The camera returns to the Bundesliga. Oliver's explosion came too quickly, too fiercely; the rise of this star was so rapid that the entire German Bundesliga was caught off guard. Initially, in the eyes of other clubs, he was just a young player temporarily brought up by Nagelsmann for training. A young player who might have a moment of brilliance in some games, but would ultimately be crushed by more experienced opponents. Oliver's name had not even appeared in any club's tactical meeting rooms.
However, when he effortlessly scored four goals in the first round of the German Cup against lower-division team Rot-Weiss Erfurt, when he scored a last-minute winner against Liverpool in the Champions League qualifiers, when he single-handedly tore apart Bayern's defense at Hoffenheim's home stadium. Bundesliga coaches finally realized that this 17-year-old right winger was no longer an "accidental phenomenon," but a threat that must be taken seriously.
After the match against Hoffenheim, inside Bayern's tactical meeting room on Säbener Straße in Munich. The projector was repeatedly playing every touch Oliver had in Hoffenheim's 4-2 victory over Bayern. Ancelotti had been reviewing this loss all day, his brows still tightly furrowed, his gaze fixed on the screen, his uneven eyes becoming more and more pronounced.
His assistant Coach, Hermann, pointed to one of Oliver's inside cuts on the right flank and said in a deep voice, "Carlo, his explosive power is much stronger than we anticipated, and his change of direction rhythm is very tricky; he's not a typical English winger. Instead, he's a bit like Robben, but more… elusive, so he also has a bit of Muller's shadow; he seems to be a versatile player."
Ancelotti slowly nodded, saying in German with a strong Italian accent, "We underestimated his off-ball movement. He looks like he's waiting for an opportunity, but the next second he can suddenly accelerate into the box. This kind of observation is not accidental; it's talent."
Bayern's defensive Coach added, "Also, Carlo, our full-backs have been thrown off balance too many times by him. Oliver's feints are very natural, and he knows how to use the opponent's inertial thinking."
Ancelotti finally decided, "In our next home game, if we encounter him again, we must use man-marking and absolutely not give him any space."
Meanwhile, in RB Leipzig's tactical analysis room, young Coach Hasenhüttl was in an intense discussion with data analysts. Oliver's statistics were projected on the large screen: 2.3 key passes per game, 1.8 successful dribbles, and a shot accuracy rate as high as 67%.
Hasenhüttl shook his head, "Hmm… I have to say, Nagelsmann really knows how to use young players. He uses Oliver so smartly; he's not a traditional winger, but more like a free player. Nagelsmann allows him to switch freely between the right flank and the center, which makes it very difficult for defenders to predict his runs."
RB Leipzig's assistant Coach pointed to Oliver's positional changes within Hoffenheim's attacking system and said, "See? He often gets the ball on the flank and then suddenly cuts inside, but sometimes he intentionally pulls wide to attract defense, then suddenly passes to an overlapping teammate. His decision-making ability is completely unlike a 17-year-old. No, rather than decision-making ability, it's his football IQ."
Hasenhüttl pondered for a moment, then finally decided: "We need to compress his operating space, force him wide, and not let him cut inside easily. At the same time, our full-backs must remain vigilant at all times and not be fooled by his simple feints."
Leverkusen's coaching staff adopted another method to study Oliver. They pulled strings to get videos of Oliver from his Paris Saint-Germain youth academy days, trying to find his weaknesses. However, the more they watched these videos, the more confused they became. Because Oliver's performance in Paris Saint-Germain U19 was indeed unremarkable, even completely uninspired. It wasn't just not exactly the same as his current performance, it was completely unrelated.
Leverkusen Coach Heiko Herrlich frowned, "This makes no sense at all; his academy data shows no hint of his current form."
The assistant Coach explained, "Sir, the only explanation is that Nagelsmann found his 'switch.'"
They repeatedly compared Oliver's playing style in the academy and the first team, finally discovering a key point: in the Hoffenheim first team, Oliver was given a high degree of freedom, and Nagelsmann's tactical system allowed him to play freely in the attacking third, rather than being fixed on the flank to execute tactics like in the Paris Saint-Germain academy.
