Rico sits at the kitchen table, scrolling through his phone. He pauses on a video Klaus's last match. Klaus misses a sitter and get furious at himself.

  Lucas walks in, already dressed for training.

  LUCAS: "Morning, Dad. Ready?"

  Rico looks up, setting his phone down.

  RICO: "Lucas, I need to talk to you about something."

  Lucas sits, reading his father's tone.

  RICO: "I'm going to England for a bit. To see Klaus."

  Lucas's expression shifts neutral, but his jaw tightens slightly.

  LUCAS: "When?"

  RICO: "Tomorrow. I'll be gone for maybe two weeks."

  LUCAS: "Two weeks?"

  RICO: "I haven't seen him in months, Lucas. And from what I'm seeing... he needs help."

  Lucas looks down at his hands, silent.

  RICO: "You understand, don't you?"

  LUCAS: "Yeah. I understand."

  But his voice is flat. Controlled.

  RICO: "Lucas---"

  LUCAS: "No, really. I get it. You have two sons. Klaus needs you right now."

  RICO: "It's not about---"

  LUCAS: "Dad, it's fine. Go. Help him."

  Rico studies his son's face, knowing there's more beneath the surface.

  RICO: "You sure?"

  LUCAS: "I'm sure. I'll be fine. Coach Dubois is here. Aunt Marie checks on me. I've got this."

  Rico nods slowly, not entirely convinced but accepting it.

  RICO: "Alright. But if you need anything---"

  LUCAS: "I know. I'll call."

  Rico stands, gripping Lucas's shoulder.

  RICO: "You're doing great, son. I'm proud of you."

  LUCAS: "Thanks."

  But as Rico leaves the room, Lucas stares at his coffee, jaw still tight.

  He doesn't like this. But he won't say it.

  Harwich FC training ground. Late afternoon. Two days later.

  Klaus is alone on the pitch, running shooting drills. Ball after ball after ball.

  He strikes one cleanly it rockets toward goal and CLANGS off the crossbar.

  KLAUS (frustrated): "Come on!"

  He retrieves the ball, sets it up again. Another shot. This one hits the post.

  KLAUS: "Damn it!"

  RICO (from behind): "Watch your follow-through."

  Klaus spins around, shocked.

  RICO: "You're leaning back when you strike. That's why you're hitting the woodwork."

  KLAUS: "Dad? What are you ,what are you doing here?"

  Rico walks onto the pitch, hands in his jacket pockets, casual smile on his face.

  RICO: "Well, I have two sons. Can't just check on one, can I?"

  Klaus stands there, frozen, not sure how to react.

  KLAUS: "But... Lucas. You're supposed to be with Lucas."

  RICO: "Lucas is fine. You're not."

  KLAUS: "I'm fine."

  RICO: "Klaus, you just hit the woodwork three times in a row. That's not fine."

  Klaus looks away, embarrassed.

  RICO: "Come on. Show me what you've been working on."

  Klaus hesitates, then nods.

  They sit on the grass, water bottles between them. The sun is setting, casting long shadows across the pitch.

  KLAUS: "Can I ask you something?"

  RICO: "Of course."

  KLAUS: "What kind of striker were you?"

  Rico thinks for a moment, a faint smile crossing his face.

  RICO: "An all-around striker, I suppose. I could create for myself and for my teammates. I could finish, I could assist, I could drop deep or stay high. I adapted to what the team needed."

  KLAUS: "How did you figure that out?"

  RICO: "I didn't at first. Early in my career, I tried to be everything at once. A poacher, a target man, a playmaker. I was a mess. But then a coach told me something that changed everything."

  KLAUS: "What did he say?"

  RICO: "He said, 'A true striker isn't defined by one thing. He's defined by his ability to solve problems.' Some games, you need to be clinical. Some games, you need to hold up the ball. Some games, you need to create space for others. The best strikers read what the game needs and become that."

  Klaus absorbs this, nodding slowly.

  KLAUS: "Grant wants me to be ruthless."

  RICO: "Then be ruthlessly intelligent. Outsmart defenders. Anticipate their movements. Be in the right place at the right time, every time. That's just as deadly as power."

  Klaus looks at his father, something shifting in his eyes.

  KLAUS: "You really think I can do that?"

  RICO: "I know you can. But you need to train differently. Train smarter."

