On the Pitch: Diego's Story

Chapter 22

[3rd Person POV]

The dressing room slowly emptied as players grabbed their water bottles, towels and training tops before making their way outside. Conversations that had started inside continued into the hallway, filling the corridor with laughter, teasing and the occasional argument over something only footballers could somehow turn into a debate.

"...I'm telling you, it crossed the line."

"It didn't."

"It did."

"Ask VAR then."

"There is no VAR in training, boludo."

"There should be."

Diego couldn't help smiling to himself as he followed behind Garnacho and Valentín Carboni. The two were already talking about Manchester, though most of it consisted of Garnacho complaining about the weather while Carboni looked more amused than sympathetic.

"You'll get used to it," Carboni said.

"I've been there long enough."

"And?"

"I still hate the rain."

"You hate anything below twenty degrees."

"I was born in Madrid. I have standards."

Carboni laughed, shaking his head.

As they stepped through the doors leading onto the training pitches, the morning air immediately greeted them. Groundskeepers were making their final adjustments around the complex while members of the coaching staff were already laying out cones and poles across different sections of the field. A pair of mini goals had been dragged onto one side of the pitch, resistance bands hung neatly from portable racks, and several baskets overflowing with footballs waited near the halfway line.

Walter Samuel stood speaking with Roberto Ayala over a clipboard, occasionally pointing towards different stations while Pablo Aimar rearranged a set of mannequins with one of the assistants.

Nothing looked rushed.

It looked... routine.

Almost every player instinctively knew where to go without anyone having to point them in the right direction.

"¡Dibu!"

A voice echoed from the opposite side of the pitch.

Emiliano Martínez looked up before immediately grinning.

"What?"

"You're with the keepers."

"I know."

"So stop pretending you're an outfield player."

"I'm better than half of you."

"Dream on."

A few laughs spread across the group before Martínez jogged away towards the goalkeeper coaches, where Franco Armani and Gerónimo Rulli were already beginning their own warm-up.

Diego glanced around once more.

Messi stood near the touchline speaking quietly with Di María while De Paul wandered over carrying two water bottles, casually handing one to Messi before joining the conversation as though they'd been in the middle of it all morning. A little further away, Otamendi and Romero were already stretching together, neither of them saying much.

Everything just... flowed.

There was no announcement telling players where to stand.

No confusion, no waiting around, months—years—of international camps had created habits that barely needed words anymore.