October 18, 2017 - Milan, Italy
The city buzzed with aftershocks from the Derby della Madonnina. Milan Martinez Villa had become more than just a name—he was a force, a phenomenon, a highlight reel waiting to happen. Newspapers across Europe splashed his face on their covers.
"IL RAGAZZO D'ORO!" blared Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Milan's Martinez Villa: Future of Football," proclaimed The Guardian.
His Instagram had skyrocketed. The night before the derby, he had 312,000 followers. By midweek, that number had surged to 1.2 million. Comments flooded in from around the globe:
@ballerboyUS: "That 40-yard banger?? Still watching it on loop."
@jamaicantouch: "Mi proud a yuh star! Represent fi di flag!"
@billieeilish: "You're actually insane lol."
Milan smiled at that last one.
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October 19, 2017 - AC Milan vs AEK Athens
The Europa League clash was played under the lights of San Siro once again, though the energy was calmer than the derby chaos. Montella rotated heavily, starting Cutrone, Borini, and Locatelli.
Milan started on the bench, his legs still recovering.
The match itself was sluggish. AEK Athens came with a plan: defend in numbers, frustrate Milan. Despite several chances from Bonaventura and Cutrone, the game ended in a frustrating 0–0 draw.
"Tired legs, tired minds," Montella said in the press conference.
Milan watched from the sidelines, hoodie on, nodding along. He understood the grind. Not every game would be fireworks.
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October 20 - A Day Off
Milan woke up late in his apartment, sunlight slipping between his blinds. He stretched, made a protein shake, and scrolled through his notifications. His follower count ticked up again: 1.34 million.
He posted a quick story: him juggling a ball in socks, the caption read: "Rest day? Always workin. #OnTheGrind"
He spent the afternoon editing a short compilation video for TikTok: a montage of his derby runs, soundtracked by a slowed-down trap beat. It exploded within hours.
His TikTok now sat at 680K followers.
His phone buzzed again. Billie.
Billie Eilish: "those solo runs should be illegal"
Milan: "Guilty as charged. You dropping more music to get arrested too?"
Billie: "Just watch. don't smile at me is going crazy rn. LA kids won't stop playing 'idontwannabeyouanymore."
Milan: "Hard. That track's lethal. You got real sauce."
Billie: "Says you, Mr. San Siro."
Milan: "I'm just tryna match your energy."
Billie sent a blushing emoji. Milan smirked.
Later that night, they FaceTimed for nearly two hours, bouncing between teasing banter, music talk, and their dreams. She played him unreleased snippets. He showed her clips of him training with ankle weights.
"You know," she said, brushing her hair back, "you don't act 17."
"Neither do you," Milan replied. "Think we're just built different."
They shared a silent smile.
Billie: "Do you want to get Dinner in Milan?"
He smirked and replied:
Milan: "Only if you bring the vocals."
They met at a quiet rooftop restaurant overlooking the Duomo. Billie wore all black, oversized, with green streaks in her hair. She spotted him, smiled — not the kind she gave cameras — but something softer.
"You really shut the haters up, huh?" she said, sliding into the seat across from him.
"You think so?" he asked, eyebrow raised.
"You broke my explore page. Every clip, it's just you running through people like it's FIFA on beginner mode."
He laughed. "And you? That EP's climbing. I heard 'Bellyache' at the mall today. Thought they had good taste."
She smirked. "Did you sing along?"
"No, but I mouthed it. Quietly. No one needs to see that."
They laughed, ordered pasta and mocktails, and flirted like two young stars who didn't have the weight of the world on their backs — even if just for a night.
"You're cooler in person," she admitted, twirling her straw.
"You're better than your Instagram," he replied. "You actually smile."
She tilted her head. "I do... sometimes."
He winked. "Keep doing it. I like it."
And for the first time since the derby, Milan didn't think about football. Just Billie, the city lights, and a moment that felt completely his.
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By the end of the week, Milan's socials had officially crossed:
Instagram: 1.58 million
TikTok: 712K
Twitter: 430K
He was becoming more than a footballer. A brand. A symbol. But for now, he was content just being Milan. The boy from Kingston and Rio, living a dream in Italy.
The next storm would come. But this? This was the calm.
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Next up: AC Milan vs Genoa - October 22, 2017.