Morning came quickly. Even though this was the second day of the trials, today felt different from yesterday. For one, his dad wasn't going to work, so they didn't leave as early. Also, his whole family, not just his dad but his mum and sister too, were going with him.
By a little past eight, they were all ready and hit the road for Malmö IP. In less than an hour and a half, the stadium popped into view. Quite a number of cars were already in the parking lot, and some parents were making their way inside with their boys in kits.
Thomas found a spot, parked, and they all climbed out, stretching a bit before stepping into the stadium. Just after they entered, they were met by a Malmö official in a bright vest who directed the family into the stands. Only the boys invited for the trials were allowed on the pitch.
Sebastian glanced at his family.
"Good luck, Seb," Thomas said with a nod before they turned toward the stands, joining the growing crowd. It wasn't huge, but enough people were scattered across the seats to hum with noise.
Sebastian adjusted his duffel bag and headed down the concrete steps toward the pitch.
The field opened up wide in front of him. The grass was worn in spots, still damp from morning dew. Boys were scattered around. Some juggled a ball, and others stretched or chatted in tight knots. He spotted Martin over by a bench, fiddling with his laces, and gave him a quick wave.
Coaches clustered near the sidelines, flipping through papers and speaking in low tones. Sebastian dropped his bag near the edge, breathing in the sharp scent of turf and catching the faint buzz from the stands. Time dragged a bit. Everyone just waited. The air felt thick with nerves and anticipation.
Eventually, Coach Henrik strode out to the center of the field and blew his whistle, sharp and loud.
"Alright, gather up boys."
"A good morning to you all," he greeted them, smiling.
"Good morning, Coach Henrik," they shouted back, voices mostly in chorus.
"Good to see you're all here early," he said, nodding. "We're heading straight into the objective today, and that's seeing how each of you plays in a match."
"You all will be split into four teams, from A to D."
"Each group will be assigned a coach. They'll handle the starting lineup, formation, instructions, and substitutions as they see fit."
"Each match will last sixty minutes, thirty minutes per half."
"We'll start with Team A versus Team B, and after that, Team C versus Team D. Then the winners of those two matches will face each other in the final."
He paused, scanning the boys. "Now, I don't want to pile too much pressure on you, but you need to understand what's at stake today. You're all fighting for a shot at the Malmö FF youth academy. And the truth is, very few of you, maybe none, will get picked."
A ripple went through the group.
"What?" one kid blurted, eyes wide.
Another muttered, "For real?"
Someone else hissed, "No way. That can't be right."
The air tightened. Surprise mixed with disbelief.
Henrik placed his hands in his pockets. His smile was gone.
"Yeah, you heard me. You think we always take players? There have been trials where we didn't accept a single one. Don't come out here thinking a spot's guaranteed." He let it sit, his gaze steady.
Henrik's eyes moved slowly across the group. Most boys ducked their heads, nerves or doubt twisting their faces. Some chewed their lips, others stared at their boots. A few met his gaze, chins lifted, eyes sharp with resolve. One kid even smirked, confident and bold.
Then Henrik's eyes landed on Sebastian.
Those calm, indifferent eyes gave nothing away. No reaction, no visible shift. It was as if the words hadn't touched him at all. Henrik's brow twitched, just slightly.
This kid, he thought.
It didn't surprise him. The boy was good, very good. If the decision were based solely on yesterday's physical assessments and drills, Sebastian would already have a spot. But matches were different. Being excellent in drills didn't always translate to game performance. Still, if there was one player Henrik was most curious about today, it was him.
He turned, glancing up toward the stands where the crowd murmured.
"Your families are up there today, watching you, cheering you on. They came to support you. So make sure you do your best, give it everything, and make them proud. Is that taken?"
"Yes, Coach!" the boys roared back. Loud but a little ragged.
"Alright then," Henrik said, stepping back. He pulled a folded sheet from his pocket, names scribbled across it, and started calling out groups, assigning each team to a waiting coach.
The process moved fast. Names echoed. Boys broke off and grouped up. Martin's name came up first for Group D. A few others followed before Sebastian heard his own and made his way toward their gathering spot beside their temporary coach.
When he arrived, he spotted Martin and called out, "Hey, Martin!"
Martin turned, grinning. "So we're on the same team, huh? Let's win this!" He raised his hand, eyes bright.
Sebastian smiled back. "Sure," he said, slapping Martin's hand in a quick high five. They kept chatting in low tones as they stood with the rest of Group D.
Once all the teams were formed, their coach, Andreas, the same one from yesterday's drills, called out, "Guys, gather up!"
The boys shuffled in. Fifteen of them formed a loose huddle around him.
"For those of you who don't know, there are fifteen of you in this group, which means four will be on the bench and eleven will start."
"Those on the bench shouldn't be disappointed. You'll still get your chance to play and show us what you can do. And as for the starters, don't assume you'll play the full sixty minutes. I'll make substitutions based on what I see."
He paused a moment before continuing.
Team D would be playing in a 4-3-3 formation. The starting lineup was:
GK: Lukas Berg
LB: Emil Karlsson
RB: Noah Lind
LCB: Viktor Holm
RCB: Diego Vargas
LCM: Martin Eriksson
CM: Sebastian Falk
RCM: Oli Svensson
RW: Theo Dahl
LW: Leo Bergström
ST: Kalle Nilsson
After announcing the lineup, Coach Andreas handed out purple bibs to the boys. Most of them put them on as they received them.
"Take these and head outside the pitch. The first match is about to start."
Sebastian, after getting his bib, didn't put it on right away. He held it loosely in one hand and went to sit on the grass by the sidelines, ready to watch the match between Team A and Team B.