Chapter 10: "The Weight of Rivalry: A Christmas Clash"

Since Yu Jiwoo joined the team, his name had been mentioned every single day by the Boca Juniors U-20 coaching staff.

"These days, Yu keeps catching my attention."

"Absolutely."

"At his age, finding such a dedicated player is rare."

The praise was endless.

While his skills were impressive, what earned him the most recognition was his work ethic.

"He's always the first one at the training ground and stays until the lights go out, training on his own."

"I'm worried his young body might get overworked."

Yu Jiwoo's name came up constantly during the coaching staff's regular meetings.

"Teach him ten things, and he'll show you eleven."

His ability to absorb information like a sponge made him stand out among his peers.

"Rodrigo really unearthed a gem."

It hadn't even been a month since he arrived in Argentina, yet Yu Jiwoo's talent was already acknowledged by the U-20 staff.

"Then..."

"How about putting him in that upcoming match?"

When Coach James brought up the suggestion, Coach Giovanni voiced his thoughts.

"It's too soon."

"Why do you think so?"

"Throwing a player who hasn't even properly experienced the youth league into an important match might be overwhelming. I think it's better to first let him play in smaller matches and build chemistry with his teammates."

Giovanni's reasoning was valid.

Yu Jiwoo had just arrived in Argentina. Nothing about him had been proven yet, so it would be premature to thrust him into a significant game.

"While I understand Giovanni's point, I think differently. His talent is on par with Diego's. Testing him out once would be beneficial."

"No matter what, it's still too soon."

The coaches' opinions clashed, and Rodolfo Pinti pondered deeply.

At that moment, Coach James turned to Rodolfo and asked, "What do you think, Coach?"

Even if there were disagreements, the final decision rested with the head coach.

The coaching staff awaited Rodolfo's response. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"First, let's see how the higher-ups feel about it."

As a U-20 coach, he wasn't entirely free from interference regarding player management.

---

At the Boca Juniors U-20 Training Ground

The players gasped for air, dripping with sweat.

Thwack!

Clang!

The ball I shot found its way into the bottom-right corner of the goal.

Tweet!

The mini-game ended.

"Team D wins! Team D, stretch and rest until the next drill. The other teams will begin endurance training."

"What?! Coach, this is so unbalanced!"

"Yeah! Putting Diego and Yu on the same team? Do you just want the rest of us to lose?!"

Being compared to Diego Rossi, the "Treasure of Boca," felt nice in its own way.

"What, are you going to give up just because your opponents are strong?"

"..."

"You need to use your strengths! Before Diego and Yu's dribbling breaks through, apply collaborative defense, block their lanes, think about how to steal the ball, and figure out what spacing to maintain!"

The arrangement wasn't made to unfairly stack one team.

It was to train players on how to respond when faced with a strong team.

"..."

Hearing that, the protesting players fell silent.

Internally, they had already acknowledged the two players.

"Soccer isn't a sport where only the skilled ones win. If it were, it wouldn't have gained this much popularity."

Coach James was right.

If soccer were a sport where only the best teams always won, it wouldn't have become the world's most beloved sport.

It's the "unexpected twists and emotions" within the game that make soccer so appealing.

Tweet!

"Now that you understand, everyone, back to your positions!"

The losing players went off to train, while my team, Team D, got to rest.

As I sat and sipped water, someone approached me.

"Yu!"

Standing at about 170 cm, with tanned skin and wild, lion-like hair, was Diego Rossi.

He had been the first to approach me after the incident with Nizareno.

"What now?"

"Here, have this!"

Unlike my constant poker face, Diego always greeted people with a smile.

From what I had observed, there wasn't a single person in U-20 who disliked him.

"...Is this mate tea?"

"N-No! You said you didn't like it last time, so I brought something different today."

Diego had initially offered me mate tea, a popular drink in Argentina.

Just thinking about its taste made me shudder.

Gulp.

"Not bad, right? My mom grows these grapes herself and makes this drink from them."

It was refreshing.

"She usually sells the produce at the market, but this juice is made specially as gifts for close friends."

"Thanks. This one's good."

"Thanks? We're friends, no need to thank me! But, hey, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"It might be a sensitive question. Is that okay?"

"If it's something I can answer."

What's he trying to ask?

When I nodded, Diego cautiously asked.

"Why don't you smile? It's been a week, but I've never seen you smile."

Now that he mentioned it, the only place I smiled was at home.

