Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

Lucas’ gaze was lost on the horizon as the entire stadium cheered on the Wushia High School team this time.

"We’ve really qualified for the quarter-finals..." Lucas muttered.

The commentators on the online broadcast soon began to comment as the teams left the field.

"My friends, what we have just witnessed was a very beautiful and memorable spectacle!" began the main narrator. "Lucas Tanaka... this young striker or midfielder, I don’t know! Does it really matter? He was brilliant! Hat-trick in a decisive match, and against a team as competitive as Gekokujou!"

The commentator next to him nodded. "You can’t underestimate Lucas’ achievement today. Yes, the whole of Wushia High School seemed to be totally focused on the game, but two of the goals were pulled out of the hat by Lucas.

Not only was he a decisive factor in Wushia’s victory, but he showed maturity and skill of a level that, honestly, few players of his age have demonstrated in this tournament so far. The way he read the game, took advantage of the spaces created by Nishida’s movement, and finished with such precision every chance he got...

it’s the kind of thing that separates the good players from the great players."

"Absolutely, Kakuda! And we mustn’t forget to mention the team spirit of Wushia High School as a whole. They fought until the last minute with focus, grit and, above all, an impressive tactical understanding." The narrator paused briefly as the cameras showed Lucas being hugged by his teammates.

The camera then panned to a scene in which the coach of Wushia High School, Mr. Yamamoto, was walking up to Lucas with a smile on his face. He was always serious, but he couldn’t hide how important this victory was for him and the team.

"Coach Yamamoto also deserves a lot of credit for this campaign so far," said Kakuda. "He’s shaped this team with a solid strategy, but more importantly, he’s managed to turn these youngsters into a real cohesive unit. Look at Lucas, for example. We’ve never heard of him before this tournament and he’s shining."

"That’s true, Kakuda," the narrator agreed. "And speaking of Lucas, what do you think of his future? He’s a player who can go far, isn’t he?"

Kakuda nodded as the cameras focused again on Lucas, who was now talking to Nishida.

"I have to say here that if Tanaka keeps playing like this... Well, I wouldn’t be surprised to see professional clubs keeping an eye on him very soon. What we saw today was a player who not only has the technical talent, but also the right mentality for top-level soccer. Many youngsters with potential can’t cope with pressure, but Lucas seems to thrive on it.

He has that rare instinct of players who are destined for big things. The road is still long, of course, but if he continues to develop like this until the end of the championship, I’d say he has all the tools to excel on the national stage."

While the commentators discussed Lucas’ future, he left the pitch with his teammates.

In the changing rooms, the atmosphere was one of pure euphoria. The Colégio Wushia players celebrated as if they had won a title. Laughter, shouts of joy, hugs - the atmosphere was one of pure victory. Lucas sat on one of the benches, still trying to process everything that had happened.

Entering the changing room, coach Yamamoto came in, clapping his hands. "Boys, boys! Attention for a minute!"

The entire locker room fell silent, and the players gathered around the coach.

"I want you to know how proud I am of each and every one of you. Today, you showed what it means to be a team. You fought, you helped each other, you believed in each other. And Lucas..." He paused, looking directly at the young player. "You proved today that I wasn’t wrong to put you in the first team. Congratulations on your progress."

"Thank you, coach... This victory represents our journey so far. Every training session, every sacrifice that everyone like me has had to make. We showed today that we can play at national level. We mustn’t forget that. Today, we’re reaping the rewards of all our hard work, and that’s how great victories are won."

The players started applauding, moved by Lucas’ words. Everyone had to do a little to be at the soccer club, whether it was giving up time with their parents, or getting bad grades because they didn’t have much time to study, or going through economic hardship because they didn’t have time to work part-time, but these small sacrifices were what separated them from defeat now.

While the party in the dressing room continued, outside the stadium, the media on the internet were already starting to cover the highlights of the match. On a Yourtube channel about sports news from Japan, two friends were commenting after watching the highlights of Wushia High School’s match against Gekokujou High School.

"This kid has something special. He has vision, skill, and he showed that he can take responsibility for being the protagonist in decisive moments."

"And the most impressive thing is that he’s still so young. If he continues to develop like this, we could be looking at one of the future stars of Japanese soccer. Still, I’m skeptical... Every year, there’s a youngster who shines like this. He could be another one. He’ll have to prove himself against Nishikawa High School.

It’s not necessary to win, but if he at least plays well, it’s an indication to the other teams that he can go further."