Become A Football Legend-Chapter 160: Signal Iduna

Chapter 160: Signal Iduna
The four of them sat down, and small talk began — about the trip from Bremen, about the match, about how incredible the atmosphere was. But beneath the warmth, there lingered a quiet tension.
It wasn’t spoken; no one needed to say it.
Mrs. Brandt’s glances sometimes lingered too long, her smile occasionally faltering before returning.
She was happy — truly — to see her son smiling again, to see him moving forward.
But deep down, there was a shadow she couldn’t quite shake.
The last time she saw Javi this happy was before everything fell apart with Lukas’s mother. The heartbreak had left scars not just on Javi, but on the entire Brandt family — invisible ones that time hadn’t completely healed.
Still, she didn’t want to cloud the moment. She reached over, giving Javi’s hand a gentle squeeze, and smiled.
"I can’t wait to meet Anne’s parents," she said softly. "It’ll be good for both families to know each other."
"They’re in the booth across," Anne said. "We’ll meet for dinner after the match. Marco’s making sure the reservations are perfect."
Javi nodded approvingly. "Good. It’s a big day... for all of us."
Down below, a sudden roar erupted from the crowd.
The four of them turned toward the pitch.
Lukas stood near the halfway line, juggling the ball — not with his feet this time, but with his head.
One... two... three... ten... fifteen... still going. Each touch was precise, perfectly timed, as if the ball was an extension of his mind.
The crowd began clapping rhythmically with each header.
Then, when he caught the ball under his arm and bowed slightly toward the South Stand, the applause turned into a full cheer.
Mrs. Brandt placed a hand over her mouth. "Oh, my..."
Javi’s father smiled proudly, eyes fixed on his grandson.
Javi leaned forward, watching silently — a hint of moisture in his eyes.
Anne smiled beside him. "You should see your face right now," she teased softly.
Javi chuckled, not taking his eyes off the pitch.
"That’s my boy,"
he muttered under his breath.
The stadium lights glowed brighter, and the commentators’ voices faded back into the broadcast.
O’Hagan:
"And there he is — Lukas Brandt. 16 years old. Already one of Germany’s brightest lights. If last Thursday was anything to go by, tonight might be another Chapter in the making."
The crowd buzzed louder.
The players finished their drills and went back down the tunnel only to reemerge a few minutes later.
And as the anthems prepared to play, the camera lingered on Lukas — standing tall, chin raised, ready again.
FWEEE
The referee’s whistle blew as Italy took the kick-off for the night.
Dan O’Hagan (Commentator):
"And away we go for the second leg of the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal clash between Germany and Italy. Germany hold a 3–1 advantage after that remarkable night in Milan, and they’ll be full of belief after that second-half comeback inspired by young Lukas Brandt — the 16-year-old phenomenon who was involved in all three goals after coming on at halftime. He starts tonight, a huge vote of confidence from Julian Nagelsmann."
Kehl:
"Yes, Dan, and it’s an exciting lineup from Germany — full of balance, power, and creativity. Let’s take a look at how they set up."
O’Hagan:
"Between the sticks, Oliver Baumann keeps his place in goal. Ahead of him, a back three of Jonathan Tah, Antonio Rüdiger, and Nico Schlotterbeck. Across the midfield, Joshua Kimmich and Maximilian Mittelstädt will operate as the wing-backs, with Angelo Stiller sitting deeper and Leon Goretzka driving forward from midfield."
"In attack, there’s plenty of flair — Jamal Musiala and Lukas Brandt deployed as two number 10s, and Tim Kleindienst leading the line as the lone striker. A bold front three, one that combines youthful energy, intelligence, and finishing ability."
Kehl:
"Brandt starting tonight is a major storyline — from debut hero in Milan to full starter in Dortmund. He’s composed, he’s confident, and he’s got the home crowd behind him. What an opportunity. Also in a position he’s well known for at his club, it will be interesting to see his performance tonight."
O’Hagan:
"And for Italy, no surprises in their shape either. Gianluigi Donnarumma captains the side in goal. A back three of Buongiorno, Bastoni, and Gatti. Across midfield, Di Lorenzo and Udogie take up the wide roles, with Tonali, Ricci, and Barella forming the central trio. Up front, Daniel Maldini partners Moise Kean."
