The next two days passed quickly, with the team trying to adjust to this new city. It was always important to get used to the new atmosphere, especially since it would be a big game later on. So many people would come, shout, cheer, and sing, and if they lost composure, it could be costly for the team.
Japan would also face one more disadvantage in this game. This was going to be their first time fighting in this city, while Ukraine themselves had already played at least three so far. That meant half of Ukraine’s game was in this stadium, and at this point, it had been their home base for this tournament.
Even if a slight adjustment wouldn’t be that hard, this little detail could play a big part in a big game like this. That was why Kageyama-sensei had been emphasizing this part over and over again.
Then, the game day finally came.
Even from outside of the stadium, where they arrived on their bus, all the boys could see the enthusiasm from the supporters.
Everyone cheered while also waving flags from their country, singing loudly while also walking into the stadium. Not only that, the number of cameras was doubled, more journalists came, and the game would also be broadcast to more countries just for this game.
Looking at this impressive display, everyone couldn’t help but feel in awe right now.
"Bloody hell... Are you sure those people are just coming here to watch us?" Naoya muttered in disbelief.
"Bloody hell?" Higo cringed a little bit at Naoya’s choice of words. "What are you doing, trying to imitate British? Did you just watch a Harry Potter movie or what?" He mocked his roommate quietly.
Naoya was so flustered as his friend caught him off-handedly like this, but the boy still tried to play it cool. "What’s wrong with Harry Potter? It is a great example of modern pop culture that can be enjoyed by people from young to old, you know? You should try appreciating some, okay?" He said haughtily.
If anything, though, this only made Higo look at him in disgust.
Still, their interaction didn’t escape from the boys’ hearing, and they couldn’t help but snicker at their antics. If Naoya and Kawabe’s banter was sometimes too loud and unbearable, Naoya and Higo’s one always came with a calmer yet sarcastic tone, more sharp words that could make the target bleed in his heart while everyone else laughed.
Oh, well... At least, their little interaction was enough to melt the tension inside the bus.
"Still... Final, huh?" Makino couldn’t help but mutter; his gaze was still at the stadium in front of him. "The only final I have ever played is one in Hokkaido, you know? The prefectural one."
Some of the boys were surprised, not expecting someone to admit it readily. However, Makino didn’t find it to be something shameful. No matter how good a player was, a final was not something that any player could go to. No, it required a good team and greater luck, something that was so hard to get most of the time.
"Yeah, besides the prefectural tournament in Nagoya, I have never experienced one." Someone chimed in.
"Well, if you want to talk about a higher level of final, Morita-san, Yamane-san, and Mamoru-kun have just reached the final in the last winter tournament, right?" The others joined in.
"Damn, you are right!"
"Well, that’s what you get as a powerhouse team!"
Somehow, Makino’s words were like the force that opened the floodgates. Now, everyone was talking about their experience facing a final. All of the guys had one here, as they were at least a national-level player. That meant they had passed the prefectural tournament in the past.
Still, that experience couldn’t be compared to right now, when they were going to face the biggest trophy in the world. It might only be just for a junior level, but the title World Cup still had a different weight here. It also helped that Japan had never achieved something this big other than the Nadeshiko team who won the Women’s World Cup in 2011, so if they won today, they would put their name in the history of this country.
"Put away your messy thoughts first." Ito finally stepped forward here while putting on his head protector. "It doesn’t matter if you don’t have any experience in the final. I myself don’t have one here, and I bet the Ukrainian team is also in the same boat. No one has ever experienced a World Cup final in this stadium, so the one who gets an advantage is the one who can regain their composure first."
"The captain is right." Kumiko nodded. "The quicker you get over your nervousness, the better our chance to strike first would be. Just remember one thing. You have been treating every training session as a final, so just treat this final as one of your training sessions. Don’t think too much."
The boys nodded quietly, their gaze turned solemn. At this point, no one dared to talk about the gossip outside, the noises from the media, or any other messy things outside. Even though this was a difficult task to do, everyone tried to clear their mind, putting their focus completely on the game and ignoring all thoughts of what would happen after.
Silence descended on the bus for a moment. It wasn’t the awkward one where the players didn’t know what to say, but somehow a peaceful one. No one talked to each other, just focusing on their own. Some even started chanting something eerie, enough to send chills down the boys’ backs.
Soon enough, Kageyama-sensei finally rose from his seat. He hadn’t said anything yet during the discussion, but the man heard how Ito and Kumiko turned the conversation back on track. When he turned around, the coach was so satisfied with what he saw.
Everyone was so focused, ready to go to war. No amount of speech would be good enough right now, so Kageyama-sensei just asked, "So, ready to win the World Cup today?"