Episode 1: The Beginning

A boy named Tunde was playing football barefoot on the dusty streets, skillfully dribbling past his friends. The afternoon sun was high, casting long shadows on the ground. Suddenly, he glanced at the old wristwatch on his hand. His eyes widened.

Tunde: "Ah! Time don go!"

Without hesitation, he grabbed his worn-out slippers and dashed toward home. As he entered the small, crowded house, he greeted his parents.

Tunde: "Good afternoon, Mama. Good afternoon, Baba."

His father, Baba Tunde, sat on a wooden stool, looking exhausted from a long day. His mother, Mama Tunde, lay on a thin mattress in the corner, coughing weakly. She had been ill for months, her strength fading little by little.

Baba Tunde: "Tunde, you don come? You know say time no dey. Go bring the water quick."

Tunde nodded, grabbed a large plastic bowl filled with pure water sachets, and ran outside. The streets were busy, filled with honking cars, shouting traders, and people going about their daily business. He weaved through the crowd, balancing the bowl carefully.

Tunde: "Pure water! Cold pure water!"

Soon, customers approached him.

Customer 1 (a sweaty man in a suit): "Give me three, abeg." (Hands him ₦150.)

Customer 2 (a market woman): "Small boy, bring two for me." (Hands him ₦100.)

Customer 3 (a schoolboy): "I fit buy one?"

Tunde: "Yes na, ₦50 only." (Hands him a sachet.)

After selling all the water, he counted the crumpled notes in his pocket and hurried home. Inside, he handed the money to his father.

Tunde: "Baba, see money wey I make today."

Baba Tunde sighed, looking at his sick wife.

Baba Tunde: "God bless you, my son. Your mama go dey alright."

But Tunde knew his mother was not getting better. She had tuberculosis, and the cough was getting worse. The medicine they could afford wasn’t helping much.

The next morning, as the sun rose over the neighborhood, Tunde was back outside, playing football with his friends, escaping his worries—at least for a little while.

Friend 1: "Tunde, pass the ball!"

Friend 2: "This boy sabi play ball well-well!"

Tunde smiled as he kicked the ball forward, knowing that despite the struggles, football was the one thing that made him feel free.

Episode 2: A Dream Through Tears

The sun blazed over the neighborhood as Tunde dribbled the ball skillfully, weaving between his friends on the makeshift football field. The laughter and shouts of excitement filled the air, momentarily making him forget his struggles.

Suddenly, his older sister, Kemi, came running toward him. Her clothes were dusty from a long day of selling goods outside the town. Behind her, their younger sister, Ada, followed, looking tired. Tunde stopped playing when he saw their faces.

Kemi (panting): "Tunde... Tunde... Mama don go."

Tunde’s heart stopped. His chest tightened.

Tunde (shaking his head): "No... no... Kemi, no say that kind thing."

Kemi wiped her sweaty forehead, trying to hold back her own tears.

Kemi (voice breaking): "She don leave us, Tunde. Baba say we no fit do anything again. She don go rest."

Ada sniffled, holding Kemi’s hand. The weight of the words hit Tunde like a hammer. He dropped his ball and ran. He didn’t know where—he just ran. Past the small houses, past the dusty roads, past the market filled with noisy traders. He found himself at the quiet end of the street and collapsed on his knees.

Tears streamed down his face, but he clenched his fists.

Tunde (whispering): "I no go cry. I no go cry."

He picked up his football and started kicking it against the wall. Harder and harder, as if the pain in his heart could be kicked away. But it didn’t leave.

That evening, as he walked home, something caught his eye—a poster on a wooden pole. He stepped closer and read it carefully.

"YOUTH FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT!

Ages 10-12

Win a chance to join a football academy!

Tryouts this Saturday!"

His heart pounded. A chance? A real chance?

He thought about his mother, about his father struggling, about Kemi and Ada working hard every day. He couldn’t stop her from dying. He couldn’t change the past. But maybe, just maybe, football could change his future.

The next morning, he woke up early. Instead of mourning, he picked up his bowl of pure water and went outside to sell again.

Tunde (to himself): "If I go make am for football, I gats work. I go make Mama proud."

