May 17, 2018 - France Squad Announcement
Didier Deschamps stood at a podium in Paris, about to announce France's 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Ethan watched from his apartment with his parents. His stomach churned with nerves.
"The forwards," Deschamps said. "Antoine Griezmann. Olivier Giroud. Kylian Mbappé. Ousmane Dembélé. Florian Thauvin. And... Ethan Loki."
Ethan's mother screamed. His father jumped up, fist raised. Marie was calling from Paris, crying.
He'd made it. The World Cup. At nineteen years old.
May 28 - France Training Camp
Clairefontaine. But this time, not for youth teams. For the senior squad. For the World Cup.
Ethan arrived to find legends everywhere. Pogba. Kanté. Griezmann. Varane. Lloris. World-class players at every position.
And his friends: Mbappé, obviously. But also Ousmane Dembélé from Barcelona, Thomas Lemar from Monaco, Benjamin Mendy from his Monaco days.
"World Cup, brother," Mbappé said, hugging him. "We're going to Russia."
"Champions League winners going to the World Cup," Ethan replied. "This year is insane."
Deschamps called a team meeting.
"Gentlemen, we are not going to Russia to participate. We are going to win. France expects it. I expect it. You should expect it from yourselves."
He pulled up video footage. "We have the talent. We have the experience. We have the hunger. Now we need unity. Sacrifice. Discipline."
His eyes swept the room. "Some of you are young—Mbappé, Loki, Dembélé. Some of you are veterans—Lloris, Giroud, Matuidi. But in Russia, you're all equals. You're all French. You're all brothers."
June 9 - Pre-World Cup FriendlyFrance vs Italy
France's final warm-up match before Russia. The team needed to gel, find chemistry, establish tactics.
Deschamps started his probable World Cup XI: Lloris in goal. Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Lucas Hernández in defense. Kanté and Pogba in midfield. Griezmann, Mbappé, and Ethan up front.
A 4-2-3-1 formation. Griezmann as the ten. Mbappé right, Ethan left, Giroud as the target man up top.
Italy were no pushovers. World Cup playoff losers, they had pride to restore.
But France were devastating.
Griezmann opened the scoring in the sixteenth minute. Mbappé made it 2-0 in the thirty-fourth. Ethan completed the first-half demolition with a brilliant solo goal—beating three Italian defenders before finishing.
3-0 at halftime.
Deschamps made wholesale changes in the second half, giving fringe players minutes. Final score: 3-1.
But the message was sent: France were ready.
June 12 - Arrival in Russia
The French team landed in Moscow to massive fanfare. Thousands of French fans had made the journey. The team bus to their base camp in Istra was lined with supporters waving flags, singing songs, chanting names.
At the team hotel, Deschamps gathered the squad.
"We're here. World Cup 2018. Thirty-two nations. One trophy. We have sixteen days to make history."
He pulled out a chart showing France's group: Australia, Peru, Denmark.
"Tough group. No easy matches at a World Cup. But we're favorites. We should top this group."
June 16 - World Cup Group C, Matchday 1France vs Australia - Kazan
The Kazan Arena. Forty-two thousand fans. The World Cup. Ethan's first major tournament.
He started on the bench—Deschamps going with Giroud, Griezmann, and Mbappé up front.
France dominated possession but Australia defended desperately. Physical. Organized. Difficult to break down.
In the fifty-eighth minute, Australia took a shock lead. 1-0.
Deschamps immediately made changes. Dembélé and Ethan came on.
In the sixty-second minute, France equalized through Griezmann. 1-1.
In the seventy-eighth minute, Ethan won it.
Receiving the ball on the left, he cut inside. Two Australian defenders closed him down. He performed his trademark elastico, leaving both sprawling, and struck from twenty meters.
Top corner. Unstoppable.
2-1 France.
His first World Cup goal. Nineteen years old. Off the bench.
France held on. Three points. Winning start.
June 21 - World Cup Group C, Matchday 2France vs Peru - Yekaterinburg
Peru were tricky opponents. Technically gifted. Organized. Dangerous on the counter.
Deschamps started Ethan this time—rewarding his impact against Australia.
The match was cagey, tense. Peru defended deep. France controlled possession but couldn't create clear chances.
0-0 at halftime.
In the fifty-second minute, Mbappé broke the deadlock—a brilliant run and finish.
1-0 France.
Six points from two matches. Qualification virtually secured.
June 26 - World Cup Group C, Matchday 3France vs Denmark - Moscow
With qualification secured, Deschamps rotated the squad. Ethan started again.
The match was dull, tactical, cautious. Both teams already through. Neither willing to risk injury.
0-0. The first scoreless draw of the tournament.
But France topped the group. Sixteen points. Into the knockout rounds.
June 30 - Round of 16France vs Argentina - Kazan
The tie everyone wanted. Messi's Argentina—desperate for one last World Cup. France's golden generation—hungry for glory.
Ethan started on the bench. Deschamps went with experience: Griezmann, Giroud, Mbappé.
Argentina started strong. Took the lead through Di María. 1-0.
France equalized through Griezmann. 1-1.
Argentina went ahead again through Mercado. 2-1.
Then Mbappé exploded. Two goals in four minutes. 3-2 France at halftime.
The second half was chaos. Argentina pushed desperately. Agüero made it 3-3 in the ninety-third minute.
Extra time.
In the one hundred and second minute, Deschamps sent on Ethan. "We need a goal. Go get it."
In the one hundred and seventh minute, Ethan delivered.
A counter-attack. Pogba won the ball. Played to Ethan. He drove forward, beat one defender, then another, then shot from the edge of the box.
Low. Hard. Far corner.
4-3.
France held on. Argentina eliminated. Messi's World Cup dream over.
Ethan had scored the winning goal in extra time. Nineteen years old. World Cup knockout stage.
End of Chapter 23