Adam stood on the sidelines.
"Luton is making a substitution! Adam White, No. 22, is getting ready to come on. He's a winger, only seventeen years old! And he's replacing... Luton's nineteen-year-old striker, Charlie Austin!"
Adam White jumped lightly on the sideline, tiptoeing now and then to keep himself energized and ready.
Charlie Austin didn't delay. During halftime, the coach had already informed him he'd play for about 65 minutes. Although it was only the 62nd minute, Charlie had no complaints.
As Adam stepped onto the pitch, he high-fived Charlie Austin.
"Good job, Charlie. Go to the locker room and get changed," Gao Bo said, hugging him.
"No, boss! I'm going to watch the team win from the bench!" Charlie replied firmly.
---
Scolari noticed Luton's substitution.
"They're putting in someone so young? What's their plan?" he asked his assistant.
"He's a winger, fast, and skilled at dribbling and breaking through," the assistant responded.
Scolari smirked. So the opposing coach was trying to bolster their attack. He glanced at Gao Bo, unconvinced a 17-year-old could pose any threat to Chelsea's world-class defense. Even if the kid was quick, could he possibly be faster than Ashley Cole?
---
Adam was indeed no match for Ashley Cole—at least not without a boost.
Gao Bo watched Adam running onto the field, confident in the boy's talent. In Gao Bo's view, Adam had the highest potential of all the Luton players. At just seventeen, several of his abilities were already rated above 80.
While N'Golo Kante had similar scores in defensive areas, Adam was an offensive player, and attackers often carried more value.
In Gao Bo's previous life, he'd never heard of Adam White. Perhaps the boy never found the right mentor, or his career was derailed by poverty, crime, or addiction. Whatever the case, Adam's fate had undoubtedly changed with Gao Bo's intervention.
This kid would become a star—Gao Bo was sure of it.
Opening his football card system, Gao Bo swapped in two cards:
[Game Card (Green): Dribbling skill increased by 15% for Adam White]
[Game Card (Yellow): Speed increased by 7% for Adam White]
No one else noticed anything unusual, but Gao Bo knew that Adam's abilities now rivaled those of top-class wingers.
"Don't waste this chance, kid!" Gao Bo thought to himself, staring intently at Adam. "Otherwise, prepare for double physical training!"
---
Adam lined up against Ashley Cole, Chelsea's star full-back. The young winger grinned at his opponent, looking more like a starstruck fan than a competitor.
"Kid, I'll sign your jersey after the match," Ashley Cole said coldly, "but not now."
Adam paused. "I'd really like your autograph, Cole," he said earnestly, "but I want to beat you even more!"
Ashley Cole chuckled. Such an innocent kid. He didn't take Adam lightly, though. As a veteran, he knew better than to underestimate any opponent.
---
He Hongfa, commentating, was puzzled by the substitution. "Gao Bo has replaced striker Charlie Austin with 17-year-old Adam White. If the goal was to increase counterattack speed, Luton's two strikers were already quite fast. What did Coach Gao Bo see in this young winger?"
For two minutes, Adam didn't touch the ball as Chelsea maintained possession, repeatedly attacking down Ashley Cole's side. But Cole, wary of Kante's defensive presence, opted to pass back instead of risking another cross.
The ball eventually found Malouda, who passed to Lampard. Lampard's shot was blocked by Jeffrey, who cleared the ball forward—straight toward Adam White.
"Luton's counterattack is on!" He Hongfa exclaimed excitedly.
---
Adam sprinted forward as the ball came his way, aware that Ashley Cole was already tracking back. Chesting the ball down, Adam controlled it with his right foot, pulling off a flawless Marseille turn.
"Beautiful skill!" exclaimed Letkinson, the English commentator.
Ashley Cole closed in, determined to stop the young winger.
Adam remembered Gao Bo's instructions: Take risks. Don't hold back!
He stepped over the ball repeatedly, but Ashley Cole didn't budge.
"What quick feet!" said Redknapp, impressed by Adam's agility.
Realizing his feints weren't working, Adam shifted tactics. Accelerating suddenly, he pushed the ball forward, keeping it within a meter of his feet.
"Great rhythm with the ball!" Letkinson's excitement grew as he sensed a rising star in the making.
Adam's speed caught Ashley Cole off guard. As the full-back moved to intercept, Adam burst forward, his actions becoming quicker and more explosive.
With a deft touch, Adam knocked the ball past Cole and surged forward with a burst of speed.
"Overtaking on the outside!" Letkinson leaped from his seat in shock.
Ashley Cole, England's renowned full-back, had been outpaced and outmaneuvered by a 17-year-old!
Adam White, like a high-performance sports car, left Ashley Cole trailing behind.
"Who is this kid?!" Scolari shouted to his assistant.
In the commentary booths, analysts were in a frenzy. Many yanked off their headsets, shouting for detailed information on the young player.
"I need to know everything about this kid!"