The Greatest of All Time

Chapter 58 - Travelling Fans

Zachary and his teammates left the dressing room after Coach Johansen's address. They passed by the VfB Stuttgart and Skonto Academy players in the hallways as they exited the pitch. The two teams were—slated to play in the next game.

The NF Academy squad joined the small crowd of home fans leaving the stadium. Several people craned their necks to look at Zachary. Others yelled in a language he didn't understand. But, he could tell they were trying to talk to him. It seemed he had gained some measure of fame among the fans of JFC Riga.

Zachary maintained a polite smile and continued moving along with the crowd. Each person in the troop of fans moved forward as if dragged by unseen hands.

Before long, Zachary and his teammates exited the indoor stadium.

At the gate, he was surprised to run into Marta Romano and her twin sister, Melissa. They were standing among a group of his classmates from the Trøndelag International School. Most were either Italians or Spaniards that were part of the international programs at his school.

"You guys are here!" Paul Otterson was the first to run forward to greet the entourage. "Aren't you supposed to be attending classes?" The Swede asked, looking at the group of ten from Trondheim.

"We wouldn't miss this tournament for anything," Melissa replied, smiling. Like her sister, she was—dressed in a stylish knee-length overcoat that obscured most of her gorgeous figure. "We arrived yesterday morning to give you some support here in the cup. As international students, we look out for our own." She added.

Paul grinned, hooking an arm across Melissa's shoulder. "That's great. The tournament will be a lot more fun with you guys around. Did you watch the match?" The Swede asked, his eyes darting from person to person in the group.

"We watched it. You guys were great." Melissa paused, turning her gaze towards Zachary. "I never knew you could play like that. You're really good at hiding your skills. Why aren't you playing for the Rosenborg team?" She asked, creasing her brow.

Zachary's left shoulder lifted in a casual shrug. He looked around and noticed that the rest of his classmates were looking at him in awe. It seemed they had also been impressed by his performance.

"Hello, everyone," he greeted them, trying his best to change the topic of conversation. He disliked being the center of attention whenever he was off the pitch. "It's good to see you. It's always nice to have some home support whenever we play."

His classmates returned the greeting, nodding in the process. Marta Romano winked at him when they shook hands. He mouthed the word 'later' and started looking about him, ignoring the chatter between the Ottersons, Kasongo, and the rest of his classmates. He walked to the side and started observing the rest of his teammates.

Most NF academy players were either greeting their parents or siblings who had traveled to support them in Riga. They exchanged hugs and sweet nothings—or whatever topics that made them laugh and grin from ear to ear, as Zachary watched on. Even the always-somber Coach Johansen was busy talking to his wife and daughter, seemingly having forgotten about the Genoa match that was about to begin. Everyone was happy that their families had traveled a long way to cheer them on.

At such moments, Zachary wished he had known his parents. He had never gotten the opportunity to see them in both his lifetimes.

Zachary felt like a juvenile, thinking about the issue, but there was not much he could do to push away the yearning. He resolved to have a serious talk with his grandma about his parents when he returned to Congo after going pro.

Marta Romano silently left the other group of his friends and stood by his side. "A penny for your thoughts," she said.

"Just thinking about life—and the next game," he replied with a smile, forcing himself to focus on the Italian. "I was surprised you came here with your sister. I never took you for a fan of soccer, like your sister." He added, diverting the topic.