World Cup 77 - Roleplay Thread

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Sun Mar 12, 2017 8:31 pm

Oh the ticket. I love the shape of you.

Quarterfinals - Guayabalense side Cutoff

by **Bonesea** » Mon Mar 13, 2017 2:33 am

by **Farfadillis** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:21 pm

Two teams, do or die. That's what this match is going to be. They're looking for their first semifinal appearance, and so are we. They're new to this stage, we're not. That's the difference. Their eyes glow with hope, ours burn with desire. We've tasted frustration, as a country, far too many times at this stage for defeat to be an option. I've been around for three quarterfinal defeats already. Heartbreak after heartbreak. Of the players who took the pitch alongside me in the first of those, back in World Cup 73 against Eura, only Rübéãn is playing today. He must remember that painful thrashing just as vividly as me. We both played terribly that day. And against San José Guayabal two years later. And we missed our penalties against Nephara two years after that. What better way to redeem ourselves than putting in the most inspiring shift of our lives? As I said, do or die. That's what it is.

The match begins. We soon make our intentions clear: we want to outscore them, not shut them out. No surprise to anyone, really. We're Farfadillis, and we have our own way of doing things. We stumble and we fall, but we are who we are. Schottia seem to be a bit sleepy. We're getting to the ball before them, we're winning more tackles than usual, and we're looking overall sharper. Might they be complacent? If they don't stop, I have no doubt we will be facing the hosts in a few days.

A few minutes pass. Ruy is bossing midfield like the restless machine he can be. Reminiscent of Mêndêlöíndçêl, without a doubt. It feels strange. Knowing we could reach the semifinals, but players like him, Kâí and Dandalleion never did. It almost feels wrong.

Oh, how I would love to have Dandalleion or Kâí around. Give me those two in their primes, and I can guarantee we would win the World Cup. It would be a lot easier if I could just look up and punt the ball wherever the hell I felt like, knowing full well Dandalleion will get to the ball before anyone else, and create the danger himself. It would be great having Risko on the same flank as me once again. Few players in the history of the Multiverse have been more dangerous wingers than him. Prime Fôx on the right would also be pretty helpful, you know...

... wait, what am I thinking? I have to focus on the present, not think about what-could-have-beens. Whatever hypothetically could have happened, hasn't happened. Let's face facts, the worst Farf team in more than a decade is the one that can reach the semifinals now, and we'll have to make-do. Maes is not Alaminos, Söh is not Bârr, Tôr is not Kâí, Meier is not Fôx and Siorrha'Asione is not Dandalleion. They're all inferior versions, but they're inferior versions that can do what they never could. That's what matters now.

Tôr makes a great feint and pulls off a perfectly-placed through pass to the player behind him. He faces the keeper and, despite it not being his preferred, he goes for the far-post with his right foot. It goes in, and we're one goal up. It takes me a few seconds to realize the goalscorer is not Wínrôuge, not Çíânflöné, not Dandalleion, not Kâí and not Fôx. A player mediocre in comparison, albeit one in the right place at the right time.

Well, I've done my part. Now's your turn, Tôr.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Scoring a goal ten minutes in was a great way to start the game, I have to say. But I'm not under the illusion that the game's not going to be hard. I have to be sharper than ever. No more forgetting what substitutions I had planned. No more forgetting the players' names. No more forgetting I have players on the bench I can rely on. No more forgetting the scoreline. No. Today, I will be a sensible manager that does his job perfectly and basks in the rewards of his focused, calculated, professional, focused, calculated, focused work. I am in control. In control. Complete control. I am control. Am.

I shake my head violently. I don't know why I do it. I know my thoughts will not unscramble with a mere movement of my head. No, wait, that's wrong. The word's not unscramble. It's discramble. Or maybe antiscramble? When did my brain start going so downhill that I can't even remember the word that is the contrary of that other word?

I used to shrug it off. Sweep it aside. Forget about it. I didn't need the meds. The doctor was Farf, he couldn't possibly know what he was talking about. Dementia? Not me, not papa. No, no, I'm eccentric. He just mistook that for degenerative brain yadda yadda. But he was right, not wrong, I think. I consider. Maybe.

No, no. I have to focus. I, Tíbürçìó, who definitely should've obeyed his doctors, has to focus on beating Nephara. A place in the semifinals is at stake here. I have to take advantage of the conflict back home. Pit all of these players against each other. Make them hate each other. Fuel their hate and make that fuel win them the match. Yes, that's a brilliant plan.

I shake my head violently again. Placebo effect, probably, but my thoughts are clearer now. Clear enough to know there'll be joked about my head-shaking. That plan of mine was for the past two World Cups. There's an armistice now. The dressing room is, similarly, in an armistice of sorts. Nofzaleiné is sitting behind me, barely getting playing time, cause he's no longer useful in that sense. I quickly revise my mental notes.

Ror Jevdjevic-Hadsic. Hilariously envious of others. He's been playing well, I think. He looks satisfied with himself. Wínrôuge, on the other hand, has not been good enough. But he's pulled off a few eye-candies. Yes, yes. Fuel, that's what Ror needs.

"ROR, MOVE YOUR FAT ASS! PLAY LIKE WÍNRÔUGE FOR ONCE FOR FUCK'S SAKE! IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK!?" Harsh, but that's the point. He reacts instantly. His face goes awry, and I see hints of fury in his expression. Clenched teeth, focused eyes. Yes, yes, that will do.

Täjó Çíânflöné. Immensely insecure, but somehow brilliant in big games despite that. Crumbles under pressure, yet fate often spares him. Known as a big-game player. Fascinating. Stiin Siorrha'Asione, on the other hand, is more arrogant than any other player I've managed. I'll hit two stones with three birds.

"STIIN! STIIN! YOU HAVE TO CARRY US TODAY! NO OTHER PLAYER CAN! IT'S DO OR DIE, AND YOU'RE THE BEST PLAYER IN THE TEAM!"

As the words leave my mouth, I realize that I really have hit lots of stones with my stones. Wínrôuge will want to show he is this team's lord and saviour and God and king and whatever. Siorrha'Asione will be pure hubris, and his goalscoring is fueled by that. Jevdjevic-Hadsic will be even more furious. Maes, Tôr and Röènôùjýâ will avoid passing the ball to Siorrha'Asione, at least subconsciously, because they all hate his guts. That's also fantastic; Siorrha'Asione has not got what it takes to play at the highest level. I may be crazy, medically-so now, but I still know my football. Nobody would agree with me, but I'm sure of it.

I can feel my thoughts lose coherence again. I don't know why today has been so bad. Deep down, I know most days in the future will be worse. But that's not what matters now. What matters now is the now. I have to help these players the best they can.

The Ruland conflict. Yes, that was the plan. Fuel them with hate.

"RÜÜÜÜÜÜÜLÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂNDÉÉÉÉÉÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ T'ÍNDÈÈPÈÈÈÈÈÈÈNDÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊSSSSÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ"

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

"What the hell is going on with the gaffer?" I ask myself. This is strange even for him. No matter. His usual mind tricks, probably. One thing I know for sure. You'll never find someone more quintessentially Farf.

