Rise of a Football God-Chapter 426: Forging a legend

Time ticked.

Badump! Badump!

Standing before the ball alongside Raphinha, Sam could still feel his heart beating rapidly like the drums of liberation stretching free inside of him.

He was tired.

After over 90 minutes of this grueling game, giving his all to barely keep his team ahead, he was tired. He was exhausted, and yet, standing over this ball again, Sam could not help the flames of excitement blooming in his heart.

Like the bible says, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

The look in Sam's eyes, that look…, his spirit still boiled with zeal and fiery passion and yet his body looked exhausted.

But who cares?

Sam's mamba mentality entailed a few core principles, and one of them was to never stop giving his all till he fell down out of exhaustion.

'I'm not on the floor, so I can do it!'

It sounded arrogant, but this was Sam. This mentality was his; it is what enabled him to climb the hierarchy of football royalty so fast with his system.

If he believed it, then he could do it.

30 yards from goal? Heck, he didn't even care if it was 50 yards from goal at this moment, Sam believed that he could score it and so he would!

Raphinha looked at his younger colleague, focusing on his eyes. He recognized that look, he had seen it in Sam's eyes countless times in training and every time that look came out, the kid ends up doing something outrageous.

Raphinha chuckled, walking closer. "You're not tired huh, little devil?"

Sam looked at him and grinned, then slightly shook his head.

Raphinha smiled. "Are you confident?"

Sam looked at him.

"I want to do it".

"Ok then," Raphinha patted him by the back before moving further to the side. "Do it then". He said.

Raphinha didn't leave that spot entirely because he served as an extra form of distraction. He already agreed to let Sam take the freekick, but Ederson, Manchester City's goalkeeper doesn't have to know.

He was ready to get any advantage he could to help increase Sam's chances of scoring from this freekick, his 3rd of the game.

Now that he thought about it, if Sam scored, it would be a hattrick of freekicks.

Raphinha's eyes widened slightly as he threw one last look at his teammate. 'This guy…, is he even human?'

He sighed. Now he understood what old Barcelona players felt when playing alongside the legendary Lionel Messi.

He loved it though, and it excited him to no end.

FWEEE!

The referee's whistle sounded again, the signal to take the freekick and all of a sudden, the Spotify Camp Nou became as quiet as a church.

Nerves were stretched taut, breaths were held, eyes strained in focus…, could he do it?

Could he actually do it?!

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Sam took a deep breath.

Then…

~----~

[You have accessed ability card: Bend it like Beckham!]

[Card Effects:]

>This card can only be used during a set-piece. Once used, for 10 minutes, for every freekick that your team gets, you gain the ability and technique of a prime David Beckham, giving you a +80% scoring buff when taking a free-kick<

…

[You have made use of ability card: Bend it like Beckham!]

~----~

The last usage of the 'Bend it like Beckham' ability card.

Yes, Sam felt confident in his ability and the way he felt at this moment. But also, he could feel the exhaustion in his bones, how heavy his legs now felt.

Besides, he knew what was at stake. Not even the game, Barca already own, but a place in history. Getting a hattrick of assists, scoring 4 goals against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal, he could not help butterflies fluttering his stomach at the prospect of it.

He was at the precipice of history.

Maybe it was a foolish decision. Maybe it was wiser to keep this ability for other games when he truly needed it, but at this moment, Sam was willing to be foolish, or selfish depending on how you looked at it.

Being foolish, sometimes, it was the mark of humanity. And Sam was human.

As soon as he used the ability card, he felt a slight surge of electricity erupt from the sole of his leg, spreading through his body.

Sam's eyes ignited with a crimson light, and then, he moved.

Thud!

His leg hit the ground; first touch…

Thud!

Second touch…

Thud!

Third touch…

Thud!

Fourth touch, and then…

Sam raised his right leg back before swinging with a force that seemed capable of turning stone to dust!

His boot hit the ball straight at the center, and then, all hell broke loose.

BAM!

This was no caressed, finesse shot, rather, it was a powerful knuckle ball!

WHOOSH!

The ball flew like a missile, waving in the air like a flag. It flew high into the air, above the Man City wall of players, and then it dipped behind the wall, flying towards the top right corner.

Thud!

Ederson took a step, and stretching his body on a full body dive, he jumped after the ball. The goalkeeper gave his all, and yet, it was not enough.

History was created.

The ball nestled into the net, past Ederson, crushing Manchester City dreams around the world, scoring FC Barcelona's 4th goal of the night.

Silence, for a brief moment, then…

BOOOM!

The Spotify Camp Nou exploded.