All Football Talents Are Mine!

'Could you teach me some exercises?' or 'Can you recommend a protein supplement?'

I heard those are the words gym maniacs love the most.

And sure enough, Kim Jungguk's interest was piqued.

"Our Ho-young is still too young to be taking those, but it wouldn't hurt to know. Want to have a chat with me?"

"Yes! While we're at it, can you teach me some exercises too?!"

Kim Jungguk beamed.

That answer was more than enough.

[Choose the talent you wish to acquire.]

The Solid Muscles of a Gym Rat (C)

The Delicate Voice of a Ballad Singer (C)

'Obviously the first one!'

What use would a delicate voice be to a football player?

Somehow, after an hour of kicking the ball around with Kim Jungguk, Ho-young had acquired a new talent.

[Woo Ho-young]

Possessed Talents

Football Prodigy (B)

Fairly Heavy Mid-range Shot (C)

The Solid Muscles of a Gym Rat (C)

He already felt like his muscles had become firmer.

It wasn't quite the physique of a professional athlete yet, but it would certainly be helpful.

"Oh dear, thank you. I hope we didn't waste your time because of our kid…"

"No, not at all. I had a great time too. I've just been exercising these days since I don't have any schedules. Haha."

For Kim Jungguk, who had a fondness for kids, it had been a special experience.

It was his first time meeting a child so interested in fitness knowledge.

Two weeks later.

"Ho-young! We did it! We did it!"

Woo Hwang-seon, having just hung up the house phone, lifted Ho-young up and spun him around in circles.

"Wahhh! Dad, I'm getting dizzy!"

"Wahaha! My proud son!"

There was only one reason Woo Hwang-seon was so ecstatic.

"Did MBS call? Did I get into Shootdori?"

"That's right, kid! Wahaha!"

September 16, 2002.

Ho-young's name had officially made it onto the Shootdori team roster.

'It's happening!'

A monumental achievement.

"Honey! Come quick! Our Ho-young got in!"

Woo Hwang-seon, even more excited than Ho-young himself, urgently shouted.

The sound of chopping in the kitchen stopped, and Kim Hee-seon came rushing in, apron still on.

"Is it true?"

"Yes! And they're even paying an appearance fee!"

"Oh my goodness…!"

The couple hugged each other, jumping up and down like kids.

"At this rate, our Ho-young might become a celebrity!"

"Oh-ho-hong. Do you even need to say it?"

'I'm going to be a football player, though…'

Ho-young swallows those words and simply relishes the moment.

Even though he had anticipated getting selected, an electrifying catharsis washed over him.

It was the first real success he had achieved since returning to the past!

But that excitement was soon replaced by nervousness.

'This is my first time appearing on TV.'

And not just as a background character.

He was a main cast member.

The thought of that, combined with the fact that this program would become a nationwide sensation, made his heart race.

'I hope I don't mess it up…'

No way.

If anything, Shootdori would only become even more popular.

This wasn't arrogance—it was confidence.

'I will make this a success!!'

No matter what happens, all he needed to do was showcase his skills to the world.

Fan clubs? Advertisements?

Those things didn't matter for now.

If he became a successful football player, they would come naturally.

All he needed was one goal.

Football.

With that determination, Ho-young closed his eyes.

A lush green field came to mind.

Wembley!

Old Trafford!

Camp Nou!

Santiago Bernabéu!

How would it feel to play on those grand stages, hearing the thunderous cheers of tens of thousands of fans?

Just thinking about it was exhilarating.

'Hehe!'

Even the mere imagination of it sent shivers down his spine.

But even the longest journey begins with a single step.

"Dad, I'm going out to practice."

TV appearances could wait—his skills came first.

There are countless Messis and Ronaldos in the world.

That is, in their minds.

Inside their heads, they're already scoring hat tricks with dazzling solo plays, but when they actually play football, their bodies don't follow through.

And the reason is simple.

"You need to master the basics first!"

Because they lack the fundamentals.

And the most fundamental of fundamentals?

Juggling.

Keeping the ball in the air by bouncing it off the instep of the foot without letting it touch the ground.

It requires immense concentration and endless repetition.

Even Maradona, the god of football, started this way.

One step at a time.

Thump! Thump!

As Ho-young juggled the ball, he smirked.

His breath was getting heavier, but he wasn't tired.

He could feel himself improving every day.

"This is what a prodigy's talent feels like!"

Hope.

It fueled his burning ambition.

"One thousand more reps!"

"Huff… huff…"

In the afternoon, he ran laps around the track to build stamina.

Football is, at its core, an endurance sport.

No matter how skilled one is at dribbling or shooting, without stamina, it all amounts to nothing.

Of course, he made sure not to overdo it and hinder his growth.

After gritting through eight laps, he collapsed onto the sandy ground.

"Shootdori! I'm going to dominate!!"

That was Ho-young's ambitious goal.

From that day on, he followed a strict schedule.

Lights out before 10 PM, no exceptions.

Up at 6 AM sharp for a 30-minute stretching routine.

Just because he only grew to 170 cm in his past life didn't mean it had to be the same this time around.

With proper management from a young age, he could definitely surpass 180 cm.

After breakfast, he went out for a jog.

After school, he honed his skills on the field.

Eat, train, repeat.

Day after day, he followed this routine.

And before he knew it, the day of filming had arrived.

Click, click!

Cameras flashed everywhere.

There were so many cameras aimed at the kids that it could give someone stage fright.

Among the ten Shootdori members, one child in particular looked more nervous than the others.

"Ho-young, you okay?"

"Y-Yeah…"

But it wasn't the cameras making him nervous.

It was the upcoming match.

The first evaluation match—scheduled to be the highlight of the October 23rd premiere.

Ho-young had been waiting all day for this moment.

Because their opponent was none other than the most prestigious youth academy in Korea—Cha Bum-kun Football School.

Before the filming began, Producer Choi spoke to the Cha Boom FC coach.

"Coach, go all out from the start."

His plan was simple: utterly crush the Shootdori team.

Even if the score went to 20-0, he wanted the kids to experience despair.

That way, they would cry, evoking sympathy from the audience and making the viewers emotionally invested.

But amidst this grand scheme, Ho-young was warming up in the distance.

'If that kid plays well, it'll be perfect.'

Little did he know—

As soon as the whistle blew, Ho-young launched a shot from the halfway line.

And in just one second—

Thud!

The ball slammed into the net.

"W-What…?"

Producer Choi's jaw dropped.

And Ho-young?

He sprinted toward the towering camera crane, leaped into the air, and—

"Hoo!!"

Landed with his arms outstretched.

He had just claimed Cristiano Ronaldo's signature celebration as his own.