Three days after England's victory over Germany, as Cruyff prepared for the Netherlands match that would secure European Championship qualification, his phone rang with a number he didn't recognize. The voice on the other end was crisp and professional.
"Good afternoon, Cruyff. This is Liam Brady from Arsenal Football Club. I'm the head of youth development and academy."
[Major Development: Contact from Arsenal's academy director]
[Timing: Following exceptional international performances]
[Significance: Dream club making concrete approach]
Cruyff's heart stopped. Liam Brady—a former Arsenal legend who now oversaw the club's youth development. This wasn't a casual inquiry; this was Arsenal making their move.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Brady. I... wasn't expecting your call."
"I've been watching your development very closely, as have several of our scouts. Your performance against Germany was exceptional, but more than that, we see a player who understands football the way Arsenal play football."
Brady paused, and Cruyff could hear papers rustling in the background.
"I'm calling because we'd like you to visit Arsenal. To train with our academy, meet our coaches, and see if there's a possibility for your future with us. Arsène has seen the reports and is very interested in meeting you personally."
[Arsenal Approach: Formal invitation through proper channels]
[Wenger Interest: Manager aware and interested but approached professionally]
[Opportunity: Chance to prove himself at dream club]
"When would you want me to visit?" Cruyff asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"After your England matches, when you're finished with this qualification campaign. We understand you have commitments to your national team first."
The professionalism and respect in Brady's approach was typical of everything Cruyff had heard about Arsenal's way of doing business. No pressure, no ultimatums, just a clear expression of interest and an invitation to explore possibilities.
"What about Forest? I have a contract there, and they've been incredible in my development."
"We'd need to speak with Forest if things progress well. They're a good club, they've developed you beautifully. But sometimes a player needs to move to the next level to continue growing. That's something Arsène believes very strongly."
[Contract Situation: Acknowledgment of Forest's role and potential complications]
[Development Philosophy: Wenger's influence on club approach to youth development]
The conversation continued for ten minutes, with Brady explaining Arsenal's approach to young player development, their current squad situation, and what they saw in Cruyff's playing style that appealed to them.
"You create chances, yes, but you also understand when not to create chances. You know when to be patient, when to be urgent. This is very rare in young players, and exactly what Arsène looks for."
[Tactical Assessment: Arsenal recognizing mature decision-making]
[Wenger Influence: Manager's philosophy reflected in scouting decisions]
After ending the call, Cruyff sat in his England residence room, trying to process what had just happened. Arsenal—his ultimate goal from the very beginning of this journey—had just made contact through Liam Brady. Not in six months or a year, but now. And Brady had mentioned that Wenger himself was interested in meeting him.
But the timing created immediate complications. The Netherlands match was in two days, England's qualification campaign was at a crucial stage, and he had commitments to Forest that couldn't be ignored.
[Timing Challenges: Balancing immediate commitments with future opportunities]
[Pressure Management: Maintaining focus despite major distraction]
Mike Johnson knocked on his door an hour later.
"Everything alright? You looked distracted during the team meeting."
Cruyff made a quick decision about honesty. Johnson deserved to know if one of his key players was dealing with major distractions.
"Arsenal just called. Liam Brady from their academy. They want me to visit after the qualifiers."
Johnson's eyebrows rose, but his expression remained professional. "How do you feel about that?"
"Excited. Terrified. Overwhelmed. It's what I've been working toward, but I wasn't expecting it to happen so quickly."
[Support System: International coach providing guidance during difficult decision]
"My advice?" Johnson said. "Focus on the Netherlands match first. You've got a responsibility to this team and this qualification campaign. Everything else can wait 48 hours."
It was exactly the right guidance. Whatever happened with Arsenal, Cruyff's immediate priority had to be securing England's European Championship qualification.
[Professional Priorities: International duties taking precedence over club considerations]
The Netherlands match at De Hoge Veluwe Stadium two days later carried the weight of both team ambitions and personal demonstration. Win, and England would qualify for the European Championships. Perform well individually, and Cruyff would justify Arsenal's interest while enhancing his reputation further.
Netherlands arrived with their own collection of highly-rated prospects from Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord. Like Germany, they represented the kind of elite youth international opposition that provided the most accurate measurement of individual ability.
[Match Context: Qualification decider against top-level European opposition]
[Personal Stakes: Performing under Arsenal's watching eyes]
Johnson named Cruyff as captain for the match—a recognition of his leadership during the Germany victory and his growing influence within the squad.
"You've shown you can handle pressure," Johnson explained during the team meeting. "Today, I need you to help everyone else handle it too."
