God Of football-Chapter 317: Empire’s Echo [Golden Ticket Chapter]

Izan turned, catching Bellingham’s gaze as the England midfielder strolled toward him with an easy grin.

The warmth of the smile didn’t quite mask the intensity behind his eyes—sharp, assessing.

"Crazy, innit?" Bellingham repeated, gesturing toward the stadium around them.

The Olympiastadion in Berlin was alive, a roaring cauldron of red and white, flags waving, chants echoing, a war cry in two tongues.

The sheer weight of history pressed down on them both. These nights were carved into football’s soul, moments that would be told and retold long after they left the pitch.

Izan exhaled, nodding. "Yeah. Feels different when it’s the last one, doesn’t it?"

Bellingham chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Biggest night of our lives." His gaze didn’t waver. "Best man wins."

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Izan met his stare, expression unreadable. "Yeah. Best man wins."

For a second, neither spoke, the words hanging between them.

Friendly enough. Respectful. But beneath it—an unspoken challenge.

They weren’t just here as players. They were symbols of their nations, carrying the hopes and dreams of millions.

And when the whistle blew, that respect wouldn’t mean a thing.

Bellingham broke the moment first, tilting his head slightly. "See you out there."

Izan gave a slight nod, watching as the England midfielder jogged back toward his squad.

As he turned back to his own drills, he felt it—the shift. The lightheartedness from earlier had settled into something more focused. The final was here.

Back in the locker room, Izan unzipped the bag, pulling out the pristine pair of boots.

Izan caressed the object like one would a baby.

Nico, lacing up his boots nearby, glanced over and whistled appreciatively. "Damn, those look clean, Izan. Saw it back then but now, they’ve caught my eye now?"

Izan grinned, slipping the boots on. "Perks of being a good player."

Pedri walked over, running a hand over the smooth upper. "They’ve brought back the tongue? Old school. I like it."

Izan flexed his foot, testing the fit. "Yeah, they wanted to blend the classic feel with modern tech. Feels good so far."

In the corner, Lamine Yamal sat with his arms crossed, a slight pout on his face. "Must be nice getting custom gear," he muttered.

Izan looked up, smirking. "Your time will come, Lamine. Keep playing like you have been, and you’ll have Adidas fighting to keep you."

Yamal huffed, but the slight smile on his lips betrayed him. "Yeah, yeah. Just don’t forget to get me one when it comes out."

The room chuckled, the camaraderie easing the pre-match tension.

But as the final words of banter faded, a stillness settled over them.

Morata stood, stretching his arms. "Alright, time to get moving."

The team rose in unison, the sound of boots shuffling against the floor echoing through the space.

Izan rolled his shoulders, adjusting his kit. Around him, his teammates did the same—some bouncing on their toes, others letting out slow, deep breaths, grounding themselves.

Then, one by one, they stepped out.

......….

The Olympiastadion was alive, a breathing entity of color and sound. A final like this wasn’t just a football match—it was theatre. It was war. It was destiny waiting to be written.

High above the pitch, inside the broadcast box, Peter Drury adjusted his headset, glancing out at the spectacle below.

His co-commentator, Alan Shearer, sat beside him, watching the Spanish and English players prepare for kickoff.

Drury let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Alan, I cannot tell you how glad I am to be here. Nights like these… they are why we do this. The stage is set for something truly special."

Shearer nodded, a knowing smile on his lips. "It’s a privilege, Peter. And what a game we have in store. Two teams, two footballing nations that have walked through fire to get here. Only one will stand at the end."

Drury’s voice softened for a moment, carrying that poetic reverence he was known for.

"There is something about a final, isn’t there? All roads converge to this singular moment.

All the toil, the sacrifice, the whispered dreams of a child kicking a ball against a wall—tonight, they all find their meaning."

He adjusted his notes, exhaling as the cameras panned across the stadium. "Spain. Three-time champions, seeking to etch their name into history once more.

England. A nation weighed down by ghosts of the past, chasing a night they have long dreamt of but never touched. And now, under the lights of Berlin, we will find our champion."

⸻

[Tunnel]

Izan stood still, his heartbeat a steady drum in his chest.

