BIG GOALS

Osiko woke up early in the morning and completed his preparations. Today, Hajita would be training for his first time with the A team, and he was filled with excitement. However, his body was also weak. Kojima's training was becoming increasingly difficult. Now, he would be working with a completely different coach, and Kojima had mentioned that he was extremely disciplined. Every day, he would push him mental and physical limits even further. Still, Osiko knew the value of this new opportunity. He was determined to pay the price for everything that had brought him to this point.

Today, he would not only earn a place on his new team, but he would also take another step towards becoming the main player of the Hajita A team. However, this would not be an easy path. Some players on the team would push him, and try everything to take his place. Even though he was only hired to fill the roster with Matsui, he wanted to show herself in training and at least make it to the reserves.

When Osiko went to the training ground, the players of Hajita A team greeted him coldly, with condescending looks on their faces. In the first training, it was difficult to get along with his teammates, speed up the passes and optimize the team play. Matsui was his opponent again. In yesterday's match, Osiko's intelligence had made him stand out, but Matsui was still so fast that he could make a mistake at any moment.

During training, Matsui caught Osiko's attention while controlling a ball. This time, he was more cautious with him. Osiko started to read his body language and guess which directions he was going to go. He made mistakes in his passes in the first few attempts, but then he was able to adapt completely and prevent Matsui's moves. His teammates were starting to notice him. His new coach Tutusiki was also watching closely from the sidelines.

Osiko was very tired and the A team players were easily passing him, not allowing him to take any steps. Kojima's words came to his mind. Kojima had told him before he was promoted to the senior team, "You will improve as you struggle, you will take responsibility as you improve, so don't be afraid to try the difficult!" That's why he wasn't afraid to try tricks and get into one-on-one fights even against players who were physically and older than him, he was often stopped with a foul, but Tutusiki ignored the fouls, Osiko couldn't make sense of this.

Osiko knew he had to show his best performance, this was his only chance to make it to the A team permanently.

On the other side, Setoshi was preparing for Norway. During their last training session at Yuto FC, reporters and journalists had come to watch the players. All eyes were on him. Setoshi wanted to prove the trust that President Mitashi and Coach Nakamu had shown him. As the team's captain, he had to stand out not only with his football skills but also with his leadership skills.

Mitashi turned to Setoshi during training and said, "As you know, there are only 18 players in Norway. You are one of them, Setoshi. Now, you need to show how to lead your team and motivate your teammates. As captain, you need to stand out not only with your technique but also with your character."

Setoshi narrowed his eyes and started to focus, "I understand, President. I am aware of everything, I will not disappoint your trust!"

In his mind, he thought about how Osiko was his rival, how he was different from him, and what his own strengths were. Osiko's approach to team play and intelligence seemed to be a bit of a challenge to him. "But I can be a captain, too. I can also get ahead of the team. I can guide them and achieve success!"

As the match in Norway approached, neither player had their eyes solely on their own teams. While Setoshi was trying to prove himself on the European football field, Osiko was also trying to make the move to the Hajita A team. Both of them wanted to be recognized as leaders and achieve great success.

Tutusiki lost himself in his inner thoughts as he watched Osiko. "This kid really has something. But he has to prove himself enough for this team. I have to wait for the right moment to test him." Kojima had told him about Osiko's talent and Matsui's speed, but he didn't see talent in Matsui, only ambition, but Osiko could improve and become a wonderkid in the future.

Osiko, too, was struggling to take a step forward every day, both against Matsui's pressure and against his own limits. But one thing was certain; nothing could stop him on this path anymore.

Joining the Hajita A team and going to Norway were just the beginning of a football journey for Osiko and Setoshi. These two rivals, once friends, were now following different paths without knowing each other. However, both sides felt that one day their paths would cross again. When that day came, who would be stronger, who would win? Both were curious about the answer to this question.

But one thing was certain: This was not just football, it was a struggle to realize their dreams.

And this struggle would not be easy at all. Setoshi, excited about going to Norway in 2 days, imagined himself playing in the big clubs of Europe, while Osiko was lifting the Japanese league cup, dreaming of "Making a team struggling against relegation a champion..."