September 10, 2005.
With the launch of DMB phones that allowed people to watch live TV on their mobile devices, the same news anchor's voice could be heard everywhere during the morning commute.
[Yes, earlier this morning, the U-17 World Cup squad, who left Miami after receiving a warm send-off from the Korean community there, has arrived in Peru, the land of their upcoming battle. With a week remaining until their first match against the United States, the team emphasized their commitment to preparation and a new leap forward.]
Despite it being a youth tournament, the term "World Cup" once again ignited national excitement.
And with Korea's victory in the recent U-16 Montaigu Tournament, expectations were higher than ever.
At that moment, in Chiclayo, Peru.
The Korean team arrived at their base camp located in Chiclayo, a city in northwestern Peru.
As soon as they unpacked at the hotel, they headed to a nearby pitch to begin local adaptation training.
Although there had been concern due to Peru's mountainous terrain, Chiclayo sat at an altitude of less than 50 meters, so there was no issue.
"Focus! The US may be seen as the weakest team, but they're by no means easy. I've said it before, their midfield is very tight. So, what do we do?"
"High pressing!"
"Exactly."
The players looked visibly tense and alert.
And it was understandable. Historically, Korea's U-17 teams had always underperformed at World Cups. On top of that, they had gone 1 win, 2 losses in their last three friendlies.
The main issue had been Ho-young.
He had played in two of those matches, but traveling from Brazil by long-haul flight had left him jet-lagged and in poor condition, meaning he hadn't been able to play at full capacity.
In other words, it was proof of just how heavily the team depended on him.
But this time was different.
There was still a full week until the opening match, and they planned to perfect their strategy for reaching the quarterfinals at the base camp.
"We absolutely have to win against the US. Our second match is against Ivory Coast, and the third is against Italy."
Group C was made up of the United States, Korea, Italy, and Ivory Coast, and even before kickoff, most analysts predicted Italy to take first place.
That meant Korea needed a win in their opener to have any real shot at advancing as second place.
"Hey now, don't get all jittery. The US has only 1 win and 4 losses in their last 5 games. Their form's not great."
The base camp, located on an open plain, was covered with tents to prevent outside visibility.
Entry was restricted not only to the public but also to journalists.
Only Korean correspondents were allowed limited access, and even then, only brief interviews were permitted so as not to interrupt training.
First up was Coach Park Kyung-woon.
"In the previous friendlies, we didn't show our best, but I believe if we manage the players' condition well, we can get a good result."
"Thank you. Could we get a quick interview with Ho-young?"
"Ho-young! Ho-young!!"
When Ho-young stepped forward, reporters fired off questions like a waterfall.
"Ho-young, you were criticized during the Montaigu Tournament for lacking physical strength in duels. Have you improved in that area? And how do you feel about this tournament?"
"I'm confident. It's been just six months, but I think I've made significant improvements."
"Haha. That's some serious confidence. So can we expect something special in the first match against the US?"
"I'll show you."
September 16.
The tournament kicked off with the opening match between China and Costa Rica.
And on September 17, at 1:00 PM local time, when the sun stood high in the sky, Korea's first match kicked off.
Given the national interest in the event, MBS had dispatched a team for live coverage.
[Good afternoon, viewers. We're here at Estadio Elías Aguirre in Chiclayo, Peru. The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived. We'll now be bringing you the U-17 World Cup match between Korea and the United States. We're joined by analyst Park Moon-seok.]
[Happy to be here. This is Park Moon-seok.]
[As we mentioned in the pre-match briefing, our players are likely feeling the pressure of having to win this one. What's your take?]
[That's right. Especially after the earlier Group C match between Italy and Ivory Coast ended in a surprising draw. That makes it all the more crucial for us to beat the United States.]
[Understood. Hopefully, the players can rise to the occasion. By the way, quite a crowd has gathered here at the stadium, hasn't it?]
By 1:10 PM, over 18,000 fans had filled the stadium.
They had come to watch the Group C match between Korea and the United States, with the crowd size exceeding the average attendance of Groups A and B by more than 3,000.
The reason was clear.
Ho-young.
If he played, he would break the record for the youngest player to appear in a U-17 World Cup.
Soon after, the 22 players walked out from the tunnel onto the pitch to a roar of applause.
At 4.6 years younger than the average player, Ho-young's inclusion was nothing short of sensational.
The United States national anthem played first, followed by Korea's anthem.
With the anthem concluded, the 22 players shook hands.
Ho-young's eyes scanned the opposition.
No one particularly impressive.
He spotted a few with C-grade talents, but that was it.
Though the US had strong overall potential, football was not a popular sport there, so the talent pool was shallow.
Still, two players stood out as needing attention.
The defender Jackson and forward Ryan.
If we're talking pure talent, Ryan is the best on the team.
[Ryan Soroka]
[Possessed Talents: Football Prodigy (C+3), Powerful Sprinting (B), Legs Like Motors (B-), Fairly Stylish Volley (C+2)]
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the following conditions.)
(Condition 1: Win possession from him once.)
(Condition 2: Win or draw the match.)
At 18 in Korean age, Ryan wasn't particularly skilled overall, but he had excellent speed.
There was one talent Ho-young could acquire.
Fairly Stylish Volley (C+2).
If I upgrade it, I can promote it.
And if he transferred it into another important talent, it would be perfect.
Then finally—
Beeep!
Ho-young's first World Cup match kicked off.
[On the left, Korea. On the right, the United States. The first match of Group C in the U-17 World Cup has begun. And at the same time, a new World Cup record has been set. What a meaningful day this is.]
[Indeed. Korea's pride, Ho-young, has broken the record for the youngest player to appear in the U-17 World Cup. The previous record, held by a 13-year-old African player, has been shattered by a margin of 342 days. It's a historic moment in world football.]
