Growth
The atmosphere at Stade du Pairay was electric. RFC Seraing, sitting 4th in the table, was a tough opponent. Their captain, a defensive beast named Maxime Laurent, had vowed to shut Richard down.
Commentator 1: "We're in for a real battle tonight. Beecroft's rising star, Richard Blake, has been catching attention, but Seraing's defense is no joke."
Commentator 2: "Maxime Laurent is a seasoned veteran. He won't make it easy for the youngster."
As Richard walked onto the field, the Pirlo Card activated. His stats surged, vision sharpening as the game slowed down in his mind. Tonight, he was operating at peak playmaking levels.
---
Kickoff.
Right from the start, Seraing pressed aggressively, their midfielders closing space and forcing quick passes. Richard found himself battling for control, using feints, quick turns, and sharp touches to avoid tackles.
In the 12th minute, a Seraing winger broke free on the left, whipping in a cross. Their striker leapt high—bullet header incoming!
But Beecroft's keeper Pieter reacted like a cat, palming the shot over the bar!
Commentator 1: "What a save! Pieter denies an early goal!"
Commentator 2: "But Beecroft are struggling to gain momentum here."
Richard gritted his teeth. Time to turn it up.
---
Beecroft won a throw-in near the halfway line. Luka flicked the ball toward Richard, who spotted a gap most players wouldn't dare attempt.
One touch. Pivot. Outside-foot pass.
The ball curved through three defenders, landing perfectly for Jasper, who controlled it in stride and smashed it home!
GOAL!
Commentator 1: "Oh my word! Richard Blake just served up an assist that defies logic!"
Commentator 2: "The weight on that pass—perfect! Beecroft leads 1-0!"
Richard pumped his fist as teammates swarmed him. Seraing's defenders looked at each other, stunned.
---
Seraing turned up the pressure. Their midfield overloaded Richard, trying to suffocate his influence.
Richard held strong, using quick layoffs and one-twos to keep the ball moving. But in the 40th minute, a costly mistake.
Luka misjudged a pass—interception!
Seraing's striker pounced, sprinting past the defense. One-on-one with Pieter—low shot, bottom corner.
GOAL FOR SERAING. 1-1.
Commentator 1: "A rare mistake from Beecroft, and Seraing capitalizes!"
Commentator 2: "Blake and his team will have to dig deep now."
---
Beecroft refused to be rattled. The game turned into a chess match, with Richard pulling the strings.
65th minute – A moment of magic.
Luka played the ball to Richard at the edge of the box. Maxime Laurent charged in, trying to muscle him off the ball.
Richard spun.
One fluid motion—left foot to right, body feint, defender completely sent the wrong way.
He had space. He had time. He had the shot.
25 yards out. Curling effort.
The ball arced beautifully into the top corner.
STADIUM SILENCE.
Then—absolute chaos.
Commentator 1: "WHAT A GOAL!!! RICHARD BLAKE HAS JUST PRODUCED SOMETHING OUT OF THIS WORLD!"
Commentator 2: "You cannot teach that! A moment of brilliance!"
Beecroft players mobbed him. Richard barely reacted—just a calm, cold stare into the crowd before jogging back. Ice in his veins.
-
Seraing threw everything forward, desperate for an equalizer.
89th minute – A dangerous free kick.
Their midfielder curled it towards the top corner, but Pieter flew across goal—another clutch save!
Final whistle.
BEECRFORT WINS 2-1.
Commentator 1: "What a performance from Richard Blake! A genius assist, a world-class goal, and another step forward for this young star."
Commentator 2: "If scouts weren't watching him before, they sure are now."
---
As Richard walked off, Seraing's captain Maxime Laurent stopped him.
"You're special, kid. That goal? Pure class."
Richard simply nodded. "Appreciate it."
The locker room was pure celebration. Music blasting, teammates hyping Richard up. Luka grabbed his shoulders.
"Bro. That goal? I saw the keeper pray mid-air."
Jasper laughed. "Nah, you ruined that man's confidence."
As Richard sat down, a notification popped up in his system.
> [Quest Complete!]
Dominate Against Strong Opponents – Reward: One Random Star Card
His heart raced. Another card. Another step toward his ultimate goal.
The day after the match, Richard was still buzzing from the victory. His phone was flooded with messages—teammates, friends, even a few journalists wanting interviews.
Then, during Beecroft's morning training session, the assistant coach gathered everyone around.
"Alright, listen up! The league has announced the Player of the Month for February."
The squad murmured, throwing around guesses—maybe Pieter for his clutch saves, maybe Luka for his solid midfield play.
Then the coach smirked.
"It's Richard Blake."
The locker room exploded.
Luka grabbed Richard, shaking him. "YOU WHAT?!?"
Jasper burst into laughter. "Bro just got here and already took over the league!"
Richard chuckled, trying to play it cool, but inside, he was hyped.
"Relax, it's just one month."
Luka scoffed. "One month?! If you keep playing like this, you'll own the whole league by May."
Then came the real shocker.
---
After training, Richard sat in his room, heart pounding as he opened the system notification.
> [New Star Card Unlocked!]
Congratulations! You have received a new Star Card –
Zinedine Zidane (Peak Form)!
Richard froze.
Zinedine Zidane. One of the greatest midfielders in history.
> Card Effect:
Activated in official matches
Vision, ball control, and dribbling reach Zidane's legendary levels
Unlocks elite composure and balance under pressure
Temporarily enhances close-range finishing
Richard exhaled.
With Pirlo's passing and Zidane's technique… he was becoming something terrifying.
---
The next morning, Beecroft's social media announced his Player of the Month award.
