First of all, Veloso was definitely not overweight.
And in professional football, the excuse of "weight problems" was basically bullshit.
A player's weight is one of the easiest things to control. Diet, training, monitoring — clubs can adjust it whenever they want.
So calling it the reason for expulsion?
Everyone knew it was just a lazy, disrespectful excuse.
"Veloso could accept being cut from the academy," Trigueira said angrily at the press conference, "but he deserves a proper, professional explanation — not this kind of perfunctory insult."
"What's worse, after he was expelled, even his family was dragged into it."
"His father is a Portuguese international. Yet despite being in good form, he was frozen out of the squad and even forced to make a public apology inside the club!"
"Tell me — what son can watch his father accept that kind of humiliation?"
The room fell silent.
"That's exactly why Kai did what he did," Trigueira continued. "After Veloso scored, he ran with him to the Benfica stand."
"He wasn't leading Veloso astray."
"He was teaching him how to stand up like a man."
A reporter from Bola immediately raised his hand.
"So being a 'real man' means telling the fans to fuck off?"
Trigueira didn't even hesitate.
"Yes," he said flatly. "Tell them to go to hell."
The reporter froze.
Trigueira leaned forward.
"Fuck you. Say screw you to the people who look down on you and disrespect you. That's what a backbone looks like."
"If you still don't understand—"
He knocked on the table.
"Fuck it. Fuck it. Fuck it."
The whole room exploded.
There was no doubt—
This press conference was a nuclear bomb.
Both sides dug in their heels.
Benfica's request for additional punishment against Kai was temporarily stalled.
Because the numbers didn't lie.
The attention for Sporting Lisbon U15 alone was higher than all the other Portuguese U15 matches combined.
They had become the only real "traffic team" in Portuguese youth football.
And the federation wanted them in the Youth Champions League.
Money talks.
Drama sells.
Nobody wanted to kill that.
Just when everyone thought the matter would slowly fade away—
Another bomb dropped.
António Veloso, Benfica captain and starting right-back for Portugal's national team, held a press conference.
Standing beside him—
His son.
Miguel Veloso.
In front of the cameras, António spoke calmly.
"Playing for Benfica has been the greatest honor of the first half of my life."
He paused.
"But every relationship, no matter how beautiful, has an end."
"Benfica is like my life."
"But my children and my family are more important than my life."
"My next decision may disappoint many fans… but anyone who has ever been a father, a son, or a brother will understand me."
"I, António Veloso, am officially submitting a transfer request."
Gasps filled the room.
"I will still give everything for the team until the end of the season."
"But after this season, I will leave. No matter what."
"I can't play for a club that humiliates, slanders, and retaliates against my son and my family."
"Between my career and my child—"
"I choose my child. I will never regret it."
The next morning—
Every headline exploded.
BREAKING: Benfica Captain Requests Transfer — Emotional Family Dispute Behind It
A Real Man, A Real Father
António: You can mess with me, but don't mess with my family
'Overweight' Insult Triggers International Star's Exit
80% of Fans Support António's Decision
Even anonymous Benfica players spoke out:
"The club pays us well, sure. But our families deserve respect too. Other clubs can pay even more. Family is why many of us stay."
Suddenly:
Boavista contacted his agent.
Porto expressed interest.
Braga offered a big contract.
And some Veloso relatives even publicly said:
"We're Sporting fans now."
Benfica's management never expected things to spiral this far.
This wasn't just about cutting a youth player anymore.
This hit the foundation of their academy.
Worse—
Their captain publicly announcing departure mid-season was a devastating blow to team morale.
A title race?
Forget it.
Some players blamed António.
Others quietly supported him.
After all…
Nobody wants their kid labeled "garbage" or "fat trash" by their own club.
The locker room atmosphere collapsed.
Training sessions turned ugly.
Arguments.
Fights.
Even blood.
Nuno Gomes ended up in the hospital after clashing with teammates.
Ironically, it wasn't António.
It was other internal conflicts exploding.
People later joked:
"This was a murder caused by Caesar's celebration."
The consequences spread even further.
Parents began losing trust in Benfica's academy.
More and more families sent their kids to Sporting Lisbon instead.
The recruitment problem Sporting had struggled with for two years?
Solved overnight.
All because Kai threw one damn jersey.
Butterfly effect, football edition.
Inside Sporting's boardroom, the executives were thrilled.
They openly backed Trigueira and Kai.
"Kai is our lucky charm," one director said.
"Since he arrived, attention, talent, sponsors — everything keeps coming."
Even transfer markets changed.
Didn't Barcelona say earlier they wouldn't pay more than €10 million for Simão?
Now they were asking if €15 million was enough.
Sporting wasn't even in a hurry anymore.
Other clubs were lining up too.
Scouts came to watch Ronaldo and Kai…
But since they were still too young, they ended up noticing Simão, Quaresma, and the rest.
And once you watched those kids?
Yeah.
Wallets started opening.
February 2nd.
Sporting Lisbon U15 away at Marítimo.
Kai suspended.
The match was ugly and tough.
Then—
83rd minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Last-second winner.
1–0.
Another victory.
February 9th.
Away at Leiria.
Kai returned.
First half — assist to Ronaldo.
1–0.
Second half — equalized.
Last minute —
Young Chinese full-back Wu Xudong, filling in for the injured Duarte, delivered a beautiful cross.
Kai smashed it in.
2–1.
Game over.
The "Chinese connection" shining in Portugal.
February 15th.
Back home against Estoril.
Marcelino finally ended his goal drought.
Ronaldo scored twice.
League tally:
36 goals.
Absolute monster.
Top scorer of the U15 league.
Next stop:
Netherlands.
Groningen.
Oosterpark Stadium.
Youth Champions League quarter-final.
Single elimination.
And Groningen had home advantage.
Worse—
They had a rising Dutch wonderkid on the wing.
A fast, terrifying little demon named Arjen Robben.
Most fans believed—
Sporting's crazy run might finally end here.
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