Chapter 10 – Split Field
The word "showcase" spread through the academy like lightning through dry grass.
Everyone had something to prove.
The seniors wanted a call-up to Palmeiras B or a short-list for U20 Brazil trials. The juniors wanted to climb the ladder. The trialists wanted contracts. And the coaches? They wanted to see who broke when the spotlight came down.
Thiago didn’t speak much that week.
He trained like usual. Ate quietly. Hit the wall with the ball every night until his legs shook.
But every time he stepped onto the pitch, he felt it building.
This match would decide how the academy saw him.
Not just as a player—but as a project.
The day before the match, Moreira pulled the squads together after drills.
"Tomorrow’s match will be a mixed-internal. U17s and U16s combined into two balanced sides. Seniors and juniors. Roles won’t be fixed. You’re expected to adapt."
Murmurs rippled through the group.