Episode 3: The Road to the Tournament

The morning sun cast long shadows as Tunde balanced the plastic bowl of pure water sachets on his head, walking through the busy streets. His heart was still heavy, but he had no time to cry. He had a goal now—to join the football tournament.

He shouted through the streets, trying to sell as much as possible.

Tunde: "Cold pure water! Buy your cold pure water!"

One by one, customers came.

Customer 1 (bus driver): "Give me four, my boy." (Hands him ₦200.)

Customer 2 (market woman): "Small boy, give me one." (Hands him ₦50.)

Customer 3 (mechanic): "Oya, two sachets." (Hands him ₦100.)

By the afternoon, his bowl was empty, and his pocket was full of crumpled naira notes. He rushed home and gave the money to his father, Baba Tunde, who counted it with a tired smile.

Baba Tunde: "Tunde, you dey try. Your mama go dey proud."

Tunde nodded, but he had something else on his mind.

Tunde: "Baba, I wan go that football tournament wey dem put for poster."

His father looked up, surprised.

Baba Tunde: "Football?"

Tunde (nodding quickly): "Yes, Baba. If I fit win, I go fit enter football academy. I fit change our life."

Baba Tunde sighed and rubbed his head. He knew how much his son loved football, but life was not easy.

Baba Tunde: "But Tunde, we need money. We no fit waste time on dream wey no sure."

Tunde clenched his fists.

Tunde: "Baba, this no be waste. If I win, I go help all of us. Please."

Kemi and Ada watched quietly from the corner, hoping Baba would agree.

After a long silence, Baba sighed again.

Baba Tunde: "If na wetin you want, then try. But no forget say we still need you here."

Tunde’s heart soared.

Tunde (smiling): "Thank you, Baba! I go make you proud."

That evening, instead of playing with his friends, he trained alone. He ran up and down the street, practicing his dribbles and shooting at a broken wooden fence. Sweat dripped down his face, but he didn’t stop.

He only had three days before the tryouts. He was ready to give it everything.

Episode 4: The Tryout Begins

Tunde counted the ₦3,500 he had saved from selling pure water. It wasn’t much, but it had to be enough. Early the next morning, he walked to the local market, where sports items were sold.

After searching different stalls, he finally found a second-hand pair of Adidas Predator football boots for ₦3,000. They were worn out, the laces were frayed, and the color had faded, but they fit him perfectly. He smiled.

Tunde (whispering to himself): "This na my key to my future."

With the remaining ₦500, he bought water for himself and took a small taxi to the football field for registration.

The Tryouts Begin

The field was buzzing with excitement. Over 40 boys had come for the tournament tryouts. Some wore brand-new jerseys and flashy boots. Others, like Tunde, had mismatched kits, but their hearts burned with determination.

Tunde joined the long queue and finally reached the registration table.

Coach Michael: "Name?"

Tunde: "Tunde... Tunde Ibrahim."

The coach marked his name and handed him a yellow training bib.

Coach Michael: "Alright, Tunde. You are in Team B. Warm up, we start soon."

Tunde jogged to the side, where he met some new faces.

Chinedu – A tall defender from Enugu, with strong tackles.

Daniel – A short but fast winger from Lagos.

Sule – A quiet midfielder with sharp passing skills.

The Match: Team A vs. Team B

The coach divided the players into two teams, and the whistle blew.

The first 10 minutes were chaotic—players running wildly, trying to impress. But soon, the game settled.

Team A had a dangerous striker named Bolaji, who dribbled past two defenders and took a powerful shot.

Goal! Team A led 1-0.

Tunde and his team fought back. Daniel sprinted down the wing, sending a perfect cross. Tunde saw the ball coming and took a deep breath.

With one touch, he controlled it. With the second, he fired a shot.

Goal! The score was now 1-1.

The match became more intense. Chinedu made a big tackle to stop Bolaji from scoring again. Sule passed the ball smoothly, keeping Team B in control.

With three minutes left, Tunde saw an opening. He dribbled past one player, then another. The crowd gasped. He faked a shot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, and calmly placed the ball into the net.

