Ambition

Even on the bus ride back, Yang Yang was still deeply immersed in the feeling of that goal. It had been so stirring that he could not pull himself out of it for a long time.

At that moment, his mind had gone completely blank. He had been dazed even after scoring, only suddenly coming to his senses when his teammates rushed over to celebrate with him. That became the talk of the bus ride home.

On a football pitch, strength was what people respected most.

Before, everyone on the team knew that Yang Yang had joined Almere Youth Team through connections. Coupled with his poor performances after arriving, which had seriously held the team back, he had not been popular at all and was always excluded.

But ever since the previous match against Omnibus, when Yang Yang had been Subbed On and assisted the team in pulling one back, created danger several times, and nearly helped them equalize or even turn the match around, everyone had started to see him differently. His training performances had also steadily improved, so naturally his teammates' attitude toward him had changed greatly.

Even captain Henk Dimer could no longer ignore Yang Yang after receiving his assists in two consecutive matches. Though he could not exactly be friendly, he at least treated him fairly and professionally.

Listening to his teammates tease him, Yang Yang could not help reflecting on his rookie reaction after scoring for the first time. It had been far too embarrassing. He had imagined countless celebration moves, yet he had forgotten every single one. What a rare chance to show off!

Two assists and one goal earned Yang Yang personal praise from Head Coach Dick Van Pool after the match.

He was also the only player personally praised by the Head Coach. Though Henk Dimer had scored twice and provided an assist, just as he had not been singled out for criticism after the Omnibus match, he received no praise this time either.

That was hardly surprising. Bryde Middle School was clearly weaker overall than Baken Academy, and after Yang Yang had brought the right flank to life, Henk Dimer naturally became more active through the middle. In contrast, his poor showing in the previous tough match had cost the Almere Youth Team captain dearly.

After two straight excellent performances, especially in the second half today, when he had been pushed forward and given full freedom to attack, everyone knew that Yang Yang's standing in the team was rising along with his performances on the pitch.

Yang Yang remained calm and rational about it.

He knew very well that everything he had today had not come easily. He had earned it through hard daily training and his efforts in matches. If he became complacent and his performances declined, it would all leave him again.

The Head Coach's praise, his teammates' recognition, and his first goal since arriving in the Netherlands only made him more determined. He swore to train even harder and solidify his fundamentals as soon as possible.

Time waited for no one, and the semester assessment was drawing near.

"Look! It's Amsterdam Arena!"

A burst of excited cries came from the front of the bus.

At once, everyone rushed toward the front of the vehicle or pressed against the windows on either side. Looking ahead, they saw a magnificent, awe-inspiring modern stadium.

Unlike many of Europe's other famous football grounds, an east-west road ran directly through the middle of Amsterdam Arena. The stadium stood like a colossal beast astride the road, allowing Yang Yang and the others on the bus to experience its grandeur from an incredibly close distance. It was deeply impressive.

It was Yang Yang's first time seeing the Netherlands' largest five-star stadium, which could hold more than fifty thousand people.

The bus driver deliberately slowed down so that the players could get a clearer, closer look.

It was already evening. The stadium lights had come on, and the area around it was lively and bustling. Beneath the road, countless fans were converging on the stadium from all directions. Ajax were playing at Home tonight.

"My God, there are so many people. They're packed together like ants."

"Exactly. I wonder how many fans will get into the stadium tonight?"

"Definitely a lot. The season's nearly over, and every match is crucial. It'll surely be packed."

"Good heavens, fifty thousand people gathered in one stadium... what kind of spectacle must that be?"

Hearing his teammates' admiration, Yang Yang wholeheartedly agreed. Even after the bus passed through the tunnel beneath the stadium, he continued admiring the beast-like arena through the rear window.

What would it look like with fifty thousand fans filling the stands?

How overwhelming would the roar of fifty thousand fans be?

"Ajax aren't in a very good position this season. There are only three league rounds left, and they're six points behind Eindhoven. But the good thing is that Eindhoven are away to Feyenoord tonight, while Ajax are at Home against Graafschap. Ajax are determined to win this one."

"It won't be easy. Mateja Kežman is the hottest top striker in the Netherlands and all of Europe right now. He's scored thirty-three goals in thirty-one league matches and is the strongest contender for this season's European Golden Boot Award. He's in incredible scoring form, and with stars like Van Bommel and the young Robben as well, Feyenoord will have a hard time winning at Home."

"I'm not so sure. Feyenoord's veteran Van Hooijdonk is in excellent form too. He's scored twenty-six goals this season, proving that age has not slowed him down. With players like Kalou and Van Persie as well, Feyenoord might have what it takes to fight."

"Feyenoord have basically lost their chance at the title. They may not be willing to go all out to stop Eindhoven."

"Not necessarily. These three giants are bitter rivals, and Feyenoord are at Home. They'll definitely give it everything."

