Chapter 73 – Whispers of Lisbon
The morning sun rose slowly over Penedono, painting the sky in pale gold. The streets of the village were quiet, broken only by the sounds of roosters crowing and the distant chatter of neighbors beginning their day. For Jota, however, the peace of the morning did little to calm the storm inside him.
He had heard the whispers after their last victory—rumors spreading like wildfire across small towns.
> "There's a boy from Penedono. Young, small, but he plays like he's touched by the gods."
Now, for the first time since his rebirth, Jota felt the weight of attention returning. It wasn't the same as the roar of a packed stadium, but in these murmurs, he heard opportunity.
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At the small training field, Coach Manuel gathered the boys. His expression was firm, but his eyes glimmered with something close to pride.