We're one goal up. He really shouldn't be screwing with us like this. No matter. Worst case scenario, he hurt some feelings. Söh recovers the ball. He passes to Monrazón who, hurried by Killanen, passes back to Söh. Söh now passes to Drê. Drê begins running up the pitch. He's taking the match by the balls. I don't know what's gotten into him lately, but he's not himself. He seems almost possessed by a demon. Same goes for Tíbürçìó, but his is malevolent.

Drê dribbles and passes the ball to Wínrôuge, who needs only one pass to send Meier through against the keeper. I know full well what to do here. I have to run towards the other corner of the box. Meier always pulls off the same trick in these situations. No silly shooting-and-missing, no. She passes the ball to the incoming winger on the opposite side, which would be me in this case. It doesn't always happen, but it does happen often enough for me to predict it this time.

I'm there now, and she's done exactly that. I know how to hit the ball. My shot flows off the play with natural beauty. It's not a powerful shot, but it curls and it's perfectly-placed. The goalkeeper can't even hope to catch that. The ball grazes the post and goes in. We're two goals up. My goal, a thing of beauty. We've scored a ridiculous number of goals from afar this World Cup.

As I begin my celebration, I hear Tíbürçìó, loud and clear.

Rülândéá t'Índèpèndênsé, indeed. I can't help myself but shout my people's new cry of war when I approach the camera. Loud and clear.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Ever since Tôr's goal, we've collapsed. Schottia have dominated. It's pretty intolerable, seeing this team get complacent, but it's not that this time. The team's harmony has been completely disrupted. Did I say disrupted? I meant completely annihilated. Whatever peace we had found in the Rulandese-Farf armistice is completely gone. Rulandese players are getting in heated arguments with their non-Rulandese counteraparts. Defensive cohesiveness has been thrown out the window, what little we had of it, anyway. Any semblance of a coordinated attack we had is now gone. Wínrôuge only passes to Tôr and his cousin. Ror is being an egotistical idiot, very unlike him, Siorrha'Asione is not even getting the ball cause he's arrogant and anti-Ruland, and I'm here, all alone, cleaning up after everyone's mess. What happens when Söh is too busy arguing with Monrazón? Calogero has to face a Schottian one-on-one again. That's what happens.

I've held out for sixty minutes of playing time. Thank whoever's-up-there I'm in the form of my life. Otherwise, we'd be two goals down at the very least. The Schottian newspapers won't stop praising and lamenting my performance. If we win, that is. With ten minutes to go, it's not looking likely. That's how badly we're being dominated.

What the fuck was Tíbürçìó thinking when he shouted that? The national team has to represent the country's unity. Back home, what we do generates ripples much bigger than he thinks.

Maes loses track of his man, and this time I know the clean sheet's gone. I face Killanen one-on-one - thankfully, up until now, he had never had a clear-cut chance. I do my best, but he places the ball so far from my reach it would've been the save of the decade if I had pulled it off. I'm playing the best game of my life, but peak-Metz is still a human. We have to hang onto the result for a few minutes. I don't think we can do it.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

The referee ends the match, and joy overtakes me. We've made it to the semifinals. For the first time in history. Finally. I scored in it. So did Tôr. We've redeemed ourselves. We've all done it.

But then it dawns on me. There's no longer a "we" here. Once again.

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Match Against Schottia Sparks Revolutionary Sentiment
"Rülândéá t'Índèpèndênsé" the words that could re-ignite a revolution

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Riots in Ruland
Numbers in the hundreds of thousands; tension at an all-time high

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

Government Approves Armed Intervention
The Federal Council approved a military order to use force to limit the riots in the country's poorest state, violating the armistice

Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ Ӿ

RRA Officially Declares End of Armistice
Civil war imminent

by **Vilita** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:52 pm

:: TALES FROM AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE ::

Iqaluit Stadium, Iqaluit, Unified Québec :: The two-time defending World Cup Champion Royal Kingdom of the Sunrise Islands advanced to the Quarter Finals of the World Cup yet again but this time they would face a foe that they could not overcome. No, this foe was not just their opponents on the pitch, the players of the Unified Québec national team. No, their biggest foe on this day was the Québecois climate - more specifically the frigid temperatures at the Iqaluit Stadium in Iqaluit. With the peak temperature on the day reaching only a bone-chilling -47'C; its a wonder anyone showed up to fill the 104,000 seater stadium. But, they did. The stadium was packed - primarily with locals from Iqaluit and other areas within Unified Québec. As such, support for the home team was at times overwhelming.

Having already won two consecutive World Cups, supporters from the Royal Kingdom of the Sunrise Islands seemed content to stay behind either in the Sunrise Islands, or, in the warmer regions of Unified Québec and await what they would have expected to be a Semi-Final draw in a more favorable location.

They wouldn't get that chance. The local fans willed their team on in an impressive defensive effort, holding the two-time defending World Cup champions to just a single goal over the 90 minute time-frame. With their own goal cancelling out the Sunrise strike, the match required extra time.

The crowd had to be frozen, yet their vocal chords were still going and when the home side scored in the extra session, one would have been afraid the stadium would have collapsed if not for the fact that it couldn't, as it was literally frozen into the ground. Unfortunately for Unified Québec, the World Champs also scored in the extra session meaning that 120 minutes of bone-chilling cold and the match still was undecided. Perhaps, however, this was exactly the plan for the hosts. Freeze out their opponents at the biggest stage. Nerves would already have been high for the Penalty Shootout but adding in the extra factor of the extreme cold, the variables may have been too much for the Sunrise players to overcome.

Iqaluit erupted when the Penalty Shootout came to an end, and Unified Québec had won 4-3, advancing to the World Cup Semi-Final.

The Samseongoloondongjang, Montreal, Unified Québec :: The second semi-final in the Unified Québec region was contested in somewhat better conditions - the temperature in Montreal was "just" -18'C. One other factor that made the atmosphere a little more friendly, however, was the fact that the stadium was at least partially covered. While it was an open roof over the pitch, the fans were protected from the onslaught of continuous snowfall that required referee-ordered in-match stoppages every 15 minutes for snow removal. The stoppages would always coincide with the goal kick closest to 15 minute interval from the previous stoppage.

For the two teams contesting the match, the conditions were just brutal. Both the Cognosphere of Vilita and the Tropics of Bonesea had no real desire to be playing a match in such cold and snowy conditions. But, they did anyway. The prize was too great. A berth in the World Cup Semi-Finals.

Perhaps knowing that fans of both teams were far less likely to attend a match in such a brutal wintry environment, the Quarter-Final matchup between Vilita & Bonesea was played in the smallest capacity arena of all four of the Quarter Final Matchups across the two regional brackets.

The 80,000+ fans that did show up for the match, however, were treated to a real gem. Both teams came out firing - perhaps looking to make their mark on the game before the snow and cold had frozen their bodies to the point they no longer wanted to attempt making contact with the ball. Bonesea struck first through Chilli-Bean Acosta, the Sailors legend who many had speculated would be retiring at the end of World Cup 77. It was a fantastic strike and, if it would end up being the end of a career for Acosta, it would be a highlight worthy of it. The Vilitans struck back, however, with a pair of goals that came quickly after the first snow-clearing stoppage at the 16 minute mark.

The rate of snow fall fell slightly after the second stoppage in the 33rd minute, and much of the final third of the first half of play was unperturbed by the fluffy white stuff. Just as it appeared Vilita would take the lead into the half, Caro Tyree scored for the Sailors to level the scores and make it a 45 minute sprint to the finish.

