The cold morning breeze of Utrecht brushed against my skin as I stepped onto the training pitch. My body still felt heavy from yesterday's match—maybe from the intensity, or maybe from the sudden attention that came with it. But slowly, I could feel the morning adrenaline waking me up.
"Morning, Richard," Coach Bram greeted before blowing the whistle for warm-up.
"Morning, Coach," I replied while stretching my arms.
Today wasn't a full training session. De Vries scheduled a recovery week—but De Vries' version still meant: half recovery, half testing whether I still deserved to compete.
The players gathered, some still complaining about sore muscles. On the small stands facing the pitch… something caught my eye.
Two kids were sitting side by side, their legs dangling because the bench was too high for them. One had messy blond hair and a red hoodie. The other had slightly tan skin, dark hair, and wore an FC Utrecht scarf.
Ivar and Justin.
The two kids who watched my second match yesterday.
Justin, the 13-year-old, looked more expressive, pointing at the pitch while talking nonstop.
Ivar—12, much quieter—was focused on us, his eyes analyzing like he was studying a formation.
I couldn't help but smile. They actually came again.
---
Evaluation Begins
"Everyone, gather!" De Vries' voice echoed.
We formed a half circle.
"Today isn't heavy training. We're evaluating yesterday's match, then some light transitions. But…"
His eyes fell on me.
"…I want to see if Richard can maintain the same tempo and stability after a good performance."
I nodded. No pressure was bigger than increased expectations.
"Richard, you join Group A—focus on transitions, short combinations, and recovery movements."
Group A was the core-player group. That was already a sign of trust.
From the stands, Justin shouted, "Richard's in the core group!"
Ivar only smiled faintly, but his eyes sparkled.
---
Transition & Recovery
We did quick-passing in a diamond pattern. The ball moved one-two-one-two, fast but light. The focus wasn't extreme speed—it was on clean touches and proper positioning.
"Richard, watch your timing."
De Vries stood beside me, hands behind his back.
I adjusted my steps, syncing with the others.
Tap—my pass was back on point.
"Good. That's what I meant."
A tiny compliment like that felt like gold coming from De Vries.
From the stands, I heard Justin again, "Hey Ivar, look! Richard's first touch is clean!"
Ivar nodded slowly, still analyzing.
"Ball control like that requires instinct sensitivity… not just practice," he muttered, loud enough to hear.
I blinked. A 12-year-old speaking like a pro analyst?
---
Light Internal Match
Next, De Vries split us into two teams for an 8v8 mini internal match.
I was placed with the red team alongside three first-team U18 starters. Our opponents were the blue team, a mixed lineup but still competitive.
"Richard, you're the playmaker today. I want to see your distribution," De Vries said before the whistle.
Playmaker. The word alone pumped me with energy.
The match began.
I dropped slightly deeper, receiving the ball from the back. With a quick glance, I saw space open on the left.
Tap!
A precise long pass flew to our winger.
"Nice!" Bram called from the sideline.
The attack flowed smoothly. Pass after pass, tempo controlled. Light match or not, the mental intensity stayed high.
Five minutes later, I received the ball again in midfield. A defender pressed.
I turned once, then slipped a quick short pass to the striker.
One-two.
Returned to me.
I drove forward a bit—then slid a through-pass into the left half-space.
A goal came seconds later.
Justin jumped from his seat.
"YESS! Assist from Richard!"
Ivar didn't shout. He gripped his scarf tightly instead.
His expression… it was like seeing a little brother truly proud of you.
The warmth in my chest surprised me.
---
De Vries' Analysis Session
The mini-game ended. We were asked to sit by the sidelines.
De Vries held a tablet, reviewing match clips.
"Richard," he said while pointing at the screen, "your passing vision is good. But at minute thirteen, you were late in creating a cover shadow. In Dutch leagues, a mistake like that can be fatal."
I nodded seriously.
"But overall… you're progressing fast. Your tempo suits the U18 style now."
Behind me, I heard Narten exhale sharply—annoyed that I was receiving praise again.
"Full training tomorrow," De Vries continued. "Be ready."
"I'm ready, Coach," I replied.
From the stands, Justin whispered, "Richard is so serious, huh…"
Ivar added quietly, "That's how someone who's going to move up plays."
I smiled a little without turning around.
---
After Training
As everyone packed up, I walked toward the stands. The two kids were still sitting there, as if waiting.
Justin noticed me first.
"Richard!" he waved.
Ivar stood more slowly, clutching his scarf. "Hello…"
I ruffled Justin's hair. "You guys watched again?"
Justin nodded fast. "Yeah! Ivar dragged me here."
Ivar lowered his head, cheeks turning red. "I… like your playstyle. Even though you're new to Utrecht U18… you're different."
I froze for a second. A kid this young speaking like this?
"Thanks," I said sincerely. "You guys coming all the way just to watch… that's cool."
Justin nudged Ivar.
"See? Just talk normally!"
Ivar shook his head shyly.
I crouched to match their height.
"Do you two play as well?"
Justin raised a proud thumbs-up.
"Yeah! I'm in Utrecht U14, Ivar is U13."
Ivar added softly,
"We also analyze matches a lot. Maybe… one day, we can be in the same team as you."
His words made something warm settle in my chest.
"I hope so," I replied with a smile. "Train hard, okay?"
These two kids… felt like little brothers suddenly dropped into my life.
---
The System Activates
As I stood and looked at them, a notification appeared.
> [System: New Bonds Formed.]
[Ivar Janner (12) – Potential Future Star, technical potential A+]
[Justin Hubner (13) – Defensive Talent, mental A]
[Bonus: +1 Insight Reading]
I held back a grin.
"Richard," Ivar called right before I left.
"You're training again tomorrow, right? Can we watch again?"
"Of course," I said. "I'd be happy if you did."
Justin pumped his fist.
"Promise! We'll be your loyal supporters!"
We waved at each other.
As I walked away, I heard Justin whisper—
"Ivar… Richard will be someone great someday."
Ivar answered softly, full of certainty,
"I know, Jus. I know."