August 2007.
Ho-young's debut became a hot topic.
It wasn't just Spain. Football fans around the world were watching closely.
Even though it wasn't the first division, keywords like "youngest," "Real Madrid," and "World Cup" made it a major story.
Some said he was following in the footsteps of Fabregas, who had signed a professional contract with Arsenal right after turning 16, following his breakout performance in the 2003 U-17 World Cup.
The media buzzed every day.
Especially the Marca tabloid, which focused heavily on Real Madrid, was filled with articles:
[Ho-young expected to debut in Segunda División on August 25.]
["Proud to be the youngest debutant," says Ho-young.]
[Real Madrid board warns Atlético Madrid to stay away from Ho-young.]
[Pérez: "We will never let Ho-young go." A strong warning to the Premier League.]
[Zidane names Ho-young as the top prospect of the year.]
[Last month, Ho-young secretly trained with Ronaldo.]
[Ho-young shared two out of three daily meals with Ronaldo.]
Marca even dug into his personal life, showing how deep the media's fascination ran.
Fans of other clubs criticized it as Pérez's blatant "star-making," but the attention wasn't unwarranted.
It was rare for a 14-year-old to debut as a professional footballer. There were barely five such cases worldwide.
A prominent Marca columnist, writing under the pen name La Saeta Rubia, compared Ho-young to other young talents.
[Watching Ho-young reminds me of the American "Pele," Freddy Adu. He scored a hat-trick in the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Cup at the age of 14 and signed with a U.S. pro team three years ago.
But Adu failed to adapt to the ever-evolving world of football and fell out of the prospect rankings. Cases like this are more common than you'd think.
So Ho-young must stay away from complacency. And Pérez, who is promoting him as Real Madrid's secret weapon, must protect him.
He still has a long way to go, but Ho-young's strides are getting longer every day.]
Expectations skyrocketed after it was revealed that Ronaldo had joined Zidane in tutoring him.
It all came to a head on Saturday, August 25.
The day of the season opener, Ho-young's media interview pushed anticipation to its peak.
Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano.
Inside the underground press room.
"Football fans everywhere are watching. Will you break the record for youngest appearance in the Segunda División today?"
"I can't guarantee anything. But I spent the preseason preparing intensely for this day. If I get the chance, I won't disappoint."
Ho-young replied with confidence.
For someone who had only been in Spain for a year and a half, his Spanish was fluent.
The reporter continued.
"If you play today, you could break several records. Which one would you most like to beat?"
The records within reach included youngest appearance, youngest goal, youngest multi-goal match, and youngest hat-trick.
Because of the "youngest" theme, the interview focused on records.
But that wasn't what mattered most to Ho-young.
"Records are great, but my goal is to help the team perform well."
He didn't care much about being the youngest in the second division.
What mattered was the result.
Avoiding relegation was essential, and to catch the first-team coach's eye, at least a mid-table finish was required.
"One last question. You've trained with Zidane and now with Ronaldo. Have you noticed any changes in your performance?"
"You'll see for yourself."
The Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano, located in Valdebebas, was Castilla's home stadium and the venue for today's opener.
With a capacity of 6,000 seats, it had locker rooms, the manager's office, and facilities for the press.
It also included a Real Madrid-exclusive TV studio, four TV broadcast booths, and ten radio booths.
There were dedicated areas for commentators and journalists in the stands.
A stadium truly worthy of the name of the legend, Alfredo Di Stéfano.
Inside the home locker room, Ho-young changed into his kit, repeating words of encouragement to himself.
You can do it.
Now show them.
Suddenly, the locker room he'd used for the past month felt different.
Maybe it was the air conditioning.
A chill crept down his spine.
Right then.
"Attention."
Coach Mandía entered the locker room after final checks in his office.
He rubbed his sharp jawline, then shook the tactics board in his hand.
It was the day's starting lineup.
A moment more tense than usual.
Mandía began to speak.
"Adán, Díaz, Mateos, Torres, Guillén, Tebar, Vázquez, Gorka, Bueno, Ho-young, Callejón. Get ready."
A 4-2-3-1 formation made up of ten Spanish players.
At the heart of it stood Ho-young, wearing number 43.
At 11:30 a.m., an hour before kickoff, the match coordinator went into overdrive.
Both teams had just submitted their official lineups for the opener.
This information was quickly uploaded to the Segunda División website and reported in real-time by the media.
[Round 1 Season Opener: Ho-young makes starting debut. Castilla confirms lineup. Breaks youngest appearance record.]
Immediately, a major shift occurred.