Heiko Herrlich suddenly understood, "I get it! Your explanation makes sense. He didn't suddenly become stronger; he was suddenly allowed to become stronger."
And in Stuttgart's tactical room, the atmosphere was even more tense. As Hoffenheim's local rivals, Stuttgart's coaching staff's study of Oliver was almost harsh, even more stringent than Bayern's. They even simulated Hoffenheim's attacking patterns, attempting to replicate Oliver's runs and passing choices in training.
Stuttgart Coach Wolf stared at Oliver on the screen and murmured, "The most terrifying thing about this kid isn't his technique, but his composure. Look at that goal he scored against Bayern; he clearly knew Ulreich was covering the near post, but he still chose to slot it into the far corner, and the power and angle were perfect."
The assistant Coach nodded along, saying, "His mental fortitude is too strong; his on-field performance looks like he's been playing for many years."
Wolf finally decided, "We must use physical confrontation to disrupt him and not let him receive the ball comfortably. At the same time, our defensive midfielder must constantly pay attention to his off-ball movement and not let him receive the ball easily."
Bundesliga coaches simultaneously realized that Nagelsmann had identified Oliver as a key development target for this season. Hoffenheim's tactical system was gradually beginning to revolve around Oliver, and his performance had proven that he was by no means a flash in the pan. Bayern, RB Leipzig, Leverkusen, Stuttgart… these Bundesliga powerhouses who once underestimated him, or even didn't know him, now had to re-evaluate this 17-year-old talent. They began to adjust their tactics, formulate targeted defensive strategies, and even sacrifice some offensive firepower to limit Oliver's performance.
However, Oliver's threat was not only in his individual ability but also in his perfect integration with Hoffenheim's system. Nagelsmann's tactics did give him freedom, but most importantly, Oliver truly repaid his Coach's trust with one stunning performance after another. Oliver and Nagelsmann could be said to complement each other. Bundesliga teams' vigilance towards Hoffenheim increased again, this time not because of the "Hoffenheim miracle," but because of this kid named Oliver.
This kid, not even 18 yet, was no longer an unknown in the Bundesliga.
…
While the Bundesliga was studying Oliver, Oliver was studying his exam paper. Today, a monthly exam was being held in the classroom of the Hoffenheim Youth Player Professional School. Oliver sat by the window, head down, quickly writing the last electricity problem on his physics exam. His pen tip glided smoothly across the paper, almost without pause; those complex circuit diagrams and formulas had long been arranged in his mind.
The classroom was so quiet that only the rustling of papers and the scratching of pens could be heard. Other students were still frowning in thought, while Oliver had already closed his paper, letting out a soft sigh of relief. He looked up at the clock on the wall; there were still forty minutes until the end of the exam.
The invigilator noticed his movement and raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. Oliver politely nodded to the teacher, stood up, and handed in his paper.
The teacher took the paper, unable to resist asking in a low voice, "So fast? Have you checked it?"
Oliver smiled and quietly replied, "Yes, I've checked it, sir. I'm all done."
His tone was calm, without any hint of showing off, merely stating a fact. Stepping out of the classroom, Oliver retrieved his backpack from the locker. Besides a few textbooks, it also contained a somewhat worn soccer ball. He skillfully took out the ball, balanced it on one hand, and tossed it gently. The ball landed steadily on his shoulder, and he tilted his head slightly, rubbing his cheek against the ball's surface.
"This is great, I can play soccer again," he couldn't help but exclaim in his heart.
For Oliver, studying and soccer were never at odds. On the contrary, they were complementary: when he was tired of studying, he played soccer; when he was tired of playing, he studied. Alternating between the two kept him clear-headed and efficient.
This habit stemmed from his family. Oliver's Father still carried a bit of an intellectual's obsession at heart, even after all these years. His mom belonged to the typical Chinese parent type; she instilled in Oliver the philosophy of "being strong in both hands" from a young age: Playing soccer is fine, but you must also study.
