Thanks to the Excellent Ball Control (B+2) he'd acquired from Marcelo, Ho-young was planning to select the Genius Dribbling (A+3) talent.
He couldn't pick Football Prodigy (S-) yet because of the hidden condition.
'I'll have to wait until the next match.'
The final score was 3-2.
São Paulo FC took the 3 points.
However, Breno couldn't fully rejoice.
He looked like a man who had just escaped a raging fire, relieved to have survived.
Just thinking about being tormented by Neymar for 80 minutes sent chills down his spine.
If it hadn't been for his teammates, he might've given up long ago.
Especially Ho-young's support played a crucial role in keeping him going.
Breno looked at Ho-young with bloodshot eyes.
"Thanks."
"Come on. We won because you didn't give up. You really stepped up as our captain."
"Haha... Thanks."
Ho-young simply patted Breno on the shoulder in response.
Then quickly shifted his gaze.
At the far right end of the pitch, he felt a piercing gaze locked onto him.
'Neymar.'
It was Neymar, standing with one leg bent.
The match had ended a while ago, but his gaze remained sharp.
The intensity of that stare was enough to ignite sparks, but Ho-young didn't shy away. He stared right back.
Then he asked Breno, standing beside him,
"Captain, what time do you usually get up in the morning?"
"Eight."
"Then from tomorrow, you'd better start getting up at six."
"Why?"
"Because we have to beat them again."
The rivalry between Neymar and Ho-young was heading toward a boiling point.
The next morning.
A small article was tucked away in a corner of the sports section.
[São Paulo FC, victorious in a chaotic match, has reclaimed the top spot in the national league. But it's too soon to feel at ease. The path to the championship is only halfway through, and Santos FC is sharpening their blades for a rematch. The decisive moment could very well be the 37th round in February.]
Carlos nodded as he read the article while gripping the steering wheel.
'Yeah. It's way too early to relax.'
There was one problem in particular.
'Breno's struggling with Neymar more than I expected.'
That was why coach Carlos had been racking his brain since early morning.
'Our defense feels way too unstable.'
If things went the same way next time, there was no guarantee they'd win.
But taking Breno out of the next match was also problematic.
'He's the only one who's actually experienced playing against Neymar.'
That was why Carlos hadn't substituted him in the last match.
He had wanted Breno to experience the massive wall that was Neymar firsthand for the sake of future matches.
'At the very least, he should have a rough idea of Neymar's style. Even if he didn't want to understand it, getting battered like that would force it into him.'
Now that he'd been thoroughly humbled, it would hurt less next time.
A kind of shock therapy.
All part of the strategy to win the next match.
And now, he needed a way to stop Neymar.
Sunday, 8 a.m., Barra Funda Training Center.
There usually weren't any training sessions the day after a match, but today was different. A special session had been scheduled to maintain the players' feel for the game.
Carlos, arriving earlier than usual, headed straight to the U-15 training ground.
"Hm?"
The sunlight beat down on the pitch where boys darted around like a school of fish.
'Out here already, huh?'
Despite the exhausting match yesterday, some players had shown up early on a weekend morning.
'That's some serious passion. Usually, when someone's got talent, they're missing something else.'
Ho-young.
He was a boy who possessed diligence, an essential virtue for any youth player.
But today, to his surprise, Breno and Casemiro were there too.
'Well, Ho-young's obsessed with football, so that makes sense. But those two are unexpected.'
For some reason, the three of them were practicing man-marking drills on their own.
Curious, Carlos walked up to them.
"Looking good out here."
"Oh, coach! You're here."
Ho-young, who had been showing off some technical moves against Breno, greeted him.
"We have to win the next match too."
Ho-young said it casually, like it was no big deal. Breno and Casemiro simply nodded without saying a word.
Watching the three, Carlos caught a glimpse of what professionalism looked like.
From that day forward, São Paulo FC ramped up the intensity of their training.
Instead of working on fundamentals, the schedule became packed with match-focused drills.
On top of that, Ho-young began organizing individual training sessions, calling on any teammates who were available.
He was especially persistent with Breno, making sure he always showed up, no matter what.
Casemiro, who needed to work with Breno to stop Neymar, naturally joined in. And Oscar, inspired by the others, volunteered to join as well.
"Since Oscar's here today, let's try a 2v2 session. I'll play Neymar's role. Oscar, you play Gabigol."
Training began without delay.
While Oscar hovered near the box, looking for open spaces, Ho-young went head-to-head with Breno.
He avoided using his trademark physical strength and instead adopted Neymar's dribbling style, focusing on flashy footwork and technical moves.
"...!"
As Ho-young displayed his skills, Breno hesitated for a moment.
'Was he always this good with his feet?'
He wasn't quite at Neymar's level, but it reminded him of Marcelo.
'And on top of that, he's strong in physical duels, dominant in the air, and his penetration is insane. Freakish, really.'
They were on the same team, but every time he saw Ho-young play, Breno couldn't help but be amazed.
Maybe, in a way, it was a relief that their opponent was Neymar and not Ho-young.
"Focus, Breno. Compared to me, Neymar's a monster."
"R-right!"
