Rise of a Football God

"What a game of offensive football we're bearing witness to!"

"3-3! What a scoreline!"

"We can't really say defense are on top of their game this afternoon, there's been some atrocious defending from both sides!"

"But that takes nothing from the performance of the attackers this afternoon. They've been brilliant".

"What a game".

"Can anything separate these 2 nations?"

Well, not this first half at least.

The first half came to an end 3-3.

It was one of the most thrilling encounters of this World Cup already, and yet, it was still just first half that was played.

There was another half of this game yet to be played.

During halftime, the 2 coaches had a talk with their respective players, and then after 10 minutes, they sent them back to the pitch.

Surely, after such a thrilling first half, both sides were tired right?

They could not keep it up, right? Sike.

Yes, both sides were tired after that incredible first half encounter, but it was just their physical bodies. Mentally, their wills still blazed like a burning furnace.

Both countries kept the intensity up, attacking, push each of their defenses to the limit with their different style of playing.

The question was, which defense would succumb first?

Which offense would prevail first?

Well, Belgium's defense was the one that cracked first.

In the 58th minute of the game, Sweden's attacking duo exploded to life.

It was defense to attack, then goal, all in a jiffy.

Johansson, Sweden's goalkeeper played the ball upfield, aiming at Victor Gyokeres who was being tightly marked after his first half display.

Despite being tightly marked though, Gyokeres managed to rise highest, getting to the ball and he calmly headed it towards Alexander Isak, his partner in crime who was by his right.

As the ball floated towards Isak, the nearest Belgian players erupted.

But Isak didn't wait for the ball to come towards him though.

Rather, he rushed towards the ball with speed, taking it with a deft touch to bring it under control, and then… a la croqueta.

BZZZZ!

Alexander Isak cut through 2 players with one move like they were not there and when the third player charged in, he nutmegged the poor fellow.

And just like that, the angle opened up for him to shoot from just outside the 18-yard box. But Isak didn't shoot.

This was because, desperate already, the rest of Belgian's defense reacted like moths to flame, swarming towards him to block the potential shot. Even the goalkeeper was at full alert, focused on him.

In the state of flow for a while already, Isak took all this in, and then he swung his leg.

He didn't shoot though. It was a fake shot.

Rather, he kicked the ball towards his right where his partner in crime, Victor Gyokeres lurked, now unmarked since all the attention focused on him in that moment.

No one expected him to pass.

No one saw this coming, not the spectators, not even Victor Gyokeres himself, but Gyokeres was an elite striker.

His body reacted before his brain could.

"My GOD!" The commentators screamed. "What ingenuity from Isak!"

"99% of us didn't see that pass at all!"

"What unselfishness!"

The ball almost rolled past Gyokeres but in a moment of ultra-instinct, the lethal striker stuck his leg out, still with the presence of mind to direct his shot, a lethal placement shot towards the top right corner.

The goalkeeper sprinted back and dived, going full stretch, but it was not enough. He was not fast enough.

The ball entered the net, then…

BOOM!

The Mercedez Benz Stadium exploded for the umpteenth time this game.

Victor Gyokeres charged towards the corner flag to celebrate, pumping a fist in celebration before pointing towards Isak.

The commentators screamed in a shrill voice.

"GOLAZO!"

"GOLAZO!"

"GOLAZOOOOOO!"

"Victor Gyokeres with the hattrick, and Alexander Isak with a hattrick of assists!"

"What a lethal striker combination!"

"And just like that, Belgium are trailing again!"

"Can Sweden be stopped?"

Well, only Belgium had the answer to that question at this moment.

Belgium had just 30 minutes tops to save the game, and trust them, they put everything into that final 30 minutes, running themselves to the ground.

Belgium went all-out attack!

To neutral fans, what a game!

To fans of both nations though, the tension was palpable. Watching the game was not advisable to fans with high blood pressure.

Belgium attacked and attacked, Sweden counterattacked.

Sweden didn't let the tempo up after gaining the lead for the first time this game. Instead, they did what they did best, to keep on attacking.

60 minutes, no goal…

65 minutes, no goal…

70 minutes, no goal…

75 minutes, no goal…

80 minutes, no goal…

85 minutes, no goal…

88th minute, when thousands of Belgian fans already lost hope, some even breaking down in tears, their captain did what he did best, stealing the show when his team needed him the most.

Kevin De Bruyne received a pass in the center of the pitch, and then, he switched on, deciding to go on a solo run.

He started slow, using his physicality, skill, and ball control to progress with the ball, evading challenges.

And then, suddenly, he accelerated.

He kicked the ball once to set himself up, he approached it, swinging his right leg, muscles tense and taut, and then…

POW!

From 30 yards out, Kevin De Bruyne rolled back the years with a trademark shot from range.

The ball tore its way through the pitch, rising like a missile, straight towards the top left corner, narrowly missing the goalkeeper's outstretched palm.

It tore into the net.

For a moment, silence, and then…

BOOM!

The Mercedez Benz Stadium in USA exploded again for the umpteenth time this afternoon.

What a game!

Kevin De Bruyne charged towards the corner flag, looking at the fans, nodding his head even as they roared his name like he was a King, or a god.

The game came to an end 4-4.

What a game it was.

Alexander Isak won the man of the match award.