Prologue

It was the year 2026, Metlife Stadium, in the United States of America.

It was the World Cup Final, Brazil vs England.

It was the 68th minute, the score was tied 2-2.

'This is my last chance'. He thought.

'This is our last chance!' Gustavo Endrick bit his lips anxiously.

Like Neymar, the aging superstar of the Brazil national team, Endrick was also 34 and this was his last chance at lifting a World Cup trophy with his country.

Despite being a Brazilian, Endrick was not hindered by their rivalry, his idol and G.O.A.T was the legendary Argentinian, Lionel Messi.

Messi lifting the World Cup trophy at the age of 35 became his greatest motivation factor. For 4 consecutive world cups, he had tried his best but failed and yet, here he was again, about to go for his last dance.

And though he was on the bench due to his age, he was not discouraged.

'We cannot lose this time!' He clenched his fists.

"Neymar receives the ball on the left wing again, a step over, a feint and a dash, twinkle toes, he's lost his man…, and Neymar charges at the retreating backline".

The commentator's loud voice made him focus back on the match.

"Neymar goes past 1, past 2, 3, oh my God…, a nutmeg and then he shoots!" The commentator's voice rose up a crescendo.

"OHHH…!" The commentator screamed!

"What an acrobatic save from the young English goalkeeper!"

Neymar stomped the ground in frustration, Endrick echoed his sentiments from the bench as he clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling the urge to vent his frustration by punching something but he held himself back.

"Endrick".

He suddenly heard his name, he sprang up. "Yes coach".

"Warm up, you're up next".

Endrick was fired up instantly. 'Finally!'

On the 70th minute, Gustavo Endrick, the aging Selecao veteran right winger was placed into the game, replacing Rodrygo Goes.

'The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning'. Endrick quoted Pele in his mind as his blood burned hot.

From here on, the game progressed like it was the 3rd world war!

Both teams went at each other like they were out for blood.

Wingers went on marauding runs down the flanks, strikers repeatedly launched lethal shots at the opponent box like the balls suddenly became ballistic missiles.

One moment, it was an English offensive, the next it was Brazilian.

On the 91st minute, one of the English superstars gets the ball.

"A Bukayo Saka shot! Ohhh…, it bounces off the crossbar!"

"And now a Brazilian offensive, Endrick Felipe, the young no. 9 gets the ball, he charges straight at the English defense line!"

"Felipe dribbles through 2 defenders, he seems unstoppable, but oh…, he is dispossessed by an inch perfect tackle from the agile English defender".

"Now an English counterattack is on".

Endrick felt his blood burn, all his muscles screamed at him due to his old age and weakening body. Running relentlessly since entering the game did not help his case but he did not despair, his determination remained dogged.

Despite the pain in his chest, he gave his all to track back.

'We can't lose now'.

'I can't lose!'

'Not after getting to this stage!' He was desperate.

After receiving the ball on the left, Marcus Rashford went on a Ronaldinho-like rampage, cutting through the Selecao defense like a hot knife through butter. The next moment, he was onto the goalkeeper one-on-one.

At this moment, Endrick saw all his dreams fading away.

"No!"

He dug into his reserves and charged forward.

"And Marcus Rashford shoots…!"

Bam!

"Oh! An interception from someone unlikely, Gustavo Endrick!"

At the last minute of the game, Endrick saved his country from losing the World Cup final. With the ball trapped on his legs, he felt his vision turn hazy, he already overexerted himself despite coming in at just the 70th minute.

He almost fainted but Endrick held on.

'This is my last chance!'

He bit his lips as blood flowed, the pain stimulated his brain awake.

Bam!

The next moment, he kicked the ball, raising it above the horde of English players towards Neymar who was lurking at the left side of the pitch.

Neymar executed an inch-perfect touch as he controlled the ball and exploded forward on the counterattack.

Despite feeling like he would die any moment, Endrick did not stop, Neymar needed support, he exerted himself again and charged forward.

Badump! Badump!

His heart beat like they suddenly became talking drums.

It got to a point where everything disappeared, all he saw was white.

This was when black lines emerged out of nowhere in his vision.

Endrick was stunned. 'Am I hallucinating?'

Despite asking, he reacted reflexively. Having seen his run, Neymar didn't take the risk of dribbling through the last 2 English defenders, he made a defense-splitting pass that went through both defenders towards him.

The black line surprisingly led him towards the ball.

"The young English goalkeeper charges out…!"

Hearing those words vaguely, adrenaline flooded Endrick's being!

'I must win!'

'I must etch my name in the canals of history!'

'I must become a legend!'

His whole body seemed to shrivel for a moment as he tapped into the remaining energy in his body, sprinting forward rapidly like a Berserk Bull.

"Who will get to the ball first? Endrick or the English goalkeeper?"

"Oh…, what is this?!"

"What a sharp burst of speed!"

"And Endrick gets there first by a small margin! What will he do?!"

Endrick didn't even think, he dug his leg into the ground before flicking the ball up above the outstretched helplessly flailing arms of the goalkeeper.

The ball went through!

The tens of thousands of spectators held their breaths.

'Did it go in?' This question filled a thousand minds.

The next moment, the net shook.

GOAL…!!!!

3-2!

Metlife Stadium roared to life like a slumbering Dragon woke up!

'I did it!' Endrick thought.

'I scored the winning goal!'

'I won the World Cup!' He felt emotional.

The only problem was that Endrick could not voice his words out, neither could he see, his whole world was blank. He could only hear the explosive roars of the ecstatic Brazilian fans as they wildly celebrated the goal.

His breath soon seized.

This was when it dawned on him. 'Am I dying?'

At the last few minutes of the game, he overexerted his aging body, and after scoring the winning goal, he instantly went into cardiac arrest.

The players' celebrations were halted by him suddenly falling down.

'Endrick!'

'Endrick!' He heard Neymar's voice.

At his last moments, he remembered a quote. 'Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that'.

'Hehe, I won a World Cup for my country'.

Gustavo Endrick died.