**Wembley Stadium, London - June 2005**
Fifteen-year-old Marcus Oluwasemi stood in the tunnel, his England youth kit clinging to his lean frame. At exactly six feet tall, he was already imposing for his age, but it was his raw talent that had caught everyone's attention. The coaching staff had watched him demolish youth defenses across Europe with a style that seemed... impossible. Touches like Ronaldinho. Explosiveness like Ronaldo Nazário. Positioning like Cristiano Ronaldo.
But today, none of that mattered.
"You're dropped," Head Coach Gerald Thompson said coldly, not even looking up from his clipboard. "We're going with Henderson's nephew instead."
Marcus's jaw clenched. "Henderson's nephew? He's scored three goals all season. I have twenty-seven."
"This isn't about goals, Oluwasemi. It's about... fit. Team chemistry." Thompson's eyes finally met his, and Marcus saw the truth there. Politics. Connections. The same story his father had warned him about.
"You mean it's about whose father made the right phone calls."
"Watch your tone—"
"No." Marcus ripped off his training bib, letting it fall to the polished floor. "You watch yours. I gave everything to this team. Every training session, every match, every moment. And you're dropping me for someone's nephew?"
Thompson's face reddened. "If you walk out that door, you're done with England. Done. Do you understand me?"
Marcus's Nigerian heritage burned in his chest—his father's stories of Lagos, of a different path, of pride that didn't require begging for scraps. "Then I'm done."
He turned and walked, each step echoing in the tunnel like a drumbeat.
"YOU'LL NEVER PLAY INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL AGAIN!" Thompson's voice chased him. "NO ONE WILL WANT YOU AFTER THIS!"
Marcus didn't look back.
---
**Outside Wembley - Twenty Minutes Later**
The summer air felt different now. Lighter, despite everything. Marcus sat on the curb, his duffel bag beside him, when reality hit—he'd just walked away from his international career at fifteen.
*What have I done?*
Then the world... shifted.
A translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes, floating in mid-air like something from a video game.
**[CONGRATULATIONS, MARCUS OLUWASEMI]**
**[THE STRONGEST FOOTBALL SYSTEM HAS CHOSEN YOU]**
**[YOUR DETERMINATION, TALENT, AND REFUSAL TO COMPROMISE YOUR WORTH HAS ACTIVATED THE SYSTEM]**
Marcus blinked. Rubbed his eyes. The screen remained.
"Am I having a breakdown?" he muttered.
**[NEGATIVE. YOU ARE EXPERIENCING AN AWAKENING]**
**[INITIALIZING REWARD SEQUENCE...]**
**[FOR CHOOSING SELF-RESPECT OVER CORRUPTION]**
**[FOR DEMONSTRATING ELITE MENTALITY]**
**[YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED: THREE SS-RANK TEMPLATES]**
The screen exploded with golden light.
**[TEMPLATE 1: RONALDINHO GAÚCHO]**
- *Technical Mastery: SS-Rank*
- *Creative Vision: SS-Rank*
- *Flair & Entertainment: SS-Rank*
- *Special Ability: "Joga Bonito" - Makes the impossible look effortless*
**[TEMPLATE 2: RONALDO NAZÁRIO (IL FENOMENO)]**
- *Speed & Acceleration: SS-Rank*
- *Dribbling in Tight Spaces: SS-Rank*
- *Clinical Finishing: SS-Rank*
- *Special Ability: "Phenomenon" - Unstoppable in 1v1 situations*
**[TEMPLATE 3: CRISTIANO RONALDO]**
- *Physical Dominance: SS-Rank*
- *Aerial Ability: SS-Rank*
- *Mentality & Drive: SS-Rank*
- *Special Ability: "Clutch Gene" - Performs best in biggest moments*
**[TEMPLATES MERGING... 33%... 67%... 100%]**
**[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE NOW THE PERFECT STRIKER]**
Marcus felt it—power surging through his body. His muscles suddenly felt more responsive, his mind clearer, his very perception of the game... elevated. He could see plays before they happened, feel the weight of the ball perfectly, understand space and time in ways that seemed supernatural.
**[SYSTEM FEATURES UNLOCKED]**
**[WEEKLY TRAINING MISSIONS]**
**[MATCH PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS]**
**[SKILL EVOLUTION TREE]**
**[LEGACY TRACKER]**
**[ADDITIONAL REWARD: GROWTH PROJECTION]**
- *Current Height: 6'0"*
- *Age 18 Height: 6'5"*
- *Physical Development Optimized for Peak Performance*
**[FINAL NOTICE]**
**[NIGERIA NATIONAL TEAM HAS UNLOCKED AS AVAILABLE OPTION]**
**[YOUR FATHER'S HOMELAND AWAITS, MARCUS]**
**[SHOW ENGLAND WHAT THEY LOST]**
**[SHOW THE WORLD WHAT GREATNESS TRULY MEANS]**
Marcus stood, his duffel bag feeling weightless in his hand. He looked back at Wembley Stadium one last time—at the empire that had rejected him.
A slow smile crossed his face.
"Alright then," he whispered to the system, to himself, to whatever destiny awaited. "Let's make them regret everything."
**[QUEST INITIATED: BECOME LEGENDARY]**
**[CURRENT STATUS: UNSIGNED - AGE 15]**
**[RECOMMENDATION: JOIN TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR ACADEMY]**
**[YOUR STORY BEGINS NOW]**
As Marcus walked toward the tube station, he pulled out his phone. His father answered on the second ring.
"Dad? Yeah, I'm okay. Actually... I need to tell you something. About England. About Nigeria. And about my future."
Behind him, Wembley's towers gleamed in the setting sun—a temple he'd just been cast out from.
But Marcus wasn't looking back anymore.
He was looking forward.
And the future was golden.
---
**TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 1: TOTTENHAM CALLS**
---
*Author's Note: This is a work of football fiction featuring a system-enhanced protagonist. Marcus's journey will be one of redemption, dominance, and romance. Emma Watson will be introduced in future chapters as both teens navigate fame, talent, and young love in the public eye. Ready for Chapter 1?