Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

Lucas was completely drowsy as he read that email. The letters were a little blurry, but he managed to make them out and sort them out bit by bit. It took him a few seconds to open his eyes wide finally.

Lucas thought he wouldn't be surprised to pass the sieve and a part of him tried to sabotage the sense of achievement he would feel if he did, but even these two conflicting feelings couldn't keep him from being thrilled with this achievement. A movie played in his mind, a movie of practically half a lifetime.

In his other life, he had tried too hard all through high school and never managed to achieve half of what he had achieved during this summer vacation. Of course, he also never reached the level he had now, with a range of skills that included abilities to help him with dribbling, vision and defensively.

Lucas Tanaka, a few weeks ago, was known as just an employee of a small marketing agency in Tokyo. Now, he was going to live in England and play for a big club.

Still in the bright white light of his cell phone, he put a hand to his face when he felt something run down the side of his face. He touched it and frowned.

"Huh? Are those tears?"

As tears began to flow involuntarily down Luke's face, he felt, for the first time in a long time, a sense of accomplishment, pride and indescribable happiness.

Yes, this was just one of the many steps he needed to take if he wanted to become a professional footballer and one of the best in the world, but this step was also the most important one to tell him that he was on the right track.

Lucas dried his tears with the back of his hand and sat down on his bed. Looking around the hotel room, everything was still a little dark, but John was asleep in the next bed. Lucas couldn't resist the impulse; a burst of energy coursed through his veins, making him jump out of bed and take two steps towards John's bed. And, before even thinking about the consequences, he jumped on top of him.

"Wake up, Dad!" exclaimed Lucas, shaking his father excitedly as he let out a laugh, trying to contain the explosion of happiness he felt and letting his inner child out for the first time.

John woke up with a start. He blinked a few times, visibly confused, as he tried to process what was happening.

"Lucas? What time is it, boy? What's wrong?"

"Dad, you won't believe it! I passed, Dad! I'm going to live here in England! I did it!" Lucas let out the words.

John stopped blinking, and his eyes gradually widened, absorbing what his son had just said. In a matter of seconds, his face changed from shock to an expression of surprise and then to a wide, sincere smile.

"Son... Did you do it?"

Lucas nodded vigorously, his eyes still watering. "I did it, Dad! I'm going to play for a Premier League club!"

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Suddenly, John wrapped his son in a tight hug that even surprised Lucas. But Lucas promptly returned the hug. They stayed like that for a few seconds.

"Ah, boy... I always knew you had something special. But to see it come true... it's more than I could have imagined."

Lucas laughed, embarrassed, and rubbed the back of his neck. He knew how much John and Ayumi had emotionally invested in that dream along with him.

"Dad, I... I need to tell Mom and Hana. Is it still daylight in Japan?"

John nodded, still with a twinkle in his eye.

"I think so. Come on, get your cell phone."

Lucas picked up his cell phone and sat back down on the bed, taking a deep breath to contain his excitement. He scrolled through his contact list, found his mother's name, and pressed the video call icon. The phone rang twice before the screen lit up with his mother's face, apparently sitting on the sofa.

"Lucas? Is everything all right?"

Before Lucas could answer, Hana's image appeared next to his mother with a big smile and rosy cheeks.

"Hey, oni-chan! Did you make it? Did you get in? Mom said the results would be out today!"

"Yes! I'm going to England to play soccer!"

Lucas saw the sparkle in his sister's eyes as she seemed to barely contain herself on the cell phone screen, and her smile was radiant, able to dispel any shadow of tiredness on Lucas' face. Hana was his biggest supporter, always hopeful and dreamy, and now she was looking at him with such pride that it was almost as if she was celebrating her own dream.

"I knew it! I knew you'd make it! Mom, he did it! Lucas did it!"

Ayumi covered her mouth with one hand as her eyes filled with tears that seemed to be there already, waiting for that moment.

"My son... so far, but going so far too. Congratulations, Lucas. We're very proud of you." She said, without hiding the emotion in her voice.

Her words hit like a breeze, carrying immeasurable tenderness. Lucas laughed quietly, still a little miffed, and scratched his hair in an embarrassed motion. His smile seemed to grow involuntarily, impossible to contain. It was a moment he had imagined in his most optimistic thoughts, but seeing his mother's and sister's faces radiating such sincere happiness, he couldn't have been happier.

"Mom... sis..."

He was at a loss for words. How could he? So much was going through his mind, from the years of effort to every small victory and every hidden tear.

"I... I promise to do my best. I promise I'll make it all worthwhile."

John rested a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly, as if to say "I know". E

On the other side of the screen, Hana was gesticulating frantically, almost pushing her mother out of sight.

"Oni-chan! You're going to live in England! You have to send me pictures of everything! And you have to tell me how you train and what you eat... and you have to teach me everything when you come to visit! You will, won't you?"

Lucas laughed. "Of course, Hana! I'll send you so many photos that you'll get sick of seeing me! And when I come back, you'll be the first to get a team shirt." He smiled, aware of how much Hana would appreciate that gift.

Ayumi leaned closer to the camera, her voice low and gentle.

"Lucas, remember who you are, my son. No matter where you are or how much the world changes, keep that essence we've always seen in you. Keep respecting others, as you have done so far. Your journey has only just begun."

He nodded, feeling his mother's words resonate deeply. More than any skill, it was that moral compass that she and John had always strived to cultivate in him. He couldn't allow himself to lose that, no matter how much success or challenges drove him to change.

"It's okay, Mom. I won't forget."

After a few more heated exchanges and a promise to speak again soon in person, the call ended.

After about an hour, Brighton FC got in touch via a call from Coach Jimenez himself.

"Lucas! This is Coach Jimenez from Brighton FC."

Lucas straightened up instinctively, feeling a twinge of nervousness. "Hello, Mr. Jimenez!"

"I hope I'm not disturbing you. I thought you might be enjoying the news."

Lucas laughed, a little embarrassed. "Well, sir, I confess it's a great relief... and a great surprise too."

Jimenez laughed on the other side. "Surprise is a good word. I'll be honest with you, Lucas: this choice wasn't easy. We had a very above-average sift, with talents that exceeded our expectations. That's why we made some different decisions."

"What do you mean by different decisions?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"We found ourselves in a peculiar situation. As I said yesterday, our expectation was to select a small group to make up the U-20 youth team. However, the results exceeded our projections and showed us that we had more promising youngsters than we could accommodate. That's why, after a long discussion with the youth team manager, we decided to set up a B-Team for the youth team."

Lucas was surprised. "A B-Team?"

"Exactly. Now our youth team will have an A-Team and a B-Team. We're going to use the B-Team to develop players who were in what is now the A-Team and still need to hone specific skills to reach the required level of competitiveness. It will be a space for those who have potential but need refinement in certain aspects. This team will be made up of both Brighton players who are not yet ready for the A-Team and you, who have just passed the sift."

It was a different approach, but Lucas was a little disappointed to suddenly have another wall in front of him.

"I want you to know that, even in this B-Team, you will have access to our best equipment and will receive detailed instructions from my assistant head coach. It will be an environment where you can evolve gradually, without the immediate pressure of the A-Team. But, Lucas... even in this B-Team, we want total commitment."

"Yes, sir. You can count on me to do my best."

"Good." Jimenez replied, smiling from the other side. "Now, let's get to the names that made it through the sift, since I imagine you're curious."