The Next Big Thing
Chapter 136: First training with the team III

Chapter 136: First training with the team III

Seeing Ronaldo train made David pause. ’Is he really serious?’ he thought to himself.

Sure, David had come to the training ground early, but there was a reason for that—he wanted to impress the coach, to show his commitment. He couldn’t lie to himself about that. Yet here was someone who had already accomplished almost everything there was to achieve in football, a man who didn’t need to prove himself to anyone, a living legend. And still, Ronaldo was here, long before most players, working up a sweat, breathing heavily as he pushed himself beyond the limits.

David had heard the stories—every player had. But seeing it in person was different. It hit differently.

One particular story came to mind, something he had read in the news years ago.

Back in 2009, when Ronaldo was still a Manchester United player, he had crashed his Ferrari. The car had been completely totaled—bashed beyond recognition, destroyed beyond repair. It was a miracle he had made it out unharmed. Some even said it was as if God himself had intervened, refusing to let the world lose such a talent so soon.

But that wasn’t what had impressed David.

It was what had happened next.

The accident had occurred at 10 AM. By 11 AM, Ronaldo was at training.

One hour. Just one fucking hour after crashing a Ferrari, the man was already back on the pitch, focused on what mattered most—football.

That was the kind of mentality David wanted. That was the kind of mindset he needed. Football above all. No distractions. No excuses. No off days.

David was still lost in thought when a voice suddenly called out, snapping him out of his daze.

He felt his entire body tense up instinctively, as if he had been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. His muscles stiffened, his breath hitched slightly as he turned around. But the moment he did, a realization hit him.

’Wait... why the hell am I nervous?’

This wasn’t like him.

Then it dawned on him—he had been standing there, watching Ronaldo train like some awestruck fan. He had momentarily forgotten that he wasn’t just a fan anymore. He was a player. A first-team player, just like Ronaldo.

He had no reason to feel intimidated. No reason to feel like he didn’t belong.

But Mohamed? That was a different story.

Unlike David, he didn’t have the comfort of knowing he was a player, and it showed. His reaction was instant—panicked, frantic. "Sorry, sorry! I just wanted to see—then I didn’t know you were here! Not that I wouldn’t have come if you weren’t here, but I did come—no, that’s not what I mean—" he rambled, his words spilling out in a jumbled mess.

David rolled his eyes. ’Of course, now he’s panicking.’

He turned his attention to the person who had called them out. The man didn’t look like staff—not in the usual sense, at least. There was something off. No club-branded attire, no visible identification.

David wasn’t about to let himself be pushed around by some random guy.

"I’m David Jones. I’m a player at the club. And this is Mohamed. He’s a kit boy," he stated firmly. "He was showing me around, and that’s how we ended up here."

The man turned to Mohamed, his expression unreadable. Mohamed, for once, decided it was best to keep his mouth shut and simply nodded in agreement.

Even then, the man still looked at them strangely, his gaze filled with doubt. David frowned slightly. He had no idea what the man was thinking, but he wasn’t about to stand there and be interrogated like a schoolboy caught sneaking into the principal’s office.

"I’ll be leaving now," he said flatly, giving Mohamed a small gesture to follow.

As they started to walk away, the man spoke again.

"You guys should leave this area. This place is an off-zone."

David, who had already been halfway to the door, stopped in his tracks. His brows furrowed. "Off-zone?" he repeated, confused.

Before the man could answer, Mohamed leaned in and whispered, "Yeah, that’s why I said we should sneak in. The weight room is off-limits for now."

David barely had time to process that before the man squinted slightly, showing he had heard Mohamed’s whisper.

"Yes," the man confirmed. "Until everyone is tested and cleared of the virus, no one is allowed inside. We can’t risk him getting infected."

David blinked. His mind stalled for a moment as he processed the words.

’Wait... they closed off an entire section of the building just for Ronaldo?’

Of course, he knew they had routine check-ups and medical screenings—it was all part of the schedule. But to shut down a whole part of the facility just to make sure one player remained safe? That was... something else.

David wasn’t upset. He wasn’t frustrated. If anything, he felt like Ronaldo deserved that kind of treatment.

The best in the world weren’t treated like everyone else. They didn’t just get special treatment. They earned it.

David had always believed in one of his personal mottos—’Why be jealous when you can strive to reach that level yourself?’

And today, standing here, seeing everything firsthand, that belief only strengthened.

The level of dedication, the mindset, the unwavering discipline—it was something to admire, something to work toward.

By the time he and Mohamed finally left the area, David felt something shift inside him.

In just a short while, just from watching Ronaldo train, a part of his mentality had been rewritten.

He felt different. More fired up than ever.

After seeing this he turned towards Mohamed saying "later I want to go train too"

This Chapter is dedicated to each and every one of you who has been following this journey. Your time, support, and enthusiasm mean the world to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of this story. Another Chapter is on the way—stay tuned, and once again, thank you so, so much!