Future Plans

“Phew, now it finally feels like a room where someone lives.”

After ripping down all the Ronaldo photos and posters that covered the walls, I could finally focus. Focus on what? Obviously, my plans for the future and my precise memories of the original work, Our Ground.

All I had left now was soccer. The reason heaven gave me a second chance was to become a player who could surpass even Messi. To do that, I needed to meticulously design my future.

I had no interest in joining some weird club, getting abused from childhood, being sold to a team I didn't want, or getting trapped like in a prison. Well, I hadn't experienced it myself, but I'd seen and heard enough to know I had to be careful.

Conveniently, it was 2018 right now. The main story started the year after the World Cup in the manga, but I hadn't realized it was 2018 until I checked my phone and figured out the exact timeline here.

Unfortunately, 2018 was when I was just starting elementary school, nearly twenty years ago, so my memories were fuzzy. All I recalled was Manchester United collapsing and the EPL dominating. But that wasn't enough—especially since I knew this world was from the manga, I needed more accurate info.

The computer hummed to life, and I racked my brain to remember every detail about Our Ground I'd seen right before possessing this body. Not the trivial stuff like what Haruto did or who the female lead was or Luka's character traits—but the most crucial part for mapping out my life: the soccer world.

First thing that came to mind was Japanese soccer. The manga opened with a soccer boom sweeping Japan, centered around the national team's historic World Cup round of 8. That hype ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even filled the stands for the middle school league finals, making protagonist Haruto a bit nervous.

“But why 2018 of all years?”

What didn't make sense was setting the story in 2018 specifically. Japan was a powerhouse that consistently reached the round of 16 after the 2026 World Cup format change, and in 2034, they made the quarterfinals as the away host, solidifying their status as Asia's soccer powerhouse.

Why set it over a decade earlier? What was the reason for picking that era?

As I pondered, my eye caught a Ronaldo photo rolling on the floor. The one with his signature gummy smile and thumbs up. Figures a self-obsessed prick like Luka would buy this crap.

“...How the hell did he even get this poster?”

And Ronaldo in it was wearing Real Madrid's kit. I went to kick it away in disgust when a thought flashed in my head.

“Wait, no way...”

Ronaldo on the poster was definitely in Real Madrid colors.

“Yeah, that's it.”

When was soccer's absolute golden age? Hands down, the Messi-Ronaldo era, when they dominated the sport. After their primes faded, no one even came close to their records. Once they retired, soccer's popularity started declining.

Even I, a soccer kid, didn't build dreams from current players' highlights—I looped Messi's YouTube clips endlessly. Probably the author, a fellow soccer nut, wanted to relive that nostalgia in his work.

“Makes sense. Facing Messi or Ronaldo in the World Cup beats dealing with Yamal or Taylor any day.”

Since Haruto and Luka were Japanese, they'd wear the national kit together at the World Cup. But matching up against Messi or Ronaldo had way more impact than some recent Ballon d'Or winners like Yamal or the hotshot Taylor. Plus, using retired legends avoided copyright headaches over active players.

I wasn't sure if the author planned to go all the way to the World Cup or end at high school, but he'd probably set it up that way from the start.

Digging deeper, episode 1 of the anime showed Haruto watching the World Cup, with Messi and Ronaldo front and center—plus old legends I recognized even without living that era, clearly modeled after them.

No way he bought portrait rights for all of them, so probably not ending at high school. Whatever—none of that mattered now. I tried recalling more soccer details, but nothing else from the anime came up.

But this was enough. The computer was on; the rest I could dig up online.

I dove straight into searching for my one true god, Messi. Other stuff mattered, but I was dying to know what my idol, my hero was up to in this world.

“Messi, huh? Name's tweaked a bit.”

Copyright dodge—they changed Lionel to Leo. His nickname and Insta handle anyway, so it was like covering your eyes to hide.

The second I confirmed it was him, a shocking fact hit me.

“Born 1992? What? Wasn't Messi 1987? No, definitely 87.”

I commented happy birthday on his Insta every year; no way I'd forget. But here, birthday was 1992. Photos matched, but I double-checked records just in case.

“17-18 season 50 goals? That's the 11-12 record.”

League 50 was 11-12 for sure—I memorized his stats by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠year. Articles hyped his current-year goal tally at 90+. Reading that nearly brought tears.

“I'm... breathing in Messi's prime era?!”

With ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him at peak, a little effort and I could play alongside him. I'd vowed over Luka's ritual to surpass him, but realizing prime Messi was alive and kicking filled my chest with emotion.

Not content with a second chance at soccer, heaven let me share the pitch with dream-Messi.

“Thank you, God.”

I raised my hands, elbows slightly bent, index fingers pointed skyward like piercing the heavens in prayer.

