Chapter 101: He Can Use His Left Foot

Early morning, a gentle rain began to fall over Zagreb. At Dinamo Zagreb's training facility... Suker's hair was already soaked by the rain. He gathered all the scattered footballs into one place, then placed them one by one just outside the penalty area—about 16 meters from the goal. Taking a deep breath, Suker nudged the ball forward and then gave it a sharp pull with his foot. The ball soared over the makeshift wall and curved into the top right corner of the goal. He nodded slightly and repeated the process. The ball kept falling into the net, accompanied by the soft rustling of the net being touched. Every one of Suker's shots was precise in power and placed at extremely tricky angles. In a non-competitive setting, his accuracy was extremely high. He adjusted the ball's position again and kept trying different angles. Rain washed over the field, and in the quiet of dawn, the sound of the ball brushing the net was especially sharp. Around six o'clock, Mandzukic arrived at the training ground. He had stayed up late the night before watching match footage and had barely slept, so he got up early. But to his surprise, someone was already training when he arrived. Peering through the fence, he saw Suker, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes—quickly followed by a deep sense of urgency. When someone more talented than you is also working harder than you, the guilt cuts even deeper. Mandzukic didn't know how long Suker had kept this habit, but judging by the skill and fluidity of his movements, it clearly wasn't something new. Swish!! Another ball struck the top corner. Mandzukic was shocked—that was three straight shots into the top corner. Suker's shooting had improved a lot. Then, Mandzukic saw Suker stop to think for a moment in the rain before picking up another ball and placing it on the right side of the penalty arc. Just as Mandzukic was puzzled, Suker sprinted forward and struck the ball hard with his left foot, sending it spinning into the top left corner of the net. "Left foot?!!" Mandzukic blurted out in shock. But the distance and the rain muffled the sound—Suker didn't hear him. Mandzukic was stunned. Suker was actually training his left-footed shooting? Left-footed players are rare in football, and those who master it to a near-perfect level are even rarer. Mandzukic had tried to train his left foot before, but not only was it hard to shoot, the uncomfortable body mechanics made it unbearable. But looking at Suker's movements—it was clear this guy had trained with his left foot for a long time. On the field, Suker watched the ball hit the net and exhaled slowly. A personal panel appeared in front of him. Diamond Card (Special): Inzaghi's Awareness Yellow Card (Skill): Vampeta's Dribbling Yellow Card (Special): Sobozlai's Left Foot Red Card (Special): Andre's Rocket Shot Red Card (Skill): Torrist's Passing Red Card (Skill): Recovery Boost Suker's eyes landed on the second yellow card, Sobota's Left Foot—that was what granted him left-foot ability. Now he understood what "Special" category meant. Skill cards could still be trained and developed. But special cards were innate! Like Andre's Rocket Shot, Inzaghi's Awareness, Sobota's Left Foot—these were gifts you're born with, not something you could train for. Sure, you could develop some ability with training, but it was nowhere near the level of a true ambidextrous or naturally left-footed player. Skill cards helped Suker grow faster. But special cards helped him break the ceiling of talent! Only issue—there were six card slots. Right now, he wanted to equip more special cards, but still needed the skill ones. Despite all his training, the gains were limited. This made Suker very frustrated. Specials changed your DNA. Skills enhanced your learning speed or gave you techniques. If compared directly, special cards were clearly superior. But Suker still relied heavily on skill cards, so he couldn't ditch them. He turned his gaze toward the locked final page on his card panel. Maybe that last page could solve his current problem. But when would it unlock? Did he have to reach the top five leagues? Wait— Does Champions League count?! Suker blinked. Champions League qualifiers are still Champions League, right? Might be worth a try! Alright, another reason to win the title! He tried another left-footed shot—it was fluid, natural, and drilled perfectly into the top corner. Suker was thrilled. Partly because he unlocked his left-footed capability. Partly because he could finally ditch Vukcevic's Shooting, a card that no longer brought much improvement. Outside the training ground, under the drizzle, Mandzukic clenched his fists. There was a burning determination in his eyes. In those silent mornings and quiet nights, Suker had secretly trained his left foot—over and over again—until he could finally control it. Yes— No one succeeds by luck. Success is the fruit of sweat and defiance, of thousands of attempts! God does not favor the lazy. Mandzukic muttered, "Starting tomorrow, I'll get up at 5 a.m. I must train harder than Suker!" After another half-hour, Suker finished training and returned to his dorm for a quick shower. By the time he came downstairs, Mandzukic was nowhere to be seen. His door was open, the bedding neatly folded. "This guy's really working hard," Suker sighed. Suker was the first to reach the cafeteria. The fresh breakfast made his stomach rumble. After a whole morning of training, he was starving. He picked some nutritious food and sat down to eat heartily. Soon, Dujmovic and the others arrived groggily to eat and prepare for training. But what surprised them was that Davor Suker also came to the cafeteria. Davor Suker was a well-off guy—he lived in a nearby villa with his own chef. He never ate at the cafeteria. "My chef took a leave of absence, so I had to come here," he said simply when asked. Then suddenly he said, "For the next week, I'll train your left foot with you." Suker froze. Davor continued, "You're on the left wing. If your left foot can shoot directly, your threat level will go up a notch." Before Suker could say anything, Mandzukic suddenly said while still eating: "He can already use his left foot." Suker: "!!!" Davor was stunned: "You can?" Suker froze. Mandzukic said, "He's been training his left-footed shooting every day, early in the morning before anyone else is up. I don't know how long he's been doing it, but he can curl it with high accuracy." Suker: "..." Mandzukic said in a deep voice: "I used to think Suker was a gifted player. But today, I saw him training at 6 a.m.—and he was already there before me." Suker: "..." The room fell silent. Dujmovic, Srna, Pranjic and the others looked serious. They were all peers. Even if they didn't play the same position, there was still competition. Mandzukic trained hard, yes. But Suker training in secret at dawn? That hit differently. This guy was already so good, yet still putting in extra effort in secret? Even Davor was surprised. He always thought Suker was cheerful and optimistic, worked hard during normal sessions—but never expected this level of dedication. The look in everyone's eyes toward Suker changed. Davor's eyes were full of admiration. The others—Duimovic, Srna, Mandzukic, Pranjic—were filled with competitive fire. Davor said warmly, "Talent is one thing, but training is just as important. Talent sets your ceiling. Training helps you reach it. Good job, Suker!" Suker: "..." Suddenly, he was seen as this hard-working role model. It also kicked off a wave of "internal competition" among Dinamo Zagreb's young players. Suker was speechless. Truth was, he hadn't trained early that many times since arriving at Dinamo Zagreb. Who knew Mandzukic would catch him that one time?! Oh well, might as well let them misunderstand. At least the explanation for his left foot was handled. He'd just have to start getting up early more often now—to maintain the image. Later that morning, Davor Suker specifically took time off and pulled Suker aside for special left-foot training. He felt Suker's left foot still wasn't fully natural. So he started with the basics—juggling the ball, step by step. But as they went along, he watched Suker's left foot control almost as good as his right—Davor fell silent. Finally, he had Suker take a shot—watching the fluid form, the tight ankle, the natural flow—he started to wonder if this guy was left-footed all along. Juggling, ball control, shooting—all so natural on the left. "You must be ambidextrous—right-foot dominant, but with quick adaptation to your left. That's why training comes so easy." Davor sighed. "I've got nothing left to teach you." "No, no, no!" Suker waved his hands frantically. He wasn't about to waste this rare opportunity. "Teach me set-pieces! Free kicks!" Davor Suker's free kick skills—he'd had his eyes on those for a long time.