548 Real Madrid (2/2)

”Whatever you say,” Dai Li said. He followed Henry towards the training ground of the youth academy.

The youth academy was filled with a bunch of kids. They were divided into three levels: the U10s, the U12s, and the U14s. The older ones, if they remained at Real Madrid, reported to the youth team.

”Our U10 team is the strongest in Spain. They have won all 23 games this season! These kids scored a total of 50 goals in those 23 games, scoring an average of two goals per game. Only eight goals were scored against them the entire season.

”Our U12 won the Mediterranean Cup that just finished up in April by defeating Barcelona.. My son was the first to score in that match. Look, the third one from the left, that's him,” Henry said with pride. The man who had once been the world's greatest forward talked more excitedly about his son than winning a championship.

Dai Li was stunned by the football system of Spain. The U10s and the U12s had their own professional leagues. The kids were taken so seriously that huge organizations like Real Madrid participated in their training. No wonder Spain was so good at football. In China, no one paid attention to football, much less a bunch of 10 to 12-year old kids who played football.

Beside Dai Li, Halls watched the children, who were about his age, play football. He clearly wanted to jump in and play as well.

A few people arrived at the training ground of the U14 team.

”Looks like the U14 team has a practice game,” Henry pointed towards the field.

”There is even an Asian.” Dai Li saw an Asian man run onto the field.

”His name is Tanaka. He is Japanese. He is regarded as a genius footballer in Japan.” Henry shook his head as he spoke. ”Perhaps in Asia, he is a genius. In Europe, in Spain, there are teenagers all over the place as good as he is.”

As Dai Li and Henry chatted, a kid on the field cleared the ball with a powerful kick. The ball flew towards Dai Li.

Next to Dai LI, Halls saw the ball flying over. He ran forward a few steps and moved onto the sidelines of the field. After that, he stopped the ball with his chest and controlled the ball steadily. Then, with a kick, he sent the ball flying towards the front of the penalty box.

The ball was sent precisely to the feet of an attacking player.

”Hwis hwis!” The coach blew the whistle to call the play dead, stopping the practice match.

Henry looked at Halls. Henry was one of the best forward in the world. When it came to overall skill, he could be regarded as the best player in the world. So he could tell that that touch and cross from Halls was not something a normal kid could execute.

”Who's this kid?” Henry assessed Halls seriously.

This kid doesn't look Chinese. He probably isn't Coach Li's son, so who is he? As Henry thought this, he said, ”Coach Li, who'd have thought you would have a young player hidden beside you!”

”Hehe, he's called Halls Frast, and he has loved football since he was a baby. One of the coaches that works under me, Coach Payton, is his guardian. Coach Payton came with me to Spain, and we couldn't leave Halls alone in the United States, so we thought we'd bring him along,” Dai Li said.

”Not a lot of Americans like football,” Henry said as he nodded.

”Halls is Argentinian,” Dai Li explained.

”Argentinian!” A peculiar look flashed across Henry's eyes. He then pointed towards the field, and asked Halls in Spanish, ”Hey kid, do you want to go and have a try?”

Halls nodded seriously, he then turned to look at Dai Li, as if asking for Dai Li's permission.

Dai Li intentionally displayed a weak smile, ”Alright, if Mr. Henry allows it, you can go. But remember, don't injure yourself.”

”Awesome!” Halls pumped his arms in the air in excitement.

Henry called over the coach on the field and uttered a few words to him. The coach brought over a red practice bib and passed it to Halls. He then said, ”You've joined the red team. What position do you play?”

”Striker,” Halls answered.

”Striker? You don't have any height advantage. Amongst the strikers in our lineup, the shortest is at least one head taller than you.” The coach smiled helplessly and said, ”I'll give you a short run-down of our strategy today, and then you can go play. The red team is mainly playing counter-attack football…”

...

Payton moved to Dai Li's side and whispered into his ear, ”Boss, look at the players from Real Madrid. Although they are around the same age as Halls, they are much bigger and stronger than Halls. Won't Halls lose because of this physical difference?”

”Football is very different from American football,” Dai Li smiled. ”Football is more like an art, the art of the foot.”

Payton looked as if he did not fully understand.

Dai Li continued, ”Do you remember what I told you last time? Halls will become a king of football. Do you think that the king of a generation of footballers wouldn't know how to handle such a situation? Just wait and see, he'll surprise us!”