Once the second half began, however, The Cognosphere of Vilita made their mark and began to hold things down, scoring twice in the first 20 minutes and then locking down defensively in the final half hour including 6 minutes of stoppage time. Avenging a shock 3-2 defeat to this very same Tropics of Bonesea side during World Cup 75, the Vilitans had earned the ultimate prize on the day. No, not just their trip to the World Cup 77 Semi-Finals - but a trip to Gotham, off the southern point of Lake Bekk - where there would be no snow and, just maybe, the influence of Unified Québecs roaring fan base just might be nullified in the Great Calania.

OOC Note 1: I took the liberty of describing some purposely generic aspects of the other Québec region quarter-final match on the consideration that A) This is a parallel universe / fun RP and any discrepancies could easily be ignored in this fashion; B) Québec indicated there was a possibility he would not have time for such an RP in IRC and C) Both users have not historically been focused on the fine details of the match itself in prior RPs.

OOC Note 2: Northern Sunrise Islands Imagery was purposely used instead of Unified Sunrise Islands imagery due to the fact that this is intended to be fun, and I figured it would be more 'fun' to use the USI/NSI flag that USI/NSI actually posts with and everyone always sees when he posts, opposed to the unified flag which is not used in the forums.

by **Vilita** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:28 pm

Ah yes Vilitan fans. The prophecy is still alive! Drop points in the opening match and be on your way to success!

Obviously, it's worked twice already. Could the third time also be the charm?

In fact, on both occasions that Vilita have actually accomplished something in the World Cup - which there are far more times where they fell flat on their faces regardless of the opening match result - as well all know... but on both occasions they actually did accomplish something; it was done after recovering from an early points drop in the first match of the group stage.

But let me remind you this. It's a sample size of two. TWO!. Now, I know it was way before any of our times, but, the Vilita National Team has won one other World Cup Committee event in its time... the 6th Cup of Harmony. Thats right, before they had won a World Cup they were Cup of Harmony champions - during the Cup of Harmony that coincided with the World Cup 14 finals.

So if you now expand the data set to three... THREE! Three World Cup Committee sanctioned tournaments where our very own Jungle Cats in their history have won a semi-final matchup... The data set breaks. Vilita did not lose their opening match in Cup of Harmony 6. In fact, the Jungle Cats won their opening 3 matches in World Cup 14's Cup of Harmony. So where does that stand in line with the Vilitan prophecy? Does it put a dent in its validity? Or is it easily ignored?

Of course the prophecy extends to qualifying - in fact it does so far more often than it does to the World Cup Finals - with so many famous point-dropping opening match events like the Giant Bird of Lymantatia and the Nacho Libre scandal. But in qualifying, the prophecy always goes something to the effect of "Vilita have to drop points to a low or unranked nation... blah blah blah"

Of course once you get to the World Cup Finals, there aren't many low or unranked nations left. In the two previous deep competition runs by the Vilita Jungle Cats, while they dropped points in the opening match in both of them, their opponents were anything but low or unranked.

First, there was the opening match of the World Cup 20 finals. Vilita's opponent? Someone low or unranked? NO! Not at all! Silly Garbage Timeans!

In the opening match of World Cup 20, the Jungle Cats squared off with two-time World Cup Champion Eauz!

How about more recently... A World Cup that... some of us remember. My daddy remembers, of course, he tells me about it plenty. Low or unranked opponent to start off with? Nope! High-ranked Pasarga who would eventually win the World Cup 72 title and finish Runners-Up in World Cup 73.

So, now I hear all of you screaming from the other side of my digital projection. "Yes! Yes! And thats Exactly Why We're going to do it this time!"

I hear your screaming Jungle Cat fans. But just like you can tell me "Oh, we were beat by two-time World Cup Champion Unified Sunrise Islands to open up World Cup 77, so it must be destiny!"

And then I also heard you all celebrating when the hosts, the Royal Kingdom of Quebec defeated the Unified Sunrise Islands and clinched their place as Vilita's opposition for the World Cup 77 Semi-Final. You said "Good, a team we might be able to beat!"

Codswallop! You've all jinxed it! Let me provide you another data point to burst your bubbles.

Those points dropped in the opening match of World Cup 20 to the two-time World Cup Champion Eauz? Avenged. Vilita and Eauz would eventually clash again during the World Cup 20 Quarter Finals. Not only did the Jungle Cats get revenge, they did so confidently with a 4-1 drubbing that sent Eauz packing and the Jungle Cats to a Semi-Final date with destiny on the line against then three-time World Cup Champion, Rejistania.

Fun fact, that was very nearly an epic Vilita v. Turori matchup. The Eels were eliminated by Rejistania in a Karelan scoreline of 0-1 that is widely believed to be the influential factor in Turori's adoption of the Karelan ways.

So. Points dropped in first match were avenged later in the cup. How about more recently - opening matchday loss to Pasarga, was that avenged?

Yes! Garbage Timeans! It was! Vilita and Pasarga would meet again in the Semi-Finals and it was, once again, a dominant result for the Jungle Cats! 4-2 they won!

------------------------------------------

Famous Vilitan Population Migrations
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So now, I ask you, if you are all really sooooo superstitious... soooo apt to believe in sacrifices to margaret and history repeating itself....

How could any of you have wanted to play any nation in this Semi-Final match other than the Unified Sunrise Islands? If we start unfolding the long arms of the Prophecy... It seems like it would have been a guaranteed victory!

I guess my point is this. Yes. there have been very similar coincidences in the few successes that our nation has had in its long, long history. But with a sample size so small, they are really just coincidences. The presence - or lack thereof of those Coincidences in Royal Kingdom of Quebec and San Jose Guayabal do not preclude or ensure that this Vilita Jungle Cat team will be able to build upon those successes. The only ones who can control things now are the Jungle Cats themselves and the almighty Margaret. And you, the fans.

Now we have to play the host nation in their own backyard. They will be out in force, on the streets, trying to intimidate you, trying to keep you quiet. Jungle Cat fans. Your team needs you. Descend on the city of Gotham like your predecessors similarly did before you in Druida & Legalese, each making long pilgrimages across the lands of Calania to support their team in a time of need. Like the great Druidan Migration - so many Vilitan fans went to Druida to support the team during World Cup 20 that many of them never left, forming a Vilitan Exile section of Druida... even their own domestic team!

In fact, if you want to talk about destiny, lets just talk briefly about World Cup Semi-Final matches played in Calania at the southern end of Lake Bekk. Yes, I know what you are thinking. That's one of those stupid sports stats like "Well, when the batter is on a 3-1 count with a runner on third base, batting from the #8 slot with a designated hitter on deck in a night game when the temperature is below freezing and the home team is wearing their alternate uniforms..." I know. I know. But hear me out...

World Cup Semi-Final Matches. Calania. Southern Lake Bekk area. Vilita plays. Lets just say, Jungle Cat fans, it tends to turn out well. Vilitan faithful have twice in their history migrated en masse to this part of Calania to literally propel their team through from the World Cup Semi-Final. Now, as luck would have it, we've put in our penance in the frigid wintry Royal Kingdom of Quebec, and survived. Now, like some of our previous opponents, the hosts themselves will be making the extreme transition from a climate only they could be comfortable with - the ultra-freezing land that no one should ever be forced to visit... Iqaluit... and moving on to a temperate climate that we, as Vilitans, well we quite frankly thrive in.