"Let's hope so. Ajax have to do everything they can to win tonight. Only then will they have a chance to turn things around and take the title."

Almere was, after all, a satellite city of Amsterdam. Emotionally, everyone naturally leaned more toward Ajax and wanted to see Ajax come back to win the title rather than Eindhoven.

Yang Yang was not especially familiar with either team and could not discuss them as knowledgeably as his teammates. What he did remember was that Eindhoven and Feyenoord each had two Asian players. Eindhoven had Korea's Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo, while Feyenoord had Japan's Shinji Ono and Korea's Song Chong-gug.

All four Korea-Japan internationals had performed brilliantly at the Korea-Japan World Cup before being recruited by the Netherlands' two major clubs. Aside from Shinji Ono, the other three were not regular starters yet, but they were all important First Team substitutes.

When will I get the chance to play for a giant club like them? Yang Yang asked himself.

Especially as he watched Amsterdam Arena gradually recede behind him, his blood surged with excitement.

What would it feel like to play in a stadium of fifty thousand people?

The people on the bus gradually shifted their conversation to Ajax's match tonight, since it would affect the direction of the Eredivisie title race.

Although Ajax relied mainly on young players, their overall strength was far from weak. Their top star was Dutch prodigy Van der Vaart, who, together with Van Persie and Robben, was known as one of the Netherlands' new Three Musketeers. Though he was only nineteen, he was already Ajax's captain and was widely recognized across Europe as a future superstar.

Besides Van der Vaart, Ajax had Swedish Striker Ibrahimovic, South African player Pienaar, Dutch flying winger Van der Meide, and rising talents Sneijder and De Jong in midfield and attack. Their defense also featured emerging stars such as Maxwell, Trabelsi, Heitinga, and Chivu. The entire squad was overflowing with talent.

Head Coach Ronald Koeman was also a renowned Dutch manager. After winning the title last season, Ajax had been Fighting on Two Fronts this season. In the Champions League, they faced European powerhouses including Inter Milan, Lyon, Valencia, Arsenal, Roma, and Valencia, advancing from the group stage for two consecutive rounds before eventually stopping in the quarterfinals, where they lost to AC Milan, who went on to reach the Champions League Final.

It was precisely because they had been Fighting on Two Fronts and had achieved such an impressive Champions League campaign that Ajax's domestic league form had fluctuated. They were ultimately overtaken by the more consistent Eindhoven. But ever since their Champions League run ended in April, Ajax had been chasing hard.

Thinking of this, Yang Yang could not help feeling a surge of envy and longing.

Ajax's young players were not much older than he was. Sneijder and De Jong were only three years his senior, yet they were already important players for a Champions League quarterfinal team. Meanwhile, Yang Yang was still struggling to survive at a lower-level club. The gap was truly difficult to bear.

But Yang Yang quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart. He knew full well that the only thing he needed to do now was improve his strength as quickly as possible. He believed that with the help of the Super Training Ground, he would definitely have a chance to compete on the same field as those stars.

To the Almere Youth Team players on the bus, Ajax seemed close at hand, yet impossibly far away.

Talking about Ajax's stars felt like talking about a completely different world.

The only point of closeness was that during the annual Talent Day trials each summer, Ajax's stars would attend, interacting with the young players at close range and competing alongside them on the field. This had always been an Ajax tradition.

In other words, the three players who stood out in Almere's semester assessments would have the good fortune to meet those stars up close. If they were even luckier, they might even get to play alongside them.

But all of that was still far too distant for Yang Yang, and he did not have the spare attention to concern himself with such matters.

For instance, Ajax's Technical Director, the highly accomplished Head Coach Leo Benhak, was leaving. It was said that he had gotten involved in a romantic scandal with one of the club's female secretaries. The story had been Widely Reported, forcing him to flee to Mexico, while everyone speculated over who would take over as Ajax's Technical Director.

Then there was striker Ibrahimovic, who had demanded the Captain Armband and been refused. Deeply dissatisfied, he vented to the media and even declared that he would leave Ajax after the season ended.

But Yang Yang had no interest in any of it. Either the media were making things up, or it was just gossip from unreliable sources.

The only thing that caught his attention was a news report one of his teammates had seen in the newspaper. Apparently, Van Basten had successfully passed his coaching qualification exam and would officially become the Head Coach of the Ajax Reserves in July that year.

This was the first time Yang Yang had heard any news about his idol.

Apparently, he had begun coach training in August of the previous year and had since been interning at Ajax.

He had not been born twenty years earlier to play alongside Van Basten, but if he had the good fortune to play under him, that would be wonderful too.

But the thought merely flashed through Yang Yang's mind, and even he felt it was unrealistic.

For now, the most important thing was to establish himself at Almere. That was the real priority.

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