Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 39: The Agent

At the moment the final whistle blew, players and coaching staff of the Portugal U20 team rushed onto the pitch. With a 1:0 victory, Portugal, led by Bruno's daring run, narrowly defeated the South American champions Colombia U20 to win the 2013 Toulon Tournament.

Bruno shone the brightest, sweeping four major individual awards: the Golden Ball, Top Scorer, Best Playmaker, and the Final's Best Player, truly a haul of awards that left his hands full. He was also, unquestionably, selected for the tournament's best lineup, though not as an attacking midfielder but as a right midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation.

This was Portugal U20's first victory in the tournament in ten years, reclaiming the title of this event known as the "cradle of international football stars." Before this, Bruno, despite being well-known in Italy, was relatively unknown in Portugal; not many Portuguese follow the Serie B.

However, Bruno's impressive performance at the Toulon Tournament catapulted his fame within Portugal, making him a well-known young talent. Even his achievements in Serie B were now widely recognized in Portugal.

Many were shocked: 21 goals and 32 assists in 40 matches in a season, and all by an eighteen-year-old? Even if the level of Serie B might not be the highest, such stats are not just any player's feat. It's unheard of in the Primeira Liga to see such extraordinary numbers.

And Serie B, being Italy's second-tier league, is arguably stronger than Portugal's top division. Moreover, Bruno led Novara, a team that had been relegated the previous season, back to Serie A!

Reflecting on Bruno's exceptional abilities displayed during the Toulon Cup, his achievements at Novara gained even more credibility among the Portuguese.

In fact, many began comparing him to another Portuguese figure. Ten years ago, in 2003, an eighteen-year-old named Cristiano Ronaldo caught the last train to Toulon with Portugal U20 and quickly became the team's most lethal attacker. His performance there caught the eye of Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson, leading to his transfer that summer and the beginning of his legendary career.

In 2013, eighteen-year-old Bruno Fernandes, having just made the Portugal U20 squad, ended up delivering 3 goals and 5 assists in 5 matches. Portugal scored a total of 12 goals in the tournament, two-thirds of which were directly involved with Bruno, and he had a hand in the other four. Practically single-handedly, he led Portugal, an underdog team, to reclaim the crown.

Throughout the decade, Portugal had participated in the Toulon Cup multiple times but never clinched the title nor had any player spark such excitement as Bruno did.

Among the numerous Portuguese fans who took notice of Bruno was a man named Jorge Mendes. After watching the Toulon Cup final, he took an interest in Bruno and learned that Bruno had not yet signed with any agent. This sparked Mendes' interest, prompting him to take swift action.

As one of the hottest super agents in international football, Mendes had extensive connections. In the Portugal U20 squad alone, he represented João Cancelo, the right-back.

Mendes quickly contacted Cancelo to gauge Bruno's interest.

On the flight from Marseille to Turkey with the Portugal U20 team, Cancelo approached Bruno. Due to the team's formation, Bruno often worked with Cancelo on the right flank, and they had a good rapport. Sitting next to Bruno, Cancelo asked, "Bruno, have you signed with an agent yet?"

Bruno was somewhat puzzled by Cancelo's question but didn't hide anything, responding, "Not yet. My club's general manager has been urging me to find an agent."

"Is Novara looking to extend your contract?" Cancelo inquired curiously.

Bruno shook his head, "Not exactly. I probably won't stay at Novara."

"You really should find a reliable agent, so you don't have to worry about these things all the time," Cancelo advised.

Bruno nodded, agreeing with the sentiment as these matters were somewhat distracting.

"How about I ask Jorge for you?" Cancelo suggested, as if it wasn't Mendes who had asked him to probe.

"Him?" Bruno was surprised.

"You don't think highly of him?" Cancelo asked.

"No, why wouldn't I? I'm just afraid he might not consider me," Bruno replied with a wry smile.

Bruno, of course, knew the stature of the Jorge Mendes that Cancelo referred to—the top football agent who represented stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea. Football agents are an indispensable part of modern football, representing players' interests and being involved in club dealings and contract negotiations.

In today's football world, Mendes and Raiola were arguably the most renowned agents. Each possessed unique backgrounds and success stories, continually exploring and breaking new ground in the football agency field, significantly impacting the football world.

Raiola, an Italian football agent known for managing controversial transfers, was infamous for his direct manner and criticisms of players and clubs. His influence in the agency world was substantial, driving many decisions in the transfer market. His reputation was mixed due to his outspoken nature and dealings, earning him the moniker "super-agent" in some circles.

Mendes, a Portuguese football agent, represented many international stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo and José Mourinho. Known for his networking and negotiation skills, he secured excellent deals for his clients, demonstrating his business acumen and influence.

These two agents were exactly whom Bruno was considering.

Due to recent overtime work, updates have been less stable than before. Hopefully, regular updates will resume by the weekend.

(End of Chapter)

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