Rain fell hard on the Lisbon turf
Thin sharp droplets hitting the pitch like needles
The under-16 match was already behind schedule but they played anyway
This was Sporting
If you wanted to quit you could go home
Cristiano stood near the sideline shifting on his feet
He wasn't in the starting lineup again
Third match in a row
His chest burned with frustration
Not from his heart condition
From the fire inside him
He stared at the coach
Every fiber in his body screamed put me in
But the coach didn't look his way
The game was rough
The other team was bigger stronger
Sporting was down one nil by halftime
In the locker room everyone argued
Pass more
Move faster
Defend better
Cristiano sat silent
Ball at his feet
Eyes closed
Visualizing
Every move
Every cut
Every goal
Coach Silva finally glanced his way
You ready island boy
Cristiano nodded
More than ready
Second half
Cristiano stepped onto the field
Boots hitting the wet grass with confidence
He didn't look nervous
He looked like he owned the rain
The first touch was clean
Ball zipped to his feet
He turned in one motion sent a defender sliding past him like a ghost
The bench stood up
Then came the sprint
A long ball flew past midfield
Cristiano chased it down like a hawk
Beat two defenders
Flicked it behind his heel
And shot with his left
Top corner
One one
The stadium echoed with raw cheers
Not a full crowd
Just scouts
Parents
Coaches
But it was loud enough
Minutes later he took another
Then another
Hat trick in twenty minutes
By the end it was five one
He didn't celebrate
He didn't scream
He just walked back
Calm
Eyes sharp
Coach Silva pulled him aside
Who taught you to move like that
Cristiano shrugged
Made it up
Back home I used to dribble around tin cans
That night the calls started
Benfica
Porto
Even one from overseas
But Sporting knew
They had a jewel in their hands now
Cristiano walked back to his room that night soaked in sweat and rain
He looked at the cracked mirror on his wall
Saw the boy he used to be
Then blinked
And saw the man he was becoming
He opened his notebook
Wrote one line under the date
Today I became unstoppable