"Number twenty-six, Facundo Quiroga."
"Number twenty-eight, Cristiano Ronaldo."
When head coach Boloni called out that name, everyone in the locker room turned to look at Rony.
Sitting in front of his locker, the Madeira Island youngster was stunned.
Although he had been desperately pursuing a chance to play for the First Team, repeatedly pestering the coaching staff and believing himself fully prepared, when the moment truly arrived, he was still deeply shocked.
There was no doubt that this would become a historic moment in his career!
Rony excitedly nodded at the head coach, then turned to Su Dong, opened his arms, leaned over, and hugged him. His slightly trembling body revealed the exhilaration and excitement surging through him.
Su Dong was happy for him too, but he felt somewhat disappointed.
Rony had finally made the eighteen-man squad. What about him?
The First Team squad consisted of eleven starters and seven substitutes, for a total of eighteen players.
This was what people commonly called the eighteen-man squad.
Since Su Dong had never expected to make the squad, he had never paid much attention to it.
He simply had not expected the head coach to suddenly announce that Rony had made the squad today.
Just as Su Dong thought the list was over, head coach Boloni continued announcing the names.
"Number twenty-nine, Cesar Pratte."
He was the substitute for right-back Beto Severo, and a regular member of the squad.
Unlike Rony's excitement, Pratte was already used to it.
He had always been part of the squad and even started regularly.
For a player like him, making the eighteen-man squad was as ordinary as eating or drinking. Not making it would have been strange.
Just now, Rodrigo Tello, number eleven, had not made it, and he had found that very surprising.