The sky was overcast, but the training field still burned with fiery spirit. A soft breeze carried both hope and nerves across the pitch.
Coach Ricardo stood with his arms crossed, sharp eyes scanning the team. Beside him, Coach Adrian leaned on an orange cone, gently blowing on a small whistle.
"Alright, we'll start with the first test," Coach Adrian's voice rang out. "Dribbling. Ball control. Passing. Three basics — if you can't do this flawlessly, forget about making it to Level Two."
Whispers stirred among the Kelana Warriors FC players.
"Just the basics?"
"Seriously? We're a top club, aren't we?"
Coach Ricardo smirked. "If you think you're that good… prove it."
Coach Adrian pointed forward. "Captain Raphael. You lead."
Raphael nodded and stepped forward with confidence. The ball was like an old friend at his feet. He began with a sharp dribble — the ball glued to his stride. One step right — cut. Left — a nutmeg through an invisible defender. His final move, a cross-pass straight toward the red cone.
The ball rolled… and stopped perfectly on the marker.
"Precision. Power. Passion," Coach Ricardo clapped softly. "Very good, captain."
Raphael gave a respectful nod and threw a smile toward Armin. "Pressure's on, rookie."
"Ashraf," Coach Adrian called.
Ash stepped forward, calm and focused. He pushed his glasses up slightly and stood behind the ball. No theatrics. Just movement — clean, precise, and composed, as if he practiced this routine every night before bed.
Every motion was flawless. No extra flair, no tricks. Just control.
"There's something about his style…" Armin whispered. "…like Noah."
Ash finished with a perfect pass to the cone. The ball stopped right in place.
Coach Ricardo gave a small smile. "You've got rhythm, Ashraf. Like watching Noah — minus the flair."
Coach Adrian nodded. "Stable. But not yet extraordinary."
Ash simply nodded back, then looked over at Armin. "Come on, Armin. You've got this."
"Armin!" Coach Adrian called out.
Armin stood, heart racing, palms sweating. But he took a deep breath.
He wasn't Noah. He wasn't Raphael. He was Armin.
First step — the ball flowed with him. Short dribbles. One feint — Triangle Touch. His movements were smooth, flowing like the Neymar clip they had watched that morning. Tap, tap, cut — the ball danced at his command.
He ended with a sharp reverse pass to the cone. The ball rolled… and stopped perfectly.
Coach Ricardo straightened, his eyes wide. His mouth parted slightly in awe.
"Puta que pariu… esse garoto joga com alma!" he muttered in his native tongue.
Coach Adrian glanced over. "What does that mean?"
Coach Ricardo shook his head, smiling wide. "It means — we cannot lose that boy."
He looked at Armin. "Improvisation. Creativity. Flair. You didn't copy anyone. You created your own rhythm. That… is rare."
Coach Adrian added, "Just remember — flair is a weapon, but ego can be poison."
Armin gave a small smile. In his heart, he knew — he'd made an impact.
"Leon!" Coach Adrian called.
A tall boy with wavy blonde hair stepped up, a confident grin on his face.
"Let's heat this up a little," he said with a casual whistle.
The ball met his foot — and the whole vibe changed.
Leon wasn't just playing — he was performing. The ball danced around him as he moved like Cristiano Ronaldo — step-overs, body feints, elastico. Speed and finesse fused together.
Finally, he gave a small hop, spun, and heel-flicked the ball straight to the cone.
The players on the sidelines couldn't help but react.
"Whoa…"
"Feels like watching CR7 live…"
Coach Ricardo chuckled. "That boy's got swagger."
Coach Adrian scribbled on his clipboard. "Let's see if he can stay consistent."
Leon turned back, raising an eyebrow at Armin. "Not bad, Neymar junior."
Armin returned a smile. "You too, Ronaldo wannabe."
---
Players advancing to Level Two:
1.Captain Raphael
2.Ashraf (Ash)
3.Armin
4.Leon
5.Wonbin
6.Renji
7.Yuuto
8.Nike
Coach Adrian stepped forward. "To the rest — don't be discouraged. You have three more training days. Perform, and you move up."
Coach Ricardo added firmly, "The basics decide who shines… and who disappears."
The session ended.
But for those who advanced… the real training had just begun.
To be continued…