News outlets picked up the story:
"Beecroft's Rising Star: Richard Blake Wins Player of the Month" (Belgian Football Weekly)
"Richard Blake—A Hidden Gem in League 2?" (Football News Belgium)
"Is This The Next Big Midfield Maestro?" (Local Sports Daily)
The bigger clubs still weren't fully locked in yet, but his name was spreading.
For now, Richard focused on one thing—the next match. Because with Zidane's card… he was ready to take things to another level.
The air was crisp as Beecroft's squad warmed up on the training pitch. Richard felt different today—more balanced, more aware, more in control. He wasn't sure if it was his growing confidence or the new Zidane card, but something had changed.
As training kicked off, he got his answer.
---
The ball rolled toward Richard in a tight space. Two defenders pressed him immediately.
Instead of panicking, he let the ball roll across his body and flicked it behind his standing leg with the inside of his heel. Effortless.
Gasps.
Luka, standing nearby, froze. "What the hell was that?!"
Richard didn't answer. The ball came back to him, and this time, he took a silky first touch, turned, and sent a perfect chip over Jasper's head.
Luka shook his head. "Nah, bro, this ain't normal."
Coach Marquez noticed too. He pulled his assistant aside.
"Blake's movements… they're different. He's playing like a veteran."
The assistant coach nodded. "It's not just skill. It's composure. The way he sees the game, the way he moves… he's not just good, he's special."
By the end of the session, Richard was running the midfield like a maestro. No pass was wasted. No touch was unnecessary. He felt untouchable.
But there was something else.
---
After training, Luka scrolled through his phone and suddenly went wide-eyed.
"Blake… have you seen this?"
Richard leaned in.
A tweet from a respected football journalist had just dropped:
> "Sources say Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring a young attacking midfielder in Belgium's second division. Name is Richard Blake. Spurs see him as a long-term project. Keep an eye on this one."
Richard stared at the screen. Spurs? Tottenham? A Premier League club?!
Jasper whistled. "Damn, bro. You might be on a plane to England before we know it."
Luka smirked. "You sure you don't wanna sign my jersey now? Might be worth millions later."
Richard laughed it off, but deep down, this was huge.
Still, he knew the truth—he was far from done.
---
The weekend was approaching, and with it, another league match.
Beecroft was gaining momentum, climbing the table. The next opponent? Westerlo. A strong side with a solid midfield.
But Richard wasn't thinking about them.
He was thinking about what it would feel like to dominate a game with Zidane's control and Pirlo's passing… at the same time.
A slow grin formed.
He was about to find out.
The atmosphere was electric as Beecroft walked onto the pitch. The home fans, sensing the team's rise in form, were louder than ever.
The commentator's voice boomed through the stadium speakers.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Beecroft, fresh off their recent wins, take on Westerlo tonight. And all eyes are on one man—Richard Blake, the young midfielder who's been setting the league alight!"
The camera panned to Richard. His face was calm, but inside, he was ready to explode.
MATCH START!
---
Westerlo pressed high from the start, forcing Beecroft deep. Richard barely had room to breathe as he fought for control.
25th minute: A Westerlo midfielder won the ball and immediately played a long pass to their striker. Shot on target!
Beecroft's keeper dived—SAVE!
"Westerlo means business today!" the commentator said. "Blake and his teammates need to wake up!"
Richard clenched his fists. Alright. Enough waiting.
---
30th minute: The ball rolled toward Richard. Two opponents charged in.
Pirlo Vision. Zidane Control.
A perfectly weighted touch into space. A body feint. A no-look pass out wide.
Luka received it and sprinted down the wing.
Commentator: "Blake, with an absolutely filthy touch! That's elite-level composure!"
38th minute: Another attack. This time, Richard carried the ball forward, scanning the field. A defender lunged—he rolled the ball under his foot, spun, and threaded a world-class pass between two defenders.
Jasper was through on goal!
Shot—GOAL!
The stadium erupted. Beecroft 1-0 Westerlo!
--
Richard walked into the locker room with his teammates patting him on the back.
Coach Marquez smirked. "You're playing like you own the midfield, Blake. Keep this up."
Meanwhile, in the stands, scouts took notes.
"This kid is special."
On Twitter, a football analyst posted:
> "Richard Blake is running the show against Westerlo. This guy might not be in Belgium for long."
But the game wasn't over yet.
---
Westerlo came out with fire. 50th minute: Their winger beat two defenders and squared the ball into the box.
Tap-in. Goal.
1-1.
The Westerlo fans roared. The pressure was back on.
Richard wiped sweat from his forehead. Alright. We do this the hard way.
-----
90+2 minutes.
The game was dragging toward a draw. Beecroft had one last attack.
Richard got the ball 35 yards from goal. A defender rushed toward him.
He felt something ignite.
Zidane's composure. Pirlo's vision. His own hunger.
He shifted the ball to his right foot—and unleashed a ROCKET.
The ball soared, dipped, and smashed into the top corner.
GOAL!!
The stadium EXPLODED.
The commentator screamed:
"OH MY WORD! RICHARD BLAKE HAS JUST SCORED AN ABSOLUTE SCREAMER! STOP IT, YOUNG MAN!"
His teammates mobbed him. The fans chanted his name. Even the opposing players looked stunned.
---
FULL-TIME: Beecroft 2-1 Westerlo
Richard, still catching his breath, was dragged into a post-match interview.
Reporter: "Richard, that goal—just incredible. What was going through your mind?"
Richard smirked. "Nothing much. Just felt like scoring."
The reporter laughed. "Well, you've certainly got people talking! Spurs are rumored to be watching you. Any thoughts on that?"
Richard shrugged. "I just focus on my game. The rest will come."
---
Richard's name was everywhere.
His stats? 5 games, 3 goals, 4 assists
And then, another rumor dropped.