  KLAUS: "Alright. Teach me."

  RICO: "Good. Let's start now."

  KLAUS: "Now? Dad, I've been training for three hours. I'm tired."

  Rico stands, grabbing the ball.

  RICO: "Greatness doesn't wait for you to be rested, Klaus. Come on."

  Klaus groans but gets up, a small smile on his face despite himself.

  Harwich FC training ground. Over the next week.

  Day 1: Reading Defenders

  Rico sets up cones to represent defenders.

  RICO: "Defenders give you clues, Klaus. Watch their hips, their shoulders, their feet. If their weight is on their left, they're moving left. If they're leaning forward, they're about to commit. You need to see it before it happens."

  They run the drill. Klaus receives the ball, reads the "defender's" position, and makes his move.

  At first, he's slow, overthinking it.

  RICO: "Don't think. React. Your brain is faster than you realize."

  They run it again. And again. And again.

  Day 2: Finishing Under Pressure

  Rico stands in goal. Klaus has to score from different angles, different distances, with Rico closing him down.

  RICO: "In a real game, you won't have time to pick your spot. You need to shoot on instinct. Train your body to know where the goal is without looking."

  Klaus shoots. Rico saves.

  RICO: "Again."

  Klaus shoots. Rico saves.

  RICO: "Again."

  Klaus shoots. Goal.

  RICO: "Better. But you can be faster. Again."

  Day 3: Movement and Timing

  Rico explains the art of "ghosting" disappearing from a defender's line of sight, then reappearing in a dangerous position.

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  RICO: "Defenders are human. They lose focus for a split second. That's when you strike. You don't need to be fast. You just need to be smart."

  They practice Klaus making runs starting slow, then bursting into space at the perfect moment.

  RICO: "There. That's it. You felt that, didn't you? The timing?"

  KLAUS: "Yeah. I did."

  Day 4: Creating for Others

  RICO: "A complete striker doesn't just score. He makes his teammates better. If you're marked by two defenders, that means someone else is free. Find them."

  They run scenarios where Klaus has to choose shoot or pass?

  Klaus starts to see the game differently. Not just as a goal-scorer, but as a playmaker.

  RICO: "Good. You're not just a striker anymore, Klaus. You're a problem-solver."

  Day 5: The Game Within the Game

  Rico and Klaus sit in the film room, watching footage of elite strikers.

  RICO: "Look here. See how he checks his shoulder three times before the ball arrives? He already knows where everyone is. That's preparation."

  RICO: "Now look. He drops deep, drags the center-back out of position, creates space for the winger. That's intelligence."

  RICO: "And watch his finishing. He doesn't always hit it with power. Sometimes he just places it. Precision over power."

  KLAUS: "So I need to combine all of that."

  RICO: "Exactly. Be prepared, be intelligent, be precise. That's your game."

  By the end of the week, Klaus is a different player.

  Not trying to be someone else. Just a better version of himself.

  Klaus is on the bench.

  60th Minute:

  Harwich is drawing 1-1. Their starting striker is having a nightmare three chances, zero goals.

  GRANT: "Santos! Warm up!"

  Klaus springs into action.

  65th Minute Klaus comes on.

  The energy shifts. Klaus immediately makes an intelligent run, pulling defenders out of position. His teammate shoots saved.

  70th Minute:

  Klaus gets his first touch. He's tightly marked, but he holds the ball up, waits for support, lays it off. The move breaks down, but his decision-making is sharp.

  75th Minute:

  A cross comes in. Klaus times his run perfectly, but his header goes just wide.

  82nd Minute:

  Klaus receives the ball at the top of the box. Two defenders close in. He feints left, goes right, shoots the keeper makes a brilliant save.

  Klaus puts his hands on his head, frustrated but focused.

  88th Minute:

  Harwich wins a corner. Klaus positions himself at the back post, studying the goalkeeper's position.

  The ball swings in. Chaos in the box. It falls to Klaus, six yards out.

  Don't think. React.

  BANG.

  Klaus smashes it into the roof of the net.

  2-1.

  The stadium erupts. Klaus is mobbed by his teammates. He breaks free, looks up at Rico in the stands, and points at him.

  Rico nods, clapping.

  FULL TIME: Harwich FC 2-1.

