Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 40: Mendes

"Jorge is a good man; he's not irresponsible with his words like Raiola. He's very dedicated to our affairs, manages to secure our best interests while maintaining good relationships with clubs—it's very reassuring," Cancelo earnestly recommended his agent to Bruno.

Having spent time with Bruno during the Toulon Cup, Cancelo knew just how exceptional his slightly younger teammate was. He was sure Bruno had a bright future, and maintaining a good relationship with him could only be beneficial, especially since they would likely be teammates on the national team.

Cancelo had no doubts about his future on the Portugal national team, given his exceptional talent.

Bruno agreed with this view and readily responded, "Alright, ask him. But if he's not interested, let's not force it."

While Bruno also felt Mendes was a trustworthy agent, he preferred mutual willingness over compulsion.

"Alright, I'll call him once we get to Turkey," Cancelo laughed.

The two chatted throughout the flight, quickly arriving in Turkey.

The moment they disembarked, Cancelo called Mendes: "Come quickly!"

The FIFA U20 World Cup is an international men's youth football championship for players under 20, organized by FIFA and often referred to as the 'Youth World Cup' or 'U20 World Cup.' Many global football stars first made their mark here, like Maradona in 1979, Davor Šuker in 1987, Luís Figo in 1991, Michael Owen in 1997, and Messi in 2005.

The first edition was held in 1977 in Tunisia, won by the Soviet Union's youth team. Since then, the tournament has been held every odd year.

Historically, Argentina has won the most titles, claiming the trophy six times. Brazil follows with five championships. Portugal has the third-most victories, having won twice in 1989 and 1991.

The 19th edition of the tournament is scheduled to take place from June 21 to July 13, 2013, in Turkey—its first time hosting.

This World Cup will feature 24 teams. Excluding host Turkey, who qualifies automatically, the remaining 23 countries must earn their spots through qualifying competitions.

The 24 teams are divided into six groups, with the top two from each group and the four best third-placed teams advancing to the knockout stage of 16 teams.

In total, 52 matches will be played across seven cities in Turkey, including Istanbul, Kayseri, Antalya, Rize, Gaziantep, Bursa, and Trabzon, to determine the champion.

Since all three of Portugal U20's group stage matches are in Kayseri at the Kadir Has Stadium, the Portuguese Football Federation has based the team in this central Anatolian plateau city during the tournament.

Thanks to the Training Master system, Bruno has no trouble sleeping in new places and rested well upon reaching Kayseri.

The morning after arriving, Bruno, as usual, spent a grueling night in the Training Master system's advanced training arena. He woke up early, energetic as always, and went for a jog around the hotel while dribbling a soccer ball.

When Bruno returned from his morning exercise, he found Cancelo waiting in the hotel lobby with a middle-aged man. It was none other than Jorge Mendes, one of the hottest super agents in world football.

Upon receiving a message from his client Cancelo, Mendes had immediately flown from Portugal to Turkey on his private jet.

Mendes knew that after Bruno's outstanding performance at the Toulon Cup, he would become a hot commodity in football, a treasure all top agents would want to claim. If he wasn't quick enough, this highly promising midfielder might become someone else's top talent.

Mendes' influence in Portugal, especially among these young players, is formidable. Becoming one of his clients often means a bright future.

As a result, many people approached to greet Mendes. However, he only responded politely to others while focusing on Bruno and Cancelo.

After having breakfast together, Cancelo excused himself to prepare for training, leaving Bruno and Mendes to talk business in the lounge.

"I've looked into Novara, and it seems they don't have a long-term plan to invest heavily to ensure their position in Serie A. With your current situation, you should indeed move on soon," Mendes spoke candidly.

"I've been thinking the same. I should join a club with higher ambitions to face bigger challenges," Bruno nodded in agreement.

"That's right," Mendes affirmed. "But moving to a top club might still be premature for you. If you can't be assured of getting game time, then there's no point in going to a big club."

Bruno nodded deeply, agreeing with this approach. "The general manager of Novara has moved to Udinese, and we have a good relationship. He has invited me over. What do you think?"

Mendes was momentarily surprised. Information about Udinese quickly flashed through his mind. It's a strong Serie A club, consistently ranking high over the past three seasons. Their coach, Francesco Guidolin, is skilled at developing young talent. Going there would indeed be a good choice for Bruno.

"Though you've decided on Udinese, I want to remind you that there are no emotions at the negotiation table. It's all about fighting, even arguing, for each party's interests," Mendes advised.

After a pause, he added, "And never think that fighting for a little more salary is pointless. To a certain extent, your salary represents how much the club values you, indicating your status within the club. I believe Udinese wouldn't offer a salary to Domenico Dinatale that's lower than their other players, right?"

Bruno smiled. Dinatale had been Udinese's key player for several seasons, winning the Serie A top scorer in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, and was voted Italian Footballer of the Year in 2010. Over the past four seasons, Dinatale's Serie A goals had exceeded 20 each season, a historic feat.

But Mendes' point was well taken. The salary Udinese offered would indeed reflect Bruno's standing in their eyes.

"My approach is simple: I prioritize my client's interests before considering the cooperative team's matters. While I will negotiate with Udinese based on your decision, I will fight to secure the best personal terms for you. This isn't just for your benefit but also mine," Mendes explained.

Bruno thought for a moment and nodded, "Okay, I trust you. What should I do now?"

"It's simple. Do nothing," Mendes chuckled.

"Do nothing?" Bruno looked puzzled.

"That's right. Don't worry about anything. From today, you only need to focus on playing your best on the pitch. If you can help bring the World Cup back for Portugal, I guarantee I'll get you a contract so lucrative you wouldn't believe it, and make you the star Udinese focuses on developing," Mendes assured.

Bruno smiled, unable to deny Mendes' persuasive power. He contemplated, then added, "Jorge, I have another request, if possible, to look after Novara as well."

Mendes paused, then smiled approvingly.

This was a kid who knew gratitude.

(End of Chapter)

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