CHAPTER 34 — The First Real Test: Playing Against the Older Age Group
The next morning, São Paulo FC's training grounds were buzzing. The entire academy had heard the rumor:
> "The seven-year-old prodigy destroyed an entire U-7 squad alone."
"He plays like a grown professional."
"He's not normal… he's something else."
Coaches who had never met Árman before gathered near the field, curious, skeptical, and nervous. His trial wasn't enough—they wanted to see him against older kids, the U-8 and U-9 groups.
Most seven-year-olds would be terrified.
Árman Azevedo wasn't.
He stepped onto the pitch with calm confidence, hair glowing white like it reflected the entire sun, golden eyes sharp and focused. Every movement was perfectly controlled—he walked like an athlete who already knew exactly how this day would unfold.
---
◆ The Challenge
Head Coach Rafael called him aside.
Rafael:
"Árman… today, you'll play with the U-9 team. They're older, stronger, faster. I want to see—"
Árman stared up with a polite smile that was somehow terrifying.
Árman:
"I want the challenge. That's why I'm here."
Rafael inhaled.
This wasn't a normal kid.
---
◆ Warm-Up: Silent Shock
During warm-up, the older kids glanced at him with confusion.
A tiny 7-year-old?
Skin flawless.
Frame athletic despite his age.
Movements unnaturally smooth.
Then he started juggling.
Left foot.
Right foot.
Knee.
Shoulder.
Back spin.
Around-the-world.
Triple-around-the-world.
Rainbow flick → heel catch → neck stall → spin → drop → volley into the top corner.
Silence.
One of the older kids whispered:
> "Bro… what is he?"
---
◆ The Match: U-9 vs Árman Azevedo
This wasn't a friendly exhibition.
This was a full tactical match.
Coaches watched from the sidelines.
Scouts stood with clipboards.
The U-9 team was told not to go easy on him.
Árman was placed as center-forward… again, just to see how he adapts.
Kickoff
Commentator in the academy booth:
"And we're off! U-9 Red vs U-9 Blue with one special addition—seven-year-old phenomenon, Árman Aze— WAIT WHAT—"
Árman had already stolen the ball.
No hesitation.
No fear.
No delay.
He moved like a phantom.
One-touch dribble.
Step-over.
Elastico.
Acceleration.
He cut through two defenders before anyone fully registered that the game started.
He blasted the ball from outside the box—
GOAL.
Top-left corner.
Commentator:
"TEN SECONDS! HE SCORED IN TEN SECONDS!"
The U-9 goalkeeper just stared at the net.
---
◆ Minute 15 — The Dribbling Nightmare
The U-9 defenders adjusted formation to block him.
Three surrounded him.
One shadow-marked him.
Two midfielders tried to cut passing lanes.
It didn't matter.
He dribbled like the ball was an extension of his body.
— rainbow flick over the first defender
— roulette spin past the second
— nutmeg on the third
— body feint to drop the fourth to his knees
— fake shot → real shot
GOAL.
Even the parents watching from afar froze.
Commentator:
"No words… no words. That sequence belongs on highlight reels worldwide."
---
◆ Minute 21 — Playmaking Genius
Coaches wanted to see if he could pass under pressure.
They got their answer.
Árman received the ball in midfield with four players rushing him.
Instead of dribbling, he looked up for 0.2 seconds—
Then curled an outside-the-foot pass splitting ALL FOUR defenders.
The ball spun directly to Thiago Duarte making a diagonal run.
Thiago didn't even need to adjust.
He just tapped it in.
Commentator:
"He's not just a striker. He's the entire offensive engine."
Rafael, the head coach, whispered:
> "He plays like he knows every positioning pattern before players even move."
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◆ Minute 27 — Free Kick Demonstration
Opponents fouled him out of desperation.
Free kick: 28 meters.
Árman placed the ball carefully, angling it with surgical precision.
He didn't look nervous. He didn't even look excited.
He just looked certain.
The whistle blew.
He curved the ball around the wall, dipping it at the last micro-second—
GOAL.
The goalkeeper didn't even dive.
Commentator:
"Just sign him. Sign him to the first team. I don't care about age!"
---
◆ Minute 35 — Defensive Test
The coaches made him switch to central midfield to test his defensive abilities.
He didn't disappoint.
— perfect interceptions
— world-class positioning
— body feints in tight spaces
— turning out of pressure like a seasoned pro
— timed slide tackles
— immediate transition control
A scout muttered:
> "He's reading the play like he's watching it in slow motion."
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◆ Second Half — The Real Challenge
To truly test him, the coaches changed everything:
U-9 team switched to an aggressive, physical high press.
Older, stronger kids targeted him specifically.
They tried pushing him, body checking, shoulder challenging.
But Árman had purchased:
every balance trait
every stability skill
every physical coordination attribute
He absorbed impacts without losing the ball.
He kept dribbling.
He kept passing.
He kept scoring.
He wasn't playing like a 7-year-old.
He wasn't playing like a 9-year-old either.
He was playing like a prime Ballon d'Or candidate in a child's body.
---
◆ Final Whistle
Score: 14–1.
Árman:
9 goals
4 assists
1 magical long-ball pass that created an own goal
100% dribble success
0 mistakes
Did all this while staying calm and emotionless
As he walked off the pitch, silence followed him.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
Not disbelief.
Awe. Absolute awe.
Rafael approached him.
Rafael:
"Árman… starting tomorrow, you're going straight into the U-11 mixed training rotation."
Árman nodded, completely unfazed.
Árman:
"I expected that. I'm ready."
He walked toward his cousins, who were hyping him up like he was already a superstar.
And in a way…
He was.
At seven years old, Árman Azevedo was already becoming a legend.