He vividly remembered how, in his previous life, he had been expelled from the Guangdong Hengtai U18 youth team for not bribing the coach and team leader. Frustrated, he had given up on football, focused on his studies, and became a white-collar worker. He watched helplessly as the national football team sank deeper into mediocrity.
But now, here he was, wearing a red jersey emblazoned with the national flag. As memories of this new timeline settled in, Su Luo realized things had shifted. He hadn't been expelled because the National Youth League needed players for the U20 World Youth Championship qualifiers.
These qualifiers were grueling and offered little exposure, making them unattractive to some young players. The national football team's reputation was in tatters, and many preferred to stay with their clubs and earn their salaries. The other forwards on the Hengtai team faked injuries to avoid playing. The club, eager to protect its key players, reluctantly called Su Luo back and had him sign up for the U20 National Youth League.
Determined to honor the red flag on his jersey, Su Luo trained hard. He was the youngest at the training base and the most dedicated, despite the cynicism of his peers. He pushed himself to professional standards, ignoring the snide remarks.
On the first day of training camp, his teammates dragged him to a nightclub. Initially reluctant, Su Luo heeded the advice of Xu Xin, who had returned from Atletico Madrid.
"If you don't want to be isolated, you'd better go with the flow."
In this environment, standing out could lead to being shunned. And in a team sport, being shunned meant no one would pass the ball to him, ruining his chances to perform.
Left with no choice, Su Luo joined his teammates at the nightclub. The security guard didn't stop him, despite his obvious youth. With his delicate, handsome appearance, he attracted many heavily made-up girls. The deafening music and flashing lights disoriented him until he found himself in a mysterious state.
The chaotic nightclub morphed into an empty green field. There, he saw a figure he never expected—peak Ronaldo, the "Alien" Ronaldo from 2002, lean and with his iconic tuft of hair.
Before Su Luo could react, Ronaldo charged at him with the ball. Instinctively, Su Luo tried to defend, but Ronaldo effortlessly dribbled past him and scored. Su Luo, though exhausted, grew excited and studied Ronaldo's movements, trying to anticipate his next move.
This surreal training continued until Su Luo, almost worn out, returned to reality in the nightclub. That night, he dreamt of playing against Ronaldo.
Two days later, the national youth team faced their first match against their old rival, Qatar's U20 team. Head coach Jankovic was pessimistic, parking the bus in hopes of a draw. But by halftime, Qatar led 2-0.
In the 77th minute, an exhausted Wu Xinghan was substituted, and Jankovic, out of options, sent in Su Luo.
This was Su Luo's second life, his first real match, wearing the red jersey of national honor.
Initially overwhelmed, Su Luo struggled, losing the ball twice and running aimlessly. Fans and the coach expected little from the 16-year-old striker.
But in the 85th minute, a long ball from the back found Su Luo. Instinctively, he mimicked Ronaldo's technique, deftly controlling the ball, dribbling past Qatar's defense, and shooting from 25 meters out. The ball flew into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper stunned.
Su Luo had scored in his debut! The audience was stunned, and coach Jankovic was in disbelief. Xu Xin rushed over to celebrate with him.
"I... really scored?" Su Luo felt a surge of accomplishment.
In the final stages of the game, as Su Luo's adrenaline peaked, he felt the spirit of Ronaldo guiding him. He scored again, equalizing the match.
The National Youth League salvaged a 2-2 draw from the jaws of defeat. Su Luo's two goals earned him a starting position.
From then on, Su Luo was almost unstoppable. The spirit of Ronaldo sometimes waned, but his continuous goals helped the national youth team win crucial matches and qualify for the World Youth Championship with two rounds to spare.
Su Luo soon realized the pattern: the games where Ronaldo's spirit took over were preceded by nightclub visits. His awakening had happened in a nightclub, so...
For the sake of his football dreams, he had to reluctantly embrace the nightlife.
"Brothers, let's hit the disco! Tonight, Xu Xin is buying!" Su Luo announced.
Xu Xin: "Wait, what?"
Little did his teammates know, their nightclub escapades were the secret behind their rise from the group of death to the top four!
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