Chapter 33: "The Young Prince's Dazzling Debut"

– Boca, mi buen amigo,

esta campaña volveremos a estar contigo,

te alentaremos de corazón,

esta es tu hinchada que te quiere ver campeón,

no me importa lo que digan, lo que digan los demás,

yo te sigo a todas partes, cada vez te quiero más.

The Boca Juniors supporters heightened the atmosphere with their iconic chant.

As the match time approached, the stands were packed to the brim, with no empty seats in sight. Some fans even resorted to standing as the excitement overflowed.

"Everyone! The energy here is incredible, right? That's what you'd expect from the opening game in the football capital!"

"Are you streaming this live?"

Choi Da-bin glanced at Kang Joo-hyun, who had turned on her camera to broadcast.

"Yep! Hello, viewers! Guess where I am right now? That's right! We're at La Bombonera, the home stadium of Boca Juniors in Argentina!"

Kang Joo-hyun was a YouTuber with over 500,000 subscribers, so her live stream effortlessly attracted more than 10,000 viewers.

– Kangha!

– No country can match the passion of South American football.

– I still get chills remembering when I watched River Plate's game in person three years ago.

– Wait, Joo-hyun, aren't you a Man City fan? Why are you at a Boca game?

Joo-hyun laughed at the comments.

"I'm here because a kid I know is making his debut today! I came with his family and friends to cheer him on!"

– A Korean player debuting for Boca? Yoo Ji-woo?

– No way! You know him?

– For real?

– Is this legit?

"I've known Ji-woo since he was a kid! I'm friends with his older sister, Min-ha. And this here is Da-bin, who's also one of our close friends!"

– Oh! It's Choi Da-bin!

– Congrats on your World Championship win!

– The beautiful fencing queen!

– Looking forward to the Asian Games next year too!

Da-bin smiled awkwardly at the camera and gave a small bow to the viewers.

"Thank you… haha."

– Her beauty is unreal. She looks like a movie star.

– Pure elegance. Incredible.

The camera then panned to another section of the stadium.

"Don't worry, I'll show you more of Da-bin later. But today, let's focus on Ji-woo's debut!"

The scene shifted to a roaring crowd. Fans were climbing fences, waving their shirts in the air, lighting flares, and even drinking while dancing.

– Boca! Boca! Boca!

As the players emerged from the long tunnel, the stadium erupted with deafening cheers. Yoo Min-ha, Ji-woo's sister, cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "There he is!"

Wearing jersey number 30 with 'Yoo Ji-woo' printed on the back, the diminutive player stood at the end of the lineup, walking nervously onto the field.

"Ji-woooooooooo!"

---

As the players exchanged handshakes, there was a palpable tension in the air.

When Yoo Ji-woo shook hands with one of the opposing players, the latter gripped his hand a little too tightly. Ji-woo responded by matching his strength, squeezing just as hard.

A silent glare passed between them before they moved to their positions.

'Calm down.'

The feeling of standing on the field was entirely different from watching from the stands. Ji-woo took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart.

The overwhelming energy of tens of thousands of fans was almost suffocating.

Thump. Thump.

His heart pounded so loudly that it felt like it might burst. Despite his efforts to remain composed, the nerves of his debut were getting to him.

"Yoo."

Ricardo Mesa, the veteran striker, called out to Ji-woo and clenched his fist encouragingly.

"If you score a goal, my wife will make us her special dish!"

"…Ricardo, isn't that more of a punishment than a reward?"

"What did you say, you punk?!"

"Just kidding! Non-violence, please!"

The veteran duo, Ricardo Mesa and Javier Casero, always made an effort to ease the tension for nervous players.

"Thanks, really," Ji-woo said, genuinely appreciating their kindness. From the beginning of training, they had treated the foreign newcomer without any prejudice.

---

Kickoff.

Boca Juniors vs. CA Lanús. The first round of the Liga Profesional de Fútbol had officially begun.

Boca started strong, dominating possession and creating multiple scoring opportunities within the first ten minutes, though none resulted in a goal.

Ji-woo's first touches were solid. Despite the aggressive physical play from the Lanús defenders, he held his ground, using his strength training to maintain his balance. Shielding the ball with his body, he passed it safely to a teammate coming in for support.

["Yoo Ji-woo is remarkably composed for a debutant! Protecting the ball under such physical pressure is no small feat!"]

As the game progressed, Ji-woo's confidence grew. His awareness off the ball and his ability to create space for his teammates did not go unnoticed by Ricardo Mesa.

'He's got good instincts for someone his age.'

---

In the 17th minute, Ji-woo showcased his skills in a breathtaking solo effort. Using a classic Bergkamp Turn, he outmaneuvered two defenders before threading a perfect pass to Ángel Moliya, who slotted it into the net.

["Goal! Ángel Moliya scores the opening goal for Boca Juniors! And it's thanks to a brilliant assist from the young debutant, Yoo Ji-woo!"]

The crowd erupted as Moliya celebrated by running over to Ji-woo and pulling him into an embrace.

"That was an insane pass, kid!"

"Thank you!" Ji-woo replied, grinning.

---

In the dying moments of the first half, Ji-woo delivered another unforgettable moment. Breaking free from the defense with a perfectly timed run, he received a through ball from Javier Casero. With a single touch, he slotted the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net.

["Goal! Yoo Ji-woo scores his debut goal! An assist and a goal in his first professional match! This 16-year-old sensation from Asia is lighting up La Bombonera!"]

Ji-woo sprinted to the supporters' section, climbed onto the advertising boards, and pounded the Boca Juniors crest on his chest, letting out a triumphant roar.

The fans responded with an earth-shattering cheer, chanting his name as the stadium swayed under the weight of their passion.

"This is why I came here," Ji-woo thought, smiling as he soaked in the electric atmosphere.

The Young Prince of Boca had arrived, and he was ready to soar.