With the referee's final whistle, the game was over. Engnd had lost 0-2 to Brazil, their World Cup journey in Brazil coming to an end in the quarterfinals. The Brazilian pyers celebrated with unrestrained joy, while the English squad stood scattered across the pitch, frustration etched on their faces. Gerrard and Lampard, standing near the center circle, exchanged a few words quietly.

  "Well," Gerrard muttered, shaking his head. "That's it for us."

  Lampard sighed, offering a small nod. "We gave it everything. Just wasn't our night."

  The Brazilian pyers approached, offering handshakes and jerseys. Gerrard and Lampard, after a brief pause, obliged. The pair shared a quick embrace,cameras fshed, capturing what would ter become an iconic image—two legends marking the end of their time together in an Engnd shirt.

  The English pyers walked toward the stands to appud their fans, who responded with chants and cheers, showing their appreciation despite the defeat. Tristan, trailing behind the others, gnced at Gerrard and Lampard. He could see the emotion in their eyes, even as they tried to keep composed.

  "You alright?" Tristan asked Gerrard as they headed toward the tunnel.

  "Yeah," Gerrard replied, managing a faint smile. "Just... feels strange, you know? Last World Cup and all that."

  Tristan nodded, unsure what to say. "You've been brilliant, though. Both of you."

  "Cheers, d," Lampard said, cpping Tristan on the shoulder. "This team's in good hands. You'll go far."

  On the bus ride back to the hotel, the atmosphere was subdued. Tristan sat near the front, earbuds in, while the veterans sat in the back, quietly chatting. Gerrard and Lampard shared a ugh over an old story from their early days with Engnd, but the mood was bittersweet.

  "Think the media will sughter us again?" someone asked from a few rows back.

  "Probably," came the reply. "When don't they?"

  There were a few chuckles, lightening the tension. But as the bus rolled through the quiet streets, the disappointment lingered. They had reached the quarterfinals, an admirable achievement, but every pyer knew how much more they had dreamed of. For now, all they could do was reflect and prepare to move forward.

  Sitting by the window, Tristan stared out at the darkened streets, headphones on, his mind racing with questions. The bitterness of defeat lingered, despite the progress Engnd had made.

  In his previous life, Engnd had crashed out in the group stages, and while rewriting history and reaching the quarterfinals was no small feat, the loss still stung. He kept coming back to the same question: Why had they lost?

  The reasons, he realized, were multifaceted. First and foremost, the team's overall strength simply wasn't enough. Both Engnd and Brazil relied heavily on their star pyers—Tristan for Engnd and Neymar for Brazil. But Neymar had the support of a solid midfield duo in Fernandinho and Paulinho, allowing him to focus entirely on attacking.

  Tristan, on the other hand, was often pulled into defensive duties to help cover Engnd's vulnerable backline. This defensive responsibility sapped his energy, limiting his effectiveness in attack.

  As an attacking midfielder, Tristan needed freedom to create and support the offense, but Engnd's midfield cked a dedicated defensive anchor to provide that cover. Henderson and Gerrard, while experienced, were not suited to the role. Brazil capitalized on this weakness, stretching Engnd's defense and exposing gaps that led to their decisive second goal.

  Then there was the tactical approach. Roy Hodgson had started the game with a 4-2-3-1 formation, aiming to counterattack. It was a bold pn, but Engnd's defensive frailty showed almost immediately when they conceded in the fifth minute. Forced to adapt, Hodgson shifted to a more defensive setup, which pushed Tristan deeper into midfield.

  This not only reduced his attacking threat but also left Sterling, Engnd's most dynamic pyer, isoted and neutralized by Marcelo. Up front, Vardy and Sturridge found themselves stranded, unable to break through Brazil's disciplined defense.Hodgson faced a difficult choice. With the team two goals down by the 70th minute, he considered pushing forward for a comeback but knew it would leave Engnd's defense even more exposed.

  In the end, he opted for caution.

  On the surface, reaching the quarterfinals was an accomplishment, especially with a squad cking the star power of previous generations. But as Tristan sat in silence, watching the city lights blur past, he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't enough. Engnd had come so far, but the cracks in the team—both tactically and structurally—had been id bare against Brazil.

  It was a bittersweet sight when Hodgson brought on Lampard, giving Engnd's two aging legends, Gerrard and Lampard, one final moment together on the World Cup stage. The decision shifted the narrative, steering the media's focus away from the inevitability of Engnd's defeat and onto a nostalgic farewell for a golden generation of English football.

  For Tristan, however, the substitution left a bitter taste. He couldn't help but think that, with 20 minutes left, there was still a slim chance to push forward and chase an equalizer. Yet, he also knew the risk—that Brazil might have punished them with another goal—was just as real. The "what ifs" gnawed at him. What if Gerrard's free-kick had found the net? What if Hodgson had been bolder earlier in the match? What if the tactics had been sharper from the start?

  These questions circled his mind, but no answer would change the outcome. What was clear was that the team had given their all, even if it hadn't been enough.

  When Tristan finally returned to his hotel room, exhaustion weighed down every step. He dropped his backpack on the bed and headed straight for the bathroom. Spshing cold water onto his face, he tried to shake off the crushing sense of defeat. Despite knowing the loss had been inevitable, coming so far had sparked a flicker of hope in him—only for that hope to be shattered into pieces.

  "Tristan, what are your pns for the off-season? Where do you pn to go on vacation?"The question broke the momentary silence as Tristan turned toward Luke Shaw, who had been scrolling through his phone with a grin that hadn't left his face all morning.

  Although Shaw hadn't seen much pying time during the World Cup, his spirits were soaring. A week ago, Manchester United had officially announced his blockbuster transfer: the teenage left-back would join the Red Devils for an eye-watering ￡30 million.

