Morning training felt different.
Khali noticed it the moment the squad gathered.
The head coach cleared his throat."For the upcoming qualifiers," he said, "Khali remains captain."
A pause.
"And Bello Yusuf will serve as vice-captain."
Murmurs rippled through the group.
Bello stepped forward, nodding respectfully.Khali turned and met his eyes.
No rivalry.No jealousy.
Just responsibility — doubled.
They shook hands.
Two leaders now.
Pressure Changes Everything
The friendly match against Ghana was intense.
The crowd was loud. The tackles were sharp. Pride was on the line.
Khali tried to control the tempo, but in the 34th minute, it happened.
A simple pass.A moment's hesitation.
Intercepted.
Ghana countered fast.
Goal.
The stadium groaned.
Khali stood frozen for half a second — then clapped his hands hard.
"Reset! Focus!"
But the cameras had already caught it.
At halftime, whispers filled the tunnel.
"Captain caused it.""Maybe Bello should lead."
Bello sat beside Khali, unlacing his boots.
"Don't listen," Bello said quietly. "Lead."
Khali nodded, but the doubt stung.
Nigeria drew the match 1–1.
Not a loss.
But not peace either.
The Question
After the match, a senior defender spoke openly.
"Captaincy isn't about Europe experience alone," he said. "It's about handling mistakes."
The words weren't cruel — just honest.
Khali absorbed them.
That night, he stayed awake long after lights out.
He thought of the armband.Of his mother's call.Of responsibility pressing from every side.
Leadership wasn't glory.
It was endurance.
Time Passes
Months went by.
Khali grew steadier.Quieter.Stronger.
Bello supported him fully — correcting players, calming tempers, lifting pressure when it got heavy.
Together, they balanced the team.
And slowly… the doubts faded.
A Different Kind of Decision
After a Champions League night in Manchester, Khali returned home late.
Ameera was waiting.
She had been there through the academy days.The injuries.The noise.
He looked at her and realized something simple and heavy at once:
Football gave him a name.But she gave him peace.
"Mama was right," he said softly.
Ameera raised an eyebrow. "That sounds dangerous."
Khali smiled."I'm ready."
The Wedding
It wasn't loud.
No cameras.No headlines.
Just family.Faith.Friends.
Bello stood beside him, smiling proudly.
When Khali said his vows, his voice didn't shake.
For the first time, he wasn't carrying a nation.
He was choosing a life.
Ameera squeezed his hand.
And Khali knew — whatever happened on the pitch next…
He was grounded.