'Ho-young, huh.'
The man, of course, already knew the name.
After all, it was impossible not to, with Florentino Pérez going out of his way to play the media, saying things like, "Ho-young is the world's best prospect. Be ready to buy his jersey when he debuts."
Even without all that, he had already known about Ho-young since last year. He'd heard about him when he met his close friend, Desailly, who had just retired from playing.
'Desailly said it back then. That he's an impressive kid.'
The man's gaze sharpened. His brow furrowed slightly as his eyes began to pierce into Ho-young with growing intensity.
Just how remarkable must he be, for everyone who's seen him to speak so highly?
Golden Ball winner at the U-17 World Cup?
'Impressive, sure.'
But that alone doesn't grant you a ticket into the professional world. The gap between amateur and pro is as wide as heaven and earth.
Of course, there are exceptions. Like Cesc Fàbregas, who won both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the 2003 U-17 World Cup and went on to become a successful professional. But even then, Fàbregas was already 15 at the time.
Meanwhile, Ho-young was still just 13, and would only be turning 14 in two months.
Above all else, the man felt that Ho-young's playstyle and temperament didn't suit his own. He'd heard that Ho-young primarily relied on dribbling and breaking through defenses.
In that case, it might be better to send Ronaldo, who was currently out with a knee injury, to mentor him mentally instead.
After all, tutoring only works when the student and mentor are compatible in terms of personality and playstyle. It's not something that can be forced just because someone is good.
So then.
Was Ho-young really worth tutoring, even at such a young age?
What could tutoring even bring out of him?
And more importantly, would he feel the motivation or interest to take on that role?
All of that would be decided in today's match.
The man crossed his arms, silently observing the pitch with unwavering focus.
Not once did his gaze stray from Ho-young.
It was at that moment that President Pérez, confident as ever, spoke.
"Keep a close eye. That boy is the future of Los Blancos."
Los Blancos.
A nickname meaning "the Whites," often used to refer to Real Madrid's senior team.
In other words, a player doesn't truly earn the right to be called a 'Blanco' until they graduate from the youth ranks and become a full-fledged professional.
While Real Madrid's youth policy leans more toward generating profit through player sales rather than pure development, the club spares no effort in backing players who make a strong impression.
Perhaps today, a new Blanco might be born.
"Who's the other candidate?"
"See over there? The kid with the sharp forehead and blue eyes."
The man shifted his gaze to the left side of the field.
There stood a Spanish boy in a white uniform.
"The decision will be made by the end of the month. It'll be either promotion or release."
Juan Mata.
Eighteen years old.
It was his final season in the youth ranks. He was due to either move up or be let go.
But considering his outstanding stats and glowing reviews from the coaching staff, the club was already planning to offer him a professional contract as early as next month.
That made today's match all the more important for Mata.
How much he could win over Pérez and the staff would influence the details of that future contract.
The car he'd drive, the house he'd live in next year—everything would depend on his performance today.
The temperature sat at a pleasant 16 degrees.
A cool breeze made it perfect football weather.
The match would be 90 minutes long, and since it was an evaluation match, substitutions were unlimited.
There were 14 players on the Juvenil B (U17) bench alone.
If you played poorly or looked tired, you'd be subbed out immediately.
However, once subbed off, re-entry was not allowed.
After reviewing all the rules, the 22 players on the field took their positions and prepared for the kickoff.
Juvenil A (U18) on the left.
Juvenil B (U17) on the right.
A match that could launch a career or close a door forever.
Whistle!
The match began just as the sun reached its peak in the sky.
Logically, the older team, Juvenil A, filled with the club's best youth talents, should take control.
And indeed, the match was going exactly as expected.
From the early minutes of the first half, Juvenil A dominated the flow of the game.
They lined up in a 4-2-3-1, a formation Real Madrid had favored two years ago. The core position in this setup was the attacking midfielder.
That role was filled by Juan Mata.
And Mata was executing it flawlessly.
With wide vision and excellent passing ability, he distributed the ball smoothly to both flanks.
His deft movements created space by penetrating the second line like a true crack.
And above all, Mata possessed the genius to make it all look effortless.
He tore apart Juvenil B's midfield, showcasing the full extent of his talent.
'Perfect. The team's playing well. If this keeps up, we'll win easily.'
As captain of Juvenil A, Mata was always a role model. He had earned the unwavering trust of his teammates and the affection of his coaches.
He was even considered a potential successor to captain Raúl, which said a lot about his mentality.
'One more step to the pros. Gotta give it my all.'
Thump.
His heart pounded like a freshly caught fish flopping on land.
Up in the stands, club executives and Pérez himself were watching his every move.
He wanted to leave a lasting impression.
With that in mind, Mata threw himself fully into the match.
Using his football IQ and field vision, he dominated half the pitch.
His refined yet destructive style overwhelmed the B team's defenders.
Even when B team players were subbed in and increased the pressure, he escaped their press with top-tier first touches and solid fundamentals.
His level was simply different.
And it didn't take long for his play to lead to a goal.
Rip!
In the 16th minute of the first half, Juvenil A opened the scoring.
The goal scorer was their lone striker, Fernando.
The assist came from Juan Mata, who delivered a key pass that completely broke the offside trap.
"Let's get two more."
"You even need to say it?"
"Man, just get into position. Let's try that one again."
Mata was usually highly critical of his own play, but today, he was satisfied.
Everything was going his way.
'Yeah, they're Juvenil B for a reason. This is way easier than usual.'
Just one year's age difference made a noticeable impact.
But around that point, a question began to surface in his mind.
'Ho-young. He hasn't really stood out yet. Why is that?'
