Courcouronnes is a small town located on the southern outskirts of Paris, France. With a popution of just over 10,000, the town is home primarily to North Afri immigrants.

  Uher immigrant-heavy neighborhoods, Courcouronnes has none of the chaos one might associate with such areas. The streets are and orderly, and although the siory houses lining the roads are somewhat old, they exude a sense of unity and warmth. It's a pce where visitors rarely leave with a bad impressioe the stereotypes that might surround immigrant areas.

  In fact, the town has retively good public safety.

  Like many other small towns in France, Courcouronnes has no she of sports facilities, especially football-reted ones.

  In the northwest part of town is the Robert Robin Stadium, which hosts most of the region's major sp events. To the south lies a training camp for amateur teams, equipped with excellent facilities.

  To the east is the town's tral park. South of the park, there's a sports ter that boasts two football fields, a basketball court, and a swimming pool. Across the street, there's even a climbing gym.

  Every afternoon, young people from the town gather at the sports ter to py football after work.

  They've formed their own informal teams, and matches ofte spontaneously. There's no for strict rules utions, whoever is avaible pys. Spectatather on the sidelio cheer, adding to the lively atmosphere.

  But tely, the football fields have been more crowded than usual.

  Because the town's biggest star has returned.

  ...

  Thuram Ulien is a goalkeeper.

  Currently part of Ligue 1's AS Monaco youth team, the 19-year-old has been touted as a strong didate to join Monaco's first team season.

  Not only that, but Thuram is also a member of France's U20 national youth team.

  As a goalkeeper of Afri dest, Thuram has been a local hero in Courcouronnes since he was a child. He is the town's sed football prodigy to successfully make it into the prestigious Cirefontaine Academy, where he received elite-level training. In Courcouronnes, he's the embodiment of the "ideal son" families stantly brag about.

  After the season ehuram returned home to Courcouronnes.

  Every afternoon, as long as he had time, he would head to the fields where he used to py as a kid, joining old friends for informal matches.

  For a professional pyer like Thuram, these games were just a way to rex and enjoy himself.

  Although he's a goalkeeper by trade, Thuram is more than capable of pying in almost any positioher as a defender, midfielder, or forward.

  Eventually, the locals found it unfair to let him py outfield, as it was too one-sided. So, they restricted him to pying in goal.

  Even then, sg against him was a near-impossible task.

  This was the differeween amateurs and professionals.

  Every day before joining the game, Thuram would first visit another nearby field to che someone else who was training there. Sometimes he'd chat with the person, and occasionally, they'd kick a ball around together.

  However, this individual never joihe games and quietly stuck to his own training.

  At first, the locals tried inviting him to join, but after being turned down a few times, they stopped asking.

  The man's training sessions didn't seem particurly intense, and his pace appeared rexed. But acc to Thuram, he was undergoing rehabilitation.

  "Knee ligament tear," Thuram expined when asked.

  Hearing those words, anyoely familiar with football or sports injuries immediately uood the severity of the situation.

  The man iion was Madhi Benatia, Courcouronnes' first football prodigy to make it to the Cirefontaine Academy. Since childhood, everyone iown believed he was destined freatness, perhaps even as a future Frenternational.

  And for a while, it seemed like he was living up to the expectations. Benatia was selected for the French youth national team at an early age.

  At 16, he signed with Marseille, one of France's most prestigious clubs. The news caused a stir in Courcouronnes, and many believed he was oh to being a football legend.

  Marseille valued Benatia highly, initially loaning him to Ligue 2's Tours FC, where he quickly became a regur starter. His performances were solid, but Tours struggled and ended up relegated from Ligue 2.

  After returning to Marseille, Benatia was loaned out again, this time to Ligue 1's Lorient. Lorient even paid a €100,000 loan fee, a sign of their faith in the young defender.

  However, his time at Lorient was short-lived. He pyed only och, a cup game against Paris Saint-Germain, where Lorient suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat. Benatia bore signifit responsibility for the loss.

  To make matters worse, shortly after the match, Benatia tore his knee ligaments, a severe injury that prematurely ended his season.

  At just 21 years old, Benatia's promising career took a sharp downturn.

  He lost his p the Frenational youth team, and Marseille, ed about his injury and age, chose not to renew his tract, allowing him to leave as a free agent.

  He was left without a club.

  Disheartened, he returo his hometown of Courcouronnes.

  For someone who had once basked in praise and adution, the shift to skepticism and ridicule was overwhelming.

