The second half ignited right from the whistle.
Robinho, who was supposed to stay up front, quietly dropped into the 1.5 line to receive the ball himself.
Since things weren't going his way, he assigned himself a free role and tried to shift the momentum.
Watching Robinho's movement, Ho-young also took a step back.
'He must be feeling really desperate.'
Ho-young yielded slightly.
He wouldn't back down from an unavoidable confrontation, but this wasn't one of those times.
He didn't want to spark unnecessary conflict.
This, he believed, was the most rational course of action.
Moreover, he didn't stop there. He began to adjust to Robinho's play and continued the game accordingly.
Truthfully, before the first half started, Ho-young had intended to subtly compete for dominance.
But that changed after hearing Carlos's advice.
'We're still on the same team.'
Had this been a training session, he wouldn't have stepped back and would have faced Robinho head-on.
But right now, they were in the middle of a match against Chicago Fire.
Not only was it disrespectful to the fans who had paid good money to attend, but letting emotions take over and causing internal strife would have gone against the very spirit of sportsmanship.
This was what professionalism meant.
'Zidane said it too. Football isn't a talent show.'
That didn't mean he was content to be a supporting actor for Robinho.
Even supporting players could stand in the spotlight.
There was no need to cling to flashy moments.
Skill always shows, regardless of position.
For example, Lev Yashin won the Ballon d'Or as a goalkeeper, and Beckenbauer changed football history as a defender.
Presence could be demonstrated from anywhere on the pitch.
That was when Ho-young's movement began to stand out, and the team's structure started to take shape.
Precisely in the 57th minute.
Ho-young orchestrated a series of short, accurate passes that gradually raised the tempo of the match.
Even fans who didn't know much about football were on the edge of their seats.
A growing tension began to spread across the pitch.
Like the calm before a storm.
Chicago Fire's defensive formation started to shake, players losing shape, creating chaos.
This was the outcome of the buildup and playmaking Ho-young had initiated roughly ten minutes earlier.
A maestro on the pitch.
That title couldn't have been more fitting.
Zidane, operating on the right wing, couldn't help but admire the sight.
'How...'
He couldn't recall teaching anything like that.
What he had taught was a modern style of play, centered on regulating tempo and delivering precise passes.
But Ho-young had gone a step further, displaying classical playmaking based on sharp decision-making.
Calm and precise.
And delivering unexpected key passes at just the right moments. It was excellent.
'Where did he even learn that?'
Zidane rubbed his sharp nose to calm the tremor in his body.
He had shared his unique world of football with Ho-young a year ago, and now the boy had absorbed it and was creating a world of his own.
This kind of style wasn't unprecedented in football history.
However.
'Very few ever pulled it off.'
Di Stéfano, Cruyff, Beckenbauer.
Only legendary players had succeeded with such a style.
Or perhaps they became legends because they succeeded with it.
Zidane felt a surge of desire.
He wanted to help Ho-young further develop his football.
It was extremely creative, yet his experienced eyes could still spot rough edges.
'In situations like that, he should shake off the pressure and push the third line forward to relieve pressure. His play still shows some immaturity.'
His body may have aged, but his eyes were still sharp.
Though his match fitness was fading, experience had broadened his perspective.
What he saw in Ho-young was like a black hole.
An unknown world hiding something deep inside.
He wanted to help draw that out.
The tutoring was long over, but he still felt compelled to guide him.
He hoped he could make great memories before retiring.
As if reading the situation, Zidane began to move more actively, and the pace of the game picked up dramatically.
His movements seemed heavy, but each action was sharp and alive.
That sharpness confused the opposition defenders.
The veteran was far from done, and his presence was a tremendous support for Ho-young.
By drawing the press, Zidane acted as a breakwater, allowing Ho-young to better control the midfield flow.
Like a mother bird delivering food.
In the meantime, Ho-young brought the game under his control.
The passing of the torch from old to new.
Zidane's stage was shifting to Ho-young.
As if following a script, the players moved in sync with Ho-young's intentions.
The match was reaching its climax.
And it ended with a goal from Robinho.
At that moment.
'This is it.'
A tingling sensation shot through Ho-young from head to toe.
Satisfaction.
This was the true reason to play football.
And when that sense of achievement reached the fans, only then could one become the true star.
"Woo! Woo!!"
Starting with a few fans, the stadium began chanting Ho-young's name.
Ironically, hardly anyone mentioned Robinho, who had scored the goal.
Ho-young, who had adjusted to Robinho's play, was now the one shining the brightest.
Bernd Schuster, watching the tense match unfold, whispered under his breath.
'This is more than I expected.'
There were three big takeaways.
First.
'Robinho's movement has been very good.'
Giving himself a free role could have been a risky move, but the results spoke for themselves.
With Chicago Fire's defense already loosened, Robinho's central positioning opened up various attacking routes.
Especially on the flanks, the wingers took flight, leaving Chicago's defenders dizzy from dealing with Callejón and Zidane.
'That's Rob for you.'
That was Schuster's honest impression after watching the second half.
Robinho might have his mental flaws, but when he played well, everything else could be forgiven.
Of course, if it disrupted team chemistry or negatively affected others, that would be a problem. But Robinho wasn't quite at that level.
His football IQ and tactical awareness might not be high, but his monstrous sense and technical ability made him a delight to watch.
