Chapter 166

After a quick shower and a change into his club tracksuit, Izan followed Baraja down the hallway leading to the conference room.

The corridor was a blend of noise and motion—journalists, club officials, and staff bustling about. Izan felt the buzz around him, the kind of energy that comes when something extraordinary has happened.

Baraja walked ahead, his calm demeanour a reassuring presence. As they approached the doors of the conference room, Izan caught a glimpse of the packed hall.

Cameras were set up in every corner, microphones lined the table, and journalists filled every available seat.

"Ready?" Baraja asked, his eyes meeting Izan’s.

Izan nodded. "Yeah, we can start," he said before glancing around through a small pocket of space on the hinge of the door after it opened.

The moment they entered, a wave of flashing cameras greeted them. The room seemed to buzz with excitement, and the murmurs grew louder. Baraja took his seat at the centre of the table, gesturing for Izan to sit beside him.

Glancing around the room, Baraja nodded at the moderator.

The moderator began the session, addressing the journalists. "We’ll begin with questions for Coach Baraja, and then we’ll take questions for Izan."

Baraja fielded the first few questions with the ease of a seasoned professional, praising the team’s overall performance and emphasizing the importance of their collective effort but soon the spotlight shifted to Izan.

A journalist from Marca was the first to address him.

"Izan, I’d like to ask, how do you keep doing it? The last time the two sides met, you scored a hat trick and a few voices said it happened because you were underestimated.

Tonight, they had all the time to prepare but you still scored two against them today."

Izan leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table. "I would like to say something but it would come off as cocky so I’m going to tone it down a bit," he began, his voice steady but quiet.

"They are just another team. Atlético are just another strong team to beat. We were disciplined today. My teammates were playing fantastic football today too.

I say we should have even won considering all the chances we created but at least we didn’t lose against a side most teams in the world struggle against even when they’re not in their best form."

The room buzzed with murmurs, some, of approval while others sounded elated that they had gotten something saucy out of Izan saying "Atlético were just another team to beat"

"What do you think of football fans, particularly Valencia fans calling you Atlético’s Leash after this match considering you’ve scored 5 goals in 2 matches against them" a reporter asked.

Izan chuckled at the question causing a few people in the room to chuckle along.

"I didn’t know that but its nice to be able to prove my worth twice against Atlético Madrid.

For now I’d like to say that they’re my favourite opponent to play against "

Another journalist chimed in. "You said in a previous interview that you are already committed to the Valencia club.

Can you say the same if teams like Real Madrid, Bayern, Barcelona and Manchester City come with a blockbuster offer for you.

And do you think Valencia can resist not selling since they have no way to tell if you can keep this play of yours?"

Izan hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I may not look like it but I’m a pretty loyal kid.

Valencia has also given me the insurance that they would not sell if I do not want to leave."

Baraja glanced at him with a proud smile, clearly impressed by his answers and the way he was going around some questions.

The questions kept coming, ranging from his inspirations to his thoughts on the match.

Izan answered each one thoughtfully, his confidence growing with every response.

One journalist from El País asked, "What was going through your mind when you scored your second goal?"

Izan smiled, the memory vivid in his mind. "Honestly, it was instinct. The ball came to me, and I just knew I had to slot it in.

As an upcoming player aspiring to be one of the best in the world, Clutch moments can be something that lets me break barriers"

When the session finally ended, the room erupted in applause—a rare gesture from the media. Baraja stood, giving Izan a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"You handled that brilliantly," the coach said as they exited the room.

Izan let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. "Thanks, coach. It gets intense every time since I started doing it but today was all right."

Baraja chuckled. "Well start getting used to it. It’ll only get tougher after you move onto a bigger stage or club".

After Baraja’s words, the duo stayed silent for a while before Izan broke the silence.

"Well, then I’ll use my time in Valencia to get ready for such occasions."

After Izan spoke Baraja smiled wryly before looking at the young kid. "Valencia was always too small for him" Baraja thought as Izan walked off.

As the first light of dawn peeked through his curtains, Izan woke up his legs sore from exerting himself last night.

Izan sat up in bed, his body still heavy from exhaustion.

The match had been physically and emotionally draining, but there was an unshakable sense of satisfaction coursing through him.

He grabbed his phone from the bedside table, its screen lighting up with countless notifications.

Messages from friends, teammates, coaches, and even strangers flooded his social media accounts.

"Phenomenal performance," one message read. "The future of football," said another.

His mother, Komi, called out from the kitchen, her voice warm and steady. "Izan! Breakfast is ready!".