  MATCH 2: Harwich FC vs. Ashford City

  Klaus is on the bench again, but this time, fate intervenes.

  30th Minute:

  Harwich's starting striker goes down. Hamstring injury. He can't continue.

  GRANT: "Santos! You're on!"

  Klaus strips off his bib and enters the pitch.

  Score: 0-0.

  35th Minute:

  Klaus receives the ball on the edge of the box. He's immediately pressed by a defender. Instead of forcing it, he lays it off to the winger, then makes a run into the box.

  The winger crosses. Klaus is there. Header. Goal. 1-0.

  53rd Minute:

  Klaus drops deep, receives the ball, turns, and plays a through ball to his midfielder. The move leads to a corner.

  From the corner, Klaus peels away to the back post. The ball finds him. Volley. Goal. 2-0.

  Rico is on his feet now, arms crossed, but there's a hint of a smile.

  67th Minute:

  Klaus is everywhere. Dropping deep, making runs, linking play. He's controlling the game without being selfish.

  A cross comes in from the left. Klaus is at the edge of the six-yard box, surrounded by three defenders.

  The ball hangs in the air.

  Klaus doesn't hesitate. He throws himself backward.

  Bicycle kick.

  The ball screams into the top corner.

  The stadium explodes.

  Klaus lands hard on his back but immediately springs up, roaring with his teammates. He looks at Rico, who is now standing, clapping slowly with a proud smile.

  HAT-TRICK. 3-0.

  FULL TIME: Harwich FC 4-0.

  Klaus is named Man of the Match.

  Post-Match Interview:

  REPORTER: "Klaus, incredible performance today. What changed?"

  KLAUS: "I stopped trying to be someone I'm not. I just played my game."

  REPORTER: "Your father is here watching, isn't he?"

  KLAUS (smiling): "Yeah. He's been helping me. Reminding me who I am as a player."

  Outside the stadium. Evening.

  Rico waits for Klaus by the players' exit.

  Klaus emerges, kit bag over his shoulder, hair still damp.

  RICO: "Hat-trick. Overhead kick. Not bad."

  KLAUS (grinning): "Not bad?"

  RICO: "Alright, it was good. Really good."

  Klaus laughs.

  KLAUS: "Thanks for coming, Dad. I needed this."

  RICO: "I know. That's why I came."

  They walk toward the car.

  KLAUS: "You think I'm ready now?"

  RICO: "Ready for what?"

  KLAUS: "To be the player I'm supposed to be."

  Rico stops, looks at his son.

  RICO: "You already are, Klaus. You just needed to remember."

  Klaus nods, absorbing that.

  RICO: "But don't get comfortable. This is just the beginning."

  KLAUS: "I know."

  They get in the car.

  KLAUS: "How long are you staying?"

  RICO: "Another week, maybe. Then I need to check on Lucas."

  KLAUS: "Right. Lucas."

  RICO: "You should call him, you know."

  KLAUS: "I will. Soon."

  They drive off into the night.

  Montclair SC vs. Troyes FC. Week 17 of Ligue 2.

  Lucas is electric. Dancing past defenders. Creating chances. Scoring.

  22nd Minute:

  Lucas receives the ball on the left wing, cuts inside, and curls one into the far corner.

  1-0.

  He celebrates with Malik, looking more confident than ever.

  48th Minute:

  Lucas dribbles past two defenders and slides a perfect through ball to Malik, who scores.

  2-0. Assist for Lucas.

  The crowd is chanting his name.

  68th Minute:

  Lucas gets the ball in midfield. He drives forward, beating one defender, then another.

  He's in the box now. He cuts left, preparing to shoot

  CRUNCH.

  A defender comes in late. Very late. Studs up. Right into Lucas's ankle.

  Lucas crumples to the ground, screaming in pain.

  The referee blows the whistle immediately. Red card.

  The medical team rushes on. Lucas is writhing, clutching his ankle.

  MEDIC: "Don't move, Lucas. Stay still."

  MEDIC: "We need to get you off. Now."

  They stretcher him off. The crowd applauds, but Lucas's face is twisted in pain and frustration.

  Klaus's apartment. Late evening.

  Klaus and Rico are watching TV when Rico's phone rings.

  He looks at the screen. Coach Dubois.

  RICO: "Hello?"

