Chapter 8: The Aura of a Rising Star

The São Paulo training facility had a really long official name: The Frederico Antônio Germano Menzen Training Center. 

You could say it was a very Brazilian kind of name.

A name that complicated was of course impractical for everyday use, so the facility naturally got its own nickname. Since it was located in the Brafunda district of São Paulo, everyone just called it the "Brafunda Training Center."

The Brafunda Training Center had three full-size practice pitches, with the biggest one having a grandstand that could seat over 4,000 spectators. Today, around 100 people were scattered in the stands - much more attention than the youth team usually got.

This São Paulo team didn't have any particularly famous star players yet, so the spectators were mostly dedicated fans of the club itself rather than just following certain individuals. These fans appreciated the game more than celebrity chasers and understood the team dynamics better. So when the new additions Kaka and Burgess took the practice pitch, they immediately drew interest.

"Who are those two guys? Never seen them before."

"New signings?" 

"I know the tall one, he's from the youth team, a midfielder I think. The short guy...no idea."

"From the youth team? So he's one of our own academy players."

"Ah yes, I know him. His name is Kaka, he's the backup to Harrison...Harrison? The youth team captain, supposed to be the club's next great midfielder." 

"Kaka? Sounds like a pet's name. And why did he get promoted instead of Harrison?"

"Um...maybe because Harrison is injured?"

"Nonsense, the youth team has their big cup tournament coming up." 

"Isn't the first team match more important?"

"Good question, I'd like to know the answer too..."

Kaka had been with the São Paulo youth team for almost a year now and had played in some of their matches in front of a few hundred fans. Those experiences stuck in his memory, preparing him for this. Although he didn't realize people were discussing him, he felt a little thrill of excitement.

Even though it was just a training game, it was still a bigger event as a first team affair.

As expected, the two new callups were assigned to the substitute side, while Luis Fabiano, who had joined just a month earlier, got a starting jersey. This irked Burgess, who was also a striker.

"Kaka, make sure you pass me the ball a lot during the match. I want to show that kid from Rennes what a real striker looks like," Burgess said, raising his eyebrows at Kaka with a knowing smile. "Just help me get a starting spot, and I'll introduce you to my sister."

Kaka gave the young Black man an incredulous look, patted his shoulder, and quickly made his way onto the pitch as if trying to get away.

Just after enduring Kaka's disdainful gaze, Burgess was promptly dealt another stinging blow. 

On the very first attack after kickoff, Luis Fabiano scored. 

It was an unexpected opportunity. After Aluka's penetrating run down the wing, his low cross was poorly cleared, allowing Luis Fabiano to pounce through the crowd and fire a low shot past the substitute team's goalkeeper.

During this ordinary intra-squad practice game against the reserves, the starters just casually applauded and congratulated Luis Fabiano in a low-key way, their nonchalant expressions showing how routine it felt for them. But it was precisely this easy confidence that fueled frustration on the other side. 

Logically, this shouldn't have been the first time they experienced something like this, they should have been used to it.

But alas, youth often breeds hotheadedness. 

And when young tempers flare, the style of play becomes...reckless and chaotic.

They truly charged forward like madmen, with even the defenders joining the attack frenzy. Kaka suspected the goalkeeper was about to sprint up and join the chaos too.

According to legend, all Brazilian players suffer from a peculiar delusion during matches that makes them think they are actually strikers, no matter what position they play. Severe cases of this "illness" included famous names like Carlos, Maicon, Dani Alves, Marcelo and more, who embraced striker as a second job from a young age.

As it turned out, this rumor wasn't unfounded.

On the sidelines, Luxemburgo looked ready to murder someone.

Kaka called for the ball in midfield, but the center back on his team who had it didn't even glance his way, instead using an outrageous feinting move to easily blow by the recently-scoring Luis Fabiano. 

Pass the ball? What ball? I didn't hear anything.

Then here came Baptista charging at him. 

Suddenly remembering he might have defensive duties, the center back hurriedly passed to Kaka, but the opposing defenders were already set and a simple poke deflected the pass.

Kaka's first touch was a failure.

Baptista won the loose ball and immediately played a through ball into the box. Luis Fabiano, ready and waiting, took a couple touches and got a shot away, but a recovering defender's last-ditch lunge put him off and the goalkeeper parried it out for a corner.

From the ensuing corner, it was Luis Fabiano who flicked a header back across the face of goal, but his teammate's follow-up effort went wide and the ball went out of play again. 

As professionals, the defensive guys regained their shape after that initial lapse, and after those two waves of attack from the opposition, the would-be Cafus and Kakas finally settled down a bit.

The ball was finally played safely to Kaka's feet. 

Although brief, his recent intensive training had yielded some tangible results already. 

While changes to physical attributes like balance, strength and speed wouldn't show up right away, technical aspects like shooting and passing - especially his specific focus areas of ball control and dribbling speed - had already improved. At first Kaka hadn't fully inherited his soccer wealth, but now with true integration happening, rapid progress was expected.

His two main concerns, ball control and dribbling speed, had both gotten better, particularly the latter speed. With an 89 dribbling speed rating, he should be considered an elite talent in the Brazilian domestic leagues.

Of course, in actual games, you can't just rely on data alone to judge a player's true ability. Countless factors beyond just physical and technical skills - like experience, mentality, form, determination, tactical intelligence, in-game performance, even luck - all impact how strong a player really is. While Kaka had many impressive attributes, he still had a long road ahead to become a truly formidable force in attack. 

But that didn't mean his current self wasn't exceptional already. On the contrary, empowered by those system skills and brimming with youthful vigor and drive, the combat ability he exuded far exceeded expectations for a mere youth team sub.

A tiger cub may not be fully-formed, but already carries the aura of a fearsome predator.

(End of Chapter)