“Why not,” he mutters, sliding it into the old PlayStation 2.

Kai holds his breath.

Extra time. 118th minute. Kai’s controller is sweaty. SweatLord passes back to his keeper to waste time. Kai presses with everyone. Yashin even charges out of his box—madman.

He doesn’t celebrate. He just whispers to the CRT: “That’s why you’re the Classic XI.”

Kai chooses the Classic XI (4-4-2 diamond) against a modern Ultimate Team all-star squad—Mbappé, Haaland, Van Dijk. The modern team is faster, stronger, cybernetically efficient.

90+3’: Cafu, overlapping like his life depends on it, crosses low. Best dummies it. Matthäus arrives late—always late, always lethal. Side-foot volley. 3-2.

And below them, a single line of text:

For the next time someone forgets where football came from.