The Filipino Wonderkid: Road to the World Cup

Thought for 6s

Volume 1: The Impossible Dream

The whistle sounded.

The second half began.

Kai took a few steps forward as Miguel received the first pass from the restart.

The noise from the stands had changed.

It was louder now.

The supporters of both schools seemed to understand that the next goal could change everything.

Kai glanced toward the covered stands.

He could see his family.

Maria was sitting beside Daniel, with Sofia between them. Belle was seated nearby, watching the field with her hands clasped together.

Sofia noticed Kai looking.

She immediately raised both hands.

"Come on, Kai!"

Kai smiled briefly.

Then he turned back toward the game.

Miguel passed the ball to Jared.

North Central immediately stepped forward.

The pressure was stronger than before.

Jared returned the ball to Miguel, who moved it toward the left.

Kai dropped deeper to receive.

A midfielder followed him.

Kai controlled the ball and looked up.

Rafael was already moving down the right.

The pass was available.

Kai played it.

Rafael took two touches before a defender closed him down.

He turned back instead of forcing the play.

"Good," Coach Ramirez shouted.

Rafael passed to Miguel.

San Isidro started again.

For the first few minutes, nothing happened.

No big chance.

No dangerous shot.

Just possession changing from one side to the other.

But there was something different about San Isidro.

They were moving the ball faster.

The halftime instructions were working.

At the fifty-minute mark, Kai received the ball near the left side.

This time, the defender didn't immediately rush him.

Kai carried the ball forward.

He took another touch.

The defender stepped closer.

Kai shifted his weight to the outside and moved past him.

The crowd reacted.

"Go, Kai!"

Kai pushed toward the box.

Another defender came across.

He looked toward Rafael.

Rafael was covered.

Miguel was arriving behind him.

Kai passed backward.

Miguel struck the ball from outside the box.

It went wide.

Rafael clapped his hands.

"Good idea!"

Kai nodded.

They were getting closer.

In the stands, Maria leaned forward.

"He's playing better now."

Daniel nodded.

"He's not rushing."

Belle smiled.

"He's starting to see the spaces."

Sofia looked at her.

"Is that good?"

Belle laughed softly.

"Very good."

Sofia turned back toward the field.

"Then Kai is going to score."

Daniel smiled.

"Let's hope so."

For a few minutes, San Isidro continued to control the rhythm.

North Central had fewer chances to move forward.

Gabriel had barely touched the ball since the restart.

Kai noticed.

So did Miguel.

But neither of them relaxed.

Then, in the fifty-fourth minute, Gabriel finally received the ball.

It was a simple pass from midfield.

Nothing special.

He controlled it with his first touch.

Miguel moved toward him.

Gabriel looked at him.

Then he looked behind Miguel.

There was space.

Before Miguel could close him down, Gabriel pushed the ball between his feet.

Miguel turned.

Gabriel was already gone.

The crowd reacted immediately.

"Whoa!"

Kai stopped for half a second.

Gabriel carried the ball toward the middle.

Jared stepped across.

Gabriel slowed.

Jared expected him to pass.

Instead, Gabriel moved the ball to his left foot.

Jared followed.

Gabriel suddenly accelerated in the opposite direction.

Jared missed the challenge.

Another San Isidro player came across.

Gabriel didn't try to beat him.

He passed wide.

The winger received the ball and immediately returned it.

Gabriel was already moving again.

Kai tracked back.

"Don't let him turn!"

He reached Gabriel just as the ball came back.

Gabriel looked at Kai.

For a moment, they were almost shoulder to shoulder.

Kai expected him to pass.

Gabriel pushed the ball forward.

Kai matched his run.

Gabriel changed direction.

Kai stayed with him.

Gabriel changed again.

This time, Kai managed to get his foot in.

The ball rolled loose.

Miguel recovered it.

The crowd applauded.

Kai took a breath.

Gabriel looked back at him.

There was no frustration on his face.

He simply smiled.

Then he jogged back.

Rafael came toward Kai.

"That guy is annoying."

Kai looked at Gabriel.

"Yeah."

"Now I understand why they call him that."

Kai didn't answer.

He was still watching Gabriel.

Something about the way he played was different.

He wasn't just fast.

He wasn't just skillful.

He was reading what the defenders were going to do before they did it.

And that made him dangerous.

---

The game continued.

San Isidro pushed forward again.

Kai received the ball near the sideline and tried to combine with Rafael.

One-two.

Rafael returned it.

Kai crossed.

The ball was headed away.

The rebound fell to Miguel.

He shot.

