Chapter 23 : First of Many

As the match continued, Manchester City maintained their stranglehold on possession, weaving intricate passing sequences as they searched for a breakthrough. West Brom, true to Tony Pulis' philosophy, sat deep, absorbing pressure and waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

Commentator 1 (Martin Tyler):

"Well, it's been all Manchester City so far. They're dictating the game, moving the ball around with ease. And look at this young man—15-year-old Nico Cruyff. He's barely put a foot wrong in his debut so far!"

Commentator 2 (Alan Smith):

"He's been fantastic, hasn't he? For someone so young, he looks incredibly composed. Every time he gets the ball, he makes something happen. West Brom are trying to rough him up, but he's just getting back up and going again. That's the mark of a real talent."

In the 23rd minute, after Darren Fletcher had just scythed Nico down in midfield, the referee blew for a free kick.

Martin Tyler:

"And that's a poor challenge from Fletcher! He caught Cruyff late there—nothing malicious, but he certainly let the youngster know he's in the Premier League now."

Alan Smith:

"But look at Nico—no complaints, no theatrics. Just dusts himself off and gets on with it. You've got to love that attitude."

The match continued with West Brom desperately trying to contain City's fluid attack, but they were struggling to cope with Nico's movement and vision. In the 31st minute, he collected the ball just outside the box, took a quick touch past James Morrison, and bent a shot toward the top corner.

Martin Tyler:

"Oh, that's a brilliant effort from Cruyff! Myhill is at full stretch—and he tips it over the bar! The 15-year-old is inches away from his first Premier League goal!"

Alan Smith:

"You can see what he was trying to do—just open up his body and curl it into the top corner. He struck it well, but credit to Myhill, that's a top save!"

The crowd murmured in admiration, impressed by Nico's confidence. Though the score was still 0-0, the momentum was entirely in City's favor. The West Brom defenders were growing frustrated, exchanging glances as they struggled to contain the teenager.

With five minutes left in the first half, the stadium could feel it—something was coming.

_____

Nico received the pass from Yaya Touré just past the halfway line. Instead of taking a touch, he let the ball roll past him while turning in the opposite direction, leaving Darren Fletcher completely frozen in place. The West Brom midfielder could only watch helplessly as Nico ghosted past him with effortless elegance.

Claudio Yacob immediately rushed in, determined to steal the ball before Nico could gain momentum. But Nico, despite his lean frame, showed incredible strength. Using his left arm, he shielded the ball while driving forward, his legs pumping with controlled power. Yacob pressed against him, trying to push him off balance, but Nico held firm. Then, with a sudden burst, he shoved Yacob aside and continued his charge towards the goal.

The West Brom backline was now in full panic mode. Jonas Olsson stepped forward to close him down, his long strides eating up the distance between them. Nico saw him coming and, at the last second, feinted a powerful shot with his right foot. The entire West Brom defense reacted instinctively, shifting towards the expected shot. Olsson lunged, Myhill set his feet, and the defenders moved to block the strike—

But there was no strike.

Instead, Nico shifted his weight and completely reversed direction, dragging the ball onto his left foot in one smooth, lightning-fast motion. The defenders were left scrambling, suddenly realizing they had been completely deceived.

Then, without hesitation, Nico struck the ball with his left foot. It wasn't just a shot—it was a screamer. The ball rocketed towards the goal, curving slightly before hammering into the top left corner of the net. Boaz Myhill barely had time to react before it was already in.

The Etihad exploded.

Nico sprinted towards the corner flag, his heart pounding. As he reached it, he raised his hand to the sky, pointing upwards—a tribute to those who had shaped him, to the memories that fueled his journey.

Now came the roar of the commentators.

