All Football Talents Are Mine!

The commentary desk erupted in cheers.

[Goal~! It's a goal! Woo Hoyoung has just split the opponent's net with a shot from the halfway line!]

[Ah, what is this?! Can a child even make that kind of shot? And look at that celebration! The sheer hunger for victory! It's spectacular!]

"Eh?"

The opposing team's goalkeeper scratched the back of his head, dumbfounded by the unexpected long-range strike.

It was only natural—he had never encountered a shot like this before.

Even the adults who had been watching with smiles were completely stunned.

It wasn't a cannonball of a shot, but it was still hard to believe that a ten-year-old had just pulled off such a goal.

Even Coach Lee Sangwoon from the Cha Bumkun Football Academy was at a loss for words.

'What the…? Weren't they just a bunch of neighborhood kids?'

Lee Sangwoon.

He wasn't just any coach—he had seven years of experience as a national team player and was a legendary figure from K League's Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma.

Even in his professional eyes, that goal was incredible.

'Hmm. He doesn't have the kind of physique to generate that kind of power…'

Hoyoung had good balance, but at 134 cm tall, he was below average in height.

And yet, he was able to strike with such force…

'He's a natural.'

A born talent!

There was no other way to explain it.

It might seem like an overreaction to judge a player based on a single shot, but it wasn't.

A great scout's intuition is razor-sharp.

Just as FC Barcelona's sporting director, Carles Rexach, had scouted Lionel Messi at first glance, Lee Sangwoon recognized Hoyoung's potential.

'That little guy knows how to shoot.'

Knowing how to shoot properly.

It sounded simple, but even if you drilled it into young players for days, they rarely understood it.

Without talent, it was nearly impossible to grasp through effort alone.

'He was born for this.'

One look at his shooting form, and the answer was clear.

'That kid… He's special.'

"Huuuu…"

Hoyoung exhaled deeply after running around like a raging bull from the 20th minute of the first half to the second half.

Though the field was only about one-sixth the size of a real stadium, the amount of running required was no joke.

Especially in a 6v6 match, where each player had a wide area to cover.

'Damn, I'm out of breath.'

Meanwhile, their own goal shook violently, but Hoyoung didn't care.

[FC ChaBoom's Hwang Gidong scores again! That's his third goal! The score has now widened to 3-8.]

[Ah~ They really are a prestigious team. It looked like they might waver after conceding the first goal to Woo Hoyoung, but now they've already racked up 11 goals.]

[That's right. Their overall teamwork is outstanding. But if our FC Shootdori keeps training, don't you think we can reach that level someday?]

[If we can just get one win this month, I'd be happy.]

[Hahaha.]

FC Shootdori was a mess.

Some kids were dancing with joy whether they conceded a goal or not, while others got hit in the face with the ball and had to be subbed out because they burst into tears.

'Doesn't matter. I expected this anyway.'

Hoyoung had no real expectations of winning.

If he were in an adult's body, he could single-handedly carry the team to victory, but even though he had talent, he wasn't a superhero with superhuman abilities.

Going 1v6 had clear physical limitations.

'It's fine. I just need to showcase my skills!'

Hoyoung tightened the laces on his cleats.

Coach Lee Sangwoon instructed his team to mark Hoyoung closely.

And in the 3rd minute of the second half—

Boom!

As FC ChaBoom's goal kick sailed past the halfway line, Hoyoung dashed forward and intercepted the ball.

It was such an intelligent play that it almost seemed like the opposing team had deliberately left an opening.

But whether that was the case or not, the defenders, following their coach's instructions, swarmed toward Hoyoung.

A full-on collective press.

It was primitive total football against a single player!

But—

Whoosh!

No matter how many they sent at him, Hoyoung didn't falter.

He slipped the ball through a defender's legs while simultaneously pushing forward, evading three defenders in an instant.

[D-Did you just see that?!]

[It's like the ball is glued to his feet!]

As the commentators gasped in amazement, Hoyoung continued to toy with the five defenders chasing him, herding them like a flock of sheep.

Then, after smoothly dribbling past the goalkeeper—

He struck a low shot straight into the net!

Thud!

"Hooouu!!"

[A true one-man show! Woo Hoyoung is absolutely incredible! That's his fifth goal already!]

[Ah, he didn't stand out this much during training! Is he just built for the big stage?]

[Hahaha!]

A lone crane among chickens.

With the talent of a football prodigy and the mind of a 24-year-old, Hoyoung was simply on another level compared to his peers.

'My body is 10, but my brain is 24!'

His field vision was wide, and his decision-making was top-notch.

It was like having the best hardware with the latest software installed.

Beep!

Final score: 5-14.

FC ChaBoom won by a landslide, but the true victor was someone else.

Hoyoung, who had single-handedly scored five goals while running all over the pitch, was the real star of the game.

He couldn't lead his team to victory, but he had done everything he could.

There were no regrets.

"Haaah…"

Exhausted, Hoyoung collapsed onto the grass.

'Yeah, this is football. This is what makes it worth playing.'

He couldn't stop himself from grinning.

He had a feeling this would turn into a major talking point.

"Woo Hoyoung!"