When that African player had set the record years ago, pundits had said:
"He was only fielded to break the record. It's a number that will never be broken unless a true monster emerges."
But just a few years later, at age 12 years and 63 days, Ho-young had set a new mark.
Thump, thump.
Maybe because of that, his heart wouldn't stay still.
The very World Cup he had once watched while eating chicken at a pub, he was now playing in himself.
It was just a youth tournament, but to him, it felt no different from the senior World Cup.
The excitement hit him in waves.
As it grew stronger, his body began to tense up.
He had trained hard, but it was his first time on a big stage, and nerves were inevitable.
But only for a moment.
Once the match began, and his feet touched the grass and the ball a few times, the tension slowly eased.
That was when Ho-young truly began to play his game.
[Ah, look at Ho-young, moving energetically as he drops into the attacking midfield role.]
[That's exactly it. If you look closely, the previously tight US midfield is starting to loosen.]
Just as the commentary noted, the compact US midfield was beginning to open up as Korea's movement increased.
But the first major chance fell to the US.
20th minute, first half.
A loose ball from a midfield challenge rolled toward Korea's defensive zone.
Ryan picked it up.
Thud!
Without looking back, he used his speed to drive forward.
But he barely made it 10 meters before he was halted.
Ho-young had come storming in from behind and initiated a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge.
"Hrrgh!"
Despite his smaller frame, Ryan fought hard not to be pushed back.
As the team's ace, he didn't want to lose to someone four years younger.
But reality didn't care about pride.
"Ugh!"
As Ho-young put his shoulder into it and increased pace, Ryan couldn't withstand the pressure and went down.
He raised both hands in protest, but the referee allowed play to continue.
Anyone could see it was a clean challenge.
"What the hell... damn it."
Instead of getting back up and trying to win the ball back, Ryan cursed under his breath.
The difference in skill had left him feeling helpless.
40th minute, first half.
Like a strong gust of wind, Koo Ja-young delivered a sharp pass that cut through the US defense.
Yet, the American backline stood firm like deeply rooted trees.
All thanks to Jackson, anchoring the defensive line.
Nearby, Ho-young hovered.
"What a pest."
Even as Jackson tried to provoke him, Ho-young barely reacted.
Having played in the Brazilian league, he had experienced it all before and didn't even find it surprising.
If anything, it had become such a routine that he found matches dull without a bit of trash talk.
That relaxed attitude only irritated Jackson further.
Fine, let's see how you like this.
Jackson used his specialty.
A mix of dirty play and mosquito-like marking that annoyed attackers — skills honed at MLS powerhouse Kansas City's youth academy.
Then the chance came.
Thud!
As Ho-young received a pass with his back to goal, Jackson initiated a shoulder battle.
He tried to subtly pull Ho-young's jersey.
But then Jackson's face turned pale.
What the...
What was this?
Something hard to describe...
Ah.
That was it.
It felt like trying to move a giant boulder.
Ho-young was bigger and more solid than Jackson, but with a three-year age gap, Jackson had expected to win the duel.
But not only did he fail to move him, Ho-young shoved Jackson aside and turned with the ball.
This can't be right...
"Ugh!"
By the time Jackson realized something was wrong, it was too late.
Ho-young had burst into top speed, leaving Jackson completely exposed.
And then it began — a 20-meter solo run.
The US goalkeeper rushed out frantically, but Ho-young's sharp, quick strike left him no time to react.
The ball slipped past the keeper and hit the back of the net.
Beeeep!
As the net rippled, the referee blew his whistle to signal the goal.
Cheers exploded from the commentary booth.
[Goal! Ho-young! Goooal! He scores the first goal of the tournament!!]
[Amazing. 12 years and 63 days! He breaks the record for youngest scorer too!]
A smooth start.
Korea maintained control for the rest of the match.
Even into the second half, they continued to dominate, showing the United States what a real skill gap looked like.
With the American midfield now vulnerable, Koo Ja-young sent a key pass through the middle, and Ho-young capitalized with an explosive run and composed finish.
20 minutes into the second half, another goal.
[Aaaaah! Ho-young is on a mission today! That's his second goal!!!]
[Incredible. Didn't he say in an interview just days ago that he'd show his confidence on the pitch? That really sticks with me now.]
Then in the 30th minute of the second half, Ho-young delivered a key pass that led to Lee Chung-yong's goal, sealing the win.
Afterward, Ho-young was subbed off to manage his stamina, leaving the pitch to thunderous applause.
Playing in a U-17 match at his age was no easy feat.
He had only played 75 minutes, but it felt worlds apart from U-15 football.
The need to build even more stamina was clear.
Then, in the 45th minute...
Beeep!
The final whistle blew.
And in front of Ho-young's eyes, a welcome message appeared.
[Select the talent you wish to obtain.]
Fairly Stylish Volley (C+2)
There was only one choice, so he didn't hesitate.
He selected the volley talent.
As a result, his existing Fairly Stylish Volley (C+3) was upgraded by one level.
[Sharp Volley (B-)↑]
[You can now transfer 'Sharp Volley (B-)' to another talent. Would you like to proceed?]
Better to transfer it into 'Stamina'
Thus, Sharp Volley (B-) became the foundation for Stamina (B-), which then advanced.
[Stamina (B)↑]
It was a bit of a shame to lose the volley talent, but this wasn't the end.
Once he reached the professional stage, he would undoubtedly meet players with S or A grade volley talents.
And on that day, Ho-young was named Man of the Match, breaking yet another record as the youngest-ever recipient of the award, writing his name into FIFA history not once, but three times.
(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.)