CHAPTER 45 — "First Day in U-15: Mastery in Motion"
Date: March 19, 2020
Árman Azvedo — Age: 10
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Morning — Arrival at the São Paulo U-15 Training Ground
The sun rose over the sprawling training complex in São Paulo.
Today marked Árman Azvedo's first official training with the U-15 squad, and while everyone expected a talented kid, nobody was prepared for what they were about to witness.
The squad was warming up:
Passing drills
Dribbling courses
Tactical positioning exercises
Head Coach Carvalho eyed Árman skeptically:
"10 years old, stepping into U-15… let's see what he can do."
Árman walked onto the pitch quietly, his silky white hair catching the sunlight.
He greeted everyone politely:
"Bom dia, everyone. I'll do my best."
The senior players—14 and 15-year-olds—smirked slightly.
They assumed the kid would be overwhelmed.
They were about to be proven wrong.
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⚽ First Drill — Ball Control & Dribbling
Coach called the players for a dynamic dribbling course:
Cones set 1.5 meters apart in zig-zag formation
Ball control under pressure
Timed execution with passing sequences
Árman stepped up.
The ball seemed glued to his feet.
Every touch was precise.
His body moved naturally, balancing acceleration and deceleration with perfect posture.
Even under simulated pressure from older players, he shielded the ball effortlessly.
Coach Carvalho's voice broke the silence:
"Stop… what? How is this possible?"
Assistant Coach whispered:
"He's only ten… his coordination, ball control… unbelievable."
Árman finished the drill flawlessly in half the expected time, leaving older players struggling to keep up.
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🔄 Passing & Tactical Awareness Drill
Next up: positional passing exercise
Players spread across the field
Quick one-touch passing
Positioning, movement off the ball, and communication were tested
Árman scanned the field.
He predicted teammates' movement.
He read opponents' intentions before they even touched the ball.
Every pass was perfectly weighted, angled to allow a one-touch continuation.
Every run was calculated, making him a constant threat without needing the ball.
Older players began whispering:
"Who… is this kid?"
"He's seeing the field like a coach."
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🔥 Shooting & Finishing Drill
Then came the shooting practice:
Penalty boxes filled with cones
Defenders simulated in front
Precision shots at different angles
Árman:
Adjusted his body posture to generate perfect curve and power
Alternated between driven shots and finesse shots
Every strike was precise, consistently on target
Goalkeeper was left scrambling multiple times, astonished by the accuracy and variety.
Coach Carvalho muttered:
"10 years old… unbelievable technique."
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⚡ Small-Sided Game — 5v5 Scrimmage
The real test: mini match with U-15 players
Árman played in a central attacking position
Opponents tried to press him
Teammates positioned themselves around him
He dribbled past one, two, three defenders effortlessly.
Every pass split the defense.
Every shot forced the keeper to dive.
Every run opened space for his teammates.
He didn't show arrogance.
He passed when better positioned teammates were available.
He celebrated others' goals more than his own.
Leadership without ego.
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📊 Coach Analysis During Scrimmage
Coach Carvalho and assistants took notes:
Spatial awareness: extraordinary
Decision-making: instantaneous, perfect
Passing accuracy: 98% under pressure
Dribbling success rate: unmatched
Tactical intelligence: beyond age 15
Composure: calm, unshakable under challenge
Assistant Coach murmured:
"If he develops physically for another 3–5 years, he could rival any pro in the world."
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🛡 Defensive Drill & Stamina
Árman then participated in defensive drills:
Pressing
Tackling
Blocking passing lanes
Reading opponent movement
Even defenders noticed: he anticipated runs, intercepted passes without diving recklessly, and recycled possession smoothly.
Then stamina drills:
Shuttle sprints
Repeated high-intensity runs
Recovery sprints
He finished without visible fatigue.
Older players gasped.
Coaches double-checked the results.
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💡 Tactical Briefing
Post-training, the team gathered around for a tactical session:
Set-pieces
Corner strategies
Counter-attacking patterns
Formation awareness (4-3-3, 4-2-3-1)
Árman absorbed every word, then asked subtle questions:
"If they press high, what's the safest transition?"
"If we switch wings, can we exploit the open half-space?"
Coaches were impressed: even theoretical understanding surpassed most U-17 players.
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🏆 End of Day — Reflection & Cooldown
After training, Árman performed cooldown exercises:
Stretching
Passing accuracy under low intensity
Mental visualization
He reviewed every movement, every pattern, like a master studying an ancient art.
When he returned home, his father asked:
"How was it?"
Árman smiled softly:
"Good, Dada. Everyone worked hard. I learned a lot too."
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🌙 Night — Private Dimension
Before sleep, he entered his dimension:
Reviewed all skills purchased for football
Activated merge and synthesis to mentally rehearse new combinations
Visualized every tactical scenario, every opponent type, every formation
The system confirmed:
{Master, all football skills are integrated. Your understanding exceeds training experience.}
Árman closed his eyes:
"Tomorrow… I improve again."
Calm. Humble. Focused.
Ten years old.
Mastering football.
Still a kind, gentle child.