Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 307: The End of a Legend

Time slowly ticked away as the stalemate persisted. From the 25th-minute equalizer to the 30th minute, then the 35th minute, and finally the 40th minute. As time passed without a change in the score, everyone began to feel anxious. This anxiety was shared not only by the fans and media on the sidelines but also by the viewers at home and the players on the field.

Yet, Bruno remained calm, constantly reassuring his teammates and maintaining their composure. The word he emphasized the most was "opportunity." He firmly believed that an opportunity would arise. Given Udinese's strong attacking play, Carpi couldn't maintain their focus and effort indefinitely. They would make mistakes, especially as the match drew to a close, such as in the final minutes of the first half.

As the saying goes, "A journey of a hundred miles is but half done at ninety," meaning that even after covering a long distance, the final stretch is often the most challenging. Football matches follow the same principle. Bruno believed in this deeply, and once again, reality confirmed his belief.

When the game reached the 44th minute, many noticed the fourth official raising the board indicating three minutes of added time. There were just over three minutes left in the half.

...

Udinese launched an attack from the left. Cancelo surged forward, combining with Badu and drawing Carpi's midfield defenders out of position before passing the ball into the box. Zapata positioned himself but had no clear shot, so he headed the ball out to Immobile on the left side. Surrounded by defenders and unsure whether to control the ball and combine with Cancelo and Badu, Immobile hesitated.

At that moment, he saw Bruno running into space at the edge of the box, signaling for the ball. Without hesitation, Immobile chested the ball down and flicked it towards Bruno.

Bruno, at the edge of the box, focused on the incoming ball. He could sense everything around him. Confident in his opportunity, he controlled the ball with his chest and, as it dropped, he turned and struck it with his left foot before it touched the ground.

...

"Bruno controls the ball... shoots directly!"

"GOAL!!!!!!!"

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!"

"44th minute, 44th minute! All the fans at the stadium and viewers at home, remember this moment!"

"On May 15, 2016, at 9:29 PM, in the 38th round of the 2015-2016 Serie A season, during Udinese's home match against Carpi, 21-year-old Bruno Fernandes scored his 38th league goal of the season!"

"The newly crowned FIFA Ballon d'Or winner continues to break his own Serie A single-season goal record!"

"He has tied the all-time single-season goal record in Italian football history. In the 1928-1929 season, just before Italy's football turned professional, Inter Milan's legendary star Meazza set the record with 38 goals."

As Bruno's volley rocketed into the net, the entire Friuli Stadium erupted in cheers. Bruno excitedly sprinted off the field. Many fans reached out to high-five him as he ran by, regardless of whether they supported Carpi or Udinese.

Bruno was soon surrounded by his jubilant teammates at the sidelines, celebrating his goal.

...

"This is indeed a fantastic goal. Zapata's header, Immobile's flick, Bruno's chest control, and the volley—all executed flawlessly. Carpi's defenders had no chance to stop Bruno; they could only watch as the ball sailed into their net."

"Let's congratulate Bruno! He has broken the Serie A single-season goal record once again! However, we must encourage him to keep going, as there is still the second half to play. With more effort, he might break this record even further."

...

Bruno couldn't hear the commentator's words, but he could hear the cheers from the fans and media at the stadium. Everyone chanted, "One more goal! One more goal!! One more goal!!!"

After celebrating with his teammates, Bruno heard the chants and felt deeply moved. As he returned to the pitch, he made sure to shake hands and hug coach Guidolin and his staff, receiving their encouragement to keep pushing for another goal.

"We have the second half," they reminded him, indicating that they could play more patiently with a 2-1 lead.

With Carpi's players tiring, the second half would likely favor Udinese even more, presenting Bruno with more opportunities. Bruno was determined to create new history with each step he took.

...

The scoreboard at Friuli Stadium showed that time had reached the 85th minute. The score had changed from 2-1 at halftime to 3-1. Udinese launched a strong attack at the start of the second half, with Bruno assisting Di Natale for a goal.

This was the 38-year-old Udinese captain's 21st goal of the season, tying AC Milan legend Nordahl's record of scoring at least 20 goals in seven consecutive Serie A seasons, set 60 years ago. It was one of the greatest records in Italian football history. In the 87-year history of professional football in Italy, only two players have achieved this—Nordahl and now Di Natale.

In those seven years, Nordahl scored 194 goals, while Di Natale netted 176. This goal also marked Di Natale's 249th Serie A goal, surpassing Totti's 248, making him the second-highest scorer in Serie A history. It was likely Di Natale's final Serie A goal, as he planned to retire after this match.

...

With a 3-1 lead, Udinese began focusing on helping Bruno score, but Carpi seemed determined to prevent him from finding the net. Time passed, and despite Bruno's relentless efforts and excellent passes to his teammates, he couldn't score again. Carpi made defensive substitutions starting from the 61st minute, indicating they had no intention of earning points from this match. Consequently, Carpi's relegation was confirmed.

Regardless of their motives—professional pride or mere stubbornness—Castori's team didn't want Udinese or Bruno to score again. Udinese also made substitutions, bringing on youngster Perica for the exhausted Di Natale, signaling an all-out attack.

...

After the 80th minute, Bruno began to roam freely across the pitch. With a secure lead, the only remaining suspense was whether Bruno would break the Italian football history record. Fans, media, and viewers worldwide awaited his goal, but he seemed to always fall just short—sometimes due to missed opportunities, other times due to opponents' interventions.

Fans globally cheered for Bruno. Everyone could see his tireless effort on the field, constantly running and sprinting as if he never tired. Each sprint left him gasping for breath, clearly showing his exhaustion. His pain was evident, pushing his limits despite near exhaustion, a struggle visible even through live broadcast.

Fans worldwide were undoubtedly moved. Even the commentators urged everyone to cheer for Bruno, acknowledging his relentless pursuit of excellence.

"If there's any fairness in the world, then I believe Bruno deserves a reward. He's showing us how football should be played!" they exclaimed.

(End of Chapter)

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