Chapter 26: "The Call of the First Team"

The score stood at 3–1.

With the regulation 90 minutes over and only two minutes of added time left, River Plate U-20 had no choice but to go all out on the offensive.

Beep—beep!

The young players, desperate to make up even one goal, grew frantic as time slipped away, leading to mistakes.

[River Plate U-20 is throwing everything forward to salvage a goal, but Boca's defense remains unyielding!]

Eduardo Guarín continued to deliver dangerous passes, but either the goalkeeper punched them away, or the shots missed the target. None turned into goals.

This is the last chance.

The added time was almost over, leaving room for only one final attack. Eduardo Guarín made his last choice, passing to the overlapping Americo Chero.

But it was a poor decision.

As soon as he sent the pass, Guarín spotted a player tightly marking Americo Chero from behind. His heart sank.

Swoosh—!

[Yu with another clean tackle blocks Americo's overlapping run! The loose ball goes to Lautaro Orban!]

Lautaro Orban cleared the ball forward.

Beep! Beep! BEEEEEP!

At that exact moment, the final whistle blew, marking the end of the Argentina Junior Cup.

[Boca Juniors U-20 (3 – 1) River Plate U-20]

[The juniors of Boca Juniors topple River Plate's golden generation and claim the title of Argentina's top youth team! And today's MVP is undoubtedly this player! Jiwoo Yu, hailing from Asia, who dismantled River Plate U-20's golden generation with 2 goals and 1 assist!]

"We won! We actually won!"

"We finally did it! A trophy!"

"Waaahhhh! Mom! Dad!"

The Boca Juniors U-20 players, always second to River Plate's golden generation, wept tears of joy.

"Hey."

While Jiwoo Yu quietly observed his celebrating teammates, someone approached him.

Turning around, he saw Eduardo Guarín holding out his jersey.

"I won't lose to you in the pros."

Jiwoo Yu took off his jersey and exchanged it with Guarín.

"Same here."

"And..."

Guarín pointed toward Americo Chero, who was angrily kicking a water bottle as he stormed off the field.

"He's got a temper. I'll apologize on his behalf."

"No need. I wasn't bothered anyway."

After offering his congratulations, Guarín left the field.

Watching Boca Juniors lift the trophy at River Plate's home ground was too much for the home fans, who quickly exited the stadium.

"Jiwoo."

Coach Rodolfo Pinti approached Jiwoo and hugged him tightly.

"You did amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

"But, Coach."

"Yeah?"

"Is it okay for us to lift the trophy here?"

As the trophy podium was being set up, the River Plate fans, unable to contain their frustration, hurled insults as they left.

"Filthy losers!"

"We won't get hurt, right?"

"Don't worry! If anyone threatens you, I'll knock their heads off!"

It was time to lift the trophy.

Captain Santiago lifted it first before passing it to Jiwoo.

"You take it to the fans."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! The league win in the second half of the season and this cup win are all thanks to you. No one's going to complain."

Santiago's words went unquestioned by the team.

When Jiwoo approached the stands with the trophy, the Boca Juniors fans gave him a standing ovation.

"Yuuuuuuuu!"

As Jiwoo held up the trophy, a figure in casual clothes suddenly rushed onto the field.

Huh?

Diego? What are you doing here?

"You guys did it!"

"Where did you even come from?"

"Where else? I've been watching from the stands!"

The players crowded around Diego, welcoming him.

"Diego! We've achieved something you couldn't!"

"Ugh, I'm jealous!"

"Then come back down here!"

Though Diego had already moved up to the reserves, the bonds they'd formed just half a year ago made the victory feel even sweeter.

"But..."

Diego whispered something to the players, and they all nodded.

Then, they turned to Jiwoo with mischievous smiles.

"…I don't know what you're planning, but don't do it."

Jiwoo tried to retreat, but Guillermo Darin grabbed him from behind, preventing his escape.

Despite his struggles, his teammates surrounded him and tossed him into the air, celebrating his efforts.

As Jiwoo was tossed up and down, he looked around.

The Boca Juniors fans who stayed to celebrate with them.

His family, wiping away tears.

"Even though this isn't the pros, winning my first trophy in Argentina today… this moment will stay with me forever."

---

At Soccer Magazine, the staff debated over the title for Jiwoo Yu's article.

"'Fairy' sounds a bit bland, don't you think? It's not impactful enough."

"It's cute, though."

"But his play isn't cute at all. We need something that suits his style."

"Any ideas, then?"

"How about this? Fans have already started calling him by a new nickname since the match."

"A new nickname?"

The staff showed their editor the fans' online comments on a tablet.

After a brief moment, the editor nodded.

"Let's go with it."

Thus, the article was published with the title:

"Boca Juniors' 'Little Prince,' Jiwoo Yu, Dominates with 2 Goals and 1 Assist, Leading Boca Juniors U-20 to the Top of Argentine Youth Football!"

The fans' new nickname for him:

The Little Prince (El pequeño príncipe).

The Little Prince (El pequeño príncipe).

Yu Jiwoo was now known among the fans by his new nickname.

The news of Boca Juniors U-20 winning the Junior Cup quickly spread across Argentina.

The highlights of Yu Jiwoo, crowned as the King of the Match, were edited and uploaded on Boca Juniors' official account, garnering a massive number of views.

> [This is insane. Why is this kid still in the youth squad? Promote him to the first team already! Their offense is in shambles!]

[Who came up with the nickname "Little Prince"? It's absolutely perfect.]

