Really.
Kai started to stand up.
He pretended to be in pain, took a few steps, and then said he was fine.
And he walked toward the penalty spot.
It was as if the source of gravity wasn't the center of the Earth, but the center of the penalty spot.
Seeing him limp, the audience erupted in warm applause.
It made Fonte feel embarrassed.
The team's center wanted to ask for the ball, but Fonte stopped him:
"Believe in him! He's our lucky star! He's the hero of this game! He'll definitely do it!"
"The look in his eyes is so determined!"
The Panthers' center could only hold back.
If it weren't for Kai's assist and own goal, he would never have conceded the penalty.
But now…
In football, strength is king.
With a solid foundation, plus some skills and strategy, you can seize the opportunities you want.
If the center forward's previous free kicks had been reliable, there would have been no need for Kai to take this penalty.
After all, it's not difficult to score a penalty.
Standing behind the spot, Kai's heart began to race.
He was nervous.
There's no certainty in penalty kicks.
Although people talk about a player's scoring rate, in reality, every penalty is a 50/50 chance—goal or miss.
This is Schrödinger's football. No one knows until the kick is taken.
Kai took a step back, then ran up.
Lifted his foot.
Shooooot!
The ball flew straight to the center.
He had chosen the safest method: a push straight down the middle.
It wasn't even a chipped penalty—he didn't have the skill for that.
No hardware, no software—none of it supported it!
Pushing the ball to the center was actually the hardest way for a player like him, who wasn't good at shooting, to miss.
And even so, the ball veered slightly to the left.
Bruno Valle dived to his left.
Perfect…
Missed.
The ball hit Bruno on the instep and bounced into the net.
Score: 4–3!
The Panthers had overtaken Figo.
There was no time left in the game!
Kai ended the game with one kick—a penalty!
"Beautiful! Right down the middle! Kai actually shot in the center!"
"Big hearted player! So brave!"
"Bruno jumped too early. He was too nervous!"
"The goalkeeper tried to show off his skills. Bruno overthought it. Kai saw right through him!"
"As long as Bruno moves slower, he could block it. The quality of this penalty isn't high—the brilliance is in Kai's IQ and football sense!"
"Oh! Kai refused his teammates' joint celebration. He ran to the corner flag alone, jumped high, rotated 180 degrees in the air, drooped his arms, and crashed down like a god descending to Earth."
"He showed everyone the name on his back."
"He shouted 'Siuuuu'… I don't know what it means, but that celebration is unique and passionate!"
"Let's congratulate him! He directed a spectacular comeback! And let's applaud all the Panthers, who fought for a hard-earned victory."
Eusebio ran onto the pitch happily, hugging Kai and spinning around.
"Chris was crying. He rushed into the tunnel, extremely upset—this was the second time he had lost to Kai in a trophy match."
"Yes, we finally have information about Kai, and his resume shocked us."
"You may not know who Kai is, but in recent years you've probably heard of Football Caesar rejecting all trial invitations from wealthy clubs to protect his secrets."
"I thought that story was true for a while and laughed at Caesar."
"But now, I must say—we need to judge the story's authenticity ourselves."
"Because we just witnessed Caesar's performance with our own eyes!"
"Based on this game alone, Kai is undoubtedly the Caesar on the pitch!"
"He's not a cowardly footballer afraid of challenges. He's a genuine football genius! The future hope of Portuguese football!"
"Let us chant his name…Caesar!"
"Caesar!"
"Caesar!"
At this moment, Kai was brilliant.
The entire stadium surrendered to him!
…
The awards stage was being set up, and the players were being interviewed.
Kai, who had previously avoided the cameras, was now surrounded by microphones and flashing lights.
"Take your time, everyone. Don't shove the microphone in my face. I'm a footballer, not an actor," Kai constantly reassured reporters, controlling the interview environment.
A player who knew how to handle interviews could command the situation. Journalists loved working with someone like that.
Reporter: "Hello, we are from the Morning Post. Can you introduce yourself?"
Kai: "My name is Kai. I'm currently a free agent and want to join a youth team suitable for my development."
Reporter: "What? You're a free agent? Which team do you like?"
Kai: "Yes, I had other matters before, but now I can return to the green field I love. I like many teams, but joining depends on fit."
Reporter: "I'm from College Student News. Are you the magical Kai admitted early to the University of Lisbon?"
Kai: "I don't dare call myself a prodigy, but yes, that's me."
Reporter: "So you want to focus on football instead of studying?"
Kai: "It's not that I won't study. I'll improve gradually. But my focus for the next decades will definitely be football."
Reporter: "Why not specialize in academics? You have the potential to become a world-class scholar."
Kai: "I love football more. I believe I can become a world-class player, just like today—I'll only get better."
Kai didn't shy away from praising himself. He had to provide enough information quickly to dispel doubts from major clubs. Otherwise, they'd treat him as an entertainment player and block his real opportunities.
In more than ten minutes, the award podium was ready.
The Portuguese Football Association chairman personally presented medals to Kai and the other players.
After a group photo, Kai carried four footballs to get autographs from Eusebio, Figo, Guardiola, Rui Costa, and others—especially for his parents, who were fans of these stars.
Although it felt unusual—the stars belonged to different teams and leagues—they didn't refuse.
Champions are allowed a few audacious requests.
However, Kai ignoring Jader made Jader very unhappy.
Kai could only think: I'm sorry, brother, who made your signature worthless?
Leopard?
Fei?
Melon?
Lu?
Why does it feel like something's off?
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