World football system

The hum of summer in North London was different this year

Tobi stood at the glass sliding door, shirtless, a mug of coffee resting in his hand, and his eyes focused on the gentle drizzle beginning to dance across the patio. The twins—Liam and Thiago—had already started their morning cries, and from upstairs, Emilia's soft voice called out in the middle of a yawn.

"I got Luna, can you check on the boys?"

"Yeah," Tobi replied instinctively, already placing the mug down and jogging barefoot across the living room carpet toward the nursery.

It had been three months since the final—his second Champions League title, his second Premier League medal—and everything had changed.

No more wild afterparties. No more late-night strategy talks with teammates or video calls with his agent. His days now revolved around four tiny humans and one exhausted but beautiful woman who still looked like a goddess to him even in pajamas and messy hair.

The nursery was lit with soft yellow glow from the turtle nightlight plugged into the corner socket. Tobi stepped in, already cooing under his breath. "What's going on in here, huh? You two having a symphony without telling me?"

Liam, the loudest of the two, kicked his legs in rhythm with his wails while Thiago blinked up at his dad with wide, watery eyes.

"I know, I know," Tobi whispered, scooping Liam up and bouncing him gently while peeking into the crib to rub Thiago's chest with his free hand. "You miss your bottle, huh? Don't worry, Daddy's got you."

He took both boys—one nestled in the crook of each arm—down to the kitchen, navigating with precision he never imagined he'd master. Bottles were already sterilized, formula prepped the night before. Tobi worked efficiently, feeding them one at a time while humming a slow Portuguese lullaby his mother used to sing when he was a baby.

By the time Emilia joined him, holding Ava in one arm and Luna in the other, her sleepy eyes widened at the sight.

"All three already fed?"

"Yep," Tobi smiled with a smug grin, placing the last bottle in the sink. "You're married to a machine now."

She laughed and leaned against him, the babies between them. "You're going to make me fall in love with you all over again."

"You mean you ever stopped?" he teased, planting a kiss on her temple.

Their morning was interrupted not by football but by the domestic rituals of changing diapers, baby giggles, and scattered toys. Tobi had always known he wanted a family one day. But he never imagined the joy would be this... pure.

Around noon, after the babies had been put down for their nap, Emilia collapsed onto the sofa. Tobi followed, slumping next to her with a dramatic groan. She glanced over and smiled. "So how do you feel about preseason starting next week?"

Tobi tilted his head. "It feels surreal. Like... we just finished the season and suddenly it's time to start again. But this time, I'm coming in a different man."

"You are," she agreed, reaching out to brush his hair back. "You're a father now. A husband in all the ways that count. But also a footballer who's won everything Arsenal asked you to win."

"I just hope I can keep balancing both."

"You will," she whispered. "Because you're not doing it alone."

Tobi leaned in, their foreheads touching. For a moment, the world quieted. No stadium roars. No transfer rumors. Just them, wrapped in the summer quiet of home.

The next few days passed in the same rhythm. Arsenal's preseason media campaign began ramping up, and Tobi's phone buzzed daily with requests—photoshoots, pressers, interviews. But for now, he ignored most of them.

When the doorbell rang on a warm Thursday afternoon, he didn't expect to find Gabriel Jesus and Martin Ødegaard standing outside, both holding diaper boxes.

"You two look like exhausted parents already," Ødegaard smirked.

"You think football training is tough? Come babysit," Tobi laughed, stepping aside to let them in.

"Brought gifts," Gabriel said, placing the boxes on the counter. "Also came to check if you're still alive. Haven't seen you since the parade."

"Alive and barely kicking," Tobi said. "Want to meet the squad?"

"The kids?" Ødegaard chuckled. "Hell yeah."

Watching his teammates gently pick up the babies—Gabriel cradling Ava like she was made of glass while Ødegaard gently rocked Luna—Tobi felt an unexpected warmth. These weren't just teammates anymore. They were uncles. Family.

Later that evening, Emilia scrolled through photos on her phone—Tobi holding all four babies in Arsenal gear, Gabriel pretending to coach them, Ødegaard feeding Luna—and giggled.

"Going to post these?"

"Maybe," she said. "Or maybe I'll keep them for the wedding slideshow."