The conditions couldn't be more perfect. Literally. I'm so excited to be leaving proper Quebec and heading down to Gotham. Even if it is kind of scary what you see in the news there. One of those contested places that is a hotbed of crime blah blah blah ITS NOT FREEZING! I wouldn't mind having large groups of you guys with me though, just in case. Come with me guys. Pack your bags... or at least bring some clothes with you. It will be a journey you remember for the rest of your lives, win or lose. Go Jungle Cat Fans! Join me in Gotham!

...Oh, and make sure to wear pants with pockets that zip or seal, carry all your important personal belongings in inside pockets and, well, maybe carry a little piece of personal protection with you just in case. I've got mine. Hey I wonder if we can get those guys from Bonesea to stay behind as our personal protection? They seemed like shady characters that would fit right in in Gotham...

Got to keep moving Jungle Cat fans. Don't stay in one place for too long in this city... Most importantly stay in Groups. Big ones! Come out in force!!! Hope the stadium has good security!

I swear swear swear, next time... I really hope that maybe possibly potentially next time we'll get to the list of 95 reasons we hate 95X.

by **San Jose Guayabal** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:55 pm

The Movie
Credits to Farfadillis for the image, which was used originally in a World Cup 73 Pre-WC Finals RP.

Rodolfo Zelaya is well known for being the star of the Guayabalense National Team, some sort of talisman and key player of the pitch, the one who tells the team “Fight on” and the players might fight despite being in severe disadvantage, perhaps moral disadvantage or talent-wise disadvantage… We all know what Zelaya is in the pitch but we don’t know how he acts or what he is outside the pitch. Rodolfo Zelaya’s private life has remained as an indomitable issue, nobody knows about it, nobody does, despite a lot of people might be curious on how a player of his calibre was forged, perhaps, the most well-known Guayabalense in the multiverse, some sort of trademark for the people and the nation. You can see how he appears on touristic advertisements or brochures, the first thing you see is he celebrating a goal or dominating the ball while doing some freestyle with it. This might be a golden chance for those who doesn’t known about the most iconic symbol of the nation, the fans, be it from across the multiverse or from San José Guayabal, will find here, in a brief preview of this audio-visual material, which is his official self-biography, here, we will be able to see a lot of intimate details about him, things that we don’t known and we wanted to know, this is the golden chance, this is “Zelaya, the movie.”

In this movie, people has the chance to see Zelaya since he was a child. Starting from the early years in the little village of La Pradera, near the aerospace-hub of Concepción Batres, we see him growing alongside his mother Ana and his dad Humberto, with the companion of his brothers Martín, Carlos and Juan, and his sisters Johanna, Krissia, Gabriela. Zelaya was the fifth out of seven sons, he assisted to school as usual and he didn’t excelled as one of the best students of the class, contrary to what one may think, Zelaya developed learning disorders, which were treated well, but that didn’t avoided him from suffering a quite horrible moment in his life, being bullied for that. His classmates considered him as a retarded, hence he was bullied and often attacked physically for that, it was a quite cruel happening for him, that led into severe problems of depression and one attempt of suicide from Zelaya, which was the straw that broke off the camel and forced his mom to seek psychological treatment for “Fito”. The process was large and tedious, since Zelaya wasn’t used to talk with people about said happenings, instead, he wanted to forget it and get his life done early, which was the part that saddened up the most his family, especially his mother, who felt through her “sixth sense” that Zelaya was destined to be a superstar, she didn’t know in what, but she felt that and was sure that the road to begin the process was closer and closer, but never guessed that the bullying would be some sort of ladder to achieve it.

After some counselling by the psychologist, Zelaya was told by Josefina Acevedo, the one who basically opened the door for him into sports. Acevedo asked Zelaya that he “Needed to get involved into an activity he would be able to vent out his feelings and help to keep him away from suicide thoughts, since, getting occupied in something is known ‘scientifically’ for having said effects in 95% of people multiversally-wide.” Zelaya was curious about it, he had never experienced sports, he, for an instance, was a guy that preferred sleeping than doing homework or playing sports with peers, that could have been a possible cause of him being bullied, since it’s known that people tends to succumb to peer pressure, if they don’t succumb, they bully or marginalise those people, Zelaya was into the second group of people, perhaps the most dangerous of the two due to the effects and consequences that this might carry in one’s life. Zelaya had some temptation to join his peers to play football, Acevedo convinced him to do, that’s why her mother sent him to a football academy in Concepción Batres’ downtown, the Mariano Hernández Football Academy, named in honour of the first introducer of football in San José Guayabal, Mariano Hernández, who stills being alive, at the age of 94, at the time Zelaya entered, Hernández had secondary roles upon the coaching staff, like, observing and scouting players to be promoted to teams of the newly created “Liga Premier” which was managed by him.

“When I first saw him, I saw not just a child, I saw a genius of football.” Those are the words that Hernández said and are registered on this film, as the introduction of it. Those savvy words coming from somebody with good football taste and experience on the field weren’t going to be ignored, and he notified to the Liga Premier scouts about the opportunity they would have in a future, but that was going to happen after some time, since Zelaya was only 12 and school was the foremost priority in the list, a priority that was going good and he managed to level up with good results at the academia, perhaps not being the best across everybody else in the school or the nation, but was a rather good student above the average, but his sporting skills were the ones who excelled the most, especially when he had the chance to be the captain of the school team for a tournament of the Usulután region, Zelaya was the top-scorer of the entire tournament, averaging 2.5 goals per game, which is normal in a youth football tournament, but he excelled by dribbling and also having a nice physique, in terms of endurance, he was well over his peers, having a 18 years old endurance in a 12 years old body, surprising, eh? Zelaya was making the road easier for the future, he was maturing fast in football terms, and that’s why he would turn on what he currently is.

The years passed forward, he was 17 but he wasn’t called for youth teams, the Guayabalense National Team didn’t existed yet, Hernández was working hard on said project, he didn’t wanted to pull off a ridiculous performance in the first competition, the Baptism of Fire, he was following a lot of child since early ages, and he was depurating the list one by one, he was ready to have a cut for the best players when they had eighteen, then he was up to work with those elected in a special way in order to have the best, and that’s how at the age of eighteen, Zelaya got a random mail at house, he opened it and it was Hernández, notifying him that he was selected into the “National Best” and obviously, getting ready for the special work, which turned to last seven years, seven years of hard work and constant training, that included climbing mountains such as “El Faro” a 6,722 meters high mountain, which was a harsh test on those youngsters, provided they were only 21 when they did that, but that wasn’t the hardest part of it, since they had to climb the Pico Santa Marta (8,642 mts high) thrice, during that, Zelaya was known for being the leader of those youngsters, Zelaya’s character was forged by the suffering he had and the experiences he lived on Santa Marta, which marked his life for ever, according to him, climbing that peak is “harder than playing in a World Cup” due to physical exhaustion and all of that-

The time came and it was the Baptism of Fire time, despite the team didn’t qualified to next round, Zelaya had a good time there, that made him being in the eyes of several important teams. After having a good run with Alianza FC, the team that called him up originally and also says that he is “devote of”, he went to Northbrook Diamonds, of the Polar Islandstates, where he enjoyed the pleasure of winning three straight Divisjon-1 titles and one Champions’ Cup, then the Polarian league was disbanded due to climate issues on the archipelago, forcing him to break up a “lifelong link with the fans at Northbrook” and then went to 1830 Cathair, in Audioslavia, a club where he also enjoyed a lot of success and quickly turned into the preferred player of the fans, at the same time, he was the key that made the Guayabalense team qualify to the World Cup for the first time ever, starting the path of success and victory that has covered La Selecta since then (Well, not literally, you know, advertising issues), Zelaya turned not into a player, it turned into a hero, a cult hero among the fans, especially of the radical “Los Borrachos del Sur” who considers him as “The child of God” Although that’s a bit extreme, including to myself, but for them it’s normal and worthy for being considered as such, despite having lifted some controversy by refusing to be called as such since “Glory is for God only, not for humans.”