[Captaincy: Ultimate recognition of leadership development]
[Responsibility: Guiding team through crucial qualification match]
From the opening whistle, the match had a different intensity than the Germany encounter. Netherlands pressed aggressively but with more technical sophistication, looking to win possession in advanced areas and create quick chances through their superior individual skill.
England's approach was necessarily more cautious—they needed only a draw to qualify, but they also couldn't afford to sit back and absorb pressure for ninety minutes against such technical opponents.
[Tactical Balance: Managing qualification requirements with performance expectations]
Cruyff's first significant contribution came in the eighteenth minute when Netherlands won possession in England's defensive third and began building a dangerous attack. Their playmaker received the ball in space and looked to thread a pass behind England's defense.
But Cruyff had anticipated the movement, dropping back to cover space and making a crucial interception that broke up what could have been a clear scoring opportunity.
[Defensive Leadership: Taking responsibility for team's defensive balance]
[Tactical Intelligence: Reading dangerous situations before they develop]
The breakthrough that put England ahead came in the thirty-fourth minute through a moment that perfectly captured Cruyff's development as both creator and captain.
Netherlands had been dominating possession, but their aggressive pressing had left them vulnerable to quick transitions. When England's center-back won a header from a Netherlands corner, the ball fell to Cruyff just inside his own half.
Instead of playing the safe pass backwards or sideways, Cruyff immediately assessed the counter-attacking possibilities. Netherlands had six players committed forward, leaving space for England to exploit.
But rather than attempting the spectacular through ball that might have been intercepted, Cruyff made a captain's decision. He played a simple pass to Josh Taylor and immediately began organizing England's forward movement.
"Josh, wide right! Danny, overlap! Marco, central run!"
His instructions were clear and immediate, turning what could have been a hopeful punt forward into a coordinated attacking move.
[Leadership In Action: Organizing team movement during crucial transition]
[Tactical Maturity: Choosing team success over individual highlights]
The move developed perfectly. Taylor's pass found the overlapping fullback, whose cross was met by the striker Cruyff had directed into the central position. The header was powerful and accurate, giving Netherlands' goalkeeper no chance.
1-0 to England.
[Assist: Third-phase contribution through tactical organization]
[Captain's Performance: Leading through intelligent decision-making]
Netherlands' response was immediate and intense. They increased their pressing, became more direct in their approach, and began to test England's defensive discipline more rigorously.
The next thirty minutes were perhaps the most demanding of Cruyff's international career. Netherlands created several excellent chances, their technical ability in tight spaces was exceptional, and their crowd began to generate the kind of atmosphere that could intimidate even experienced players.
But England held firm, with Cruyff playing a crucial role in both maintaining defensive shape and providing the calm passing that allowed his team to relieve pressure when necessary.
[Complete Captain's Performance: Leading in all phases of play under maximum pressure]
In the seventy-third minute, he created England's best chance of the second half with a perfectly weighted pass that put Taylor through on goal, only for Netherlands' goalkeeper to make a brilliant save.
In the eighty-first minute, his sliding tackle in England's penalty area prevented what looked like a certain Netherlands equalizer, earning him a yellow card but preserving England's lead.
[Sacrifice For Team: Taking booking to prevent crucial goal]
[Leadership Example: Putting team success above individual record]
The final whistle brought scenes of celebration that confirmed England's qualification for the European Championships. But for Cruyff, walking off the pitch as captain of a successful qualification campaign, the satisfaction was tempered by the knowledge that major decisions about his future lay ahead.
[Achievement: Captain of England team that qualified for European Championships]
[Success: Leading team to major tournament qualification]
[Future Uncertainty: Arsenal decision approaching rapidly]
Johnson's post-match comments reflected his satisfaction with both the result and Cruyff's captaincy.
"Outstanding leadership today. He showed maturity beyond his years, made crucial contributions in both boxes, and helped the entire team handle the pressure of a qualification match."
[Recognition: International coach praising leadership under pressure]
As England celebrated their qualification in the changing room, Cruyff's phone buzzed with a text message that made his heart race:
*"Congratulations on the qualification. You showed exactly the kind of leadership we look for at Arsenal. Looking forward to welcoming you next week. - LB"*
[Arsenal Follow-up: Immediate response to successful international performance]
[Timeline: Decision point arriving faster than expected]
The path back to Arsenal was no longer a distant dream—it was a concrete possibility that required immediate attention. But first, he had to return to Forest and handle the situation with the professionalism that had characterized his entire journey so far.
[Next Challenge: Managing club situation while exploring Arsenal opportunity]
[Character Test: Handling success and opportunity with integrity]
Tomorrow would bring conversations with Clarke, with Forest's board, and with his own conscience about the right way to pursue his ultimate goal while respecting the club that had made it all possible.
***
Sorry y'all I wanted to stock pile chapters for a while for my upcoming exams.
But here it is!