Chapter 47: The Vikings
The flight to Norway was brief but loud. Rooney and Milner had discovered a deck of cards and were playing some incomprehensible game that involved slapping the table and shouting. Jenas was asleep, headphones on. Lampard sat across the aisle, reading a book—something about Roman history that looked impossibly dense. Terry was at the front, talking tactics with Hunter, already the captain in everything but name.
Leo sat by the window, watching the North Sea glitter below. Chloe had texted him before takeoff: "Go be a lion. Roar or whatever. Love you." He'd smiled and typed back a string of hearts that he'd never admit to sending.
The plane touched down in Oslo, and the squad transferred to a coach bound for the tournament base in Lillestrøm, a small town northeast of the capital. The hotel was functional—clean, modern, utterly devoid of character. Leo's roommate was Lampard, which suited him fine. Frank didn't talk much, but when he did, it was worth hearing.
"First match is Germany," Lampard said, unpacking his bag with military precision. "They're always good. Organized. Physical. We'll need to be sharp."
"You've played them before?"
"U18s. Drew 1-1. They had a midfielder—Schweinsteiger. Bastian. Proper player. You'll see."
Leo nodded. "Anyone else to watch?"
"Podolski up front. Quick, good finisher. And their captain, Lahm. Small but clever. Reads the game well." Lampard paused. "We can beat them, though. If we play our game."
"What's our game?"
Lampard smiled—a rare, genuine expression. "Give the ball to you and let you do something ridiculous."
Leo laughed. "That's a tactic?"
"At this level? Absolutely."
---
Training. Lillestrøm Stadion. The Day Before Germany.
Hunter ran a light session—shape, set pieces, some five-a-side to keep the legs loose. The Norwegian air was crisp and clean, the pitch immaculate. Leo moved through the drills with ease, his body responding the way it always did. The system hummed quietly in the background.
[Fitness Level: 98%. Match Sharpness: 95%.]
[Teammate Chemistry: Building. Key Link: Rooney (ST), Lampard (CM), Terry (CB).]
Rooney was a revelation up close. The way he received the ball, shielded it, turned—it was raw but brilliant. His finishing was ferocious, every shot hit with the intent to break the net. During a shooting drill, he smashed one past the keeper and turned to Leo with a grin.
"Not bad, eh?"
"Not bad at all."
"You and me, Carter. We're gonna tear this tournament apart."
"Confident."
"Always." Rooney jogged off, already shouting at Milner for a bad pass.
Terry was organizing the defence like he'd been doing it for a decade. His voice carried across the pitch—instructions, encouragement, the occasional bollocking. He pulled Leo aside during a water break.
"Germany will press high. Their full-backs push up. When we win the ball, look for the space behind them. Rooney will make the run. You find him."
"Got it."
"And don't be afraid to shoot. Their keeper's decent, but he's not Buffon."
Leo grinned. "Nothing gets past you, does it?"
Terry shrugged. "I watch football. It's what I do."
---
That Evening. Team Dinner.
The squad gathered in the hotel restaurant, a buffet of grilled fish, roasted vegetables, and pasta that several players eyed suspiciously. Rooney piled his plate with bread and butter, ignoring everything else.
"You're going to eat like that before a match?" Jenas asked, incredulous.
"Works for me," Rooney said, tearing into a roll. "Scored twice against Spain U17s after a full English. True story."
"That's disgusting."
"That's winning."
Lampard sat next to Leo, picking at a piece of salmon. "You nervous?"
"A bit. Not about the football. About... everything else. First time wearing the shirt. Feels different."
"It is different. But once the whistle goes, it's just football. Same pitch, same ball, same goal." Lampard chewed thoughtfully. "Just don't try to do too much. Trust the team."
"What if the team trusts me more?"
Lampard considered this. "Then you do what you do. And we'll back you up."
Terry leaned over from the next table. "What are you two whispering about?"
"Tactics," Leo said.
"Good. Because tomorrow, we're beating the Germans. I didn't come to Norway for a holiday."
Rooney raised a bread roll in salute. "To beating the Germans."
The whole table joined in, a chorus of "To beating the Germans" echoing through the restaurant. The hotel staff looked confused. Leo laughed and felt the knot in his chest loosen, just a little.
---
UEFA European Under-19 Championship. Group Stage, Match 1. Monday, 21st July 2003. Åråsen Stadion, Lillestrøm.
The stadium was modest—twelve thousand capacity, a single-tier bowl, the stands a mix of Norwegian neutrals, scattered England fans, and a surprisingly vocal German contingent. The evening air was cool, the sky a pale twilight that seemed to last forever.
The tunnel was narrow, the walls plain concrete. Leo stood in the line, his heart hammering but his mind clear. The England shirt felt heavy on his shoulders—white, with the Three Lions crest over his heart. He'd dreamed of this as a kid. Now it was real.
The system populated the Germany lineup.
Germany U19 (4-4-2):
Tom Starke (GK) - 75
Philipp Lahm (RB) - 82
Per Mertesacker (CB) - 79
Malik Fathi (CB) - 76
Marcel Schäfer (LB) - 74
Bastian Schweinsteiger (RM) - 84
Christian Schulz (CM) - 77
Sascha Riether (CM) - 76
Piotr Trochowski (LM) - 80
Lukas Podolski (ST) - 85
Mike Hanke (ST) - 78
Podolski. Eighty-five. The danger man. Schweinsteiger, 84—raw but already commanding. Lahm, the clever full-back who would go on to captain the senior team. A proper test.
