Chapter 49: The Lightning Strike that Broke Uruguay
In Italy, Jorge Mendes has recently been tirelessly negotiating with Udinese and Novara.
It can't be helped; for these mid to lower-tier Serie A teams, Bruno's transfer could potentially be a record-breaking deal for the club, so extreme caution is justified.
Negotiating transfers is easier with wealthy clubs like Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, where even a transfer fee of around 20 million euros is signed off without a blink.
Yes, Bruno's market value has increased again.
After leading Novara to the Serie B championship with explosive stats of 21 goals and 32 assists for the season, his market value was adjusted upward on the German transfer market's latest listing.
And after his impressive performance in the Toulon Tournament, although his market value on the transfer market hasn't been updated yet due to timing, everyone knows that Bruno's value is set to rise again.
After signing with Mendes as his agent before the start of the U20 World Cup, Bruno was advised to showcase his talents on the global stage to negotiate the best possible terms in his transfer.
Truth be told, Mendes has been stunned by Bruno's performance in the U20 World Cup.
4 games, 5 goals, 7 assists, averaging 3 goal contributions per game—is this even humanly possible?
Even though the U20 World Cup features younger players and thus, arguably, more limited competition, achieving what Bruno has is impressive even for the well-versed Mendes, leaving him utterly speechless.
Even Lionel Messi, during the 2005 U20 World Cup when he was at his peak, did not have such a performance.
Especially in the knockout stages, when Portugal was in tight spots, Bruno's performances were beyond what Mendes knew how to appraise.
However, Bruno's superhuman individual performances have also given Mendes a strong bargaining position in negotiations with Udinese.
He is sure to secure a satisfying contract for Bruno.
July 10th, 9 PM, Trabzon, Turkey at Akçel Stadium. The second semifinal match of the U20 World Cup is underway.
An hour earlier, the first semifinal had concluded at Bursa's Atatürk Stadium, with France overcoming this tournament's dark horse, Iraq, by 2-1 to advance to the final.
Now, the world's attention is on Portugal versus Uruguay.
The match starts with a crisp whistle!
Aladje passes the ball to Bruma and makes a forward run.
Bruma passes back to Bruno.
Bruno advances with the ball at high speed, performs a skillful dribble to bypass Uruguay's unprepared midfielder Sebastian Cristoforo, and continues driving forward.
Almost simultaneously, all Portuguese advanced midfield players, except defensive midfielder André Gomes who stays back to hold the midfield, press forward.
Bruno charges through the center with the support of Portugal's captain João Mário right behind him for protection. On the left, Bruma nearly parallels him in a sprint. Ahead, striker Aladje has already sprinted to the arc top of the box, and on the right, right-back Cancelo is making a run.
The Uruguayan players seem unprepared for Portugal's immediate offensive onslaught and are momentarily thrown into disarray.
As Bruno continues his drive, Uruguay's midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta steps up to intercept.
Bruno slightly decelerates as if to pass to the flank, then suddenly accelerates again, deftly dribbling past Giorgian.
He doesn't allow the approaching Uruguayan defender Gastón Silva to get close and quickly passes the ball forward, continuing his run.
Bruma, receiving the ball, doesn't hold it but quickly crosses it horizontally.
Striker Aladje, initially positioned to penetrate the box, suddenly pulls back to receive the pass. He doesn't attempt a turn with the ball but instead quickly distributes it to the right flank, then dashes into the box.
Uruguay's left-back Gino Rodríguez, who had just moved out to mark Bruno, sees the ball pass by and quickly turns to see Portugal's right-back Cancelo receiving the pass. By the time Rodríguez attempts to intercept, it's too late.
Cancelo doesn't slow the attack; he cuts inside directly towards the box!
Uruguay's central defender José Giménez, marking Portugal's striker Aladje, anticipates a high pass from Cancelo. He doesn't expect Cancelo to cut inside directly without hesitation, swiftly moving past with no time for Giménez to react.
Cancelo, after breaking into the box, feints a shot. This tricks the scrambling central defender Gastón Silva into a dive to block, but Cancelo changes his kick to a pass, sliding the ball across the box.
José Giménez, busy with Aladje, can't switch in time to intercept as a blue figure darts forward.
"Cancelo cuts inside! He passes... Bruma shoots…"
"Golo!!!!!!! A dream start! Portugal scores a dream opener!"
The ball flies straight into the goal, Uruguay's goalkeeper Amores dives, but it's too close; Bruma's shot is a powerful low drive, skimming the grass at great speed, entering the net before Amores can react.
As Bruma's shot hits the net, whether it's the fans in the stands or the viewers in front of the television, everyone is in shock: less than a minute into the game! A goal already?
Even Uruguay's U20 players on the field are dazed, having pressed forward at kickoff to dominate, only to turn and see the ball in their net.
"1:0! Bruma scores for Portugal! His 6th goal of the tournament, now leading the top scorer's list!"
"Portugal launched an attack right after kickoff, a beautiful series of passes and movements, and then a goal!"
"Forty-three seconds! The fastest goal of this tournament! Perhaps even the fastest in the history of the U20 World Cup!"
"1:0! Portugal leads!"
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