Zelaya tends to accept fans treatment unless if that refers to call him as a deity, that enrages him a bit, something that he proved on WC 71, after winning the Cup of Harmony against Valanora, where some fans put him as a statue with the words “God’s prodigy” he “accidentally” let it fell on the floor while simulating a fall due to a wet floor, people didn’t thought he did it on purpose, but in fact, he did it in purpose, since he felt indignity by such thinking. Despite that kind of attitude, Zelaya is a person that has a special relationship with fans, especially with Los Borrachos Del Sur and Ultra Blanca, Alianza FC’s Ultras, from which he has declared as fan and also member, putting him in a special position of being an ultra-member and also player, something which is only seen in nations with strong ultra’s influence such as Anglatia and now-extinct Mytannion. That relationship was only prone to be improved and more intimate after a chain of events that happened on World Cup 73, 74 and 76, which only served to ratify his status as the first legend of the Guayabalense football, the main artifice of having a team being so close to the World Cup glory, that would be the last thing he needs to be immortal for the fans, creating a legacy that won’t be broken easily.

That chain of events is related to the performance the Guayabalense National Team had in said World Cups, starting from World Cup 73, where the national team was so close to get into the final, then, on the next cycle, qualifying for the final and after that going once again to semi-finals, in all of those chances, third place was the worst La Selecta got. The link with fans was incredible, to the point that when Zelaya wasn’t able to play, due to injuries or red cards, he joined the fans as anyone else would do and decided to celebrate with the ultras rather than going to some VIP balcony and being away from the real party in the stands, one of the main convictions that Zelaya sees in that is to ratify what many people thinks about him “A humble superstar” “A player that might win everything but never lets pride go up.” It’s precisely that sense of community and approach with the fans that is slowly immortalising him, and might led him to get his status of legend to perhaps super-legend of the Guayanalense football, the first revolutionary guy into a football that hasn’t a lot of time of being in the multiverse, a nation that only has around 37 years of being around but only 15 of having a national team, that’s why Zelaya is indeed a person worthy to do a movie, worthy to be commemorated and honoured as a legend, since he deserves such status for the Guayabalense football.

by **San Jose Guayabal** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:59 pm

Break up the chains, one more step and you'll be closer to glory!

Semifinals - Québécois side Cutoff

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:05 pm

After all this time?

Always.

Semifinals - Guayabalense side Cutoff

by **Vilita** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 3:51 am

The Hell's Pit, Gotham, Tropics of Québec :: Having ousted the two-time defending World Cup Champions in the Quarter-Finals, the Jungle Reapers of the Tropics of Québec had their sights set high with a spot in the World Cup 77 final on the line in the Semi-Finals. Standing in their way, however, would be the Royal Kingdom of Vilita, a regional rival with a healthy share of supporters in Gotham attempting to offset the environmental advantage the Québecois would have hoped to achieve as hosts on their own soil.

Both sides would be traveling to Gotham from vastly different Quarter Final venues up in the frigid Northern outpost of Québec. The change in climate would be just one factor to deal with for the two sides, however, as instead of Snow falling from the sky they would have to be wary of flares, streamers and other more harmful projectiles being thrust from the stands - or, potentially even from outside the stadium if some over-zealous supporters without a ticket decide they too wanted to be part of the festivities.

When the match got started, however, it was the supporters in the away end who had the early reason to cheer when the Grim Cats scored a quickfire double in the 24th and 26th minutes to race out to a 2-0 advantage.

The first goal came after a long sequence that saw Vilita's Grim Cats earn 4 back-to-back(-to-back-to-back) corner kicks, ultimately bundling the ball home on the fourth attempt to open the scoring. Then, after the celebrations had at the very least subsided to mostly audio based, the match resumed and immediately Vilita was on the board again, intercepting a lethargic backwards pass from the Jungle Reapers and unloaded a quick long range effort that caught Ondrej Cech off guard. Cech, the famous netminder who plays his domestic football for the Turoki Tide was hopeful that he would have an advantage in the match due to his familiarity with all of the players on the opposing team. Unfortunately, it was a two minute period in the first half of play that had his Tropics of Québec Jungle Reapers on the ropes and in need of a kick start badly.

That kick-start would eventually come after the half time break. The Tropics of Québec made two changes at the half, tactically based, introducing the experienced Makosile defender Lorne Dunford into the match, and also, the young budding starlet from Winnipeg United: Sauron.

It was the introduction of the teenager Suaron that would be the difference making for the Tropics of Québec who immediately looked back in the game playing with an up-beat tempo and attacking the Vilitan goal. Within 10 minutes, they had clawed one back and it was the energetic Sauron who got the goal. It was a shot that had come in from Hazel Van Robben from just inside the 18 yard box that was blocked by the outstretched leg of the Grim Cat defender. The ball deflected out only as far as the young Sauron who ripped the ball on the hop on a fiery path toward the back of the net that the Vilitan goalkeeper could - and wouldn't want to have done anything about, sticking a hand at the ball but the pace of the effort would likely have either broken or burned any hands, arms or legs that had fully gotten in its way.

It had appeared that the Québecois had all the momentum but then the Vilitans did something smart and slowed the game down with substitutions. First, just as the match was ready to be kicked off, they sent the physio on the field to ensure that, in fact, the netminders hand was ok. It was. Then, when that commotion was about to be over, the Grim Cats made a substitution.

By the time the match had resumed, the high decibel eardrum-popping positive energy that the Jungle Reaper supporters had put together had fizzled to a dull roar and never fully recovered.

The Royal Kingdom of Vilita worked hard to protect their lead, clear balls safely to touch and maintain possession, frustrating the Tropics of Québec's attempts to break through and level the scores. Québec still had the better of the chances over the majority of the second half - only natural as they had it all to gain with Vilita sitting back in an unnatural defensive posture. However, as Québec continued to press for that late equalizing goal the 'Cats took all the life out of the 'Reapers with a third goal that put the match out of reach and secured the Vilitans a spot in the World Cup 77 final.

Sakhalin Stadion, Yuzhno Sakhalinsk, San José Guayabal :: 132,000 were on hand at the Sakhalin Stadion to root on the host nation, The Outlandish Lands of San José Guayabal, square off against Atlantian Oceanias own Kingdom of Farfadillis. There was no question who the majority of the fans in attendance were pulling for but despite this fact, the Farfadites would not be put away, having an answer for everything being thrown at them by the Guayabalese; and the Outlandish Guayabalese having an answer for everything the Farfutians threw at them.