Goal! Team B 2-1 Team A.

The whistle blew. The match was over.

As the players caught their breath, the coaches huddled together, writing down names.

Tunde wiped the sweat from his face. He had done his best. Now, he could only wait and hope.

Episode 5: The Selection

Tunde stood with the other boys, his heart pounding in his chest. The tryout was over, but the most important part was about to begin—the selection. The coaches gathered in the middle of the field, discussing the players. Some boys whispered among themselves, others stood in silence, anxiously waiting for their names to be called.

Coach Michael stepped forward, holding a clipboard.

Coach Michael: "Good effort from everyone today. But football is about skill, teamwork, and discipline. Only a few will make it to the next stage. If you hear your name, step forward."

The field fell silent. The only sound was the wind rustling through the trees.

Coach Michael: "Bolaji!"

Bolaji, the strong striker from Team A, smirked and walked forward.

Coach Michael: "Daniel!"

Daniel pumped his fist in the air and joined Bolaji.

Coach Michael: "Sule!"

The quiet midfielder gave a small nod and stepped forward.

Tunde clenched his fists. His chest tightened with nerves.

Coach Michael flipped the page.

Coach Michael: "Tunde Ibrahim!"

Tunde froze for a moment. Had he heard right?

Chinedu (whispering): "Omo! Dem call your name! Go front!"

Tunde’s legs felt weak, but he forced himself to walk forward, his heart racing. He had made it!

After calling a few more names, the coach looked at the remaining boys.

Coach Michael: "If I did not call your name, don’t be discouraged. Keep training, and try again next time."

Some boys sighed in disappointment, others walked away angrily. But Tunde wasn’t thinking about them.

He had done it. He was officially selected for the tournament.

A New Journey Begins

As the selected boys gathered, Coach Michael gave them their schedule.

Coach Michael: "You have one week to prepare for the tournament. Training starts tomorrow morning, 6 AM sharp. Don’t be late!"

Tunde smiled to himself. He knew this was just the beginning. But he was ready.

He would work harder than ever. He would make his dream come true.

Episode 6: The Hard Road to Greatness

Tunde could hardly believe it. He had been selected to train at the Nigeria Youth Training Ground, a place where the best young footballers in the country prepared for international competitions. The journey to becoming a professional footballer had truly begun.

He arrived at the training center, a massive facility with lush green pitches, gym areas, and dormitories for the players. He was one of the youngest there, but he didn’t let that intimidate him. In two years, he would be 12 and eligible to compete in the U-13 World Cup.

The Hard Training Begins

The first day of training was intense. Coach Samson, a strict but fair man, gathered all the young players and spoke to them.

Coach Samson: "Football is not just about talent. It’s about hard work, discipline, and dedication. If you want to make it to the U-13 World Cup, you must train harder than you ever have before."

Tunde and his teammates nodded, determined.

Training Drills:

Endurance Runs – They ran 5 kilometers every morning before touching a ball.

Agility Ladder Drills – Quick foot movements to improve speed and coordination.

Ball Control –

Dribbling through cones

One-touch passing

Juggling the ball for at least 100 touches without letting it drop

Strength Training –

Push-ups, squats, and core exercises to build stamina.

Finishing Practice –

Shooting at different angles.

Learning how to chip the ball over goalkeepers.

Small-Sided Matches –

5 vs. 5 games to improve teamwork and decision-making.

After the first week, Tunde was exhausted but refused to give up.

Conversations with Teammates

One evening, after training, he sat on the grass with his new friends, Daniel and Sule.

Daniel (panting): "Omo! This training no be joke! My legs don tire!"

Sule (smiling): "But na wetin we sign up for. If e easy, everybody go dey play for World Cup."

Tunde laughed, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Tunde: "I no go lie, I dey feel am. But I dey think about my mama. She for happy to see me here."

Sule patted Tunde’s shoulder.

Sule: "She go dey watch you from heaven. Just keep pushing."

Tunde nodded, feeling a new wave of motivation. He looked at the sunset over the training field and made a promise to himself:

"No matter how hard it gets, I won’t stop. I will make it to the U-13 World Cup."