Chapter 19: "The Rising Stars of Boca Juniors: A Battle of Perspectives"

The soccer association employees weren't ones to give up easily.

"Yoo Ji-woo!"

They even came to the training ground instead of his house, persistently trying to convince him to join the national team.

"Please, can't you reconsider just one more time?"

"I've already told you. My vision is too strained, and I'd just be a burden to the team."

But the soccer association employees didn't believe his words at face value.

Before coming here, they had watched the U-20 matches in person to gauge Yoo Ji-woo's skill level.

'...He's lying. He probably just doesn't like the association.'

Knowing that they'd be in deep trouble with the vice president if Yoo Ji-woo didn't join, they weren't ready to give up.

Although Cha Myung-hoon had been stepping in to handle these situations, today felt different.

"Ji-woo, let me handle this."

"...Okay."

Cha Myung-hoon's usual gentle demeanor was replaced with the expression of someone truly angry.

After all, showing up uninvited for three days straight was excessive.

Taking a step forward, Cha Myung-hoon addressed the employees with a cold smile.

"Alright, association representatives. You see these phone numbers?"

"What...what are those numbers?"

"The ones on top are for lawyers, and the ones below are for reporters. Since you've come all the way here, I thought I'd give you some options. Would you prefer being sued for invading privacy, or having this publicized so the internet blows up?"

"..."

"Or would you rather quietly leave and go about your day?"

A few days later, not a single trace of the soccer association employees could be seen.

---

"Ji-woo, why are you heading to a restaurant today?"

After practice, instead of heading home in Cha Myung-hoon's car, Ji-woo was heading to his father's restaurant.

"Aunt Alicia had a family emergency, so I thought I'd have dinner at my dad's place."

"I see."

"You should eat with us too, Agent."

"Really?"

"My dad told me to bring you along, saying he's already prepared enough food."

"Thank you so much!"

When they arrived at his father's bustling restaurant, a cheerful face approached from the dining hall.

"Yoo!"

It was Julia, the part-timer he had met the first time he came to the restaurant.

"Where's my dad?"

"Oh, come on! Don't be so stiff. Treat me like you treat your sister!"

"...Maybe later."

"Don't be like that!"

Even as she guided them to their seats, Julia kept chattering away.

"Sit tight! I'll go get the boss for you."

A lively blonde beauty, Julia fit the description perfectly. His dad had once mentioned that some customers came to the restaurant just to see her smile.

"My son's here! Welcome, Agent Cha!"

"Thank you for inviting me, sir!"

Cha Myung-hoon bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle.

"Make yourselves comfortable. I've prepared stir-fried pork belly and kimchi. I'll bring it out shortly."

"Oh! That's my favorite combination! Let me help you!"

Though his father protested, Cha Myung-hoon took off his jacket and helped with the serving. When Ji-woo stood up to assist, Cha stopped him.

"Ji-woo, you sit tight! I'll handle everything for both of us! Hahaha!"

With that, Ji-woo relaxed in his seat and glanced around the restaurant.

'Business is booming.'

He noticed a few people sneaking glances at him.

'Are they Koreans?'

They didn't look like Argentinians but rather fellow Koreans. When their eyes met, a man sitting with his family approached Ji-woo's table.

"Are you Yoo Ji-woo?"

"Ah... Yes."

He thought he had improved, but his body still tensed when meeting strangers for the first time.

"It's a pleasure to meet you! You look just like your father—very handsome!"

"...Thank you."

"I'm Man Doo-sik, president of the Korean Association. I met your father at church."

Buenos Aires had a well-established Korean community. Koreans supported one another, and many visited his father's restaurant, drawn by the high-quality food at reasonable prices.

"Dad, you're part of the Korean Association?"

As his father brought food from the kitchen, Ji-woo asked him. Placing the dish on the table, his father replied,

"Me? I'm the general secretary!"

...When did that happen?

"Oh, by the way, the entire Korean Association is planning to attend one of your games soon. We've already ordered matching shirts!"

When his father mentioned the shirts, the Korean Association president's face lit up.

"You mean what you told me about last time?"

"Yes! The bulk order will arrive next Friday, and I'll bring it to the association that evening."

"Shall we use the membership fees to prepare uniforms for the kids too? Maybe even buy some souvenirs?"

"That's a great idea! And how about this design for the banner?"

"It looks great, but it might be tight to get it ready for the game in two weeks."

"I'll place the order first thing tomorrow."

While the two discussed the details, Julia approached them with curiosity.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're finalizing the uniforms and other items for Ji-woo's game in two weeks."

"U-20? That's against the San Lorenzo Youth Team, right?"

"Yep!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Can I come too? If you win that match, the Clausura title is yours—for the first time in six years!"

Julia bounced in place, her excitement contagious. The other staff began to gather as well.

At that moment, Ji-woo's father made a grand announcement.

"Alright! Next Thursday, the restaurant will be closed. We're all going to the game together! I'll cover all the costs!"

– "Woooooo!"

"Boss, we love you!"

"Our boss is the best! A true angel sent from heaven!"

"What are you all waiting for? Let's toss the boss into the air!"

Not only the four staff members serving in the dining area and manning the counter, but also the six kitchen assistants joined in the celebration, as if they had just won the lottery.

I felt it was a bit over the top, especially since I hadn't even made my professional debut yet, but I didn't say anything.