I wanted to fly to Spain for Barcelona trials right now. But remembering my promise to Luka, I couldn't. To surpass him, I needed a different team. Neymar didn't leave Barca for nothing, right?

“I'll see you soon...”

Sharing a stadium, swapping jerseys. Winner: me with a hat-trick. Imagining it sent shivers down my spine.

Confirmed Messi's alive and thriving—now Ronaldo, the premium supporting actor for him.

“No Juventus kit? Still at Real?”

Last season 46 goals. Ronaldo in prime too? Insane.

Plopped right in the heart of soccer's most popular, blessed era with peak Messi and Ronaldo on the pitch! My heart raced; fingers trembled on the mouse.

“Wait, then who won Champs League? Ballon d'Or?”

History altered, curiosity as a soccer man peaked—I searched Champs winners and Ballon d'Or.

Team history intact—Real's 3-peat was legendary, unmatched since. But Messi snagging Ballon d'Or sans UCL proved this world's soccer writers weren't blind.

“Makes sense. Watching his play makes UCL wins irrelevant.”

No UCL but Ballon d'Or? If you have eyes and love soccer, you vote for him. I'd watched his highlights daily; in his 2010s peak, 10 straight Ballons wouldn't surprise.

But scrolling Ballon history, I uncovered something mind-blowing.

“What? Ronaldo in 2012, Zidane in 2011?”

Messi/Ronaldo era was a decade after Ronaldo/Zidane. Seeing them back-to-back felt off.

2011: Zidane (Juventus), 2012: Ronaldo (Inter). But clicking: both at Real Madrid.

“What the...? Impossible.”

I rushed to Real Madrid's page, checked current roster.

Back drenched in cold sweat.

“This season, newly signed Ronaldo Phenomenon in Real's 4-2-3-1: Marcelo-Ramos-Pepe-Carlos back four, Zidane-Makelele midfield, Raul AMF, Ronaldo and Figo wingers, Phenomenon up top—proving why they're Earth's defenders... Bullshit, fuck off.”

The lineup made curses spill naturally. And Real wasn't alone.

“Fuck. Barcelona, Bayern, even PSG. EPL? Man City: Walker, Kompany, Sterling, Silva, Aguero, Toure, De Bruyne. United: De Gea, Neville, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Van Nistelrooy... Arsenal: Henry, Bergkamp, Fabregas, Youngberg... Liverpool: Mascherano, Gerrard, Salah, Van Dijk, Torres. Chelsea: Terry, Ballack, Lampard, Drogba, Hazard... What the hell?”

All big EPL clubs too. Serie A same: Milan's iron ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠four Maldini-Nesta-Stam-Zambrotta, diamond midfield Pirlo-Gattuso-Seedorf-Kaka, Sheva-Inzaghi attack. Roma with Totti, Cafu, De Rossi; Inter's Maicon-Sneijder-Saniolo-Cambiasso-Ibra; Juve's Buffon-Turan-Bonucci-Cannavaro-Chiellini defense, Pogba-Vidal-Nedved-Dybala-Del Piero...

“Whoa...”

Surveying the big clubs' lineups left me awestruck. Not just Messi and Ronaldo—legends I'd seen as coaches or in FIFA legend cards from my playing days in Europe were all here in their primes.

Probably the author imagined Haruto competing against them. No wonder Luka with those specs didn't go pro in the manga; even I was a bit rattled seeing these rosters.

“...But it'll make it more fun.”

Not scared, though. Injury-free, I'd have conquered world soccer. Past legends? Pre-Messi/Ronaldo mortals. FIFA legends or not, with my talent (body management counts) in healthy Luka's body, they'd all be my sidekicks.

Good no ancient ones like Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, or Dutch Orange Trio. Tells you the author's soccer era.

If he was an 80-year-old geezer, we'd have those too.

“Still, no one better than him.”

My goal: surpass him. No need to fear this.

Soccer world overview done—now the big one. Typed “Japan national team soccer player Tachibana” into search.

Born mixed-race, aiming for top? Playing for soccer backwater Japan? No way. Mom seemed foreign; follow her nationality to any European country.

“Best: Argentina? Club rival with him, World Cup teammates. Insane. Or Spain, England fine. France with Zidane-Mbappe. Germany. Italy... not bad? Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro, Del Piero, Totti.”

Daydreaming happily, picked the top Tachibana profile—middle-aged guy from family photo.

As expected, knowledge hub had family section with Luka's mom linked—probably a celeb. Tall in photo, gave Luka this physique; model maybe?

“Please, only top European nations! Or Argentina—let me play with him!”

Prayed to god before clicking nationality.

“Gahhhhhhh!”

...Had to scream at what I saw.