Martin Tyler: "HERE COMES CRUYFF… OH, THAT'S BRILLIANT! HE LETS IT RUN—FLETCHER'S LEFT STRANDED! NOW HE'S HOLDING OFF YACOB—LOOK AT THE STRENGTH! HE SHRUGS HIM ASIDE LIKE HE'S NOT EVEN THERE! CRUYFF STILL GOING… OLSSON'S CLOSING IN… FAKE SHOT—OH, HE'S DONE THEM ALL! HE STRIKES IT—"

Alan Smith: "WHAT A GOAL! WHAT A MOMENT! NICO CRUYFF! REMEMBER THE NAME!"

As Nico stood by the corner flag, his teammates rushed to him. Yaya Touré was the first to reach him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, laughing in pure joy. David Silva and Sterling followed, ruffling his hair and patting his back. Kompany grabbed him by the shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes with admiration.

In the stands, fans were chanting his name—"NICO! NICO! NICO!" The entire stadium had just witnessed something special.

And on the touchline, Pep Guardiola stood, arms folded, a small, knowing smile on his face.

He had always known.

__________

Back in the locker room, the energy was electric. The players were still buzzing from Nico's incredible goal, some of them patting him on the back as they settled onto the benches. Despite the lead, Pep Guardiola's mind was already on the next 45 minutes. He clapped his hands to get everyone's attention, his sharp eyes scanning the room.

"Listen up, listen up!" he called out, stepping into the center of the room. The chatter died down immediately as the players turned their focus to their manager.

"We played well," Pep began, his voice calm but firm. "We controlled possession, we moved the ball quickly, and we created chances. But it's not enough." He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. "One goal is never enough in the Premier League. This league is ruthless. If we don't kill the game, they will grow in confidence, and then we'll have problems."

He walked over to the tactics board, where the team's formation was drawn. He pointed at the midfield.

"Yaya, Fernandinho—I need you to be sharper in transition. If they win the ball, we must press immediately. I don't want them to have any time to pick a pass."

Then he turned to the attack. "David, Nico, and Sterling—I need you three to interchange more. Nico, your movement has been fantastic, but now they'll be more aggressive with you. Expect them to double-team you. If they do, that means there's space somewhere else. Look for Silva or Sterling on the overlap."

He looked directly at Nico. "They're going to come at you harder. They know now what you can do. They'll press you, they'll foul you, they'll try to rough you up." His eyes narrowed. "Don't let them."

Nico simply nodded, his expression calm and focused.

Pep then turned to the backline. "Vincent, command the defense. Keep everyone alert, especially for set pieces. Pulis's teams love set pieces."

Finally, he clapped his hands again. "This is our game to win. We control the pace, we control the ball, and we control them." He looked around the room, his gaze landing on each player. "I want another goal. I want this game over before they even think about coming back."

With that, he stepped back, nodding. "Alright. Let's go."

The players stood up, shaking out their legs, adjusting their jerseys. Nico took a deep breath, clenching and unclenching his fists.

The second half was about to begin.

___________

The second half kicked off with Manchester City continuing to dominate possession, pressing high up the pitch, and keeping West Brom penned inside their own half. Pep Guardiola's system was in full flow, with quick passing exchanges and fluid movement that left the opposition scrambling to keep up.

Despite their control, City had yet to extend their lead, leaving West Brom with hope of snatching a goal. But in the 67th minute, that hope was crushed by a moment of brilliance from Nico Cruyff.

Claudio Yacob, under pressure, received a pass in midfield. He took a touch, looking for an option, but Nico was already closing in like a predator. With perfect timing, he lunged forward and intercepted the pass cleanly. In an instant, he was off, bursting forward with rapid acceleration.

The Etihad crowd rose to their feet as Nico charged ahead, his control immaculate, his speed devastating. His eyes scanned the pitch, searching for the right option. That's when he saw Sergio Agüero making a diagonal run between West Brom's center-backs.

With a perfect flick of his foot, Nico sent a through ball curling across the grass. The pass was exquisite—spinning, arcing ever so slightly, cutting through the entire West Brom defense like butter. It bypassed Jonas Olsson and Gareth McAuley effortlessly before landing perfectly in Agüero's path.

The Argentine didn't need to break stride. One touch to control, another to slot the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper, and the Etihad erupted in celebration.