[Considering his playing style, "Little Prince" fits much better than "Fairy." Watching him dominate his opponents is like watching a king rule over his domain.]

[Anyone who sees the footage will understand how fitting "Little Prince" is. He's the rightful heir to Boca's throne.]

At that moment, Yu Jiwoo was relaxing with his family after completing all his engagements.

"Jiwoo, my son! I made your favorite japchae!"

"Dad! You're burning everything!"

"This meat has to be crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside to taste good!"

"Try the one I cooked. I bet it's better."

Every day, they had barbecue parties in the yard. While his mother, Seo Seolhee, was setting up the table with Korean dishes, Yu Jiwoo casually struck up a conversation.

"Mom."

"Yes?"

"Is everything okay back in Korea?"

"How could it be? Everything's a mess after the U-17 Youth World Cup disaster."

The South Korean national team, which had gone to the U-17 North and Central America World Cup aiming for at least the semifinals, suffered the humiliation of an early group-stage exit.

"They're pinning all the blame on the coach again."

As a result, Jeon Guhan, the youth national team coach, resigned and became the target of relentless criticism.

"Should I have gone?"

"If you had gone, winning would've been a given! But it's better you didn't."

"Why?"

"It's strange for them to pick someone who just arrived in Argentina. It's an unwritten rule to wait at least three years before selecting overseas youth players."

In youth tournaments, the so-called "three-year rule" was an unspoken agreement. It aimed to prevent young players from being overworked and allowed them time to adjust to overseas clubs. Ignoring this rule to select Yu Jiwoo was a problem in itself.

"Forget about them. Let's eat some meat!"

"Yes."

"And go for a walk around the neighborhood!"

"Again?"

"Everything looks so lovely when you're abroad. Maybe I should just settle down here for good."

La Boca was a tourist hotspot in Argentina. It was a must-visit destination for international tourists, and Seo Seolhee, along with Jiwoo's sister, loved exploring it daily since arriving.

"...Settle down here?"

"Why? Don't you like it?"

"N-No, I mean, of course, I like it! Ha-ha-ha. I'm just overwhelmed with joy!"

"Why does it sound like you're not being honest?"

With his father, mother, and sister happily enjoying themselves, Yu Jiwoo wondered how long this peaceful time would last. For now, though, he decided to cherish the moment.

---

A week later.

To celebrate the end of the season, Jiwoo's father hosted a party at his restaurant, inviting friends and acquaintances. Alicia's family, the restaurant staff, members of the Korean community, Guillermo Darin's family, and Diego Rossi's family all joined in.

"Eva, don't just eat meat. Have some of this too."

"Ugh! I don't like that!"

Diego Rossi doted on his six-year-old little sister, Eva.

"If you don't eat that, you'll end up marrying someone like Guillermo."

"Hey, Diego! Why are you dragging me into this?"

"...I'll eat it."

"Wait, Eva! Why did you agree to that? What's wrong with me?"

Eva's reaction made everyone laugh—except Guillermo.

As the party went on and the food on the table started disappearing, Guillermo Darin's phone suddenly rang.

"Hmm? Who's calling at this hour? Hello?"

As he listened to the call, Guillermo's hands began to tremble.

For someone known for keeping a poker face, this reaction was unusual.

After hanging up, he looked at his parents.

"Mom, Dad."

"What is it? Who called?"

"They've called me up to join the reserve team! Starting next month!"

Guillermo, being the next most promising player after Diego Rossi, had long been expected to move up to the reserves. The announcement brought cheers and congratulations from everyone at the party.

"That just leaves…"

Swoosh.

Diego Rossi, mid-celebration, turned toward Jiwoo.

"It's your turn now!"

Following Diego's gaze, everyone turned to Jiwoo.

"Do you think our son will get a call too?" Jiwoo's mother asked.

Just as she finished speaking, Jiwoo's phone rang, as if on cue.

"Jiwoo! Hurry and answer it!"

Seo Seolhee looked more nervous than her son. Everyone in the room went silent, focusing on Jiwoo's phone call.

"This is Jiwoo Yu speaking."

– "Sebastián Lancellotta."

The voice on the other end belonged to none other than Boca Juniors' first-team coach.

"Yes?"

– "You don't seem surprised that I'm calling you personally."

"Didn't you just call Guillermo too?"

– "Hmm? That wasn't me."

"...Pardon?"

What's going on here?

"Then…"

– "The call Guillermo received was probably from the reserve team coach. The sporting director instructed him to join the reserves."

"And for me?"

What Jiwoo heard next left him momentarily speechless.

"..."

After ending the call, Jiwoo found everyone staring at him.

"Was it the club?"

"...The coach."

"Rodolfo?"

"No. Coach Sebastián."

"Sebastián… You mean…"

Before his family could piece it together, someone else exclaimed.

Bang!

"Wait, are you serious? Coach Sebastián Lancellotta?" shouted Diego Rossi.

"Yes."

"The person who just called Jiwoo was Sebastián Lancellotta, the first-team coach!"

Everyone froze in shock.

"Is that true?" Jiwoo's father asked.

"Yes."

Jiwoo nodded.

"What did he say? Why would the first-team coach call you? Isn't it the reserve team coach who usually makes these calls?"

Everyone was curious.

"He told me to join the first-team training session on the 30th."

Jiwoo relayed the message verbatim.

The room erupted into astonishment.

Clatter.

A spoon dropped to the floor.

"...Unbelievable."