Suk Hyun-jun.
Any Korean football fan worth their salt would recognize the name. Once dubbed the "Korean Zlatan," he was a top-tier prospect.
His biggest weapon? Undoubtedly, his towering height, nearing 190 cm.
'How tall was he again? I remember it being over 190.'
Talent is relative.
For a Korean, whose average height is comparatively lower, reaching 190 cm carries a different impact than someone from the land of giants like the Netherlands reaching the same height.
It's like saying an Englishman speaking fluent English isn't exactly a talent.
That's why Suk Hyun-jun's talent, [Fully Open Growth Plates (B+)], was anything but common.
'I'm definitely getting it!'
Since growth plates are considered an innate trait, the conditions were slightly tougher, but they were still within reach if he set his mind to it.
By feeding Suk Hyun-jun the ball relentlessly for 50 minutes across both halves, Ho-young managed to rack up 4 assists.
Rather than playing like a poacher, as Coach Cha had instructed, his role resembled that of a second striker.
After the match, Coach Cha called Ho-young into his office.
"First match and you put up 1 goal and 3 assists?"
"Yes!"
"So, do you prefer assisting over scoring?"
"No. I prefer scoring."
"Then why did you keep feeding the ball to Hyun-jun?"
"So the teammates would let their guard down and accept me."
A smooth lie, as slick as oil.
As expected, Cha Bum-kun was impressed by Ho-young's tactful answer.
It wasn't the kind of response you'd expect from a third-grader.
"You're considerate. You know how to understand your teammates. From today, join the tournament squad for training. I'll handle the tournament details with your mother, so all you have to do is focus on training. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Haha. Good kid. But why do you keep staring at me like that?"
"Uh? Ah… It's nothing, haha."
Smack.
Ho-young, without realizing, had been licking his lips.
There was another reason for that. It was this.
[Cha Bum-kun]
[Possessed Talents: Thunder Thighs of Cha Boom (L), Leadership from Experience (B+), Keen Eye for Prospects (B), Excellent Tactical Understanding (B)]
(Degraded talents are currently not visible.)
(You can obtain one talent by meeting the required condition.) (Condition 1: Score 30 goals from over 30 meters in official matches.) (Condition 2: Reach the semifinals in a FIFA-sanctioned official tournament.)
Cha Bum-kun's thighs measured 31 inches, a full 7 inches thicker than Cristiano Ronaldo's 24-inch thighs.
Practically the size of an average woman's waist, his immense power and speed stemmed from them.
Even the famously physical Cha Du-ri would have to concede.
Those thunder thighs were Cha Bum-kun's signature.
But they weren't just thick. His legs were slow-twitch dominant, meaning his thighs were leaner than fast-twitch types, yet packed both explosive bursts and marathon-like endurance.
'Whoa. L must stand for Legend.'
A grade he'd never seen before.
It was likely a talent only elite retired players could possess.
But the conditions...
'Basically telling me not to even dream about it, huh?'
As expected from a legend, the requirements were extremely difficult.
Cha Bum-kun was clearly in a league of his own.
'If it's a FIFA-sanctioned tournament, then something like the World Youth Championship would be the easiest bet. Hmm…'
He shelved the thought for now.
It was impossible to complete the conditions within the year.
Cha Bum-kun spoke.
"By the way, São Paulo hasn't said anything to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like asking you to come to Brazil with them. Last time Flamengo came, they took one of our players."
"Oh, yes. I got an offer too."
There was no reason to hide it. It wasn't like Cha Bum-kun was a recruiter.
"So what do you plan to do?"
"I want to go!"
"Haha. Good thinking."
Cha Bum-kun placed his hand on Ho-young's shoulder and continued.
"It'll be tough, but if you want to become a great footballer, you have to endure. Experiencing football in different countries helps talents bloom."
"Thank you for the advice!"
"Haha. Kid. Stay in touch even if you go abroad. If you're struggling, don't hesitate to reach out."
