Beep—!
– "Yu! Yu! Yu! Yu! Yu!"
As Yoo Ji-woo was substituted in the 74th minute after recording three assists, the fans at La Bombonera gave him a standing ovation.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
"Rodrigo, the man who brought that kid here, is a genius."
"How can someone that young play like that? My son is in his early twenties and just lazes around at home."
"Whatever the case! Yu is our treasure!"
"That's for sure."
"For once, drunkard Ruben is saying something that makes sense! Hahaha!"
And so, the match ended with a victory for Boca Juniors.
After the game, Yoo Ji-woo clapped toward the crowd and walked over to the stands.
As he approached, the fans whistled and cheered.
Rustle.
Yoo Ji-woo took off his jersey.
The fans begged him to give it to them, but Ji-woo already had someone in mind. Without hesitation, he walked toward the stands.
Crossing over the advertisement boards, he approached the little girl he had met before the match and handed her the jersey.
"I promised, didn't I?"
"…You remembered?"
"I'm not the kind to forget promises."
The girl beamed with joy, and her father expressed endless gratitude to Yoo Ji-woo.
"How did you know we were here?"
"I noticed you during the warm-up."
"…T-thank you. This will be a cherished memory for my daughter."
"You'll come cheer for us again, won't you?"
"Of course!"
As Yoo Ji-woo was about to leave after handing over the jersey, the girl, clutching it tightly to her chest, called out.
"You'll win the next River match, won't you?!"
The girl's words rippled through the crowd, drawing everyone's attention to Ji-woo. Even the ball boys and security guards seemed curious to hear his response.
Smiling warmly, Yoo Ji-woo gently pinched the girl's cheek and replied.
"If you come to watch, I have to win, don't I?"
The people around him looked at Ji-woo with pride and began singing the team's chant.
[When we take one step, it's with fear.
When we take two steps, it's with cheers.
When we take three steps, it's with victory!
Clear the way, kneel before him,
Bow your heads and sing praises to the new king!
La la la la la la la! La la la la la la la! La la la la!
All hail our new king, Yu!]
After acknowledging the fans with applause, Yoo Ji-woo left the field, only to be swarmed by reporters nearby.
Among them were Korean journalists.
He answered questions from foreign reporters, and as the session was ending, a question was asked in Korean.
"Coach João Dalut is considering calling Yoo Ji-woo to the national team for the World Cup. If called, would you accept?"
Yoo Ji-woo nodded.
"If given the opportunity, I'd love to wear the Korean jersey."
He knew that naturalizing would bring him immense benefits.
Military service would no longer be an issue, and he'd enjoy tax reductions and lifestyle perks.
And, perhaps, he could achieve every player's dream: winning the World Cup.
But still.
He didn't want to forget his roots.
He remembered holding hands with his mother and father as a child and watching the national team's friendly match.
The emotions he felt in the stands were what he wanted to experience on the field.
---
December 20th.
It was his seventeenth birthday.
After morning training, there were no further schedules, so his father suggested a birthday party at home.
His father went grocery shopping with Aunt Alicia and Uncle Marcio, preparing everything.
Sizzle—!
Cooking began while Yoo Ji-woo sat on a bench in the yard, talking to his mother on the phone.
– "My dear son… I feel so bad that I can't make you a meal on your birthday…."
"It's fine. Dad will cover for you."
– "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Dad made a big pot of seaweed soup, and we shared it with the neighbors. Everyone's full."
His mother felt guilty for not being able to cook seaweed soup for him herself.
– "You'll come to Korea after the season, right?"
"Probably."
– "But you might visit sooner!"
"Why?"
– "Why else? The national team! Everyone's going crazy, demanding they pick you for the national team!"
Ji-woo already knew the news from Cha Myung-hoon.
He'd heard that Cha Sung-in, despite denying all corruption charges, had been arrested due to testimonies from his associates.
This led to a massive overhaul within the association.
"It's too early for me to join the national team."
– "What nonsense! If they don't pick the best Korean player, then the coach must be blind!"
Whenever his mother talked about soccer, her words became harsh.
After their call, evening approached, and it was time for the party.
Neighbors like Aunt Alicia's family, the restaurant staff, and friends from the Korean Association gathered at the house. Soon, murmurs grew louder.
"Is this Yu's house?"
Ricardo Mesa, Boca Juniors' spiritual leader.
"Ricardo, no drinking. You'll get in trouble again."
Ángel Moliya, the former Real Madrid striker and current attacking ace.
"For once, Ángel's making sense."
And even Javier Casero, Boca Juniors' star player.
As the top-tier guests arrived, the Boca Juniors fans among the crowd quietly celebrated internally.
"Yu!"
"You're here."
"Here."
"What's this?"
"Felt bad coming empty-handed. Plus, there's a gift for you too."
He handed over a bottle of liquor for Ji-woo's father and what appeared to be a soccer game pack as Ji-woo's gift.
