CHAPTER 38 — HALF A YEAR LATER (Age 8)
Arman Azvedo — Silent Leader of U-12 & Rising Global Child Model
Half a year flowed by in a way only childhood can — fast, bright, and full of growth.
Arman, now 8 years old, was no longer the "tiny 7-year-old promoted early."
He was still smaller than the others, yes — but in U-12, something had shifted.
He wasn't the mascot.
He wasn't the prodigy kid.
He had become
the calm center of the entire team.
Not through shouting.
Not through ego.
Never through arrogance.
Just through football.
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🏟️ On the Pitch — U-12 Silent General
1. Training Presence
Older kids looked at him differently now.
When he arrived, a couple of the boys always shouted:
"Captainzinho is here!"
"Let's gooo — Arman time!"
He wasn't captain — officially.
But in every drill, every rondo, every match simulation…
Arman dictated tempo.
Slow when the team panicked
Fast when the other side slept
Direct when they needed fire
Calm when they needed breath
Coaches noticed the pattern:
Whenever Arman touched the ball, the entire team reorganized.
Whenever Arman gave a quiet "here," players moved naturally around him.
Whenever he lifted his hand, defenders spread out as if pulled by invisible strings.
He wasn't bossing them around.
He was leading by presence, something incredibly rare at any age — let alone 8.
Coach Paulo once whispered to the academy director:
> "We have older kids with louder voices.
But only Arman can make eleven boys play like they share one brain."
And he did it all while smiling shyly, saying "good job" to everyone, and helping the youngest boys feel included.
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⚽ Game Style — The Evolving Weapon
Arman didn't rely on strength .
He relied on:
Body feints sharper than older teens
Ball control like silk
Passing vision so advanced even U-15 coaches whispered about him
A mind that processed spacing in real time
Older defenders stopped trying to bully him.
It didn't work — he'd disappear with one turn.
Midfielders stopped testing him physically.
He'd absorb the pressure and release perfect passes.
Even opposing coaches asked:
"Who trained this kid? A pro?"
The players of U-12 started naturally drifting to his rhythm.
He was the heartbeat.
The silent general.
At 8.
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📸 Meanwhile… His Modelling Career Exploded
Despite training almost every day, Arman never dropped his modeling hobby.
He enjoyed it.
He liked the lights, the outfits, the silly poses the photographers taught him.
He liked watching the crew smile when he nailed the shot.
In Six Months:
• 19 Brand Shoots
Including two major European kids' fashion houses.
• 3 International Campaigns
Spain, Portugal, France.
• 1 Brazil-wide billboard run
For a clothing brand that nearly melted Instagram the day his photos dropped.
• Magazine Features
Two editorials.
One cover.
• Social Media Growth
From 1.2 million → 6.3 million followers.
He became the #1 most-followed child model in Latin America.
The Wow Factor?
Everywhere Arman went — airports, malls, restaurants — people whispered.
"That's the boy with the golden eyes."
"The insanely beautiful kid model."
"He plays football too—my nephew says he's a genius."
But Arman never boasted.
He never flaunted.
On set, he listened.
He thanked everyone — stylists, assistants, even security guards.
He posed perfectly.
He smiled beautifully.
He captured hearts without ever trying.
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🏫 School Life (Age 8)
Arman matched everything:
Top grades
Best in academics
Best in sports
Loved by teachers
Popular with classmates
But his humility anchored him.
He spent recesses with friends, not bragging about modelling or football.
He helped Emilia with homework.
Played tag with Thiago.
Talked anime with Lorenzo.
Normal kid.
Extraordinary talent.
Unmatched kindness.
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A late evening in his room.
Arman sits by his window, legs dangling, looking at the quiet São Paulo skyline.
Tomorrow is a friendly match.
Another test.
Another chance to grow.
He closes his eyes, calm and confident.
Not because he is arrogant…
…but because deep inside, he knows:
> "I'll become the best in the world.
And I'll do it my way."