  It was a record-breaking deal, making Shaw not only the most expensive teenager but also the highest transfer fee ever paid for a pyer under 20.

  As if that wasn't enough, his sary had skyrocketed. From ￡15,000 a week at Southampton to a jaw-dropping ￡70,000 per week at United. Shaw couldn't resist sharing the news.

  "Seventy grand a week, mate," he said with a sly smile. "And I'm not even 19 yet."Tristan raised an eyebrow, his thoughts wandering. His own sary, though decent, was nowhere near Shaw's new earnings.

  "Shit, I really need to negotiate a new contract," Tristan muttered under his breath.

  Wiping the cold water from his face with a towel, Tristan forced himself to focus. "I haven't thought about vacation yet," he replied casually, addressing Shaw's earlier question. "Might go back to London first, sort out some personal stuff, and see my parents. After that, who knows?"

  Shaw nodded, still beaming. Tristan, meanwhile, reflected on Mendes' promise of a busy offseason filled with endorsement deals and sponsorships. The financial windfall waiting for him was enough to bring a small smile to his face.

  "But I'll figure it out," he added, grinning now. "Plenty to do before I can even think about rexing."

  The next day, the Three Lions, eliminated from the tournament, boarded a pne back to Engnd. As the pyers sat in silence, some still dwelling on the loss, others like Shaw scrolled their phones, perhaps imagining what y ahead for their careers.

  What none of them expected was the reception they'd receive upon nding.

  A sea of Three Lions jerseys filled the waiting hall, with banners held high, some homemade, others bearing iconic phrases. Their chants echoed.

  "Welcome home!"

  "Come on, Three Lions!"

  "Gerard, you'll never walk alone!"

  But the loudest cries, by far, were reserved for Tristan.

  "Tristan, we love you!"

  "Tristan, you're our hero!"

  "No. 22 forever!"

  Groups of young female fans decked out in No. 22 jerseys screamed his name at ear-piercing volumes, overpowering the shouts for any other pyer. Their homemade banners read:

  "Tristan, my hero!"

  "The future of Engnd!"

  "Tristan, marry me!"

  Even among the general crowd, his name rang out with unmatched fervor.

  "Tristan! Over here!"

  "Tristan, what's next?"

  "Tristan, you're the future of Engnd!"

  Camera fshes lit up the room as the media added their voices to the chaos. "Tristan! Look this way!" "Smile for the fans!"

  Walking beside him, Jamie Vardy leaned in with a cheeky grin. "Mate, you're drowning out the rest of us. Look at them—'Tristan, marry me'? You've got your own choir here!"

  Tristan smirked, raising a hand to wave at the fans. The noise was overwhelming, but the adoration filled him with a sense of pride he couldn't fully put into words.

  Even as the chants continued, he noticed the occasional shouts for his teammates. There were cheers for Gerard, Rooney, and even Vardy, but they were faint compared to the uproar his name stirred.

  "Vardy, get us a goal next time!" someone shouted jokingly, earning a ugh and a mock salute from Vardy.

  Vardy, who had been walking beside Tristan, elbowed him with a grin. "Man, you're on fire! The girls are practically chanting your name like a hymn."

  Tristan, however, wasn't as thrilled. As fshes of light exploded in his face, he muttered under his breath, "Fuck, these fshes are blinding me. I need some damn sungsses next time."

  Though his annoyance was genuine, he couldn't deny the strange sensation bubbling inside him—the realization of being a star. They hadn't brought football home, and yet Engnd's journey had ignited the nation's spirit. More importantly, it had cemented the rise of a new footballing hero.

  The media's coverage was ser-focused on one name: Tristan Hale. The hype across social media had accelerated his fame far faster than anyone could have predicted. Hashtags like #FutureOfEngnd and #Tristan22 were trending globally, his performances dissected and praised endlessly by analysts and fans alike.

  As the pyers greeted the fans and signing autographs, Tristan spotted two familiar faces that stopped him in his tracks.

  "Big William? Bob?!"

  Standing a few feet away, proudly waving No. 22 jerseys, were two of Leicester City's most loyal supporters. Big William and Bob.Big William's grin stretched wide as he held his Engnd jersey up. "Oi, big star, don't go forgetting us now! Sign this for me!"

  "Don't you guys have work?" Tristan teased, scrawling his name across the jersey.

  "We took the day off, didn't we?" Bob chimed in, his face lighting up. "Had to come and see our boy after the World Cup!"

  Their enthusiasm was infectious. Despite the whirlwind of fame surrounding him, moments like this grounded Tristan, reminding him of who he was and where he came from.

  "Thanks for coming, ds," he said, snapping a quick photo with them. "You heading back to Leicester now?"

  "Aye," Big William replied. "Let's hope we don't hit traffic. But we'll see you at the King Power soon enough!"

  "Take care on the road. And thanks for everything."

  "Always, mate," Bob said, patting him on the back.

  After half an hour of autographs, selfies, and countless chants of his name, the pyers were finally ushered onto the team bus, leaving behind a trail of cameras, reporters, and fans still shouting.

  Back at St. George's Park, manager Roy Hodgson called for a quick meeting to conclude the World Cup campaign. The pyers, tired but reflective, gathered one st time as a squad.

  "You've all made the country proud," Hodgson began, his tone solemn yet encouraging. "Yes, we fell short. But the effort, the spirit, and the fight you've shown have id the foundation for the future. Rest up during the offseason. Don't go too crazy—there's a long road ahead, and Engnd expects."

  The pyers nodded, some smiling, others lost in thought. As the meeting concluded and the national team disbanded.