Chapter 31: The Call from the Portuguese National Youth Team

Chapter 31: The Call from the Portuguese National Youth Team

With the Serie B championship almost secured a round early, the mood in Novara was excellent. At this time, someone recalled a statement by the "Turin Sports Daily" that if Bruno could lead Novara to win Serie B, it would be an achievement comparable to Maradona leading Napoli to the Serie A championship. Thus, the idea of Bruno being "Novara's Maradona" spread quickly in Novara.

Of course, Novara fans didn't literally think Bruno was on the same level as Maradona; they felt that Bruno's significance to Novara was similar to what Maradona meant to Napoli. Before Maradona joined, Napoli was just a mid-table team in Serie A, with no major stars and not very competitive in the league, which at the time was as prestigious as a small World Cup.

Maradona's arrival transformed Napoli into one of the most competitive teams in Serie A. Aside from finishing eighth in his first season, they secured one third-place finish, two second-places, and won the championship twice in the following five seasons.

For Novara, Bruno's arrival came when the team had been relegated from Serie A and had been penalized with a deduction of points, leaving the team on the brink of collapse. At the start of the season, many thought Novara would be relegated. Yet, as the season ended, people were surprised to find not only had Novara avoided relegation, they had fought back to Serie A, possibly as champions of Serie B.

Indeed, after round 41 of Serie B, Novara had already secured a direct promotion spot to Serie A. With 85 points, they were four points ahead of third-placed Verona and five ahead of fourth-placed Livorno, making it impossible for these teams to overtake Novara. Thus, even if Novara were to lose disastrously in the last round and lose the championship, they would at least finish second and promote directly to Serie A. However, this scenario was highly unlikely.

The most probable outcome was that Novara would return to Serie A as the champions of Serie B. No one believed that facing an average team like Lanciano in the final round, Novara would suffer a heavy defeat at home.

Novara's current situation was largely thanks to Bruno. He was the undeniable core of the team and the main contributor to its success. With 19 goals and 31 assists in 39 matches, his stats were dazzling. Of the 92 goals scored by the team, Bruno was directly involved in 50. His skill in creating opportunities and breaking through defenses with his dribbling speed and agility was evident. His exceptional personal skills, especially in passing and shooting, allowed him to facilitate effective attacks for his team. His shooting ability was equally impressive, capable of creating chances from both long and short distances. This season, he had fully demonstrated his influence, not just through goals and assists but also in controlling the pace of the game and dominating possession.

To some Italian fans, watching Bruno was like seeing Maradona play. This was why he was dubbed "Novara's Maradona."

When Bruno heard fans calling him "Novara's Maradona," he simply laughed it off. He wanted to be himself, not the shadow of someone else. When reporters cornered him at the training ground to ask about this comparison, Bruno modestly thanked the fans for their affection and stated he needed to work even harder, then quickly left. He never liked talking much with reporters, knowing the more he said, the more they could twist his words. A simple display of humility was enough to prevent them from sensationalizing anything.

On May 12, right after finishing morning training and heading to the cafeteria for lunch, Bruno's phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number, but the Portuguese country code made him decide to answer. It was his former coach from the Portugal U17 national team, Elio Sosa, asking if Bruno was free in the afternoon to meet him and a friend at a cafe not far from Novara.

After lunch and changing into casual clothes, Bruno headed to the cafe. Sosa called again to check if Bruno had arrived and soon arrived with a man in his forties, Felipe Ramos, the coach of the Portugal U20 national team and, like Sosa, a member of the team that won the 1989 FIFA Youth World Championship.

They quickly revealed their purpose: Ramos was inviting Bruno to join the upcoming U20 World Cup in Turkey, surprising since Bruno was expected to be called up to the U18 team, not the U20. Joining the U20 team on short notice raised concerns about disrupting team harmony, but Ramos assured him it wouldn't be an issue. With over a month until the World Cup and a warm-up tournament in Toulon, France, there was time for integration.

After about an hour of discussion and considering the tournament's significance, Bruno decided to join. Ramos was delighted, having watched Bruno's recent games; he believed Bruno could bring a significant positive impact to the team. They agreed to meet on May 21st in Toulon, bypassing a return to Portugal.

(End of Chapter)

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