Her tone carried both pride and routine, grounding him amid the chaos of his rising fame.

Dragging himself out of bed, Izan shuffled to the dining table, where the familiar smell of Komi’s special pancakes greeted him.

Hori, his younger sister, was already there, scrolling through her phone with an expression that teetered between amazement and disbelief.

"You’re trending everywhere," she said, barely looking up. "They’re calling you a prodigy. Some are even comparing you to Messi and Ronaldo."

Izan chuckled, a mix of humility and nervousness bubbling up. "You know they always do this after every game," he said, though the comparisons sent a shiver down his spine.

Komi placed a plate of pancakes in front of him and gave him a knowing smile. "Maybe. But your performances are something the Valencia fans won’t forget."

After hearing his mother’s words, Izan felt empowered by the thought of being praised forever but the Valencia fans.

"Do I have a god complex?" he thought as he shoved another pancake inside his mouth.

After breakfast, the family sat together in the living room, watching highlights of the match on TV.

Seeing himself on the screen, still felt surreal, almost as if he were watching someone else.

The Pundits dissected his every move, praising his composure, vision, and technical skill.

"Izan," one commentator said, "a name that has been on the mouths of people since the start of the season.

With many clubs vying for his signature, Izan chooses to stay at Valencia until he’s ready to move on."

Komi squeezed his shoulder, her eyes glistening with pride. "You’ve worked so hard for this, Izan. Never forget where you came from."

Izan looked at his mother and nodded before going back to the pundit segment.

Izan now lounging comfortably on the plush sofa in his living room, controller in hand, fully immersed himself in a virtual battlefield unfolding on his gaming console.

The afternoon sun streamed through the curtains, casting a golden glow on the walls.

His fingers moved with precision, clicking buttons and swivelling the analogue sticks as he manoeuvred his in-game avatar through intense firefights and heart-pounding challenges.

His focus was unbreakable, his lips slightly parted, and his eyebrows knit together in concentration.

Each victory brought a triumphant grin to his face, while the occasional defeat elicited a frustrated groan followed by a determined resolve to try again.

After a while, the room resonated with the sound effects of cheering crowds, commentary and background music, a testament to Izan’s vibrant enthusiasm as he battered Atlético Madrid, 5-1 on FC 24’s Legendary difficulty using Valencia.

Seeing the score, Izan glanced at his phone. "I won’t get in trouble will I?" he said as he picked up his phone.

Opening the Camera, Izan took a picture of the score.

Izan framed the perfect shot, adding a cheeky caption:

"5-1. Tough day at the office for Atlético. Who’s next?"

Satisfied, he posted the picture on his Instagram account. Within minutes, his followers flooded the post with comments.

@SoccerFreak34: " Bro, you cooked them like Sunday dinner!"

@IzanFanClubOfficial: "Our boy’s unstoppable on AND off the pitch ."

@Internazionale: "Damn, can we get you in our squad for the next match against Atlético in the UCL? It’d make it way easier for us"

@GameOver101: "Elite gamer + elite footballer = GOAT combo ?."

The post quickly garnered thousands of likes in a few seconds and soon, the ripple effect reached unexpected corners.

Atlético Madrid’s official account chimed in with a witty retort:

@Atleti: "Not sure our defenders got the memo today... ? Rematch soon?"

Even a few players joined the fray.

@Wirtz: "Man, you’d better not be this good IRL!"

@Diego_Defender: "That’s it. I’m coming to take that controller myself next time. ?"

Izan couldn’t help but laugh, realizing the buzz he’d unintentionally created. As his phone continued to ping with notifications, he leaned back with a self-assured grin.

The reactions were a mix of awe, humour, and playful banter, but one thing was clear—his name wasn’t just lighting up the footballing world; he was gaining influence.

As the hours passed, Izan eventually put down the controller, his eyes briefly scanning the TV.

After a moment’s deliberation, he pulled up a classic superhero flick, one of his favourites and played it.

The sound of soaring orchestras filled the room as the hero made their first dramatic entrance.

Izan watched with wide-eyed anticipation, completely absorbed in the story.

He laughed at the witty one-liners, leaned forward during the action sequences, and even muttered under his breath during suspenseful moments.

By the time the credits rolled, the room had grown darker, the golden sunlight replaced by the soft glow of twilight.

Izan stretched, feeling a mix of satisfaction and exhaustion after his relaxed yet eventful afternoon.

His day of gaming and movies left him recharged and ready for whatever was in store.

A/n: 20 Golden Ticket chapter in advance. Had some free time so I decided to release this one. Have fun.