Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 308: The Moment of Farewell

Countless fans were watching the game on TV, cheering for Bruno. They might not be Udinese fans, and their favorite teams might have been scored against or beaten by Bruno before. But at this moment, they were all on Bruno's side.

"Oh God, if you are fair, please let Bruno score!"

"He deserves this reward because he is so hardworking, so diligent. He has done everything a professional player can do."

However, the live broadcast showed that Carpi's coach Castori had a different view. He continued to shout instructions to his players from the sidelines, focusing on tightening their defense. His sole objective was to prevent Bruno from scoring.

"Castori's team is showing great resilience. They are not giving Bruno any chances. They are putting their utmost effort into the game, displaying commendable professionalism. Even though they are trailing 1-3 and will be relegated to Serie B after tonight's match, their performance is still impeccable."

"So, this is indeed a difficult situation for everyone."

...

85 minutes... 86 minutes...

On the field, Bruno kept running whenever there was an opportunity. He forgot about the time and everything else. He ran from the right to the center, then from the center to the left, and back to the center again.

He constantly moved around the pitch, seeking out any gaps in the opponent's defense. It was evident that many of Carpi's players were running out of steam. They had been under pressure from Udinese for the entire match, exhausting their energy. Despite making three substitutions, the rest of the players were still struggling, and their defense started showing cracks.

Where there are cracks, there are opportunities.

Bruno saw an opening and quickly moved to the left wing to receive the ball. Immobile passed the ball to him, but two Carpi players immediately closed in, giving him no space to cut inside. Bruno tried to force his way through but lost the ball under pressure.

The ball bounced back to Immobile. As soon as he got the ball, he saw Bruno pointing inside. Understanding instantly, Immobile cut inside towards the penalty area while Bruno sprinted down the left wing towards the baseline. Carpi's defenders weren't worried about Bruno going wide as long as he stayed out of the box. Immobile's cut inside was more threatening, as he could either shoot or link up with other players.

...

The defenders' attention was drawn to Immobile's charge into the box. As he passed the ball to Zapata inside the box, no one noticed Bruno's sudden change in direction. Moving at a right angle, he cut inside from the left, catching the defenders off guard. They hurried to follow.

Zapata, having controlled the ball, gauged Bruno's speed and position, then gently pushed the ball forward while shielding the defender. Bruno took a step forward, passing by Zapata like in a basketball pick-and-roll. He chased the ball, planted his left foot, and swung his right leg.

At this moment, he was grateful for the years of specialized training from the system, which allowed him to maintain his power and technique even when exhausted. Although his energy was almost depleted and the final sprint drained his strength, he could still control his body accurately.

...

Bruno's body turned into a bow as his right foot struck the ball with his instep. The sound of the impact was followed by the ball soaring towards the top right corner of the goal. Despite his fatigue affecting his accuracy slightly, the ball still struck the inside of the right post and rebounded into the net. Carpi's goalkeeper's dive was futile.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"He scores! He scores!!!!"

Bruno collapsed in the penalty area, exhausted, but with a triumphant roar towards the sky. This was his 39th league goal of the season.

"Incredible!"

"This is unbelievable!"

"Zapata's pick-and-roll-like move created a scoring opportunity for Bruno, and Bruno did not waste it. With a beautiful curve, he scored again against Carpi!"

"4-1! Bruno has scored twice! This is his 39th goal of the season!"

...

The entire stadium and the media stood up, applauding. All the Udinese players rushed to embrace Bruno, who was kneeling on the field.

Even Carpi's players, though they stood in place, showed admiration. They had done their best but still couldn't stop Bruno from scoring. Bruno, with the help of his teammates, slowly got up.

He had cramps. He had pushed himself to the limit, literally.

"He really gave it his all! This goal will be remembered."

"He not only broke his own single-season scoring record in Serie A but also set a new record in Italian football history."

"Unbelievable!"

"I can't imagine how the entire Udine and Italy will celebrate tomorrow."

"Udinese's championship and Bruno's record-breaking feat are astonishing!"

"But no matter what, we must remember this face, this name: Bruno Fernandes!"

...

When the four minutes of added time ended, and the referee blew the final whistle, the entire Friuli Stadium erupted. Udinese had won 4-1 against Carpi, securing 94 points to surpass Juventus and claim the Serie A title for the second consecutive year.

All the Udinese players celebrated wildly on the pitch. Bruno felt a wave of relief. The long season was finally over.

But suddenly, he felt a twinge of sadness, realizing his time at Udinese was also over. This might be his last time wearing the Udinese jersey and fighting on the pitch for this team.

In three years, Udinese had seen him grow from a rookie to one of the world's best players, a Ballon d'Or winner. Here, he had teammates who fought alongside him, coaches who patiently guided him, and fans who loved and adored him.

He thought he was ready for this moment, but suddenly, he felt a pang of reluctance.

...

Despite his feelings, he maintained his composure, embracing each teammate.

"Thank you, Antonio, for fighting alongside me. I regret not helping you become Italy's greatest scorer," Bruno said, hugging Di Natale tightly.

"Don't say that, Bruno. Thank you for all the assists. You're the best passer I've ever seen. Scoring felt easy with you behind me. Thank you!" Di Natale replied.

Bruno then found Immobile, saying, "Ciro, my brother, no matter where I go, I'll always remember you. I hope we can play together again someday."

Immobile nodded, "Bruno, you're amazing. We've only played together for half a year, but I've come to rely on you as a teammate."

Bruno then embraced Cancelo, "Hey, João, you're about to cry again, right? You're great but too soft. Be strong and confident. You'll become the best full-back in Europe, I guarantee it!"

...

Bruno hugged each teammate, even those on the bench. Everyone knew this was a farewell. He didn't say it explicitly, but it was clear he had made up his mind. This was his last match for Udinese.

After tonight, he would leave. Where he would go next, no one knew. But everyone knew that with his talent, top European clubs would vie for him this summer.

(End of Chapter)

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