Chapter 37: First Final Experience

Chapter 37: First Final Experience

On June 8, 2013, at 5:30 PM local time in France, the annual Toulon Tournament final was held at the Mayol Stadium, featuring South American powerhouse Colombia U20 against Portugal U20.

Colombia's youth team had been performing exceptionally well in recent years. Not only were they the 2011 Toulon Tournament champions, but they also clinched the U20 South American Championship earlier this year, overcoming strong teams like Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. During this year's Toulon Tournament, they emerged victorious from Group A, which was filled with strong teams, defeating South Korea, the USA, France, and DR Congo, and were the only team to maintain a perfect record.

However, this team did not have any star players. The biggest name was Juan Quintero, an attacking midfielder who played for Serie A's Pescara last season, though he was mostly benched, appearing in only one match throughout the season. Later on, he even went to China to play.

Compared to Colombia, Portugal was somewhat a "star-studded" team, with many players already making a name for themselves in European football. But it was the strong team cohesion that had been key to their success.

As it was the Toulon Cup final, the stadium was quite full. Besides a few fans from Portugal and Colombia, many spectators were locals from France and other parts of the world.

Undoubtedly, many scouts were also present, though their exact number was unknown.

After four group matches, Coach Ramos had more or less settled on a starting lineup for Portugal U20, sticking to a 4-3-3 formation. The lineup included goalkeeper José Sá; defenders Cancelo, Thiago Ferreira, Thiago Ilori, and Mica Pinto; midfielders João Mário, André Gomes, and Bruno Fernandes; and forwards Bruma, Aladje, and Esagio.

Depending on the opponent, the midfield trio's positions would adjust. Against stronger teams, captain João Mário would drop back to join André Gomes as defensive midfielders, forming a defensive setup. In games against weaker opponents, João Mário would push forward into an attacking role.

For this match against the formidable South American champions Colombia, Portugal U20 deployed João Mário and André Gomes as defensive midfielders, with Bruno playing as an attacking midfielder.

Having spent two weeks with the team, Bruno and his teammates had developed a basic understanding and some rapport. Furthermore, Colombia was particularly cautious of him. Defensive midfielder José Loído shadowed him relentlessly, supported by center-back Héctor Vergara, making it difficult for Bruno to find opportunities.

José Loído was a smart player who played for Estudiantes de La Plata in Argentina's Primera División and had made a good impression, though he was a substitute. Héctor Vergara, a tall center-back, was reportedly being scouted by AC Milan and was expected to transfer there this summer.

Facing such tight marking, Bruno didn't sit idly by; he actively moved across the field to evade defenders and played a pivotal role in transitioning play and orchestrating attacks.

Colombia U20's tactics were very disciplined. Unlike Belgium U20, they did not leave gaps for Portugal U20 to exploit. Although Colombia didn't boast star players, their overall strength was formidable, which is why they had dominated strong teams like Brazil U20 and Argentina U20 in South America.

Almost from the start, Colombia pressed Portugal U20 back into their own 30-meter zone, dominating the game.

Portugal's first dangerous attack came in the 7th minute. Bruno received a pass from captain João Mário on the right and launched a quick counter-attack, driving forward to the edge of the opposition's box before passing to Bruma, who unfortunately miscontrolled the ball, missing a scoring opportunity.

Colombia continued to intensify their attacks, especially through Juan Quintero and their forward Jhon Córdova, who were very active upfront. Both players were highly skilled and worked well together, putting significant pressure on Portugal's defense. Fortunately, Coach Ramos had anticipated this and his defensive setup, consisting of dual defensive midfielders and four backs, held strong.

The young players were very excited about the final, and their focus was sharp, avoiding the errors seen during the group stage.

While the individual talent on the Portuguese team was strong, their teamwork was somewhat lacking. However, they were not at a significant disadvantage against Colombia.

After withstanding the initial onslaught from Colombia, Portugal began to find their footing in attack.

In the 22nd minute, Bruno orchestrated another attack, using his body to shield the ball from Loído, receiving a pass and quickly sending a precision through ball behind Colombia's left-back Elieberton Palacios. Bruma chased it down and crossed from just outside the box, but Colombia's center-back Aguilar headed it clear before it could reach a teammate.

Five minutes later, Bruno received a long pass from the back, took a couple of steps, and unleashed a powerful long-range shot. He was confident in the shot, but it was from a distance, and the Colombian goalkeeper, well-prepared, caught the ball securely.

At the 36th minute, Bruno broke through the midfield and then passed to Esagio on the left. The Portuguese winger got off a clean shot, but his technique let him down, and the ball flew wide of the goal.

The first half ended 0-0, with neither side able to break the deadlock, though Portugal was somewhat on the back foot.

No substitutions were made at halftime, and the teams continued with their initial lineups. The stalemate persisted on the field.

Colombia continued to dominate the attack, creating several dangerous situations; Portugal responded with counter-attacks that also posed significant threats to Colombia, making them cautious about committing too forward.

As the 60th minute approached, feeling the pressure to win and noticing that Loído was tiring and unable to keep up with Bruno, Colombia finally made a substitution. They brought on winger Ali Mojica Betancur for Loído to boost their attack.

Seeing Colombia's adjustment, Bruno sensed the opportunity he had been waiting for more than an hour was finally at hand.

As the game resumed, Bruno immediately expanded his range of movement, frequently appearing on the right flank.

With Loído's substitution, Colombia enhanced their front-line attack, significantly straining Portugal's midfield and defensive lines. However, this also exposed defensive gaps in their previously solid 4-4-2 formation. Now, with Loído gone, only Sebastián Pérez remained as a defensive midfielder.

Facing the agile Bruno, Pérez struggled to keep pace.

Bruno consistently found space on the field, but either his teammates were too slow to react, or their passes were intercepted, rendering his efforts fruitless.

If the original Bruno Fernandes would have complained about these missed connections, the current Bruno did not. Instead, he gave his teammates thumbs-up, affirming and encouraging them.

He believed that a simple gesture could boost his teammates' confidence.

Indeed, inspired by Bruno's actions, the players kept running and attempting passes. Although they frequently erred, Bruno, a person never short on patience, continued his efforts. His ability to endure long periods of demanding training under the Master Training System, enjoying the grueling sessions, was founded on his extraordinary patience.

Interestingly, this patience was partly thanks to his strong-willed and extremely stubborn mother. Her decades of relentless "guidance" had honed this quality in Bruno.

Moreover, Bruno always believed that making mistakes was not scary; succeeding just once was all it took to seize an opportunity.

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