"OH MY WORD! THAT. IS. MAGICAL!" Peter Drury's voice rang through the stadium. "The weight, the precision—it is a pass that only a genius sees!"

"Nico Cruyff has already scored on his debut, and now he's delivering passes like that? Ladies and gentlemen, we are witnessing the birth of a superstar!" added Martin Tyler, his voice filled with excitement.

Agüero, instead of celebrating alone, turned immediately toward Nico, pointing at him before pulling him into a hug. The rest of the City players rushed in, ruffling his hair, patting his back, knowing that they were playing alongside someone special.

The scoreboard now read Manchester City 2-0 West Brom, and Nico Cruyff had marked his debut with a goal and an assist.

_____________

As the match approached its final moments, Manchester City remained firmly in control. West Brom, down a man, looked completely drained, unable to keep up with the relentless pressure. The game seemed all but over, but Nico had one last moment of brilliance left to deliver.

In the 90th minute, after receiving a pass from Nico, Yaya Touré drove forward with power, gliding past one challenge before being clipped from behind by Claudio Yacob. The West Brom midfielder had already been booked earlier in the match, and as the referee reached into his pocket, there was no doubt about the decision—a second yellow, followed by a red.

Yacob walked off the pitch, shaking his head, while his teammates stood dejectedly, knowing there was nothing they could do to change the outcome.

A free kick was awarded to City, 32 meters from goal. Nico walked up, picked up the ball, and placed it carefully on the grass. He stood back, four steps away, his eyes locked onto the net.

Between the posts, Ben Foster adjusted his position, calling for his wall to set up properly. He knew about Nico's technique, had seen glimpses of it in footage, but stopping it was another matter entirely.

The referee blew his whistle.

Nico took his run-up, his body leaning slightly forward, his foot making clean contact with the ball. It launched into the air with power, but what made it truly special was the erratic movement—swerving left, then right, before dipping sharply.

Foster reacted, diving at full stretch, but just as he thought he had the ball covered, it shifted once again in midair, completely fooling him. The ball slammed into the top right corner of the net.

The stadium exploded in celebration.

"OH MY WORD! HE'S DONE IT AGAIN!" Peter Drury's voice rang through the air. "That is not a fifteen-year-old! That is a magician!"

"That is something truly special!" Martin Tyler exclaimed. "What are we even witnessing? This is the birth of a new star!"

Nico turned towards the stands, raising his arm and pointing to the sky. His teammates sprinted towards him, surrounding him in pure joy. The fans were on their feet, chanting his name, fully aware that they had just seen something historic.

His debut had already been spectacular, but with this final masterpiece, he had etched his name into football history.

_________

As the referee blew the final whistle, the match came to an end, marking an emphatic victory for Manchester City. The players on the pitch embraced one another, while the fans erupted in cheers, fully aware they had just witnessed something special.

In the commentary booth, Peter Drury took a deep breath before summarizing the spectacle.

"Manchester City begin their campaign in style! A commanding performance, a dominant display, and a night that belongs to one name—Nico Cruyff! A brace and an assist from the fifteen-year-old on his Premier League debut! Sergio Agüero also on the scoresheet, and City stroll to a 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion!"

Martin Tyler chimed in, his voice filled with admiration.

"Well, we expected City to dominate, but we did not expect that. Nico Cruyff—remember the name. Fifteen years old, two goals, one assist, and a performance beyond his years. He was kicked, shoved, and tested physically, but he never once looked out of place. If this is just the beginning, I can't wait to see what the future holds!"

On the pitch, Nico was surrounded by his teammates, receiving pats on the back and words of praise. Agüero ruffled his hair, Yaya Touré clapped him on the shoulder, and David Silva pulled him into a hug.

As he walked towards the tunnel, the away fans at The Hawthorns stood to applaud—a rare gesture of respect, acknowledging they had just witnessed something extraordinary. The Premier League had a new star, and his name was Nico Cruyff.