With the long, highly competitive sporting history between the Royal Kingdom of Vilita and the Kingdom of Farfadillis, there was no doubt mixed emotions about the outcome of the match amongst supporters of the Grim Cats. On the one hand, Farfadillis had, on many occasions, knocked Vilita out of the World Cup - even when there was nothing left to gain for the Farfigillies themselves. As such, any early exit for Farfadillis would surely be cheered across Vilita. On the other hand, however, the opportunity was right there in front of them. Should Faradillis win, it would set up a cataclysmicly epic clash between two fierce foes and the Royal Kingdom of Vilita would have the chance to get revenge over Farfadillis for all those knockout blows with one victory on the single most ultimate stage out there. Of course, the downside to that idea would be that Farfadillis has always been a difficult opponent for Vilita, and losing to them in the World Cup Final would only give the Farfazits even more ammunition whenever they passed a Vilitan on the street.

After 90 minutes the two sides could not be separated, the scoreline deadlocked at three goals a piece. 15 minutes of extra time. Nothing. 15 more minutes of extra time, and it was clear that these two sides who had exploded for 6 goals in the 90 minutes were now playing it safe. A penalty shootout would decide which of these two nations was going to compete for the World Cup title.

With the bulk of the 132,000 on hand and thousands more outside the stadium on their side, the Outlandish Lands of San José Guayabal emerged victorious, advancing to the World Cup Final for the second time in front of their home supporters - having recently accomplished the same feat in Sal Salvador during World Cup 74.

For the World Cup Final, the Royal Kingdom of Vilita will re-locate, traveling from Gotham in the Tropics of Québec to San Salvador in the Outlandish Lands of San José Guayabal for the match. The Grim Cats will be optomistic about their chances in the final having defeated San José Guayabal in their only previous World Cup meeting in San José Guayabal, a 2-0 victory at the Estadio Nacional Barrio El Niño to open up World Cup 70. The two sides also met in a high-scoring affair during World Cup 75.

by **Northern Sunrise Islands** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:49 pm

OOC: You try to type a loss RP after spending the past days doing a bunch of stuff at the same time.

The aftermath.
Sunrise remained on one of the Pokémon Stadium's locker rooms.
He remained alone, on a bench.
Kitsunia and Chrom stared at each other, confused.
His eyes were closed.
He didn't seem upset.
It seemed like he was just relaxing.
"H-he does seem upset."
"Doesn't look like it..."
She stared at her lover, his eyes still closed and his face still without much of an emotion.
"I just... I just know it isn't it."
"...But he's-"
"I know."
"Well... Fine, you know him better."
He opened up his eyes, his face rather serene now.
The two approached him slowly, carefully.
"S-Sunrise..."
"We... we wanted to see if you're fine."
"W-we mean... You lost..."
Sunrise shrugged.
"Why would I not?"
"...Y-You lost!"
"As one would eventually have to."
He got up from the bench, scaring Chrom a bit.
"It's part of what being in a competition entails. Besides..."
He walked up to the locker room's entrance, eyeing out the battle field he had just barely lost on, but more specifically the ecstatic crowd.
"...My goal was to have fun battling with my dearest Pokémon team and make sure others would enjoy my efforts. Winning, although a nice feeling to the head and the heart, doesn't exactly comes first."
Sunrise walked back from the door, returning to the two.
"Think about it, Chrom. Would you rather win it all with a boring, cheap tactic that all look down upon or battle it out the way you believe is the best, under the risk of failing, but still enough to show your skill?"
"..."
"Kitsunia. If someone ever told you that you that you could be the richest person ever if you left your loved ones, would you do it?"
"I-I wouldn't."
"This is the point."
He took out the three Pokéballs he had used during his last battle.
"You could say these three Pokémon failed me. You could say I failed them three."
He put the three on the usual Healing Machine, to the care of a nearby nurse.
"Or you could say it the way I'd say it."
"...W-which would be?"
"That my Pokémon were able to put up some of the best battles they could ever have."
"B-but..."
"...You could've won it all again."
"Winning is nice. But it isn't all of it."
Sunrise sat back on a bench, waiting for his Pokémon to get healed.
"Have you two noticed how much things have changed from my first title to now? It's quite remarkable how many things have happened from start to finish."
He patted the bench, signaling for the two to sit by his side.
The request was quickly accepted.
"See. Before that, I wasn't exactly much to talk about. Just a guy that took care of his Pokémon and his looks, normally got into trouble for doing the wrong things at the wrong time."
He noticed Kitsunia looking to the side.
"You remember how much of a pigsty my place was, don'cha?"
"Smelled like cheese."
"In my defense, cooking cheese-related dishes isn't as hard as it sounds."
"You know I'm never learning how to cook. Better leave it to you."
"Figures."
Sunrise shrugged.
"So as I leave this stadium, I now have three kids to take care of-"
"I'm not a kid."
"Until you beat me, you are!"
"Hmpf. Not like it won't happen soon."
"So you're a grown up kid. Happy now?"
Chrom chuckled a bit.
"And a future beautiful wife..."
"You're so swee-"
"...That will protect me from being beaten up by the mean elf down the hallway."
"...You really should get a hobby that isn't throwing things over Madam Valanora's head."
"She should get a hobby that isn't being exactly under my occasional-slash-incidental targets."
"And I'm marrying you, lord Arceus may remind me why."
"Because you love me?"
"...That's a good answer."
"This is what I realized. While it's fun to win, participating on all of this is the most fun."
Sunrise smiled, the other two simply looked upwards.
"Wouldn't really kill to ever win it."
"If only my draw wasn't so poor..."
"Did you date Manuela?"
"No... I was learning with Miss Yeso until I got eliminated."
"How did that go? You didn't talk about it during the welcome party."
"Hard to talk when you have to secure slices of cake before Kirisaki eats the whole thing."
"Don't remind me. The morning after, she locked herself in the bathroom for hours."
"Oof."
"Well, she taught me to be more unorthodox. To see there's more than just-"
"More than just winning?"
"More than just logic. But I guess you're right, in a way."
"Well... If you really want to know..."
Sunrise sighed.
"I was a bit scared of... you know... getting overconfident about things."
Chrom raised an eyebrow.
"You, overconfident? Psh."
"Maybe it's just the way I was raised. Remember how Huelandia used to say-"
"Be good people. The rest is the rest."
"Exactly. This is a competition between people. Sure, some might hate each other but in general we're all in good terms."
He looked down for a bit.
"Madam DuBeaux would insist on me winning if she cared about it. Huelandia would just cheer me on, even if I failed."
"To be fair, you never failed on your studies. That's the sole thing mom knew about your desires."
"She never berated you for struggling nor Matthew for failing."
"That's ma."
"You two took a bit from her, I'd say."
"Kitsunia did take from her mother on the whole pulling people by the ear- OW!"
Kitsunia pinched his ear.
"You deserved that."
"Ow..."
"Well, Sunrise."
Chrom got up.
"I understand what you're saying. But I swear I'll win it one day, make you both proud."
Kitsunia giggled a bit.
"We're already proud."
"Indeed."
"I guess I should be on my way."
"Hm?"
"I promised Qasden I'd help her out with her homework. She might be still in a competition and all, but she can't forget her studies."
Chrom waved off as he returned home.
Kitsunia looked at Sunrise, smiling.
"Look at you. Mature."
"Never ever thought you'd see me like this, right?"
"No. I knew it'd happen one day. I just didn't know I'd be here with you."
"See what I said? A lot of things happened."
"The more things happen, the more they stay the same."
Sunrise smirked.
"Poor Matthew."
"He'll be the exception."
"I can think of another exception."
The two lovers held their hands together.
He had a fair smile, she once again had her cheeks somewhat red.
"We?"
"You figured it out."

by **Farfadillis** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 8:01 pm

Watching Ruland burst into flame was tough for everyone. Nobody believed the government when they announced they would destroy it. They very much did. About a million dead, most infrastructure destroyed, the rest of the population left to starve. Charities sprouted from apparent nothingness. Suddenly, every single person in the country seemed to care about the grief-stricken state.