  He became withdrawn and quiet.

  But every day, he showed up at the field to train alone. Deep dowill held onto his dream.

  He believed he could make a eback.

  His close friend from Marseille, Samir Nasri, often called to che on him. Nasri had bee a full-fledged iional pyer for Frand reparing for the uping European Championship, something the two had once dreamed of doing together.

  Nasri was living that dream. Benatia, oher hand, had no club, no team, and no opportunities.

  Still, Benatia knew his injury was healing well. He knew his abilities hadn't faded. He believed he could py professionally again.

  But no one else believed in him. No club was willing to give him a ot even a trial.

  The reje was bitter, and the frustration built up inside him.

  He refused to accept that this was the end.

  He wasn't ready to give up.

  ...

  "Madhi, we're short a pyer. e join us!"

  Thuram's voice echoed from the adjat field.

  Benatia, having just finished his training, looked over at Thuram and the group of pyers.

  "Don't just train by yourself all the time. Football is about teammates and matches," Thuram urged with a grin.

  "e on, Madhi! Py with us!"

  "Yeah, join us!"

  The other pyers, many of whom were old friends from childhood, joined iia hesitated but eventually gave in, nodding his agreement.

  The decision caused a stir among the spectators.

  This was the town's first football star. However, rumors of his severe injury had left many doubting whether he could still py.

  Everyone was curious to see him ba the pitch.

  "Show us what you've got, Madhi!" Thuram enced with a ugh.

  Benatia stood holding the jersey they'd handed him, staring at it in silence.

  It had been so long since he'd st worhe feeling was indescribable nostalgic, yet bittersweet.

  Taking a deep breath, he slipped the jersey over his head and walked onto the field.

  ...

  The match dreuse from the crowd on several occasions.

  It didn't take long for everyoo realize: whether injured or not, talent like his doesn't disappear ht.

  Pying as a tral defender, Benatia demonstrated his strength, speed, and precise timing. His ability to intercept passes and disrupt attacks left his oppos frustrated.

  He was decisive, quick, and intimidating. Even when his oppos made no errors, his physical presence alone pressured them into mistakes.

  And when mistakes happened, Benatia pounced, rec the ball with ease.

  What stood out even more was his tactical awareness and vision. Time and time agaiicipated the flow of the game, cutting off attacks before they could develop. After winning possession, he seamlessly unched terattacks with pinpoint passes, ofteing opportunities for his teammates.

  On and off the pitch, it became clear to everyone.

  Who said he was finished?

  Who said he couldn't py anymore?

  He was still the same Madhi Benatia, the pyer Courcouronnes had once been so proud of.

  Thuram had suspected Benatia was rec well, but even he was shocked by how good his friend looked.

  Although the match was just a casual game among amateurs, Benatia's skill and instincts were undeniable.

  This was the same pyer who had onpeted alongside France's brightest talents—Nasri, Benzema, Ben Arfa—and held his own.

  ...

  By the end of the game, Benatia's side had only ceded one goal.

  He was smiling again. Though breathing heavily, his expression was one of excitement and pride.

  "Well done, Madhi!"

  Thuram and the other pyers surrounded him, sh him with pliments.

  It may have been just an amateur game, but Benatia's performance was nothing short of outstanding.

  "I'll call our coach tonight," Thuram said. "If you don't find a club before the training camp starts, eback with me to Monaco. I'm sure with your level, you'll not only stay oeam but might even outperform some of our first-team pyers."

  "Thank you," Benatia replied with a faint smile.

  Finally, a ce to py again.

  Even though it was just an amateur game, he felt a renewed sense of fidence.

  He remembered his coach's words: fidence is built through games, och at a time.

  "t me in for future games," Benatia said decisively.

  Thuram and the others were momentarily stunned, but soon broke into wide smiles ahusiastically agreed.

  Deep down, they all wao see Benatia rise again after all, he had once been the pride of Courcouronnes.

  Just then, appuse erupted from the sideline, followed by a familiar voice.

  "Great performance, Madhi. Looks like you've fully recovered."

  Benatia froze and turoward the voice.

  It was his agent, standing beside a strahe appuse had e from the mao him.

  Thuram and the others looked on curiously. Strangers were rare in their small town.

  "I'd like to introduce you," the agent said. "This is a scout from Napoli. He's bee by the coach to invite you to joieam."

  As soon as those words left his mouth, the field fell silent.

  Thuram and his friends were dumbfounded.

  Napoli?

  The Serie A champions?

  The double winners?