Only 70 percent of seats had been sold, but in just one hour, the stadium was sold out and packed with fans.
Many spectators had been looking for something to enjoy before the first division's evening kickoff.
When news of Ho-young's selection broke, it brought them straight to Valdebebas.
This was a historic moment.
People who had never watched a second division match came to see just how good the 14-year-old hyped by the media over the past year and a half really was.
All eyes turned to the scoreboard.
Suddenly, camera flashes filled the air.
[Numero 43, Hoyoung Woo!]
"Oh! There he is!"
"That's the kid everyone's talking about?"
"Haha. Who would've thought our team would break the youngest player record in Segunda?"
"And he's Asian too. That's what shocks me even more."
"Let's see what Pérez has been raising all this time."
As match time approached, the excitement in the crowd grew.
It reached a fever pitch when the voices from the broadcast booth rang out.
[Hello, viewers. Real Madrid Castilla is preparing for the season opener here at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano. Their opponent is Deportivo Alavés.]
[Alavés, based in Vitoria in the Basque region, finished last season just above Castilla at 17th place. As the home team, Castilla should be confident today.]
[That's right. And we can't forget to mention this. Today, Ho-young is set to break the league's youngest appearance record.]
[Exactly. Manager Mandía, newly appointed this season, has pulled out his secret weapon in the very first match. A non-Spanish, Asian player is debuting at the professional level. And at just 14 years and 40 days old!]
As the commentary reached its peak, the players from both teams walked out onto the pitch.
Every eye in the crowd turned to Ho-young.
As expected from passionate Spanish fans, he was greeted with roaring cheers.
"Show us what you've got, kid!"
"Break the youngest scoring record too!"
These were die-hard Real Madrid supporters.
After handshakes between the two teams, the 22 players took their positions on the field.
Castilla's starting formation was a 4-2-3-1.
Ho-young played as the central attacking midfielder, also given a free role. He would be the key link in the team's attacking build-up.
Despite being the youngest on the team by five years, the expectations and responsibility on him were the greatest.
"Whew."
His shoulders felt impossibly heavy.
But it wasn't pressure. It was breathless excitement.
He loved this feeling.
It had taken five years to get here.
He had acquired and absorbed the talents of others, making them his own.
There had been blood, sweat, and support from many people.
Now it was time to show the results.
Today, here.
In the stadium bearing the name of the legend Di Stéfano, he was determined to become a legend himself.
He was ready to unleash every ounce of talent he had.
Pweeep!
The match kicked off.
At the same time, the record for the youngest player in Segunda División history was rewritten.
Ho-young's accomplishment, at just 14 years and 40 days old.
[The game has begun. Castilla, playing from the left, lines up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Today marks not only Ho-young's debut, but also Coach Mandía's first match. What tactics has he prepared?]
[There's a lot to consider. Even though Mandía served as tactical coach for Juvenil A for two years, there were significant roster changes at Castilla this year. The key will be how well the team's chemistry has been built.]
Mandía had many concerns when he first heard about Ho-young's promotion.
Though capable of managing various systems, using a special player like Ho-young meant he had to think even harder about tactics.
It was a matter of respect for the player and part of his football philosophy.
But there wasn't enough time to build a perfect tactical system.
As Real Madrid's second team, Castilla constantly experienced roster changes, leaving little time for cohesion.
Just one month.
Too short a time to establish a solid team identity.
Even so, Mandía managed to implement a reasonably effective tactical plan.
The system was called WC.
An offensive setup centered on attacking midfielder Ho-young and lone striker Callejón.
The core of the system was Ho-young.
The free role was given for that very reason.
This made Castilla essentially a one-man team, its performance hinging on Ho-young's form.
The assistant coach worried it was too much to expect from such a young player, but Mandía disagreed.
From what he had seen over the past month, Ho-young was more than capable.
Besides, there had been discreet instructions from Pérez.
That also meant the team's identity was clear.
Ho-young's youthful energy.
Stamina and relentless movement were the foundation.
His passion was undeniable.
The only question was his skill.
Mandía believed that if he had all three, results would follow.
And Ho-young began to prove that with his play.
Barely five minutes into the match, the crowd erupted with deafening cheers that echoed across the pitch.
The commentators were just as animated, shouting into their microphones with veins bulging.
All eyes focused on one spot.
A boy in a white jersey.
His artistic dribbling left everyone stunned.
Team chemistry?
Of course, a well-oiled system requires chemistry.
But when an individual surpasses the team's overall capability, it might not be a necessary factor.
The stadium shook.
(To be continued.)