Simply put, a once-in-a-decade genius.
'No amount of money could replace a player like him.'
And the second takeaway.
'Ho-young...'
He believed Ho-young was a once-in-a-century genius.
The more Robinho shone in the second half, the more Schuster's eyes were drawn to Ho-young.
Robinho's play might have looked flashy, but it only worked because his teammates supported him.
Most of all, Ho-young.
He was the one making sacrifices to let Robinho shine.
'He's accommodating Robinho's drop into the 1.5 line.'
Robinho might have been finishing the plays, but Ho-young was the one making them possible.
In that sense, the real protagonist today was Ho-young.
'Scoring a lot doesn't automatically make you the star.'
Just like how Thierry Henry, despite scoring countless goals for France, could never step out of Zidane's shadow.
It was the same with Ho-young and Robinho.
Either way, Ho-young was the main act.
Schuster was truly impressed.
'He takes a step back, then secures the outcome for himself...'
In truth, Schuster had hoped the two would clash more.
But Ho-young had clearly chosen to avoid it.
At first, he thought it might be out of fear.
Then he wondered, was it just consideration?
But it was neither.
'That's cunning football.'
That was how Schuster saw it.
Ho-young was compensating for Robinho's superior technical skills with his mental strength.
'Having Zidane as his mentor was a stroke of genius.'
It was the first time Schuster had seen such clear results from a tutoring program.
Now he understood why President Pérez and Lucci were so obsessed with tutoring last year.
And the third takeaway.
Today, Schuster had played Robinho as a striker to experiment with new combinations, and he found an unexpected gem.
The chemistry between Zidane and Ho-young.
It was a sensational pairing.
Almost reminiscent of the shocking duo Zlatan and Adriano had formed last year.
'If refined properly, it could work in La Liga too. As long as both can play full matches together...'
One was too young, the other too old.
If that gap could be addressed, they could be regular starters, not just backups.
'I can't wait for the season to start.'
But the surprises didn't end there.
As time passed, Ho-young's play continued to ripen, gradually outshining Robinho.
Robinho remained potent.
With footwork like a slithering viper, he dazzled defenders and struck decisively whenever the chance came.
He scored three goals just in the second half.
But the ones enabling him were Zidane and Ho-young, and by the 85th minute, Ho-young began to change his playstyle.
Like a chameleon.
He started showing on-the-ball ability that rivaled Robinho.
His dribbling and flair didn't match Robinho's, but his ball control and burst speed were on another level.
That was natural. Ho-young's true strength wasn't his mentality, but his on-the-ball play powered by insane speed.
It wasn't that he couldn't show it. He just hadn't needed to until now.
He was saving it for the right moment.
And now was that moment.
[Ho-young! He's on the move! Exploiting the gaps in the stretched defense for a sudden break!]
[One defender down! Two! They fall like leaves in the wind!]
That moment from his first encounter with Ronaldo.
What Ronaldo had shown in training back then, Ho-young was now replicating.
As if to say, this is how you take control.
Smack!
With impossible ball speed, Ho-young even bypassed the goalkeeper and calmly slotted the ball into the empty net.
The crowd erupted with cheers and applause.
But Ho-young stayed quiet.
He silently crossed the pitch and ran toward Zidane.
Then he pointed a finger at him.
The crowd's eyes shifted in that direction.
Their image was projected onto the giant screen.
Zidane furrowed his brow, while Ho-young stood before him, dimples forming at the corners of his mouth.
In the corner of the screen, Robinho was standing alone in the distance.
Ho-young's eyes turned toward him.
[Robinho]
[Possessed Talents: Dribbling Virtuoso (T), Foot Skills of the Dribbling Virtuoso (U), Fantastical Dribbling (S+3)]
(More...)
(You can acquire one talent upon satisfying the required conditions.)
(Tier-T talents partially grant sensory mastery. Can only be acquired after turning 18.)
(S-tier and above require hidden conditions.)
(Condition 1: Train together for 300 minutes.)
(Condition 2: Play a match on the same team.)
(Condition 3: Score in a match while on the same team.)
(Condition 4: Win a match while on the same team.)
(Hidden condition: Unlocked after acquiring at least one talent.)
Robinho's U-tier talent.
'I'll be able to acquire it after today's match.'
Even though it was an unofficial game, he had gained a lot from it.
Most importantly, in terms of experience.
Especially on the mental side, he had learned a lot.
What it means to play for the team.
What it means to be a true professional.
'We are footballers.'
Just as that thought crossed his mind.
[Strong Professionalism (A+)]
"Ah…"
His emotions surged.
A second talent awakening, following Fighting Spirit.
This was the step toward becoming a true professional.
Watching him in silence, Robinho found himself lost in thought.
"…"
Known for his boldness and ability to perform freely regardless of the opponent, Robinho had shown none of that in the second half.
Despite scoring more than anyone, he failed to leave a real impact.
It was supposed to be his performance, but someone else took the spotlight.
"Damn it…"
A short while later.
Tweet—
The final whistle blew.
The scoreboard showed 7-1, a baseball-like score.
The winner: Real Madrid.
With 3 goals and 1 assist, Robinho was selected as Man of the Match by the organizers and attended the interview.
He had no real impact, but his goal tally earned him the award.
And with an awkward expression, he gave his sincere thoughts on the match.
(To be continued.)