"HOLY CRAP! IT'S THEODORE AGAIN!"
"That shot was like a bullet! So incredibly fast!"
"The keeper didn't even react! That was insane!"
"As expected of the wonderkid! Absolute monster!"
"Don't stop!"
"Keep attacking! It's only level right now! There are still seven minutes left, and with stoppage time, there should be at least ten! Madrid definitely have a chance to score one more!"
The final few minutes had become a decisive, desperate battle between Sevilla and Real Madrid.
After Sevilla restarted play from the center circle, the home side did not attempt to attack.
Instead, they simply circulated the ball across their back line.
This was Lopetegui's plan.
In truth, Sevilla's target had always been a draw.
Taking one point from a rampant Real Madrid was already enough to satisfy the players and fans.
Over the next few minutes, Lopetegui successively withdrew attacking players like Luuk de Jong and Fernando, sending on extra defensive midfielders.
His purpose was clear: protect the draw at all costs.
Before anyone realized it, the match reached the 90th minute.
The fourth official signaled five minutes of stoppage time.
Those five minutes would be Real Madrid's final chance.
Theodore did not choose to stay isolated inside the penalty area. Instead, he actively drifted out toward the right flank, looking to receive the ball to feet.
But Sevilla had plenty of defenders stationed wide. Aside from Jesús Navas, Joan Jordán and Suso immediately shifted over to double- and triple-team the teenager.
All three Sevilla players were fully focused on Theodore. If he made even the slightest movement, the three of them were prepared to swarm him.
Seeing that Theodore was surrounded by a wall of defenders, the Real Madrid players did not force the ball into his feet.
After several recycling passes, the ball eventually arrived at Martin Ødegaard.
Since Ødegaard had only recently come on, his stamina was still fresh. So when he received the ball, he did not hesitate. He immediately accelerated with it.
Ødegaard possessed high football intelligence.
He recognized that Theodore had drawn away a massive cluster of defenders, which meant there was a gaping hole in the center of the pitch.
The next second, Ødegaard decisively drove forward through the middle. He carried the ball into the attacking third.
But just as he prepared to thread a final pass, defenders appeared in front of him again.
Rakitić and Koundé stepped out, closing in on Ødegaard and forming a trap around him.
At that moment, Ødegaard began to panic
If he kept dribbling into the traffic, there was a very real chance he would be dispossessed and trigger a Sevilla counter.
Just as Ødegaard found himself trapped, Theodore suddenly appeared beside him, having spun away from his markers.
Theodore's arrival was like a ray of light in the darkness for his compatriot.
Ødegaard did not hesitate in the slightest.
He immediately slipped the ball into Theodore's path.
"Theodore!" Palmer shouted. "He has received the ball near the edge of the penalty area again!"
"Will he shoot?!"
In the broadcast booth, Palmer was desperately hoping Theodore would pull the trigger straight away.
After receiving the ball, Theodore did indeed drop his shoulder, shaping as if he was about to unleash a strike.
But the shot was only a feint.
He completely fooled Sevilla's defenders.
The moment Koundé and Diego Carlos frantically stretched out their legs to block the anticipated shot, Theodore quickly chopped the ball inside with the outside of his boot.
His movements flowed together with terrifying speed.
He gave Sevilla's defenders no chance at all to recover.
With one devastatingly quick touch from his left foot, he completed the breakthrough.
Just like that, Theodore slipped cleanly into the penalty area.
In that instant, every Sevilla fan felt their heart drop into their stomach.
At this point, only Bounou remained. He was the final obstacle.
Just as Bounou hesitated over whether to rush out and close the angle, Theodore had already finished the move.
Bang!
A thunderous right-footed strike.
This shot left Sevilla's goalkeeper with absolutely no time to react.
The ball flew cleanly into the roof of the net without the slightest interference.
5–4!
"HIS FIFTH GOAL!" Palmer roared, nearly losing his voice. "Theodore's thunderbolt has broken Sevilla's hearts!"