England's lineup appeared.
England U19 (4-2-3-1):
Ben Williams (GK) - 73
Glen Johnson (RB) - 78
John Terry (CB) - 84
Michael Dawson (CB) - 77
Leighton Baines (LB) - 76
Jermaine Jenas (CM) - 80
Frank Lampard (CM) - 83
James Milner (RM) - 79
Leo Carter (AM) - 99
Wayne Rooney (LW) - 85
Carlton Cole (ST) - 78
Hunter had gone with Rooney on the left, cutting inside, with Cole as the target man. Leo in the hole, free to roam. The system was built around him.
The announcer's voice echoed across the stadium, Norwegian and German alternating.
"Mine damer og herrer, velkommen til Åråsen Stadion for UEFA European Under-19 Championship! England mot Tyskland!"
The whistle blew.
---
Germany started with typical efficiency. Schweinsteiger dropped deep, collecting from the back, spraying passes to the wings. Podolski ran the channels, his movement sharp. Lahm overlapped on the right, his crosses dangerous.
In the fifth minute,
Germany had the first chance. Schweinsteiger played a one-two with Trochowski and curled a shot toward the far corner. Williams tipped it over.
The German fans roared. "Deutschland! Deutschland!"
Terry was already organizing. "Tighter on Podolski! Don't let him turn!"
Leo tracked back, helping Jenas deal with Schweinsteiger. The system fed him information.
[Bastian Schweinsteiger: Playmaking Threat - High. Long Shots - Dangerous. Deny space.]
In the eleventh minute,
England had their first moment. Lampard won the ball in midfield and played it forward to Leo. Fathi lunged. Leo dropped a shoulder, left him stumbling, and drove toward the box.
[La Magie (Level 5) Activated.]
He looked up. Rooney was cutting inside, his run perfectly timed. Leo slipped the pass.
Rooney took one touch and smashed it toward the near post. Starke got a hand to it, deflecting wide.
The England fans roared. "Rooney! Rooney!"
Rooney turned to Leo, grinning. "That's the link-up, lad! More of that!"
[Assist Opportunity Created. Match Rating: 7.1.]
---
In the twenty-third minute, Germany broke through.
A throw-in deep in England's half. Lahm launched it toward Hanke, who flicked it on. Podolski was there, on the edge of the box, and he hit it first time—a left-footed volley that flew past Williams before he could move.
The net bulged.
The German fans erupted. "Podolski! Podolski! Lukas Podolski!"
Podolski ran to the corner flag, arms outstretched, his teammates mobbing him.
GERMANY SCORES! GERMANY 1, ENGLAND 0.
Terry was fuming. "Offside! He was offside!"
The referee waved play on. No flag.
Leo stood on the halfway line, hands on his hips. They were behind.
[Match Momentum: Germany 64% - England 36%.]
Rooney jogged over. "Don't worry. We'll get it back. Just keep finding me."
---
The equaliser came in the thirty-fourth minute.
A free-kick from Lampard on the right, thirty yards out. The system highlighted the gaps.
[Set Piece Analysis: Zonal Marking. Near Post Cluster. Far Post Space.]
Lampard whipped it in, low and hard. Cole made a run, dragging Mertesacker. The ball skimmed past.
Leo was already moving.
[Reading the Game (Level 4) Activated.]
[Power Header (Refined) Activated.]
He launched himself at the ball, meeting it six yards out. The header was clean, powerful. Starke dove, but it was past him.
The net bulged.
The England end exploded. A wall of white and red, screaming, singing.
"Carter! Carter! Leo Carter!"
Leo ran toward the England fans, sliding on his knees. His teammates mobbed him. Rooney grabbed his head. "That's it! That's fucking it!"
ENGLAND SCORES! GERMANY 1, ENGLAND 1.
[Goal Scored. Match Rating: 7.1 -> 8.4.]
---
The second half was a battle. Podolski hit the post. Rooney forced a world-class save. Schweinsteiger and Lampard battled in midfield.
In the seventy-second minute,
England got a chance.
A counter-attack. Germany committed too many forward. Lampard intercepted and played it to Leo on the halfway line. Leo turned, saw Rooney making a run, and played a through ball that split the defence.
[Vision (Level 5) Activated.]
Rooney was through. One-on-one with Starke. He didn't miss.
ENGLAND SCORES! GERMANY 1, ENGLAND 2.
Rooney ran to the corner, arms outstretched. "Get in! Get the fuck in!"
The final whistle blew. England had beaten Germany.
Schweinsteiger walked over and shook Leo's hand. "Gutes Spiel. Wir sehen uns wieder." Good game. We'll meet again.
"Hope so," Leo said.
[Match Complete. Germany 1 - 2 England.]
[Goal: Carter (1). Assist: Carter (1). Match Rating: 9.1 (Man of the Match).]
[Talent Absorbed: Podolski's Power Shot (Level 4) - Upgrades Long Shots.]
---
After the Match.
The dressing room was chaos. Music blasted. Hunter stood in the corner, actually smiling.
Terry found Leo. "One down. Two to go in the group. Then the knockouts."
"We can win this."
Terry nodded. "I know."
Leo's phone buzzed. Chloe.
"Watched the match. You're a lion. A very cute lion. Call me when you can. Love you."
He smiled and typed back. "Roared just for you."
The system flickered.
[Next: Group Stage Match 2 - England vs. Belgium. 23rd July 2003.]
Leo closed his eyes. The journey continued.