Kehl:
"Luciano Spalletti sticks with that familiar 3–5–2, hoping to exploit Germany’s advanced wing-backs. Kean and Maldini will look to stretch the back line, and Barella’s late runs could be key again."
O’Hagan:
"The atmosphere here is deafening. Flags waving, songs echoing, and the players now gathering in the tunnel. Germany’s lead is slender — but they have the momentum. Italy know they need something special to stay alive. It’s all set here at the Signal Iduna Park. Germany versus Italy — two football giants, one spot in the semi-finals at stake!"
Barely two minutes had passed when the tempo rose. Italy tried to build out from the back, but Goretzka, ever the disruptor, read the pass before it could reach Tonali. He stepped in decisively, intercepting just inside Germany’s half and taking a touch forward before sliding it quickly toward Lukas — stationed right on the centre circle, back to goal.
Ricci was already tight to him, pressing hard. Lukas could feel him coming even before the contact.
With his first touch, he flicked the ball delicately with the outside of his left boot — a feathered, instinctive move that slipped the ball right past Ricci’s leg and into the path of Musiala.
"Lovely touch from Brandt!" O’Hagan called. "He knew exactly where Musiala was!"
Musiala didn’t even think. One glance, and he returned the pass immediately, threading it back through the line into the space Lukas was now sprinting into — already having turned as if he’d mapped the entire pitch in advance. The ball rolled perfectly into his stride.
The Italian defence was caught flat-footed, Bastoni and Buongiorno scrambling to recover as Lukas lifted his head. Kleindienst was darting between the lines, hand raised.
Lukas didn’t hesitate. He clipped a gorgeous, looping ball over the top, splitting the defence cleanly.
"Look at that pass!" Kehl, exclaimed. "That’s unbelievable vision from the 16-year-old!"
Kleindienst accelerated, timing his run perfectly — but so did Donnarumma. The Italian captain charged off his line, sliding forward with his massive frame just as the ball dropped at the edge of the box.
A collective gasp rippled through the stands.
Donnarumma reached out and smothered the ball at full stretch — just inches before Kleindienst could get there.
O’Hagan’s voice rose again:
"Oh, that was close! Lukas Brandt almost unlocking the Italian defence inside three minutes! Just a touch too much on that pass — but what a warning shot from Germany!"
As Donnarumma stood up, clutching the ball, he glanced downfield and exhaled heavily.
He’d seen enough in Milan. He knew this wasn’t just another teenager — this was danger incarnate.
And now, in Dortmund, that danger was already beginning to show again.
Germany had grown more composed as the minutes ticked by. They were circulating possession with confidence now — Baumann rolling it short to Rüdiger, who exchanged passes with Tah before switching the play to Kimmich on the right flank.
The Italian press pushed up, but Kimmich stayed calm, sliding the ball down the line to Mittelstädt. The left wing-back turned back inside, laid it to Stiller, who pivoted neatly and found Goretzka advancing through the middle.
O’Hagan:
"Lovely rhythm from Germany now — slow and steady, but you can see they’re trying to pull Italy out of shape."
Goretzka drove forward, then cut a pass into Lukas, who had drifted centrally between Ricci and Tonali. The teenager’s first touch glued the ball to his boot, and his second was a sharp body feint that sent Ricci lunging the wrong way.
With space opening in front of him, Lukas stepped forward — one, two, three short touches — then performed a dazzling drag-and-roll combination that left Tonali flat-footed. He spun around the midfielder, using his body to shield the ball as he burst toward the edge of the final third.
Kehl:
"That’s wonderful from Brandt — balance, confidence, and a touch that sticks to him like a magnet!"
Bastoni stepped up to confront him, but Lukas didn’t panic. He used a soft outside touch to slip the ball across to Musiala, who was arriving at full tilt.
Musiala took over gracefully, feinting past Buongiorno with that signature stop-start rhythm that made him so hard to read. He sliced into the penalty area, but just as Bastoni moved to close him, Musiala flicked the ball back to Lukas at the edge of the D — a delicate one-two that split Italy wide open.
Lukas met it in stride. He didn’t rush. He took a single touch to set himself, body slightly leaning left as his right leg coiled back. The stadium seemed to draw in a breath.
"Brandt at the edge of the area... He can shoot... BRANDTTT!!"