Oliver did not dislike his family's arrangements. On the contrary, he found that he was actually quite good at studying. Languages, mathematics, physics, and so on—subjects that many professional players found difficult—he handled with ease. He even considered that if the path of soccer ever became unfeasible, he might go to university. Of course, that thought was only fleeting. Now, he wanted to prove that he could go further on the green field.
He carried his soccer ball and strode towards the training ground. The first-team players had the day off, and the entire field was empty, with only a few youth team kids practicing passing in a distant corner. Oliver didn't mind; if there were no teammates to train with him, he would practice ball control by himself. After putting down his backpack, he dragged a basket of cones from the side of the field and skillfully set up a complex ball control route on the grass.
He arranged these cones into irregular obstacles, simulating the pressing and change-of-direction demands he might encounter in a match. He took a deep breath, gently nudged the ball, and began his individual training for the day. A light push with the inside of his left foot, a flick with the outside of his right, a slight tilt of his body—the soccer ball weaved skillfully between the cones. His movements were not flashy, but extremely precise; each touch seemed to be precisely calculated, the ball always sticking to his feet, with a high success rate in breakthroughs.
After twenty minutes of training, fine beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead, but his gaze remained focused. He stopped, wiped his sweat, took out a water bottle from his backpack, and took a sip. Then, he switched to another training drill: sudden stops and changes of direction while dribbling at high speed. He accelerated into a sprint, stopped abruptly just before reaching a cone, pulled the ball back with the sole of his foot, and quickly changed direction. He repeated this action more than a dozen times until muscle memory made every change of direction incredibly natural. At the edge of the training ground, a few youth team kids secretly watched, whispering.
"Is that Oliver? The one from the first team…"
"Yes, that's him! Did you see that goal he scored against Bayern two days ago?!"
"He trains so hard… no wonder he could go straight into the first team."
"I heard he's good at studying too…"
Oliver heard their whispers but did not stop training. He had long grown accustomed to this scrutiny; whether it was admiration or doubt, to him, it was just background noise. His attention was entirely focused on the soccer ball at his feet; every touch, every change of direction, was preparation for the next match. During a break in his training, Oliver's phone received a new message from his mentor:
"Oliver, see me before training tomorrow. I have tactical adjustments to discuss with you."
Oliver quickly replied:
"Okay, Coach."
He put away his phone, feeling even more invigorated. His mentor's attention to him had been increasing lately, even beginning to tailor tactics specifically for him. This trust made him both excited and pressured, and he didn't want to disappoint these expectations at all. He threw himself back into training. This time, he simulated tight defensive pressure he might encounter in a match. He imagined himself facing Bayern's Hummels or RB Leipzig's Orban, using quick footwork and changes of direction to shake off his "virtual opponents." His breathing gradually became heavier, but his rhythm remained steady, as if he were truly in an intense match.
After another half an hour of training, the sky began to darken, and the training ground lights automatically turned on. Oliver finally stopped, bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. Sweat had soaked his training uniform, but his eyes were still bright. He packed up the cones, put the soccer ball back into his backpack, and picked up his water bottle, finishing the last sip of water. As he walked off the training ground, the few youth team kids, who looked to be U17, were still there.
One of them mustered the courage to shout, "Oliver! Can you sign an autograph for us?"
Oliver paused for a moment, then smiled and walked over, taking the pen and signing his name on their jerseys.
After signing, he patted one of the kids on the shoulder and said in German, "Train hard, maybe next time I'll see you all on the training ground."
Leaving the training ground, Oliver walked towards the dormitory. His phone vibrated again; this time, it was a message from his mom: "Son, how was your exam?"
He replied as he walked: "It was alright, I should get an A."
His mom messaged back: "That's good. Mom doesn't object to you playing soccer, but you absolutely cannot neglect your studies. Remember to send me your report card when it comes out."
Oliver understood his mother's actions and thoughts; a professional soccer player's career is full of uncertainties, and having another path is always good. Back in his dorm, he took a shower, then sat at his desk and opened tomorrow's tactical notes. The physics exam was over, but the soccer "exam" was still ongoing. He stared at the dense tactical diagrams in his notes, and soon after, he continued his extra training in the system space.
Oliver's entire day seemed to be non-stop.
...
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