Seeing my father smiling so brightly wasn't bad at all.

---

Boca Juniors had played 33 matches with 17 wins, 7 draws, and 9 losses, ranking 4th in the league.

< First-place Boca Juniors in the first half, now shockingly 4th! >

< What's behind Boca Juniors' slump? >

The prominent Argentine sports daily, Soccer Magazine, published an article analyzing the issue.

> "Last year, experts cited several reasons for Boca Juniors' slump, with the primary one being the 'aging of key players.' The team lacked young talents to step in for the veterans. As a result, while they led the league in the first half, they plummeted to 4th in the second half due to the poor performances of their senior players. Experts analyzing this situation unanimously suggested one solution:

Reinforce the squad.

The team desperately needs young talents to support the starting lineup."

Amid this slump, the stellar performances of young prospects became a beacon of hope, leaving the club's management with much to ponder.

---

"Diego should be promoted straight to the first team."

With a brief pause in the first division schedule, the management convened in the conference room to evaluate their rising stars.

"Diego has already surpassed the level of the third division. Promoting him would be a wise move."

"But his stamina is lacking."

"Even so, his speed and body balance are excellent, and he holds his ground well in physical battles. Plus, his individual skills are top-notch."

With the first team struggling, what they needed most was fresh talent to shake up the atmosphere. The debate continued about whether or not to promote Diego Rossi.

"What about Guillermo? He's the top scorer in the youth league with 32 goals."

"With that kind of scoring ability, he could be placed in the second team for now and then quickly moved to the first team."

"His aerial ability and finishing are solid, so he could definitely play the role of a goal-getter in the first team."

The next profile discussed was Jiwoo Yu's.

"What about Yu?"

As one of the top five prospects that Boca Juniors fans were most excited about, Jiwoo's highlight reel immediately drew gasps of admiration.

"His flashy dribbling and scoring ability—just from the footage, it's clear he's already beyond the youth level."

"But he's lacking in passing and physicality to an extent."

"And his age… he's too young."

Sixteen years old.

It was considered too young for the professional stage.

As many were voicing concerns about rushing him, someone who had remained silent finally spoke up.

"Does age really matter?"

Sebastián Lancella, the first-team coach, broke his silence, and the room fell into a hush.

"Why do we run age-graded teams? Isn't it ultimately to produce players for the first team? If he's capable, it doesn't matter if he's sixteen or ten—he should play in the first team."

Sebastián Lancella was a staunch believer in meritocracy.

"A footballer only needs to be good at football."

This was his mantra, regardless of nationality or age.

However, the head of youth development, Juan Montero, had a different perspective.

"While I see your point, nurturing young players in a stable environment is crucial. Yu still has a small frame. He'll grow naturally with time."

Lancella wanted to give Jiwoo an immediate chance, while Montero argued it was premature, creating a standoff.

"You make a valid argument, coach, but I believe monitoring his growth at least until next year is prudent."

Juan Montero's concern wasn't unfounded.

Promoting a young player too quickly risked damaging their confidence and development if they couldn't adapt to the intense competition of the first division.

"Sixteen years old."

Lancella picked up a piece of paper on the table, which contained Jiwoo Yu's profile.

"At that age, both Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi debuted professionally."

His words startled the management team.

Among them, a staff member in his 30s abruptly stood up.

"Are you seriously comparing this Korean player to Diego and Lionel?"

"At the very least, his style resembles Diego's."

"Diego is a man blessed by the heavens! He's a national symbol of Argentina! Comparing him to an Asian player is—"

The name Diego Maradona was synonymous with football in Argentina.

For an almost unknown Asian player to be compared to him? It was naturally offensive.

"Does nationality matter?"

But Lancella wasn't backing down. He looked each of the management members in the eye.

"Is there any place in football where we play with passports instead of feet?"

At those words—

"..."

No one could respond, and Lancella, with his usual impassive expression, added:

"If anyone here holds such thoughts… should I consider you a racist?"

The silence following his remark was palpable. Alberto Varela, the assistant coach, broke it with a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha! Our coach really knows how to corner people with words."

However, Juan Montero wasn't amused. He slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

Bang.

"That's crossing the line!"

The tension in the room grew icy, as if a fight might break out any moment.

But Lancella remained as calm as ever.

"July in the second team."

"..."

"If he performs well, the first team next year."

"..."

"How about it?"

Lancella focused solely on Jiwoo's ability, not his nationality, concluding that he had the potential to play for the first team. Finally, he turned to the man seated at the head of the table, who had been silent until now.

"..."

That man was Enrique Boto, who held the ultimate decision-making power.

"Both of you make valid points. Director Montero is right that a stable development environment is important, and Coach Lancella's argument for giving opportunities is also reasonable."

Enrique Boto drummed his fingers on the table, drawing everyone's attention.

"So, I'd like to propose an idea."

"Of course."

"What is it?"

Boto took a sip of his tea before continuing.

"Let's hold off on promoting Diego to the first team."

The murmuring in the room grew louder.

"Why?"

"In the second team, let's test the chemistry between Diego Rossi, Guillermo Darin, and Jiwoo Yu. I want to see how these three perform together."

So far, the trio had only played together once—in a mini El Superclásico.

And now, the club wanted to find out if the trio destined to lead Boca Juniors could deliver on the professional stage.