Ho-young knew Neymar well.
Not only had he studied his reports in detail, but he'd watched countless of his matches even before his regression.
The Neymar of today played a style that was very familiar to him.
That's why Ho-young was able to effectively mimic him and help with training.
His dribbling was dazzling, almost dizzying.
Yet it wasn't messy. It was clean, fluid, creative, and deadly.
'No wonder he broke the world transfer record.'
Seeing Neymar in person during the last match had left a strong impression on Ho-young.
"I'll copy him as closely as possible. Just try to absorb the feel of it and make it your own."
To hunt a tiger, you need to at least know how to catch a leopard.
That was the whole point of this special training.
"You get what I'm saying?"
"Yeah."
Training went on day and night.
If time was short, they slept less. If Breno's motivation dropped, Ho-young pushed him forward.
Then one day, Breno asked,
"Why are you helping me this much?"
"Huh."
Breno asked out of pure gratitude and curiosity, but Ho-young looked genuinely taken aback.
"We're a team. Don't say dumb stuff that kills the vibe."
When Ho-young's expression turned serious, Breno scratched his head awkwardly.
"I mean, I get that... but if I were in your shoes, I don't think I could've done this much. And I'm the captain."
At that, Ho-young narrowed his eyes.
"You don't have to thank me. Just show it during the match. Coach said it too. Just show what you've prepared."
To Ho-young, helping Breno was only natural.
They were teammates.
And they had to win.
Especially the upcoming match in February against Santos FC. It was absolutely critical for Ho-young.
Neymar's Football Prodigy (S-) talent was on the line. He had to win.
Besides, this special training wasn't just benefiting Breno.
[Fairly Flashy Footwork (B-)↑]
Two birds with one stone.
While working with Breno, Ho-young's own Fairly Flashy Footwork (C+3) had leveled up.
Other talents had also been steadily growing, and he'd even managed to extract a few more from Oscar.
[Ho-young]
[Possessed Talents: Football Genius (A+), Storm Dribbling (S), Playmaking of the Football Crown Prince (U), Versatile Midfield Commander (U), Genius Dribbling (A+3), Legs Faster than a Lamborghini (A+2), Clever Space Penetration (A+), Sculpted Looks (A+), Burning Fighting Spirit (A-), Razor-Sharp Decision Making (A-), Iron Body (B+2), Excellent Ball Control (B+2), Powerful Long Shot That Penetrates Gaps (B+), Sharp Interceptions (B+), Open Growth Plates (B+), Excellent Positioning (B+), Precise Ball Touch (B), Fairly Flashy Footwork (B-)]
(See More)
As players, they grew together.
Especially in youth football, teammates often pushed each other to improve, creating positive results.
Watching Breno and Ho-young grow day by day proved exactly that.
A few months later, the moment to check their progress arrived.
December 22, FA Cup Final.
A match against Santacruz FC, a second division team.
They had shocked everyone with their Cinderella run to the final, and their key threat was a winger who relied heavily on dribbling.
It was the perfect opportunity to see the results of their training.
Of course, he wasn't nearly as good as Neymar but...
"Ho!"
In any case, the result was a resounding success.
Breno's excellent defending neutralized their attack, and Ho-young opened the scoring based on that foundation.
Sure, the opponent wasn't top-tier, but compared to before, Breno had clearly improved.
Thanks to that, São Paulo FC's attackers were able to fire at will.
Thud!
A 20-meter mid-range shot fired off Ho-young's boot.
"Ho!"
His short, one-syllable celebration drew laughs from the 2,000 spectators.
That goal opened the floodgates. The roar of the crowd didn't stop until the final whistle.
The trio of Ho-young, Douglas, and Oscar racked up the score like a machine, and the São Paulo fans responded with thunderous cheers.
Final score: 7-0, a landslide victory for São Paulo FC.
Ho-young, in peak form, scored 4 goals and was named Man of the Match. The team secured its first trophy of the season.
More importantly, it was a stage where Breno was able to regain his confidence.
January 2005.
South Korea began the new year on a high note by winning the Qatar U-19 Tournament.
Meanwhile, São Paulo FC, suffering from fatigue due to the relentless domestic league schedule, exited early from the Copa Libertadores.
Still, they were cruising in the Super Championship and the national league.
Meanwhile, Ho-young was preparing to take the Brazilian International Language Proficiency Test in mid-February to acquire Monica's Language Talent.
Everything was going according to plan.
And in mid-February, the shape of the national league title race began to take form.
São Paulo FC sat at the top with 23 wins, 8 draws, and 5 losses, totaling 77 points.
Right behind them was Santos FC, breathing down their necks with 75 points.
São Paulo had one hand on the title, but the next match could decide everything.
[National League Round 37]
[São Paulo FC vs Santos FC]
If São Paulo won, they would clinch the league title regardless of the Round 38 result.
But if Santos won, the lead would change hands.
This was the decisive match.
And now, the day had come.
February 14. A perfectly clear sky.
After nearly five months, Ho-young would face Neymar once again.
The second showdown.
The 37th round.
The day that would mark the end of the intense 2004–2005 season had finally arrived.
(To be continued.)