August 14, 2016 - Pre-Season
The Stade Louis II gleamed under the Mediterranean sun.
Ethan Loki stood in the tunnel, wearing Monaco's number 19 jersey—his professional number. Ahead of him, forty-five thousand empty seats waited. In a few weeks, they'd be filled with fans chanting, singing, demanding victory.
But today was just training. Just preparation.
"Ready?" Kylian Mbappé appeared beside him, wearing number 29.
"Always," Ethan replied.
They walked onto the pitch together—The Princes of Monaco, now professionals, now part of Leonardo Jardim's revolution.
The first-team squad was a mixture of experience and youth. Radamel Falcao, the Colombian striker, had recovered from injury. João Moutinho controlled the midfield. Fabinho provided defensive steel. Benjamin Mendy raided from left-back. And then there were the kids—Mbappé, Loki, Bernardo Silva, Thomas Lemar.
Jardim's philosophy was clear: attack, press, dominate. Age didn't matter. Only ability.
Pre-season was brutal. Double sessions. Tactical meetings. Physical conditioning. The intensity was beyond anything Ethan had experienced at academy level.
But he thrived.
In pre-season friendlies against European clubs, he scored five goals in four matches. His chemistry with Mbappé was instant—they'd been training together for six years. They knew each other's movements instinctively.
The media dubbed them "Les Princes" officially. The Princes of Monaco. The nickname stuck.
August 28, 2016 - Ligue 1 Matchday 1Monaco vs Guingamp
The day arrived.
Ethan woke at 7 AM in his apartment in Beausoleil. His parents had moved to a bigger place last year with his contract earnings. Marie was studying in Paris now. The family was doing well.
But today was about football.
His phone buzzed. A text from Mbappé: Big day, brother. Let's make history. 👑
Ethan replied: Together. Always.
At the stadium, the changing room buzzed with energy.
Jardim gathered the team. "Gentlemen, today we begin our campaign. Last season was disappointing. This season will be different. We have young legs. Fresh ideas. Hunger." His eyes swept across the room. "Today, we show France what Monaco is capable of."
He read the starting eleven: "Subasic in goal. Fabinho, Glik, Jemerson in defense. Mendy and Sidibé fullbacks. Moutinho and Bakayoko midfield. Bernardo, Lemar attacking midfield. Up front—Mbappé and Loki."
Ethan's heart exploded. He was starting. His professional debut. At seventeen years old.
Across the room, Mbappé caught his eye and nodded. Together.
The tunnel was different as a professional.
The cameras. The officials. The weight of expectation. Ethan walked out behind Moutinho, the captain, and felt forty-five thousand pairs of eyes watching him.
The French national anthem played. Then Monaco's anthem. Then the referee's whistle.
Professional football had begun.
Guingamp started defensively, parking ten men behind the ball. Monaco dominated possession but couldn't find space.
In the twenty-third minute, Ethan dropped deep to receive. Two defenders closed him down. He played a one-touch pass to Moutinho, who switched the play to Mendy. The left-back crossed. Mbappé headed goalward. The keeper saved, but the ball fell to Ethan at the penalty spot.
Gerd Müller instinct. He knew where the goal was.
Side-foot finish. Bottom corner. 1-0.
His first professional goal.
The stadium erupted. His teammates mobbed him. Mbappé grabbed his face. "First of many, brother!"
Ethan ran to the corner flag, pointed to the sky, then to his parents in the VIP section. His mother was crying. His father was standing, fist raised.
In the fifty-sixth minute, Ethan returned the favor.
Receiving the ball wide, he cut inside, beat one defender with a Lavinho roulette, and crossed perfectly to Mbappé at the back post. The header was clinical.
2-0.
Ethan's first professional assist.
The Princes had both scored in their professional debut.
Final score: Monaco 3-0 Guingamp.
After the match, journalists swarmed Ethan in the mixed zone.
"Ethan, goal and assist on your debut. How does it feel?"
"Incredible. But it's about the team. We played well collectively."
"You and Mbappé combined beautifully. Is this the start of something special?"
"We've been training together for six years. We understand each other. Today was just the beginning."
"At seventeen, you're one of the youngest scorers in Ligue 1 history. What are your goals this season?"
"To improve every game. To help Monaco win. To make our fans proud."
September-December 2016 - The Explosion
What happened next shocked French football.
Monaco won their first ten Ligue 1 matches. Ethan and Mbappé formed the most devastating partnership in Europe. They weren't just scoring—they were destroying defenses.
By Christmas, the statistics were absurd:
Ethan Loki (Age 17):
18 appearances 15 goals 9 assists Ligue 1 Young Player of the Month (September, October, November)
Kylian Mbappé (Age 17-18):
19 appearances 16 goals 7 assists
Monaco sat top of Ligue 1, playing the most exciting football in Europe. Fast. Direct. Fearless.
The Princes of Monaco weren't just a nickname anymore. They were a phenomenon.
End of Chapter 17