  DUBOIS: "Rico, it's Coach Dubois. I'm calling about Lucas."

  Rico's face goes pale.

  RICO: "What happened?"

  DUBOIS: "He was injured in today's match. Bad tackle. We've taken him to the hospital for scans, but it looks like a significant ankle injury."

  RICO: "How significant?"

  DUBOIS: "We won't know for sure until tomorrow."

  Rico closes his eyes, exhaling slowly.

  RICO: "Is he okay? Mentally, I mean."

  DUBOIS: "He's frustrated. Angry. But he's tough. He'll recover."

  RICO: "Thank you for calling. I'll be on the next flight."

  DUBOIS: "Of course. Take care, Rico."

  Rico hangs up.

  Klaus is watching him, already knowing.

  KLAUS: "Lucas?"

  RICO: "Yeah. Ankle injury. Bad one."

  KLAUS: "How bad?"

  RICO: "They don’t know yet."

  Klaus looks down, guilt and concern flashing across his face.

  KLAUS: "You're leaving."

  RICO: "I have to."

  KLAUS: "I know."

  Rico stands, already mentally preparing to pack.

  RICO: "Klaus, I'm sorry. I know we just"

  KLAUS: "Dad, it's fine. Go. Lucas needs you."

  RICO: "You sure?"

  KLAUS: "Yeah. I'm good now. You helped me find myself. Now go help him."

  Rico grips Klaus's shoulder.

  RICO: "I'm proud of you, son."

  KLAUS: "Thanks, Dad."

  Rico heads to the bedroom to pack.

  Klaus sits alone on the couch, staring at nothing.

  Part of him wants to say, Stay. Please.

  But he doesn't.

  He just sits there, the silence heavy, the gap still there.

  Harwich train station. Early morning.

  Rico and Klaus stand on the platform, the train to London (and then France) arriving soon.

  RICO: "Keep training. Keep playing your game. Don't let anyone tell you who you should be."

  KLAUS: "I won't."

  RICO: "And call your brother. He needs to hear from you."

  KLAUS: "I will."

  The train pulls in.

  Rico picks up his bag.

  RICO: "I'll be back, Klaus. I promise."

  KLAUS: "I know."

  They hug brief, but genuine.

  Rico boards the train. Klaus watches through the window as his father finds a seat.

  Rico looks out, gives a small wave.

  Klaus waves back.

  The train pulls away.

  Klaus stands there for a long moment, alone again.

  Then he turns and walks back to his car.

  I'm fine. I'll be fine.

  But the words feel hollow.

  Montclair Hospital. That evening.

  Lucas is lying in bed, ankle wrapped and elevated. His face is pale, eyes red from frustration.

  Aunt Marie is sitting beside him.

  MARIE: "The doctor said six to eight weeks, love. You'll be back before you know it."

  LUCAS: "Six to eight weeks. That's half the season."

  MARIE: "But you'll recover. You're young, you're strong."

  LUCAS: "What if I'm not the same after? What if I lose my edge?"

  MARIE: "You won't."

  LUCAS: "How do you know?"

  MARIE: "Because you're a fighter."

  Lucas looks away, jaw tight.

  The door opens.

  Rico walks in, still in his travel clothes, bag in hand.

  RICO: "Lucas."

  Lucas looks up, surprise and relief flooding his face.

  LUCAS: "Dad?"

  Rico drops his bag and walks over, sitting on the edge of the bed.

  RICO: "I'm here, son. I'm here."

  Lucas's composure cracks. Tears stream down his face.

  LUCAS: "I messed up, Dad. I pushed too hard, and now---"

  RICO: "Shh. You didn't mess up. This is football. Injuries happen."

  LUCAS: "But I was doing so well. And now---"

  RICO: "And you'll do well again. You just need time to heal."

  Lucas nods, wiping his eyes.

  RICO: "We'll get through this. Together."

  LUCAS: "You stayed with Klaus. You were helping him."

  RICO: "And now I'm here helping you. That's what fathers do."

  Lucas looks at him, grateful but still hurting.

  LUCAS: "I don't want to lose this, Dad. I worked so hard."

  RICO: "You won't. Trust me."

  Lucas nods, exhausted.

  Rico stays by his side, hand on his son's shoulder, as Lucas drifts off to sleep.

  END OF CHAPTER 7