The tunnel was thick with tension. England, on one side. Spain on the other. Shoulder to shoulder, breaths shallow, gazes fixed ahead. Explore more at novelbuddy

Morata, standing beside him, exhaled deeply. "Here we go."

Izan didn’t respond. He didn’t need to.

A few steps away, Jude Bellingham rolled his neck, shaking out his shoulders. He caught Izan’s eye, offering a small grin.

Izan smiled back before he could realize, they were following the referee onto the pitch.

The tunnel spat them out into a world of blinding light and deafening sound.

Berlin roared.

A sea of red and white. Flags lifted high.

The players stepped onto the pitch, the sacred grass beneath their boots, the weight of the occasion pressing down on them.

Fireworks cracked overhead, illuminating the night sky. The cameras followed them, broadcasting their every movement to the millions watching from every corner of the world.

And then—

Peter Drury’s voice rose above it all, weaving poetry into the moment.

"There are nights in football that exist beyond mere competition. Nights where the weight of history presses down on every touch, where the breath of a nation lives within its players. This… is one of those nights."

"Two nations, standing at the precipice. Spain, steeped in glory, seeking to reclaim what was once theirs.

England, forever the dreamers, forever the hopeful, forever chasing a moment that has eluded them for generations."

"And so, under the cathedral of Berlin, they gather. The old guard, the young stars, the hearts of millions resting upon their shoulders."

"For some, this is just a game. For others… this is everything."

Alan Shearer’s voice cut in, measured and firm. "It’s all led to this. The journey through the group stage, the battles in the knockouts.

And now, one final hurdle. Spain. England. Ninety minutes—perhaps more—to carve their names into eternity."

Drury exhaled. "It is time."

The stadium fell into a hushed reverence.

Spain first.

Hands-on hearts. Eyes closed. Voices steady.

Then England.

Their fans roared, God Save the King shaking the Olympiastadion to its core.

The final notes faded, leaving only the thunderous pulse of anticipation.

Morata and Kane stepped forward, the captains, the leaders of two footballing armies.

A handshake. A nod.

The coin flipped.

England won.

They chose to kick off.

The players spread out, taking their positions.

Izan adjusted his socks, rolling his shoulders as he scanned the England backline.

Across from him, Bellingham did the same, stretching his arms once before settling into his stance.

The referee raised the whistle to his lips.

A collective inhale from the stadium.

A moment of absolute stillness.

Then—

Kickoff.

"And we are off to what could become a crowning moment for these players on the field. Once more, my name is Peter Drury and this is the Euros 2024 final"

The ball rolled under the floodlights, and the Euro 2024 final was officially underway.

England knocked it around their backline, feeling out Spain’s press. John Stones to Walker.

Walker to Rice. Rice to Bellingham. The rhythm of an opening chess match, each pass a test, and each touch a probe.

Izan moved instinctively, pressing forward the moment Rice hesitated.

Spain’s shape compacted, forcing England to retreat for a moment before Walker switched it long to Saka.

And then, in an instant, the game truly began.

⸻

Saka took his first real touch of the game near the halfway line, but Cucurella was on him immediately.

A quick shove, a tight squeeze—yet, no space to breathe.

Bellingham dropped deeper, offering an option, and Saka flicked the ball inside.

But Pedri was already reading it.

The Barcelona midfielder pounced, sliding in with perfect precision to poke the ball away and It fell straight to Izan.

He took one touch, then glanced up and then, he was off.

He turned into space, his feet light, his mind already shifting to the offensive stride. Foden was backpedaling, Rice was shifting to close him down.

But Izan saw the gap.

A delicate flick with his instep, and he was through—driving at England’s backline with terrifying speed.

The Spanish fans rose to their feet. Could they be seeing an electric start here?

Nico sprinted down the left, Lamine wide on the right. Morata peeled off, dragging Stones away.

Izan had options.

He feinted left, then cut sharply to his right, escaping Rice’s lunge. The box was near. The moment was rising.

Then—

Kyle Walker.

A blur of movement.

A last-ditch recovery run.

Just as Izan pulled his foot back to shoot, Walker lunged in, his outstretched boot barely deflecting the ball away.

The stadium gasped.

Izan stumbled, regaining his footing as England scrambled to clear.

First warning sign.

Spain had arrived at the final