CHAPTER 46 — "Sharpening the Blade"
Date: March 20, 2020
Árman Azvedo — Age: 10
Location: São Paulo FC Training Complex
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Morning — Day Two in U-15
The early sun cast a golden glow across the vast São Paulo FC training grounds.
Even at 7:30 a.m., the U-15 squad room buzzed with chatter and clattering cleats.
But when Árman entered, everything paused for half a second.
He bowed his head politely with a soft, "Bom dia,"
his silky white hair glowing in the overhead light—
and the older boys' respect increased visibly.
Not awe.
Not fear.
Just respect.
Yesterday he had proven himself through performance, not attitude.
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Warm-Up — Movement Efficiency Test
Coach Carvalho clapped his hands sharply.
"Meninos! Dynamic warm-up. Full intensity. Today is about consistency."
The warm-up consisted of:
High knees
Lateral shuffles
Sprint bursts
Coordinated footwork ladder
Acceleration/deceleration tests
The squad broke into pairs.
When paired with 15-year-old Leonardo, a defensive midfielder known for his engine, the older boy whispered:
"Kid, you go at your pace. Don't push because of me."
Árman smiled kindly.
"I'll match you. Let's do our best."
Thirty minutes later, Leonardo was panting—
and Árman was breathing normally.
Coach scribbled something privately in his notebook.
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Drill 1 — Advanced Dribbling Transition
Now came a high-level drill usually reserved for U-17:
Three-phase dribble progression:
Phase A:
Take the ball from the left channel under pressure from a defender
→ drive into central lane
→ deliver pass to the attacking midfielder.
Phase B:
Receive return pass
→ immediately accelerate to right channel
→ beat marker using any move
→ cross into box.
Phase C:
Recover loose ball
→ dribble to top of box
→ finish with accuracy.
A brutal test.
Demanding technical, tactical, and physical precision.
One by one, U-15 players struggled.
Then came Árman.
Phase A
The moment he touched the ball, it danced under his feet.
He used a perfect la croqueta, slipped past his marker, rotated his body and released a weight-perfect through pass.
Coaches nodded.
Phase B
Return pass came.
Árman killed it instantly with his instep, used a lightning-fast feint, burst to the right, and delivered a curling cross that bent into the perfect "attacker zone."
Players muttered.
Phase C
Loose ball bounced high.
Árman controlled it with his chest → dropped with a cushioned touch → and struck a clean inside-foot shot into the top-left corner.
Silence.
Assistant Coach Rocha whispered: "Meu Deus… he transitions like a professional winger."
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Drill 2 — Positional Composure Under Press
This drill simulated match pressure:
⚠ Two players press the ball carrier.
⚠ Immediate passing options limited.
⚠ Decision-making must be under 1 second.
Older boys cracked under pressure:
Bad touches
Panicked passes
Turnovers
Árman stepped into the box.
Immediately two defenders charged.
He didn't panic.
He didn't rush.
Instead, he:
angled his body to hide the ball
performed a perfect hook turn
shielded the ball using lower-body strength
slipped between the two pressers using micro-touches
and released a pinpoint pass splitting the defensive line
Coach Carvalho froze.
"This… this is not a child. This is a maestro."
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Drill 3 — Finishing With Limited Space
Half-second windows.
Tight angles.
Minimal run-ups.
Árman's finishing was:
clean
controlled
perfectly balanced
with a pro-level body posture
He alternated between:
✓ knuckleball
✓ inside-curl
✓ driven shot
✓ chipped finish
✓ near-post power
✓ reverse foot curling shot
Goalkeeper Diego shouted:
"É IMPOSSÍVEL, mano! He doesn't miss!"
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Scrimmage — Tactical Showcase
Teams were formed again:
🔴 Red Team (Árman's side)
4-3-3
🔵 Blue Team
4-2-3-1
Kickoff.
Minute 3
Árman receives a pass in midfield.
Two players press him.
Without looking rushed, he spins, slips between both and threads a pass splitting 2 lines.
Commentary-like reactions from players:
"He sees everything!"
"No one reads space like him!"
Minute 7
Árman switches to the right wing.
Receives the ball.
Fakes inside.
Accelerates outside.
Crosses perfectly to the striker → GOAL.
Minute 11
He acts as deep-lying playmaker.
Drops between centre-backs, initiates buildup, changes tempo, guides pressing triggers.
Coach Carvalho stares as if watching a future Ballon d'Or winner.
Minute 15
Defender fouls him hard.
Árman just smiles, dusts off his shorts, and says: "Está tudo bem."
(It's all good.)
Not cocky.
Not angry.
Just kind.
Minute 20
Counterattack.
He dribbles from midfield:
1… 2… 3 players beaten.
Uses body feints, stop-and-go acceleration, perfect balance.
Then—
instead of scoring—
he passes to the open teammate.
GOAL.
Coach whispers: "He always makes the right choice… always."
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Post-Training — Analyst Meeting
Performance stats lit up the screen:
Dribbling success: 100%
Pass accuracy under pressure: 97%
Decision-making time: 0.42 seconds
Stamina index: professional tier
Tactical movement consistency: elite
The analysts were stunned.
"This is not U-15 level.
This isn't U-17 either.
This is pro-level cognition."
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At Home — Dinner Conversation
At the Azvedo mansion, dinner was lively.
Grandma hugged him tightly.
"You trained well today, meu anjo?"
"Yes, Vovó. I worked hard. Everyone was very good."
He spoke like a mature adult trapped inside a child's gentle voice.
His father, Alexandre, ruffled his white hair.
"Proud of you, son."
Árman smiled brightly: "I just want to improve every day… and enjoy football."
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Night — Inside His Dimension
At night, lying in his bed, he whispered:
"System, show me today's performance analysis."
"Good. Tomorrow… I'll be better again."
He didn't seek fame.
He didn't think about being the best.
He simply wanted to get better—quietly, humbly, beautifully.
And the world had no idea what kind of prodigy was growing in Brazil.