Surprisingly, today's top watchlist player, Ho-young, had been invisible.
To be fair, A team had dominated possession, so it wasn't shocking.
But given Ho-young's reputation, it was puzzling.
'Maybe I worried for nothing.'
He'd felt uneasy all morning because of Ho-young, but maybe it was for no reason.
He hadn't expected the match to go this well.
'Let's settle this today.'
Mata was overflowing with excitement at the thought of finally going pro.
Unfortunately, that feeling didn't last long.
Barely five minutes after scoring, it happened.
"What the...?"
Mata's face stiffened like clay, and his expression darkened.
The game he thought he had under control was beginning to unravel.
A team's defenders started to struggle, and that chaos began to spread into the midfield.
At the heart of it all was Juvenil B's attacking midfielder.
'...Ho-young.'
Every time B team launched an attack, Ho-young's increasingly sharp play began to twist the flow of the match.
"Focus! He's only twelve!"
Just as Mata shouted, Ho-young was indeed only 12 years old.
But he wasn't just some ordinary kid facing A team defenders. He was a once-in-a-generation prodigy with extraordinary talent.
Age meant nothing.
Ho-young's play was silencing every objection, like a swamp pulling down everything in its path.
The pitch hadn't moved, but the atmosphere had completely flipped.
It was now a headwind.
A movement style that combined Ballack's versatility with Kaká's playmaking.
Mata couldn't fully grasp what was happening, but he felt an ominous sense of danger creeping in.
Something indescribable was throwing the match into chaos.
'Yeah... the flow. He's reading our rhythm.'
The precise passes and balanced control that formed the foundation of Mata's playmaking were being unraveled by Ho-young.
At this rate, the outcome was uncertain.
They might not just lose a comfortable win, but even be embarrassed with a defeat.
Possession was now even, and both sides were in a tense tug-of-war.
If they lost control, the situation could become truly dangerous.
The only stable area left was the second line, where Mata held his ground.
He had to protect that zone no matter what.
It was their only chance to score again.
Mata shouted.
"We'll drop the line a bit! Midfield, push up!"
If a sudden gust of wind tries to blow off your coat, you don't fight it. You curl up and wait for it to pass.
Then you strike when it lets up.
That was Mata's plan under pressure.
Meanwhile, Ho-young's plan was slowly taking shape.
Nothing flashy.
He was simply applying basic tactics that every player knows but ones only possible with the right skills.
Tactical understanding he learned from Coach Carlos.
Midfield control inspired by Ballack.
Playmaking modeled after Kaká.
The convergence of those talents was what created results like this.
Of course, for players like Zidane, Xavi, Alonso, Pirlo, or Ballack, this was everyday stuff.
But for Ho-young, reaching this point alone was something to be proud of.
'Good. If I can shut down Mata's movement, we can take control of the game.'
The mind games were over.
It was time to act and settle things.
Ho-young carefully analyzed everything he'd observed about Mata.
'He's way too central-oriented.'
That was his weakness.
Mata was devastating through the middle, but once forced wide, he lost his edge.
Ho-young decided to exploit that.
Thud!
"...!"
Ho-young, who had drifted slightly back from the second line into midfield, collided with Mata.
'As expected.'
Despite the 5-year age gap, he didn't feel overpowered in the physical duel.
"Ugh."
In fact, Mata was beginning to get pushed back.
No wonder, since his small 168cm frame was no match for the 175cm-plus Ho-young.
Realizing he couldn't win that battle, Mata tried to escape the pressure and evade Ho-young.
But that gave up space, and that in turn brought composure back to B team's defense.
Ho-young gestured to Marcos.
"Marcos! Cover up to here!"
Marcos Alonso, regaining his calm, expanded his zone defense and began pressing Mata up front.
With his large frame, Marcos was like a fish in water, pinning Mata to one side.
Unable to withstand the pressure, Mata was eventually pushed out of the center.
Then it happened.
"Ho-young!"
Marcos, who had just intercepted the ball in a scrappy challenge, sent a short pass to Ho-young and darted down the right flank.
In the last three months, the two had built up their chemistry through endless one-twos.
Tap, tap.
Ho-young immediately returned the pass.
Then made a deep diagonal run toward the opposite flank.
The return pass came right back.
In full stride, Ho-young's feet suddenly came to a stop.
Tap, tap.
He gently nudged the ball as if handling a baby, scanning the field with wide vision.
He spotted the lone striker making a run into the right channel.
His pupils dilated.
His neck stiffened, and power surged into his right leg.
'Now!'
This was the moment when his passing talent would shine.
His elite passing skill.
Thwack!
The ball left his foot and zipped across the grass toward the right.
It was a key pass, perfectly weighted to bypass the A team defender's coverage zone.
"Run!"
With the offside trap shattered, the striker latched onto the ball.
Thump!
A 1-on-1 chance.
The first touch was a bit heavy, prompting the goalkeeper to rush out in panic.
But B team's lone striker, José Callejón, was burning with the will to score.
With the season ending soon, he would either move up to Juvenil A due to age or be released, making this chance critical.
He couldn't waste the opportunity Ho-young had created.
His desire poured into the ball.
Boom!
A curling inside-foot shot.
And it found the net for the equalizer.
Both A team's Mata and B team's Ho-young ended the first half with an assist each.
On paper, the contributions were equal, but in terms of influence, the difference was crystal clear.
"What do you think?"
Pérez asked.
Zinedine Zidane responded, holding both palms up in disbelief.
"Weren't we told he had strong traits of a shadow striker?"
Then Míchel, standing nearby, added,
"Well, you see, that kind of depends on the day."
Even he looked baffled by his own words.
(To be continued.)