From Arsenal, Forge the Path to Football God

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"Oh!!"

In the South Stand, the Sheffield United fan section, thousands of fans in red and white Sheffield United jerseys erupted in a deafening cheer, igniting the area near the south side, "Yeah!!"

In the previous two matches, the team had conceded six goals and failed to score a single one.

There was even the humiliating experience of being shut out by a National League team.

Their emotions had been in a state of extreme suppression, sustained only by their unwavering love for the team, which drove them to support the team through every away game.

Now, they finally saw a goal!

"Who is it? Who is that kid?!" someone raised their hands in celebration, their eyes shining with hope.

"Evans! Evans scored the first goal of the new season!" someone replied excitedly.

"No, I mean the one who assisted! He's so talented, a smooth dribble and a perfect cross in one go!" the questioner asked while praising.

"Number 31, never seen him before!"

"Me neither."

"17 years old, on loan from Arsenal, his name is Maël, and this is his debut today!" someone who had checked the pre-match information explained to the crowd.

Due to their curiosity about the 'assist player,' Maël's name quickly spread across the entire stand, and his debut and other elements became well-known among Sheffield United fans.

To help the young player remember this beautiful moment and enjoy the treatment he deserved, some fans spontaneously organized to chant his name.

"MaëlMaël!"

At first, the sound was small, but as more and more people joined in, it grew louder and louder, eventually reaching the heavens, "MaëlMaël!!"

On the bench.

"Beautiful!"

Gilbert, wearing a substitute jersey, had been watching with intense eyes and was the first to rush out, clenching his fists and shouting, "Maël, you did it!!"

After living and training together for two months, a teammate's goal was as good as his own.

Gilbert was genuinely happy, knowing that his friend would take a big step forward after today.

"Come on!!"

Following him, Gary Speed, the young manager who had just experienced an emotional outburst, did not expect the team to score a goal at this moment.

His emotions were reignited, and he clenched his right fist, bowing his body to punch the air, releasing all his dissatisfaction.

After the celebration, Gary Speed turned his gaze to a section of the fan area, where Chief Scout Joelson had just turned his head.

His face was flushed, and though it was too far to see if he had tears in his eyes, he must have been deeply moved.

Gary Speed gave him a thumbs up, as if to say, "Well done."

As for the team's head coach Kevin, his face was a mix of surprise and complex emotions, making it hard for him to express anything.

The stadium was enveloped in a fiery atmosphere.

"Here it comes!"

Maël's hair stood on end, his eyes wide as he sprinted towards Evans, who had just scored. His chest felt like it was on fire, making him breathe heavily.

The first data point in his professional career, the first assist in the English Football League (EFL) Championship! This was what he had been longing for, and it had finally arrived on this important day!

Seeing Evans running towards him, Maël lowered his center of gravity, clearly sensing that Evans was about to leap.

"Great pass! Great pass!"

Evans shouted as he ran, and at about a meter from Maël, he jumped and tackled Maël.

"Great play!"

Maël laughed and praised, then felt a powerful impact. He instinctively raised his hands to catch Evans.

Then, they hugged each other and ran towards the fan area.

The other teammates quickly joined in, most of them congratulating the two.

"This must be a memorable day for you."

Team midfielder Janu Hans came over to Maël, smiling and asked, "What else do you want?"

"Victory."

Maël smiled and expressed his true thoughts. He didn't want to suffer a loss on this day that should be filled with joy.

His answer surprised many, as they thought Maël would say a goal or a second assist.

"Let's work together."

Evans stated his position, ready to give his all, but he wasn't sure about the others, "What about you guys?"

"I don't want to leave a bad memory for Maël on his first time."

Janu Hans also expressed his thoughts, looking at a few close teammates who all nodded in agreement.

The group walked back to their half, encouraging each other, and their morale was significantly boosted.

"Good job, kid!"

Returning to his position, Maël heard a voice from the back. He turned to see the team's goalkeeper, Robert, raising his hands to applaud him.

Robert was one of the few successful veterans in the team and the captain of Sheffield United. He was usually very kind and had taken good care of Maël.

Maël thanked him and turned around, feeling that everything was perfect. New hope and goals awaited him.

"Beep!"

The referee blew the whistle for the third kickoff, and Cardiff City's center forward took the ball from the center circle.

Maël started running again, charging into the opponent's territory. This time, his fighting spirit was even more intense.

At Colney Training Ground, in the youth team meeting room.

They were a bit delayed, but they had already seen Maël's cross and Evans' run into the center.

"Bang!"

When the ball hit the net, Coach Hans, who had been holding back, slammed his fist on the table and raised his arms, "First assist! Maël's pass equalized the score! He's got it, what a fantastic play!"

Surprise came in waves, overwhelming their hearts.

"Oh!" The other Arsenal U17 players couldn't help but stand up in amazement, some shouting and others clapping, as if they were in Maël's shoes.

From hearing that Maël would play, to seeing him start, and now to his assist, each of them felt like they were in a magical painting, unable to tear themselves away. But the familiar, handsome face on the TV told them it was real.

"Don't block me! I want to see him celebrate!"

"Me too!"

"Didn't you kick the ball at him before? What are you looking at?"

"That was so long ago!"

"He's so cool, I'd slide tackle if I were him."

The players stretched their necks to watch Maël's celebration, and many of them even felt their bodies twitch and go numb.

They all wished that the person on the screen was them! After all, it was the English Football League (EFL) Championship, and the value of an assist there was far greater than in their youth league.

"Do EFL Championship teams give bonuses for assists?" one player asked curiously.

"1500 pounds!"

Hans turned around and smiled, "And the bonuses in professional teams are usually after tax."

More people went into a state of shock. That one assist was worth more than half a month's salary for them, and in every aspect, it was priceless.

In Aix-en-Provence, France.

At Clement's home, the family of five sat on the sofa, watching the match intently.

"Got the ball, dribble past him, good!"

Clement, like most male fans, had the habit of acting as a coach, as if he were holding a controller, "Pass, if you don't score, I'll... Ah, it's in! Maël's assist!"

He stood up, raising his beer can, his excited eyes scanning the others, "A toast to my nephew!"

The older siblings and his wife all raised their glasses, smiling and clinking them together excitedly.

"Big brother is so amazing!"

Eva, who wasn't drinking and didn't fully understand her brother's achievement, just clapped her hands, "Big brother made a lot of money, he has to buy me eight pizzas!"

She was part of the atmosphere, always jumping and reminding everyone when Maël appeared on screen.

"I knew he could do it!"

Clement was already tipsy, his face red as he boasted, "Back in the day..."