CH 3

The Big Turntable—A Gamble of Fate

A mysterious, fog-shrouded turntable.

Spinning it once costs fifty Football God Coins.

Very expensive! Extremely expensive!

But when Matteo Conti thought about the [Multi-Language Mastery Card], [Coach Love Card], and the god-tier skill [Punch Zone Ghost], he knew…

The rewards were incredible.

If only he could spin it more.

The solution? Earn more Football God Coins!

However, there was another problem.

To upgrade Football God Skills, he needed even more coins.

And scoring goals or providing assists in official matches was not easy.

Especially when his attributes were so poor.

At this stage, Matteo could only hope that his maxed-out Luck would work miracles.

As long as he could score goals, earn Football God Coins, and use those coins to improve himself, he would eventually enter a virtuous cycle.

But… there was one major obstacle.

He was currently too weak.

Even if Sir Alex Ferguson loved him 100%, that didn't mean he would get playing time anytime soon.

If he wanted to score goals, assist, and earn Football God Coins, he needed to train hard first.

His first goal?

Activate his first Football God Skill—[Punch Zone Ghost].

Arriving in England

More than ten hours later, Matteo finally landed in London.

David Gill personally took him to a luxurious five-star hotel.

And there, Matteo had an unexpected second meeting with Ferguson—

But this time, he wasn't alone.

Two legends of English football sat with him—Sir Bobby Charlton and Gordon Banks!

Matteo was stunned.

Two of England's greatest football icons, both now 72 years old, had personally come to support his work permit hearing.

And Ferguson had invited them.

Matteo felt overwhelmed.

With the endorsement of these three legendary figures, even though Manchester United's submitted paperwork for him was thin, there was no doubt—

Matteo would successfully obtain his work permit through the special talent clause.

And he was right.

The next day, during the official hearing, Matteo was merely a spectator.

What he witnessed made him realize something incredible—

Ferguson's influence over English football was beyond imagination.

After the hearing ended, Ferguson immediately took Matteo back to Manchester.

Manchester United's pre-season preparations had been disrupted by the Asian tour, and now it was already August.

The Community Shield match against Chelsea was imminent.

The Premier League season opener was less than two weeks away.

Ferguson was incredibly busy.

But even in his packed schedule, he personally took Matteo to Carrington.

Settling In—The Reality of Professional Football

Carrington. Manchester United's legendary training facility.

Ferguson personally walked Matteo to his new home.

"This is the dormitory for the reserve team, youth team, and academy players.

You are the only first-team player living here."

"If you're uncomfortable here, you can find a place outside. The club's staff can help you."

"But… I hope you stay here for now."

"Your fundamentals are far too weak."

"You will need to work harder than anyone else just to catch up."

Ferguson's expression was serious.

"Talent is one thing, but fulfilling that talent is another."

"In my team, potential means nothing. Only strength matters."

"I have instructed Mike (Phelan) and Rene (Meulensteen) to create a special training plan for you."

"It is extremely intense. Brutal, even."

"So, get some rest today. Your special training starts tomorrow."

Matteo wasn't surprised.

This was professional football—not a game, not a dreamland.

Even if Ferguson adored him, he wouldn't get any special treatment.

The opportunity to be a professional footballer had been given to him.

But how far he would go… that was up to him.

Matteo clenched his fists.

He knew he wouldn't be playing anytime soon.

His skills were too poor.

So what did that mean?

Work. Harder. Than. Ever. Before.

"Boss…"

Matteo spoke.

"In the team, call me Boss." Ferguson corrected.

Matteo nodded.

"Boss! I don't need to rest. I want to start training now!"

Ferguson's eyes flashed with admiration.

Talent is common. Hard work is rare.

Ferguson had coached countless gifted players.

But true geniuses who were also obsessed with improving themselves?

They were rare.

His love for Matteo was unexplainable—

Even stronger than any other player he had coached.

But that love would be meaningless if Matteo himself wasn't willing to fight for his future.

And Matteo had already made his decision.

"Are you sure?"

Ferguson asked again.

Matteo nodded firmly.

"I'm sure!"

"I don't care how hard it is. I just want to improve!"

"I've been given this chance. I won't waste it!"

Ferguson's smile widened.

"Follow me."

First Day at Carrington—The Harsh Reality

Carrington's training facilities were top-class.

This was the foundation of Manchester United's continued dominance.

Ferguson took Matteo straight to the first-team training ground.

Then—

He paused the first team's training session and gathered all the players.

"Everyone, this is Matteo. He's a new first-team member from San Marino."

"You are now teammates."

Matteo stepped forward.

In perfect English, he introduced himself:

"Hello, everyone. My name is Matteo Conti, but you can just call me Matteo.

I am a forward, and I am honored to join this great club."

"Manchester United has a glorious past and a bright present."

"I hope to fight alongside all of you to build an even greater future."

"I look forward to learning from my senior teammates."

Matteo's English was flawless—

The players noticed.

But the moment he said "forward", something changed.

Danny Welbeck.

Gabriel Obertan.

Federico Macheda.

Even Michael Owen.

They all showed subtle hostility.

Only Rooney and Berbatov remained calm.

Because for the others, Matteo was competition.

A new striker meant fewer opportunities for them.

It was only natural that they weren't welcoming.

Gary Neville, as captain, took the lead.

"Welcome!"

Then, Giggs, Scholes, Rooney, and the others followed suit.

On the surface, everything seemed fine.

But Matteo could tell—

This was just formal courtesy.

Because as soon as Ferguson ended the introduction, they all went back to training without paying him any attention.

This was the reality of professional football.

Matteo wasn't surprised.

Growing up in a small town, he had faced plenty of cold treatment, rejection, and ridicule.

He had survived that.

And he would survive this too.

But what he was most excited for—

Was the special training plan that Mike Phelan and Rene Meulensteen had designed for him.

And soon, the Football God System delivered a surprising new notification…