Chapter 832 Question Time

Chapter 832: Chapter 832 Question Time

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[28-06-2021 | Arena Națională, Bucharest | 22:05 EET]

[Germany 3-2 Switzerland]

[90+5]

(FWEEET! FWEEET! FWEEEEEEET!)

"And that is full time at the Arena Națională!" Tyler declared. "Germany three, Switzerland two! Die Mannschaft came from two goals down to book their place in the quarter-finals, and they did it because of one boy who refused to accept defeat!"

"Martin, this was a match of two completely different Germanys," Smith said. "The side that walked off at halftime two-nil down and the side that walked off just now. And the difference between them was Rakim Rex coming to life. Two goals and one assist, a display of individual brilliance we will be replaying for years."

On the pitch, the German players breathed a sigh of relief and began thanking their opponents for the match. The last 17 minutes, including added time, had become a hectic affair of attacks. Despite the lead and the coaches trying to get them to settle down, it simply became impossible.

For one, the Swiss side wasn’t going to accept giving away the win so late in the game. But the other reason was simply Rakim, who continued to operate at the same sped-up tempo, unwilling to go back down to crisis control. The fact that it was working in tandem with Jamal and Wirtz, creating 10 chances with 7 hitting the target, left little room for complaints.

As the celebrations began dying down, Rakim jogged to the middle of the pitch, joining the huddle of his teammates Tah and Günter, along with Christian Fassnacht and Ruben Vargas from the Swiss side. Interlocking their arms, they formed a tight circle, and Günter, the oldest in their gathering, began. "Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for keeping everyone safe tonight and for allowing us to bring you praise with the sport that we love. And for having a unique plan for each of us in the confusing times we live in, Amen."

"Amen," they all echoed, breaking the little prayer circle, dissolving with a round of back slaps and a few well wishes. Some swapped shirts, but Rakim had already swapped his with Sommer, preferring the kits of keepers when scoring multiple times like today.

~~~

[Press Stand]

At the side of the field, a small studio was erected with a backdrop containing UEFA and sponsor logos. In front of the setup, On-field reporter Oliver Schmidt could be seen interviewing Jogi Löw, who was arguably the man of the hour.

"First, congratulations on going through to the round of sixteen." Oliver began calmly resting a hand on the glass pulpit. "I’ll jump right into it and ask what we all want to know. What brought on that change in performance in the second half?"

As Jogi arranged his answer in his mind, Oliver expanded his question, trying to keep the manager’s response on track. "The team seemed to click and began firing on all cylinders, allowing Rakim to explode like we saw him do in the UCL."

"Football is a game of moments, and sometimes it is a game of belief," he began, his voice measured and calm again, the storm of the dressing room nowhere to be seen. "At halftime, I told the players some hard truths. I will not pretend otherwise. We were not good enough in the first half, not in our intensity, not in our desire, not in the way we approached the match, and I told them exactly that."

"There were reports of raised voices," Oliver said carefully.

"I have been doing this for fifteen years. I know when a team needs an arm around the shoulder and when a team needs the truth. Tonight, they needed the truth." Löw confirmed, without a hint of embarrassment. "And to their enormous credit, every one of them responded. That is what I am most proud of. Not the goals, but the response."

"Rakim, specifically, was reminiscent of his Leverkusen season, something we have only seen small glimpses of so far in this tournament," Oliver pressed. "He was the standout figure. Two goals, an assist, a performance that has already gone viral around the world. What did you make of his display?"

"Rakim is a special player. I think everyone who has seen him play can agree with that." He paused, brows knitting slightly. "Now, if we can just get him going a little earlier, he could become much more effective and helpful to the overall team."

There was a long moment of silence as Olivier processed the manager’s words. "Are you saying that Rakim was underperforming before the second half?"

Löw showed a professional smile that did not reach his eyes. "I am saying as a collective we need to assert ourselves on a match from the first minute rather than the sixtieth," he paused for a moment. "Tonight we waited too long, and that almost sent us home. It was definitely a wake-up call."

With those words, he left, effectively ending the interview. "Well, there you have it, a much-needed wake-up call for Die Manshaft. More analysis back at the studio."

~~~

[Rakim POV]

Celebrations had been pretty muted, mostly because it was too close for comfort for everyone. The fact that egos were hurt during halftime also did not suddenly make things easier. I, for one, was also angry and did not want to talk to anyone at the moment, so I did the grown-up thing and kept my mouth shut.

Texting May and asking about her day was my coping mechanism and usually did the trick. She didn’t disappoint this time either, especially as she let me know she would be coming back to Europe as her New York schedule ended. Packing up my stuff, I immediately headed for the door, feeling the need to do something about my hair.

Rakim: You think Simba would stop his holiday early to come do my braids?

May: You’re joking, right?

May: Babe, he is your personal trainer/physio/Nutritionists. Not a hairstylist, chauffeur, photographer, or manager.

Rakim: I don’t tell him to do all that; he just does it. The man treats me like a little brother-torture subject. Plus, I pay him enough and plan on giving him a raise next season since his training is actually showing results.

Rakim: Did you see that, Rebona? cool right?

May: I know you do, and that was nuts. I was screaming in the lounge, pretty sure I embarrassed myself in front of Cillian Murphy.

May: Can’t believe you risked all that embarrassment just for aura points?

Rakim: Thomas Shelby?

May: Yes

Rakim: THOMAS FUCKING CHELBY?!

May: Yes, babe in the flesh.

Rakim: Get an autograph, but don’t look him in the eyes; he might hypnotise you into liking him. "Sexy trenchcoat wearing mother fucker."

May: -_-?

"Rakim rakim rakim one word please." Just as I exited the building, loud shouts of reporters behind the security barrier pulled me out of my thoughts. "How do you feel about being called a late starter? What brought on your performance in the second half? Is it true you..."

"Gentlemen and women, there are four of you, so I’ll answer one question each," I said, stopping in front of them, the metal barrier separating us. "Is that you, Hans, from the Leverkusen Daily. You’re also a long way from home, huh?"

"Ha, you remember me!" A stocky man in his fifties beamed, clearly pleased to be recognised, his recorder thrust forward through the gap in the barrier. "The pleasure of following the biggest story in German football, Rakim. My question is simple. Löw called it a wake-up call. Some are already saying you should have started every match from the first whistle. Do you feel vindicated tonight?"

"Vindicated is a strong word, Hans, not the word I would use." I kept my tone easy, leaning one forearm on the cold metal. "I don’t decide the lineups; the coach does. I’m like an artist; I can paint you the monalisa if you let me. Tonight, we won, and that’s what matters."

"Are you-"

"Whoop, only one question." I interrupted with a playful wink, leaving Hans to sigh as he held his breath. "The lady, please."

"The lead-up to your second goal, we saw some incredible one-touch football between Wirtz, Jamal, and you." She started, and I was genuinely anticipating the question. "You three seemed in sync, and that goal was simply the cherry on top. My question is: is that something you guys practice, or does it come naturally to all of you?"

"It’s definitely natural, like we don’t sit in our rooms and come up with secret signs." That caused a little chuckle, but I went on to explain. "There’s this thing Ancelotti says that I really like. A coach shouldn’t decide how his team plays and then force his players into it. You look at the players you have, understand what they’re good at, give them a structure, and then let them play."

"One thing I realised at this level is that being the best is expected," I said with a smile, stopping myself from grinning widely. "Getting the most out of your teammates is what makes such moments happen."

"And the rabona?"

I grinned. "Yeah, nobody coached that."

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TO BE CONTINUED...