkworm on how to make thread.
Carles Rexach was famous for having a sharp eye for talent.
Nobody in the region could match his ability to spot raw gems.
That's why he had pushed through Messi's signing four years ago despite internal opposition.
"We need to get to the negotiation table before things heat up. Mark my words, Real Madrid will come knocking by December at the latest."
"...Then let's do this. We can't move just yet, but let's keep a close eye on him."
"I agree. There's still a lot of time left to prove his worth. The U17 FIFA World Cup is happening this year. Many prospects will rise to the surface."
A few days later, early in the morning.
As always, Ho-young was kicking a ball in the alley in front of his house when unexpected news came.
"Ho-young! Phone call!"
It was Choi Maria's voice.
Ho-young entered the house and asked.
"Is it from a club?"
"No, it's Coach Cha."
"Coach Cha Bum-kun?"
'Why is he calling this early?'
Click.
As Ho-young answered the call with a cheerful voice, Cha Bum-kun's voice came through.
—Everything going well?
"Yes, of course."
—You're coming back to Korea this weekend, right? Then let's meet once you arrive. There's someone who wants to see you.
"Someone who wants to see me? Who?"
He figured it was probably a sports journalist, but Cha's answer caught him off guard.
—He's a close friend of mine. Says he really wants to see you. He's the manager of the Korean U17 national team.
"Whoa."
If he was managing the U17 national team...
'Could it be a call-up?'
Gripping the receiver with both hands, Ho-young asked carefully.
"Is he the U14 coach?"
—No, his name is Coach Park Kyung-woon. He manages the U17 team and oversees U15 and U16 as well.
"Wait, U17? All of a sudden?!"
—There's a World Cup being held in Peru this year. Guess you didn't know. Haha. But don't worry, no one's planning to throw you straight into the U17 squad.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Depending on how things went, he might be able to break the record for youngest appearance held by a 13-year-old from Africa.
Just maybe.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)