"Yes, sir!"
From that day, Ho-young fully immersed himself in team training, focusing on adapting to the squad's playing style.
He continued to feed assists to Suk Hyun-jun.
Ho-young was no longer a goal-scoring poacher.
Because of that, Coach Lee Sang-woon built a tactical system around Ho-young, leading to the emergence of a new role: the second striker.
Second Striker.
This role typically supports the main forward and contributes directly to scoring. Diego Maradona of Argentina was a prime example.
It required the player to handle dribbling, breaking lines, passing, shooting—a blend of striker and midfielder responsibilities.
"Ho-young, you'll have to lead the attack. But don't let it pressure you. Just play confidently, alright?"
Coach, that sounds a bit contradictory...
Ho-young swallowed those words and replied boldly.
"Leave it to me!"
That same day, Ho-young was officially included in FC Cha Boom's final squad.
And on the day before the tournament.
"Nice pass!"
"Nice header!"
The Suk Hyun-jun–Ho-young striker duo was nearing perfection.
Though it seemed like Ho-young was the one yielding all the chances, the important thing was winning matches.
'Has that kid become addicted to assisting? Whatever... with this level of performance, even the semifinals are within reach.'
Before Ho-young's arrival, the team was only just good enough to scrape into the quarterfinals.
That's because their group was filled with strong opponents.
Poland's U-13 national team, a European powerhouse.
FC Porto, a giant in the Portuguese league.
Even Djurgårdens IF, a mid-to-lower tier Swedish league team.
But with Ho-young's inclusion, FC Cha Boom no longer had anything to fear.
In youth tournaments where physical growth varies widely, one key player can make all the difference. If Ho-young played well, even reaching the finals wasn't out of the question.
There had been some pressure from external expectations for FC Cha Boom, but now it felt like that burden had been lifted.
Tweet!
Coach Lee Sang-woon blew the whistle.
"Great job, everyone! Go stretch and rest."
Thus, the final team training came to an end.
It also marked the moment Ho-young recorded his 15th assist.
'Now all that's left is condition two!'
Condition: Play at least 250 minutes together in official matches.
'Each game is 50 minutes, so we'll have to make it to at least the semifinals.'
He wouldn't know for sure until they got there, but Ho-young had a good feeling.
---
December 18, the next day.
The World Youth Football Championship, co-hosted by the Korean Football Association and MBS, officially kicked off.
[Hello viewers. Welcome to the Green Field at Paju NFC. I'm Lim Joo-hwan, your commentator for the World Youth Football Championship, jointly hosted by the KFA and MBS. Beside me is commentator Seo Young-wook. Hello.]
[Hello.]
MBS had gone all out for the tournament, bringing in legendary sports anchor Lim Joo-hwan to the main desk.
That alone spoke volumes about the tournament's importance, as did the sponsorship by Shinseong Electronics, one of Korea's leading conglomerates.
[This is the first time the World Youth Championship is being held in Korea, right?]
[Yes, that's correct. It's the first international tournament here since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, so there's significant public interest. It's a great opportunity for these youth players.]
[Indeed. Ah, and now the players are entering the field!]
FC Cha Boom's first opponent was the Polish national team.
As he walked through the tunnel onto the pitch, Ho-young felt a rush of exhilaration.
'This is it.'
Paju NFC Green Field.
A natural grass pitch that costs 700,000 won a day to rent.
There weren't many spectators, but it still felt like he was a professional footballer.
Then came the time for the players to shake hands and greet each other.
But Ho-young's eyes were busy scanning around rather than greeting.
'Tsk! If only Lewandowski were born a few months later, I could've faced him here. What a shame.'
The man who would later become one of the world's best strikers alongside Luis Suárez and Harry Kane.
It was a pity not to see Poland's legend Robert Lewandowski on the pitch.
But right now, the most important thing was winning the match.
Ho-young sharpened his focus.
And then.
Tweet!
The whistle signaled the start of the match.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
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