For the Farves, Ruland had blinked into existence the moment the bombs hit the ground. And a blink it was, because it blinked out of it minutes after. The factories in which the poor tolled away to avoid starvation. The barren farms that barely produced enough food to avoid famine every year. The kids playing football in the street. All swept away by harsh government intervention, and the people turning their back when they were most needed.

It was the chronicle of a death foretold. The Farf government was daft enough, and the Rulandese violent enough to incite it. The various other states could've stepped in. They could've sided with the Rulandese. They could've sought peace. Their charity was too little, too late. The bread that would feed the survivors would not feed the dead, and it would not feed the many Rulandese who starved to death years past.

Ruland was not in its darkest hour, because dawn had never arrived at the forsaken state. Ever since Farfadillis' foundation, of which there's very little record, Ruland had been the country's sewage. People were born to die there. Few if any ever made it out of there. Not for lack of trying, though. Most Rulandese knew how to speak Farf, how can you explain that?

What the government did constituted genocide. But it wasn't the bombing; their constant abuse of them had begun fitting the definition long ago. The only reason the Rulandese had even survived that long was that their people were more resilient than any other. Their mantra, whether they knew it or not, was survival. The reason Ruland was such a hellhole was that the people there managed to exist in the same place. But nobody is resilient enough to survive when the sky burns.

One fourth of the population now just a memory, with another fourth likely to follow because of their empty stomachs. For the most part, the men will perish for that: the children and women eat first, always. Maybe they will bounce back, who knows? The road will be long, and the wind's blowing in their face, but they've survived. But their mantra has changed. They're no longer defined by their ability to survive. No, now they're a people defined by their seething hate. Their wish to extinguish all those who did them wrong. And who can blame them? Left to starve, made to work, forced to die.

If the government thought that their drastic actions would legitimize them and end the unrest in the country, they couldn't have been more wrong. All other states were now openly defying the capital, and Rulandese terrorist organizations were springing up left and right. It only took four weeks for the government house to be blown up. No, no. Farfadillis' darkest hour had only begun.

by **San Jose Guayabal** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 8:10 pm

You didn't get past to the final, but you are still in fight for some glory!

Third Place Playoff Cutoff

Edit: Formatting issue.

by **Vilita** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 6:40 am

Woohoooo! We did it! We actually did it!

We survived Gotham!

Like literally. We are still alive. There were some scary moments for sure. I think the locals might use that as a scare tactic because as the match was winding down I was definitely starting to think 'oh my gosh if we win this game are we going to get out of here alive?'

Well, we did. We survived and we are still alive, both in physical form and in the World Cup Finals.

Which is kind of a big deal since there is only one other team nation that can say that at this point: San Jose Guayabal.

Now let me tell you what I don't like. Generally.... I don't like just having to up and hop regions overnight but thats what we've had to do after playing six straight games in the Royal Kingdom of Quebec we are off to San Jose Guayabal for one final match right in the backyard of the very team we will be facing. You guys all did an awesome job migrating to Gotham and coming out in support of the National Team in the World Cup Semi-Final. I hope we didn't lose too many of you along the way... but if we did, you will always be remembered for your sacrifice to the cause!

But, I also don't like only feeling half-safe despite having a hundred thousand or more of my nation-mates by my side inside and outside of a stadium called the "Hell's Pit" staring across the stadium at at least 50,000 locals who just looked like they didn't like us very much.

So I guess let me tell you what I do like. I do like getting out of Gotham. And I guess if the options were to go back to the frozen northern lands of the Royal Kingdom of Quebec or to region-hop to San Jose Guayabal where... no matter what the climate is like, it can't be any worse than Iqaluit... then maybe I don't hate it as much as I thought just a moment ago.

Ok. Bring on San Jose Guayabal. I'm ready for it!
... I hope the Vilita National Team are too!

You know its been a very long time since Vilita have won any tournament where the final was played outside of Atlantian Oceania. I mean, its not hard. The list of tournaments Vilita have won in their history is very short. I know some of you don't care about history but history is important guys. If you don't at least pretend to care about it then you'll just disappoint the old person who is telling you the story! And you have to respect your elders, right?

So while Vilita haven't won any major tournaments in a time that most of us can actually remember, they have won a few. Well 3 if you count things sanctioned by the World Cup Committee and a handful more if you count the regional competitions. But if we're talking about the history of what region the Jungle Cats have won championship-clinching games in, looking at the AOCAF is kind of silly, isn't it?

Fun Fact: Vilita have won every single AOCAF Cup held in the nation of Cockbill Street. Both of them. I know, you are saying 'I never heard of a nation called Cockbill Street' but I swear, it was real. And it was really narrow. They hosted two AOCAF Cups and Vilita won them both. Those are also the only two Vilita have ever won on their own though they did team up with those slimey Turorians to famously beat Audioslavia in an AOCAF final that was ironically.... no coincidentally held in the very same place that we just came from... the former Inevitable Syndicate.

No you have to go all the way back to the 6th Cup of Harmony to find a time that Vilita traveled outside of Atlantian Oceania and returned with a championship trophy. Yup one digit. 6. Not 26 or 46 or 66... they are up to 69 of those things now. In the 6th Cup of Harmony, Vilita traveled to The Belmore Family and returned having defeated Jeruselem and claimed the title.

There were only 12 nations in that Cup of Harmony but Vilita still had to play 6 of them (and defeat 6 of them) to claim the title. Now, in the 77th World Cup Final, if they are to be victorious in San Jose Guayabal they will have to play 7 different nations... lucky 7 perhaps? And will also have to have defeated 6 of them, just like in The Belmore Family.

What? Is that too much of a stretch? I hear you snickering and muttering under your breadth. Ye of little faith!

Ok, Ok, Ok. Fear Not Jungle Cat faithful! If more concrete prophetic evidence is what you need to show that we've actually got a chance at winning the World Cup, then more prophetic evidence you shall get!

When The Royal Kingdom of Quebec defeated the Unified Sunrise Islands in the Quarter-Final stage it denied the Jungle Cats the opportunity to get revenge on the Sunrise Islands for the defeat they inflicted over Vilita on Matchday 1 of the World Cup 77 Group Stage. I know right? But then we actually beat the Royal Kingdom of Quebec soooo you know guys, maybe that just 'wasn't part of it'.