He turned to her. "You thinking about the wedding again?"

"I am," she said softly. "We never got around to it. But maybe next summer. When the kids are a little older."

Tobi smiled, slipping his arm around her. "Then I'll win the treble next season and walk down the aisle with all four medals."

"You're ridiculous," she whispered, kissing him.

But deep in his heart, Tobi meant it. He wasn't playing for himself anymore. Not for fame or redemption.

He was playing for them.

For Emilia.

For Ava, Luna, Liam, and Thiago.

For the home they had built together, one bottle and lullaby at a time.

The early rays of the London sun filtered through the linen curtains of the Oliveira residence, casting golden warmth across the nursery. A faint gurgle was followed by a loud wail—Ava, the eldest by two minutes, was already awake.

Tobi groaned softly, dragging a tired hand across his face. He hadn't slept more than three consecutive hours in weeks. "I got her," he mumbled, slipping out of bed as Emilia remained curled under the duvet, her hair fanned out like a halo on the pillow.

Carefully, he lifted Ava from her crib, whispering, "Hey, princesa… what's wrong now, huh?" He cradled her gently, pacing slowly as he hummed a lullaby his mother used to sing to him and Leonor. Soon, Luna joined the morning chorus, followed by the deeper cries of Thiago and Liam.

Tobi chuckled under his breath. "And now the band is complete."

Within minutes, he and Emilia were moving like a well-trained pit crew, changing diapers, prepping bottles, and organizing outfits for the day. Emilia wore one of his oversized Arsenal hoodies, hair tied back, dark circles under her eyes, but to Tobi, she was breathtaking.

"You've got training today, right?" she asked between burping Luna.

"Yeah. Just light work. First day of preseason monitoring. Mikel said he just wants us to ease in, not go hard yet," Tobi said, rocking Liam in one arm and zipping up Thiago's onesie with the other.

Emilia leaned her head on his shoulder as the twins began to settle. "Promise me you'll take it easy, babe. You've barely recovered yourself, and we need you in one piece."

"I promise," Tobi whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

By 9 a.m., Tobi was at Arsenal's London Colney training ground. His Audi RS Q8 purred into the players' lot as familiar faces greeted him with wide grins and surprised whistles.

"Well, if it isn't the daddy of the year!" Bukayo Saka laughed, clapping Tobi on the back.

"Quadruplets? You sure you're not aiming to start your own academy?" joked Gabriel Martinelli.

Tobi grinned, stretching out his arms. "Nah, I'm just building a legacy early."

Inside, Mikel Arteta gathered the squad for their first team meeting of the preseason. The players sat relaxed, dressed in training kits, sipping protein shakes and bantering. The atmosphere was light, but the undertone was serious—Arsenal were Premier League champions and defending Champions League winners. The bar was now higher than ever.

"Gentlemen," Mikel began, "we made history last season. This season, the world expects more. But we don't carry pressure—we carry responsibility."

The speech ended with a rousing applause, and players began their routine assessments: heart rate monitoring, injury screenings, stamina tests. Tobi performed well but cautiously, aware that Emilia would have his head if he overdid it.

After training, Tobi stayed behind a little longer, chatting with Mikel.

"How's the family?" the coach asked.

"Chaotic but beautiful," Tobi replied with a smile. "They've changed everything."

"You've changed too," Mikel said thoughtfully. "You seem more grounded. Keep that balance, Tobi. It's going to be important this season."

Back home that evening, Emilia had arranged a surprise dinner in their backyard. The twins were fast asleep inside, and soft jazz played from the Bluetooth speakers. She wore a white sundress, glowing under the string lights.

"You're spoiling me," Tobi said, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"You deserve it. You're everything to us. To me. And I want you to know that, even before the season madness begins."

They sat under the stars, sipping wine, exchanging dreams and fears. Emilia talked about returning to university part-time online. Tobi mentioned starting a charity foundation under his name.

"You know," Emilia said, looking up at him, "our kids are going to grow up watching their father inspire the world."

Tobi leaned in and kissed her softly. "As long as they know I was always there for them, football can come second."

And for the first time in years, Tobi didn't feel like he had to choose between his dreams and his family. He could have both. He was already living proof.