"After going through the evaluation process by the coaching staff, here are the four players who have passed the trial and will get the opportunity to join the FC Porto academy."
Silence. Only the sound of a beating heart and held breath echoed in Arghana's head.
"Rui Rocha."
A faint cheer was heard.
The striker clenched his fist and nodded, his smile spreading quickly.
Arghana could only watch him from the corner of his eye.
Nothing unusual. Rui had indeed performed very well in the match.
"Gonçalo Vieira."
Another name he had already heard in whispers from the coaching staff.
A strong center-back, tough in aerial duels. Arghana nodded slightly.
"Diogo Moreira."
A smart midfielder with exceptional game vision.
A player who had stood out from the first training session, showing a different level compared to the others.
And finally…
"Tiago Mendes."
Arghana froze. A name unfamiliar to his ears.
Not a player he had particularly noticed during the trial.
Not one of the names he had heard in the coaches' discussions.
But that didn't matter. What mattered was… his name wasn't on the list.
His head dropped.
"Kaduum."
The imaginary sound in his head, imagining how he was falling into darkness. He had failed.
No more considerations, no more chances, no more miracles like when he was still with Go Ahead Eagles.
The truth was, his hard work wasn't enough.
The Porto staff finished speaking.
The players who made it rushed out, ecstatic, celebrating their golden opportunity.
Hugs, laughter, and pats on the back filled the room.
Some players who failed could only force a bitter smile, some cursed their fate, some tried to accept it, while others were still processing the reality.
Arghana? He just stood there, isolated in the midst of the emotional chaos around him.
His mind was blank, his heart in turmoil.
It didn't take long for the Porto staff to give instructions for the players who didn't make it to leave the academy facilities immediately.
Arghana walked out of the room aimlessly.
His feet felt heavy, not from exhaustion, but from the burden in his chest.
His eyes were vacant as he stared at the floor, his mind still replaying the events of the match.
All the effort, all the hard work, all the sweat he had put in… not enough.
When he arrived at the dorm, he simply sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the empty wall.
His father's image appeared in his mind.
He remembered his father's happy voice when he learned he was in Portugal.
Now, he was afraid to face the reality, afraid of disappointing his father's hopes.
===
That night, he lay awake with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling without truly seeing it.
Thinking.
What should he do now? What's the next step? Go back to the Netherlands? Try his luck elsewhere?
Find another place to train?
Everything felt uncertain.
Tomorrow he would rest for a while.
Maybe take a stroll around Porto, trying to enjoy the city's atmosphere before facing the reality again.
While still here, he murmured softly, trying to convince himself.
===
The next morning, Arghana walked out of the Porto trial camp with heavy steps.
The circles under his eyes were dark, a sign of the sleepless night he had spent.
That failure still lingered in his chest, but on the other hand, he knew that sitting and mourning in his hotel room wouldn't change anything.
Porto had given him a chance, and he had failed. But that didn't mean the end of everything.
His steps took him to the heart of Porto, walking like a tourist trying to escape from his own thoughts.
He passed through Ribeira, the Douro River's riverside district famous for its iconic views.
Old buildings stood majestically along the riverbank, filled with restaurants and cafes that were starting to be crowded by tourists.
Occasionally, he stopped to watch the traditional boats that were once used to transport wine.
His thoughts wandered, imagining a different scenario if only he had passed the trial yesterday.
Arghana then moved on to Livraria Lello, one of the oldest and most beautiful bookstores in the world.
The iconic spiral staircase and Gothic-themed interior left him in awe.
This place had once inspired J.K. Rowling when she wrote Harry Potter.
But for him, this was just another stop to avoid facing reality.
As the evening approached, he walked back toward the hotel he had booked earlier.
When he opened the door to his room and lay down on the bed, his phone rang.
"Arghana, this is Mr. De Vries from Status Pro Sport," the voice on the other end sounded firm but friendly.
Arghana paused for a moment. He knew that if an agent like him was calling, it must be something important.
"I heard you didn't make it at Porto.
I also heard that NAC Breda and Zwolle have offered you 300,000 euros, but Go Ahead Eagles rejected because they want 1 million euros," De Vries continued.
Arghana was stunned. How did this man know?
He had just left the Porto trial, and within hours, the news had already reached De Vries.
Information really spread fast in the football world.
"I also know about the 'Porto offer,' 800,000 euros with a trial condition. Too bad they're no longer interested.
Now, what do you think? Are you willing to reconsider playing in Asia?" De Vries asked.
Arghana was silent. To him, the 1 million euro value wasn't an issue. It wasn't his money.
But what made him think was the fact that just three weeks ago, he was a player whose value was zero.
Now, clubs were bidding for him. But going back to Asia? That wasn't what was on his mind.
"I'll think about it," he replied briefly.
But in his heart, the answer was already clear. He wanted to stay in Europe.
Whatever happens, he had to find his own way here.
He wasn't finished.