Outside, especially at the training ground, I hadn't smiled even once.

"The guys said they want to get closer to you, but they're hesitant. They're scared you'll lash out with that cold expression of yours."

I had noticed the same thing.

"They may all look tough, but inside, they're softhearted… Oh, except for those Nizareno guys!"

Hearing Diego Rossi's words, I looked up at the sky and replied, "Sorry."

"…"

"I want to get along with the others too, but it's not that easy for me."

"…Something must've happened."

Sharp as ever.

"I'll tell you later."

"Well, it can't be helped! But one thing's for sure, right?"

"What is?"

"You do want to be friends with us!"

"Yeah, that's true."

A wide grin spread across Diego Rossi's face, as if it might reach his ears.

"Then that's good enough!"

Huh? What's good enough?

Wait, why are you raising your hand?

"Everyone, gather around!"

When Diego Rossi shouted, the players who were resting started to gather one by one.

"Why?"

"Yu said he wants to be friends with us!"

"Really?"

The weather was cool, and the atmosphere was relaxed.

Unlike how I played soccer under pressure in Korea, here I felt at ease.

Maybe not now, but someday I might be able to tell these people about what happened to me in Korea.

Tweet!

"Huh? The coach is with the vice-president. What's going on?"

Hearing the whistle, the players assembled.

Nizareno, who still shot hostile glances at me, was among them, but I ignored him. Instead of the coach, the vice-president started speaking.

"You all know what game is coming up in a month, don't you?"

A month from now?

"Yes!"

It seemed like everyone knew. What is it?

"It's time to get back at those Gallinas!"

Gallinas? In Spanish, that means "chickens"… He was referring to River Plate, nicknamed "The Chickens."

Seeing my curious expression, Diego Rossi whispered to me.

"Curious?"

"Yeah."

"Every year, on December 25th, there's a friendly match between the U-20 teams to celebrate Christmas. Among the fans, it's called the Mini Superclásico."

Superclásico.

It's the derby between Boca Juniors and River Plate, two teams from the same region. Known as the fiercest derby in the world, it's infamous for injuries and even occasional deaths.

On that day, double the usual police force is deployed, and the government takes measures to prevent casualties. It's the derby of all derbies.

The youth version of that match was the Mini Superclásico, played on Christmas.

"And it's in a month?"

"Yeah. We've lost for five years straight, so we have to win this time… Otherwise, someone might actually kill us in the streets."

I'd heard the stories.

Playing against River Plate was akin to going to war.

"But if you win, you become a hero."

As I was talking with Diego Rossi, the vice-president's voice boomed.

"You've been humiliated by those River Plate brats for five years. Are you okay with that?"

"No, sir!"

"Are you going to disappoint our fans like last year?"

"No, sir!"

"Are you just going to stand by while our fans are mocked by those chicken-heads?"

"No, sir!"

Not just soccer players, but anyone with a competitive spirit shares the same desire for revenge after a loss.

"If you want to secure the future of Boca Juniors, then sell your souls to the devil and win! Make our amazing fans proud!"

The vice-president's fiery speech changed the atmosphere.

The usually playful South American players had turned into warriors.

"The vibe is different now."

"The Mini Superclásico is also called the Christmas Derby. The general manager and the first-team coach attend, so there are a lot of players trying to stand out. Even Nizareno, who got embarrassed by you, is no exception."

I had one question.

"It's not a pro match—it's just for youth players. Is it really that important?"

Apparently, others overheard me, as they all turned to look at me.

Diego Rossi's eyes widened as he grabbed my shoulders with both hands.

"It may not be a pro match, but…"

"…"

"The scale is no joke. Even for the Mini Superclásico, at least ten thousand people show up."

"…For a youth match?"

I was surprised.

The fact that such a large crowd gathered for a youth match was astonishing.

That was comparable to the audience size for some professional games.

"You haven't been here long, so you wouldn't know, but over 70% of Argentinians are fans of either Boca Juniors or River Plate."

I knew these two clubs were prestigious, but I never imagined their fanbase was that large.

"That's why, even if it's just a youth match, so many people come to watch. So we absolutely have to win. If we lose…"

Flinch.

The players around me shivered.

It was as if they were imagining something truly terrifying.

"You might see ghosts."

The Mini Superclásico, also known as the Christmas Derby.

It would be my first match since coming to Argentina.

This should be fun.

---

I didn't know then.

What the words Superclásico truly meant in Argentina.