"Huh? VJ hyung?"

"Haha. How are you feeling right now?"

The VJ, who had been filming Hoyoung nonstop, took the chance to interview him.

It was under the direct orders of PD Choi—

"Capture everything. Even his breathing."

Hoyoung grinned and mimicked a familiar gesture.

"I'm still hungry!"

Those are the famous words of Guus Hiddink after leading South Korea to the 2002 World Cup Round of 16.

The crowd burst into laughter.

"Mom!"

"My baby!"

Kim Heeseon, who had been unable to take her eyes off Hoyoung the entire match, rushed in and hugged him tightly.

"You did amazing!"

She had been worried he might get hurt, but he looked even livelier than when the game started.

"What do you want for dinner? Should I make your favorite dinosaur nuggets?"

"No! Chicken!"

"Haha. Do you want seasoned or fried?"

"Hmm… Half-and-half?"

As Hoyoung pondered, an unexpected guest arrived.

"Hello, ma'am!"

A man in his mid-30s approached with a smile—it was Lee Sangwoon.

"Oh, hello. What brings you here…?"

At that moment, Hoyoung's instincts kicked in.

'Here it comes!'

With filming wrapped up, they settled on a nearby bench.

Lee Sangwoon got straight to the point.

"I'm Lee Sangwoon, a coach at the Cha Bumkun Football Academy."

"Oh, I know. I've seen you on TV often."

Having lived in Spain for years, Kim Heeseon was quite knowledgeable about football.

Lee Sangwoon, maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor, continued.

"Ma'am, Hoyoung's football skills are outstanding."

"Oh my, really? Thank you."

Flashing a bold smile, Lee Sangwoon got to work.

"Honestly, I still have goosebumps. Hoyoung, you gave me a feast for the eyes!"

"Haha. Hoyoung, say thank you."

"Thank you! But, mister."

"Hm?"

Hoyoung grinned innocently.

"Why are you calling yourself my coach?"

"Haha, well…"

Lee Sangwoon turned to Kim Heeseon.

"Ma'am, I'll be blunt. I'd like to personally coach Hoyoung. What do you think?"

"Oh… I appreciate the offer, but does my son really have that much talent?"

Kim Heeseon wanted to confirm it for herself—was Hoyoung truly gifted, even in the eyes of an expert?

With a serious tone, Lee Sangwoon began his explanation.

"To be honest, at our academy, we can usually gauge a child's potential within just three months. We can determine whether they belong in the hobby class or the competitive class and inform the parents accordingly."

"I see."

"So, technically, it may be a bit premature to say this, but if I may be bold—Hoyoung is close to being a genius."

"Oh…!"

It was an honest, objective evaluation with not a hint of exaggeration.

Lee Sangwoon continued, his expression slightly flushed with excitement.

"Strictly speaking, this might not be the most ethical approach, but I can't sit still knowing that I might have the chance to train Hoyoung properly."

"Ethical? What do you mean?"

"I mean the football academy he's currently attending. If transferring him to our program feels uncomfortable because of that…" He hesitated before asking, "By the way, may I ask which academy he's attending?"

"Huh? I think you're misunderstanding something… Hoyoung has never attended any football academy."

"What?"

Lee Sangwoon's eyebrows shot up.

"Then… where did he learn to play football?"

"Well, his father used to kick a ball around with him when he was little, but he's never received any formal training."

"Oh… wow… Haha. I see."

A brief silence followed.

Lee Sangwoon, struggling to contain his surprise, carefully continued.

"So, would you be interested in raising Hoyoung as a professional football player?"

"If he wants to… but how much would the tuition be?"

"Ah, yes. That depends on the results of the entrance evaluation. But in Hoyoung's case, I can already tell he'll be placed in the S-Class."

The special S-Class wasn't something anyone could join just by paying.

The primary requirement? Talent.

If a child didn't have it, they would be placed in the A-Class instead. And even for that, parents had to put their child's name on a waiting list with over a hundred applicants and wait for weeks before getting a spot.

In other words, being placed in the S-Class was a privilege in itself.

"For S-Class, the tuition is 120,000 won for three sessions per week. If you sign up for a full month of regular lessons, it's 900,000 won."

It was significantly more expensive compared to the municipal football programs, which charged around 70,000 won per month.

But the S-Class was worth the price.

At this time, the Cha Bum Kun Football Academy was considered one of the best in Korea, surpassing even the youth academies of professional clubs.

As one of the earliest and most well-established football academies in the country, it had a more systematic and professional training program than the newly founded youth teams under professional clubs.

It was also the best pathway for young players to secure opportunities to study abroad at prestigious football clubs.

But money was an issue.

Hoyoung's current appearance fee for Shootdori is only 38,000 won.

Since variety shows with group child casts generally offered lower pay, and since Hoyoung was the youngest and least experienced, he received the minimum possible rate.

'That's nowhere near enough to cover the tuition.'

As a mother, Heeseon wanted to support her son's future. She'd be willing to break open her savings if necessary.

But Hoyoung didn't want that.

There had to be a better way.

Hoyoung finally spoke.

"Coach, can't I get in on credit?"