Chapter 40: Fortunately, I Came to Borussia Dortmund
August 9, 2013 — 8:40 AM
Ken stood quietly at the entrance of the locker room at the Brackel Training Base, adjusting the strap of his sports bag while taking a slow breath. Today marked his first official training session as a Borussia Dortmund player. The medical tests had already been completed before signing, and all paperwork was finalized. What remained now was the real beginning — integration into the team.
Back in São Paulo, he used to arrive hours early to complete extra individual training, but before leaving Brazil, veteran defender Lúcio had given him a simple piece of advice:
"When you join a new club, don't try too hard to stand out immediately. Let your football speak first. If you arrive too early every day, some teammates might think you're trying to show them up."
Ken had taken those words seriously. Dortmund's daily training officially began at 9:00 AM, so he had intentionally arrived just twenty minutes early — enough to be professional, but not excessive.
Still, when he pushed the locker room door slightly open, the room was completely dark.
"No one yet…" he murmured softly.
Just as he was about to reach for his phone to search for the light switch, a hand gently tapped his shoulder.
"Hello. You must be Ken?"
Ken turned around quickly, momentarily startled, and saw a middle-aged man wearing a black Dortmund training jacket with the yellow BVB crest. His slightly long hair and calm smile gave him a scholarly look.
"Yes, sir. I'm Ken. Nice to meet you."
The man chuckled warmly and extended his hand.
"I'm Zeljko Buvac, assistant coach. You can call me Zeljko."
After switching on the lights, Buvac led Ken toward a row of lockers.
"Jürgen told me yesterday that you'd be coming early today," he said. "I didn't expect you to beat me here."
He pointed to a locker with a printed label: KEN – 10.
"We prepared your kit yesterday. Everything you need is inside."
Ken paused for a moment when he saw the number. Wearing the number 10 carried expectations — creativity, leadership, responsibility. He understood what the club was signaling.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
Buvac nodded and then asked casually, "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Ken scratched his head awkwardly. "Actually… I don't know where the cafeteria is yet."
Buvac laughed. "Change first. I'll take you there afterward. Today's session won't be too intense anyway — we fly to Augsburg this afternoon for the opening league match."
---
First Teammates
A few minutes later, the locker room door opened again.
A tall man walked in, greeting the assistant coach first before turning toward Ken.
"You must be Ken. I'm Sebastian Kehl — captain."
Ken immediately stood and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Captain."
Kehl smiled broadly. "I watched your match against Bayern. Very impressive. Welcome to Dortmund."
Soon, more players began arriving one by one. Some looked energetic, others still half asleep, yawning as they changed into training gear. Familiar faces from television appeared in front of him — Reus, Hummels, Subotić — along with new signings like Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan.
Ken greeted everyone politely. Some players responded warmly, others more reserved, but that was normal in professional football. Respect had to be earned on the pitch.
Captain Kehl and Assistant Coach Buvac helped introduce him to the rest of the squad, easing the initial awkwardness.
---
First Training Session
After breakfast, the team gathered in the gym for stretching and activation drills. The atmosphere was relaxed but efficient — no wasted time, every movement structured.
At 10:30 AM, they stepped onto the training pitch where Jürgen Klopp was already waiting, hands in pockets, eyes lively as always.
"Alright, boys," Klopp called out. "We have a new member today. Ken, come forward."
Ken jogged to the front.
Klopp placed a hand on his shoulder. "From today onward, he is part of our family. We train together, fight together, and win together."
A short round of applause followed — informal but sincere.
Warm-up drills began immediately, led by Buvac. Passing sequences, short sprints, ball-control exercises — the tempo was noticeably higher than what Ken had experienced in Brazil. Even during simple drills, teammates moved with sharp intensity.
From the sideline, Klopp watched carefully, occasionally whispering observations to assistant coach Peter Krawietz.
"We'll run a short 7v7 later," Klopp said quietly. "I want to see how he connects with the others."
Krawietz nodded. "His physical test results were extraordinary. Still hard to believe."
Klopp grinned. "When I first saw them, I thought the machines were broken. Speed, strength, balance — far beyond most seventeen-year-olds."
He crossed his arms, eyes still fixed on the pitch where Ken was exchanging quick one-touch passes with Reus.
"If he develops properly," Klopp continued, "he'll become a nightmare for defenders."
---
First Small-Sided Game
The short 7v7 training match began after the warm-up.
Ken's team started cautiously, focusing on short passes. Within minutes, however, his rhythm began syncing with teammates. A quick combination with Mkhitaryan, a through run from Aubameyang, a sharp turn under pressure — the movements flowed naturally.
Klopp watched intently.
"See that?" he muttered. "He adapts quickly. That's the most important thing."
During one sequence, Ken intercepted a loose pass, accelerated past two players, and delivered a precise assist into the box. The finish was simple, but the buildup drew approving nods from several teammates.
It was not flashy — but it was effective.
And effectiveness earned respect faster than anything else.
---
Quiet Confidence
Training ended earlier than usual because of the afternoon travel schedule. Players headed back toward the locker room chatting casually, while Ken remained for a few extra minutes, lightly juggling the ball alone near the sideline.
Not to show off — simply to feel the rhythm.
From a distance, Klopp observed silently before turning to Krawietz.
"Good decision bringing him here," he said. "He'll grow fast in this environment."
Krawietz smiled. "Yes. And fortunately for us…"
Klopp nodded, finishing the sentence quietly.
"Fortunately, he chose Dortmund."
---
A New Beginning
Later that afternoon, as the team bus departed for the airport, Ken looked out the window at the training ground fading into the distance. His first session had been only a small step, but it marked the true beginning of his European journey.
Ahead lay intense matches, tactical challenges, and fierce competition for playing time.
But for the first time since leaving Brazil, he felt completely certain of one thing:
He had come to the right place.