"Five-four to Real Madrid!"
"In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Theodore has scored the winner through sheer, unstoppable individual brilliance!"
"The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán is stunned into silence!"
After scoring, Theodore showed rare, raw emotion.
He ripped off his shirt, sprinted toward the corner flag, and dropped into a massive sliding celebration.
Very quickly, the entire Real Madrid team—including the substitutes—sprinted down the touchline and piled on top of him.
They celebrated wildly together.
On the global live comment feeds, Real Madrid fans were in complete delirium.
"FIVE GOALS! This is a masterclass!"
"This is what a real savior looks like! Theodore just saved Zidane's job and our unbeaten run!"
"I knew it! There was no way we were losing with him on the pitch!"
"A 94th-minute winner! Nothing is more exciting than a stoppage-time kill!"
"Thank God I didn't turn off the TV when we went behind!"
On the Real Madrid bench, Zinedine Zidane finally let out a massive sigh of relief.
Ever since Sevilla had taken the lead, the usually calm manager had been sweating profusely.
He was terrified the winning streak would end.
Fortunately, Theodore had once again delivered a miracle!
...
When the referee blew the full-time whistle, the Sevilla fans looked deeply despondent.
Failing to take even a single point after leading late in the match was a bitter pill to swallow.
However, judging purely from the flow of the match, Sevilla's players had performed exceptionally well.
Especially when they had been behind, they did not give up. Instead, through desperate pressing and tireless running, they had equalized and even taken the lead.
So after the match ended, the forty thousand Sevilla fans stayed in their seats and gave their exhausted players a standing ovation.
Having scored all five of Real Madrid's goals, Theodore was naturally named Player of the Match.
As he walked toward the tunnel, a massive media scrum gathered around him.
"Theodore, can you talk about your five goals tonight?"
"The Ballon d'Or ceremony is in two days. Are you confident?"
"Real Madrid conceded four goals tonight. Are you worried about the defense?"
"Do you think Robert Lewandowski will beat you to the Ballon d'Or?"
Faced with the barrage of questions, Theodore politely declined to answer.
Flanked by security staff, he disappeared down the tunnel.
...
At the post-match press conference, the questions Theodore had ignored were directed at Zidane instead.
Zidane spoke clearly: "Sevilla caused our defense enormous problems tonight. Both Luuk de Jong and En-Nesyri performed brilliantly. But at the team's most critical moment, Theodore stepped up."
"He changed everything."
"As for the Ballon d'Or, I will only say this: if I were the one deciding, I would unequivocally give the award to Theodore. He completely deserves that honor."
Zidane continued, "Lewandowski has indeed been outstanding this year, but compared to Theodore, his ability to single-handedly carry a team in difficult moments is different. I firmly believe Theodore will beat Lewandowski in the race."
...
Inside the dressing room, Theodore took a quick shower, changed, and returned to his villa early to rest.
Early the next morning, he had to go to the airport to pick up his parents.
Then, they would travel to France to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
While Theodore slept, the Spanish sports media went wild with praise.
AS: "The soon-to-be Ballon d'Or winner ran riot at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. With headers and thunderbolts, he scored five goals in one match! This eighteen-year-old is the undisputed greatest footballer in the world."
Marca: "A last-gasp winner against Sevilla! Theodore's stoppage-time goal silenced the entire stadium!"
Mundo Deportivo: "Real Madrid continue their perfect winning record! Theodore remains at the summit of both the scoring and assist charts. The Ballon d'Or awaits!"
On global fan forums, Theodore was the only topic of conversation.
"As a Madrid fan, I honestly thought we were dead and buried tonight. Theodore is a cheat code!"
"Eighteen-year-old Theodore is already a Madrid legend. No debate. He makes me forget Cristiano ever left."
"It's been so long since I watched such an incredible game of football."
"His performance was shocking. Give him the Ballon d'Or already!"
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