A defender blocked it.

The crowd groaned.

Sofia jumped out of her seat.

"Ah!"

Maria grabbed her arm.

"Sit down."

"But he almost scored!"

"I know."

Sofia sat down again, but she continued watching without blinking.

Belle smiled.

"She's more nervous than Kai."

Daniel laughed.

"She might be."

A few seats away, San Isidro supporters started chanting.

"Kai! Kai! Kai!"

The chant spread.

Kai heard it from the field.

He looked toward the stands.

The sound gave him another burst of energy.

He turned back.

North Central had the ball.

Gabriel was coming toward it.

Kai's expression changed.

"Here we go again."

Gabriel received the pass near the halfway line.

This time, three San Isidro players were nearby.

Miguel approached from the front.

Jared moved from the left.

Kai stayed a few meters away.

Gabriel looked around.

For a moment, it seemed like he had nowhere to go.

Then he noticed a small gap between Miguel and Jared.

He didn't hesitate.

He pushed the ball through the gap.

Miguel turned.

Jared reacted.

Gabriel was already through.

Kai sprinted toward him.

The crowd grew louder.

Gabriel entered the final third.

Kai caught up.

Gabriel slowed down.

Kai prepared himself.

Then Gabriel stopped completely.

Kai almost ran past him.

Gabriel turned with the ball.

Kai recovered.

The two faced each other again.

Gabriel moved his foot over the ball.

Once.

Twice.

Kai waited.

Gabriel suddenly pushed the ball to the outside.

Kai moved with him.

Gabriel cut inside.

Kai blocked the path.

Gabriel tried again.

This time, Kai managed to force him backward.

Gabriel passed to a teammate.

North Central kept the ball.

Kai stepped away and took a breath.

Rafael came running over.

"How many times is he going to do that?"

Kai wiped sweat from his forehead.

"I don't know."

The crowd was still talking about the play.

Even some San Isidro supporters couldn't help reacting.

"That number ten is crazy!"

"Don't let him turn!"

"Stay on him!"

On the other side of the stands, North Central supporters began chanting Gabriel's name.

"Gabriel!"

"Gabriel!"

He lifted one hand briefly.

Then he returned to his position.

Arturo Villanueva wrote something in his notebook.

He had watched dozens of young players during the tournament.

Most of them had one great quality.

Speed.

Strength.

Passing.

Finishing.

Gabriel was different.

He seemed to become more dangerous whenever the game became difficult.

Arturo underlined his name.

Monster.

---

The match reached the fifty-ninth minute.

San Isidro had managed to keep the score level.

But the feeling inside the stadium had changed.

North Central had found something.

Gabriel was starting to control the game.

Coach Ramirez noticed it too.

He stepped closer to the sideline.

"Miguel!"

Miguel looked over.

"Don't chase him too far!"

Miguel nodded.

Coach pointed toward Kai.

"Kai, stay between him and the box!"

Kai raised a hand.

"Got it!"

The next attack started almost immediately.

North Central moved the ball across midfield.

Kai stayed in position.

Gabriel drifted toward the left.

Kai followed him.

Gabriel stopped.

The ball came.

Kai moved forward.

Gabriel took one touch.

Then another.

He looked toward the penalty area.

Kai expected the pass.

Instead, Gabriel suddenly struck the ball from distance.

It was low and hard.

Enzo reacted quickly.

He dove to his right.

His fingertips touched it.

The ball changed direction and went just wide of the post.

For half a second, the entire stadium went quiet.

Then the North Central supporters erupted.

"AAAAH!"

Enzo slammed his fist into the ground.

"So close!"

Kai looked toward the goal.

Then at Gabriel.

Gabriel simply turned and walked back.

Maria stood up without realizing it.

Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder.

"That was close."

Maria nodded.

"I don't like that boy."

Daniel laughed.

"He's good."

"That's why I don't like him."

Belle was still staring at the field.

Sofia looked at her.

"Is Gabriel really that good?"

Belle didn't answer immediately.

She watched him jog back toward midfield.

"Yeah."

Then she looked at Kai.

"But Kai can handle him."

Sofia nodded confidently.

"He will."

Kai didn't hear any of it.

He was already moving back into position.

The scoreboard still showed:

San Isidro High School 0 – 0 North Central Academy

But the final was beginning to change.

And for the first time, Kai understood something.

The player standing across from him wasn't simply another talented opponent.

Gabriel had been waiting.

Waiting for the game to open.

Waiting for the defenders to get tired.

Waiting for the smallest mistake.

And now...

he had started to wake up.

End of Chapter 40