Chapter 29 – Feliz Cumpleaños, Luca!

The sun was just starting to rise over Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper when Luca stepped onto the training pitch, hoodie over his head, bag slung low on his back. He was early—like always.

But something felt… different.

"Morning, birthday boy!" a voice called.

Luca turned to see Lamine Yamal jogging toward him with a big grin. "You really thought we wouldn't know?"

Luca blinked. "How—"

"Bro, we all saw the group chat. You think Gavi can keep secrets?" Lamine laughed and threw an arm around him. "Come on. We got something planned before training."

They walked inside to the locker room—and as soon as Luca stepped in, a loud chorus of "Feliz cumpleaños, Luca!" echoed through the space.

Confetti cannons popped. A cake sat on a table with his name on it in bold icing letters. Gavi was holding up a Barca-themed birthday hat. Pedri was already filming on his phone.

"No way," Luca laughed. "Y'all are ridiculous."

Raphinha, grinning as always, handed him a gift bag. "Open it. First team rule—when it's your birthday, we embarrass you with gifts."

Luca pulled out a shirt that read: "Too fast. Too fresh. Too LW."

He burst out laughing. "Who made this?"

"Guilty," Gavi raised his hand. "Designed it myself. Limited edition."

Flick, standing in the corner with his arms crossed and a rare smile on his face, finally stepped forward. "Before training starts, I just want to say—happy birthday, Luca. You've been a joy to have around. Keep your head down, stay focused, and keep working. But today… you can enjoy the spotlight a little."

Luca nodded respectfully. "Thank you, mister. Means a lot."

"Alright," Flick said, clapping his hands, "everyone on the pitch in ten. But… let the kid cut the cake first."

They gathered around as Luca sliced into the cake. Someone (probably Lamine) smashed a bit of frosting onto Luca's cheek. Everyone laughed. Even Ter Stegen, who was there doing recovery work, stopped by and wished him well.

"Birthday goals today?" Raphinha asked as they jogged to warm up.

"Oh, I'm scoring a golazo just for the candles," Luca grinned.

Training Begins

The warm-up was lighter than usual. Pass-and-move drills turned into playful rondos, and every time Luca lost the ball, someone yelled, "It's your birthday, you're supposed to be sharper!"

"Okay okay!" Luca shouted. "No more losing the ball, I swear."

Then came shooting drills. One-touch crosses into the box, and Luca was on fire.

Pedri played in a low ball from the left—Luca met it with a backheel into the net.

"Oh my god," Lamine gasped, "he's got that birthday buff!"

Even Flick clapped from the sideline. "Good, Luca. Excellent positioning!"

Later in training, they did a mini match—short-sided, high tempo. Gavi and Pedri pulled strings in the middle, while Raphinha teased defenders with his usual flair.

Luca, cutting in from the left, turned on the style. One nutmeg. One sharp feint. A shot to the far corner.

Goal.

"Someone stop him!" laughed Andreas Christensen. "He's celebrating with every touch."

"Let him cook," Lamine said, jogging over to high five Luca. "It's his day."

After Training

Back in the locker room, the vibes were perfect. Music played. The squad handed Luca a signed ball with personal messages scribbled all over it.

"Happy birthday, LW. Just the beginning." – Pedri"Train hard, smile harder." – Raphinha"Don't let the fame change you, you little baller." – Gavi"Keep shining. I got your back always." – Lamine

Luca sat down, eyes scanning the ball. He looked up at his teammates.

"Thanks, everyone. Really. It means the world."

Pedri clapped him on the back. "Now go celebrate with your pops. We've got another day of work tomorrow."

Evening

Back home, Luca sat across from his dad, still smiling.

"How was it?" his father asked, sliding over a small wrapped box.

"Unreal," Luca said. "I think I'm… finally where I'm meant to be."

He opened the box. Inside, a necklace with a tiny number 11.

"Just a little something," his dad said. "For my LW."

Luca's eyes watered for a second. Then he nodded. "Thanks, Pop. I promise… I'm just getting started."