"My son really likes this."
"Thank you."
"Oh, and my wife said to invite you over for a meal after the first half of the season ends. She couldn't host you last time."
"Got it."
"I told her I'm third in the scoring rankings thanks to you, and she said she'll feed you until you burst."
"That sounds terrifying."
The three players were soon surrounded by people.
Getting to meet Boca Juniors' current top stars in person thrilled everyone, and they eagerly asked for autographs.
Then, more guests arrived—Diego Rossi and Guillermo Darín.
"Wow!"
The two players were in awe of the three stars and greeted them politely.
– "Hello!"
"Oh! These are the rookies."
"I met Diego last time. And this tall guy must be the famed Guillermo?"
"Yes, that's me!"
Both players had been performing well for Boca Juniors' second team.
Apparently, envious of Ji-woo's exploits in the first team, they had been dominating their stage, breaking league records.
"Very reliable."
Ricardo Mesa smiled warmly at the two and offered them words of encouragement.
After greeting the three stars, the two young players came over to Ji-woo's table, grabbed some food, and then, as if remembering something, spoke up.
"Yu! We've got a gift for you too!"
"What kind?"
"We're getting called up to the first team in January!"
"That's my gift? Isn't that good news for you?"
"What's good for us is good for you too, right? Isn't that how it works?"
"…Shameless, really."
The two were brimming with excitement as they talked. Ricardo Mesa, sipping his drink nearby, overheard their conversation and joked.
"Oh! Should I retire now that these kids are joining?"
The two rookies froze like statues.
Having seen this before, Ji-woo knew it was a joke, but the rookies didn't.
"U-um…"
Diego visibly panicked, while Guillermo started sweating profusely.
"Ricardo, don't you get tired of saying that every time rookies join?"
"Hahahaha! It's always funny to see their reactions. Yours was weird because you didn't react like this!"
Realizing it was a joke, the two rookies relaxed and started bombarding Ji-woo with questions.
Once these two joined the first team, the already lively squad was sure to get even noisier.
---
December 23rd
28th Round of the League.
The final match of the first half: Boca Juniors vs. River Plate.
This was already the third clash of the season between the two teams, drawing immense attention.
"Has this ever happened before?"
"Who'd have thought there'd be three Superclásicos within a month? Look at the reporters—they're all flustered."
As the broadcast cameras were being set up, the players finished warming up and returned to the locker room.
Ji-woo quietly prepared, fastening his gear. Sitting beside him, Ángel Moliya tied his shoelaces and struck up a conversation.
"You're pretty famous in Korea, huh?"
"Not as much as you are."
"Oh~ Look at you with the modesty!"
Ángel Moliya, with his experience at Real Madrid, had been a great mentor to Ji-woo, and the two had quickly become close.
"Have you seen the Korean articles?"
"Yes, my agent shows them to me every day, so I can't help but know about them."
"Hahaha! Your agent, is he the energetic guy who's always by your side during training?"
"Yes."
Cha Myung-hoon was well-known even in Boca Juniors.
His dedication to Ji-woo's care was impressive, but what really surprised people was how he would storm into the president's office to fight for fairness whenever something unjust occurred.
"By the way, are you really not thinking about naturalizing?"
"No. I'm Korean."
The Taegeukgi engraved on Ji-woo's soccer boots was a reminder not to forget his roots, a decision he made when he debuted as a professional.
"Such a shame."
"What is?"
"If you naturalized for Argentina, you could play for the national team with us."
Ángel Moliya and Javier Casero—two of Argentina's top strikers and national team mainstays.
Playing with them would make winning the World Cup more than just a distant dream.
"You're not afraid I'll hold you back if we meet in the World Cup, are you?"
"Ah! Honestly, that's the scariest part! So naturalize for Argentina, okay? I'll help you—I've got connections in the association."
Ángel's tone was half-joking, half-serious, but Ji-woo's resolve remained firm.
---
As the final match of the first half, a game that would determine the league leader, was about to start, the players of both clubs took the field.
The Monumental Stadium was a sea of white.
River Plate fans sang their club anthem, heightening the atmosphere.
Having suffered two consecutive defeats to Boca Juniors in the Copa Sudamericana, their burning desire to win this league match was palpable.
The heat of the moment was electrifying, sending chills down Ji-woo's spine.
He could clearly read the determination on everyone's faces, even from afar.
The stadium wasn't just filled with fans; scouts from across Europe, with sharp eyes, were also present, observing the players.
"Hmm."
"Seems like the scouts who came to see Yu are also eyeing others."
"Yeah, I recognize a few familiar faces."
Not just one or two, but many scouts—from big clubs to mid-sized ones—had gathered for one reason.
'Yoo Ji-woo.'
The rising star of Boca Juniors, Yoo Ji-woo, who was now being hailed as their new king.
Beep!
As the players took their positions, the whistle blew, signaling the start of the 28th round—the third Superclásico.