Now there is a special scenario brewing. After the victory over the Royal Kingdom of Quebec in Gotham, the Vilita National Team will contest the World Cup 77 Final against San Jose Guayabal.

Let me put that a different way. During World Cup 77 in The Royal Kingdom of Quebec and San Jose Guayabal, The Tropics of Vilita defeated The Royal Kingdom of Quebec in the Semi-Final and have advanced to the championship match against the Kingdom of San Jose Guayabal.

Did you notice? The entire World Cup is being played in Kingdoms!

...annnnd the Vilita National Team will have played both of those Kingdoms during the World Cup knockout rounds.

Guess how many times that has ever happened before in Vilitan World Cup History? You guessed it! Twice!... Well really once. But it will be twice soon. Legalese & Free Republics. After dropping the first match of the group stage to Pasarga, the Jungle Cats would run the table which included not only the revenge victory over Pasarga in the Semi-Finals, but a defeat of the Atlantian Oceania based hosts Legalese in the Quarter-Finals by a 3-1 scoreline and the non-AO hosts Free Republics by a 4-2 scoreline in the final.

What was the result of the Jungle Cats Semi-Final victory in Atlantian Oceania over the hosts Royal Kingdom of Quebec? Oh yes! 3-1! exactly like in Legalese.

So maybe, just maybe, the prophecy is still going strong. If you need something to give you confidence ahead of this World Cup Final, maybe thats something to hang on to.

But I'll give you another reason to feel good. This team is resilient. This team is strong. They've proven they have the ability to win the right games and that maybe, just maybe the two-match losing streak that started on the final matchday of qualifying when we lost a meaningless game to the West Shootzenpulls and Root-Toot'n ale house team and then a match we were expected to lose against the two-time defending World Cup Champion... just maybe that was the opportunity for reflection and the motivating factor that this team needed to become Champions.

Only time will tell.

Unfortunately, having to hastily pack my bags and travel all the way to San Jose Guayabal didn't leave me with a lot of time to work on the material. I know, you've all been waiting for it but I swear. If we win the World Cup it will be the first thin... the second thing I... well, it will definitely be one of the first 95 things I do after we win the World Cup.

According to the host guide for the 74th World Cup provided in the little press kit thingy I got *snickers*

HEY! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, right? Saving the multiverse one piece of digital dust at a time. So according to the guide there is plenty to do in San Salvador. Unfortunately, when we arrived we weren't in San Salvador... we were in Comalapa. Then we had to drive an hour to get to San Salvador.

I quickly began to realize that maybe this place wasn't safer than Gotham after all. Sure, I wasn't worried about petty crimes from the locals but you know what, I might prefer losing 20 ture than to get LITERALLY MELTED INTO NOTHING BY AN EXPLODING VOLCANO. Why didn't anybody tell me there were Volcanoes all over this country? I hope they are dormant or something. Are they dormant?

Hoping not to get a close up view of the VOLCANOES...

...but if we do, maybe they can help?

Well, I guess the odds of one of them erupting like super big while we are here is low. After all, they've been playing games here all month and I don't remember any reports of Volcanic incidents. Apparently its not as bad in the San Salvador area as it is 450km or so away in Yucuaiquin

But what a difference from The Royal Kingdom of Quebec. In Quebec we lived each day in fear of dying by frostbite in a snow storm. Now we will be watching over our shoulder to ensure the exact opposite doesn't happen.

The game will be played at the Estadio Cuscatlán which, as far as I know, isn't in immediate threat of being overrun by volcanic lava. So thats good. I have one piece of advice for any of you Jungle Cat fans who are going to join me in San Salvador. WATCH YOUR MOUTHS!

I mean, you don't have to, but I was told that you might get beat up if you say "FAS". I have no idea what that means. But apparently you especially don't want to say it at the Estadio Cuscatlán.

So like, what if a Volcano erupts, can we not run... FASt? I'd sure want to...

Or if something interesting happens in the game, could it not be FAScinating?

Or maybe we want to have a debate at half time about whether Gregoryisgodistan is a FAScist state? Should we not do that?

I don't know Jungle Cat fans. Make your own decision. Don't say I didn't warn you though! I've got my day planned out for me and I need to be very FAStidious about it, I can't let silly little things like the local lingo distract me.

Speaking of which, going to be sporting my Jungle Cat FAShion today, as should EVERYONE ELSE. If you didn't bring something Vilitan to wear let me tell you if there is ever a time to dress in your national colors TODAY IS THE DAY! Buy a scarf from a roadside vendor if you must!

Earlier on I made a bet that I would get a World Cup 77 Champions printed on permanently if we went on to Win this World Cup. Well Jungle Cat fans, the day of reckoning is here. Its a once in a lifetime event that most of us have never previously experienced and may never get to experience again. Enjoy it. Be safe and hope for the best.

Oh, and as you might have expected, we didn't get to it this time, but 95 Reasons we hate 95x is coming, I swear!

by **San Jose Guayabal** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 7:49 pm

Despiértate Guayabalense, del sueño de la muerte.

Around three decades ago, in a land bathed by sea, dominated by immense mountains and volcanoes, located at the south of Esportiva, certain tiny nation, compared to the absolute size of the multiverse, a nation called San José Guayabal emerged into football, sending twenty-three players to the Baptism of Fire, perhaps, many people expected us to do a ridiculous performance in said competition, even some Guayabalenses did, due to the lack of real testing from our national team, the project started by Mariano Hernández, a Guayabalense who lived some time in Astograth and was inspired by the football practiced there, a light bulb turned on in his brain and the idea came “Why not creating this in my homeland?” It was a period of time where our nation was significantly dead in some sense, perhaps in the sense of not being active in sports, being isolationist, being away from everything, living in a state of unconsciousness, being slept at everything smelling like sports… Hernández powered the awakening of San José Guayabal, the nation finally left the slumber of death and awoke, it was time to jump into the big scenes and try to do something, it’d not be immediately but noise was going to be made step by step, but being fast while giving those steps, following the normal cultural parameters of the Guayabalense culture: Efficiency, effectiveness and medium-term goals to be achieved, it’d be hard but had to start.

“Step by step” is basically a sentence that describes people in San José Guayabal, emphasising the importance of making plans and hard work to achieve goals at the medium-term, the steps La Selecta did on the Baptism of Fire, curiously celebrated in Astograth were baby steps, winning the first match and then faltering, being eliminated of Group Stage… It wasn’t important for people, they knew that results would take some time to appear, and running wasn’t a bright idea to achieve said goals. Disgraces happened through the process but the national team knew how to get back into the road, such as what happened with our original manager, who died in a friendly match before the World Cup 66 qualifiers would start, it was a calamitous happening that led many people to think “Are we done?” “Are we basically out of sports now?” Many thoughts like that happened in the mind of several players and fans, but a random guy whose surname is Miljanic stepped up and took the boat for the next cycles, time of little success but mostly progress, progress and more progress. Back into the first World Cup Qualifier, La Selecta won the first game against Thatius 1-4 at the road, that was inspiring for a lot of fans and players, without doubt it was, ambition was high and people optimistic, everyone was saying “We have future, at least.” The days passed and the streak finished, we came back to reality, but fans were far away from being disappointed, they were always near the national team, it was like some sort of communion that was getting into tighter bonds, each time, the fans were with the team, supporting despite horrible weather conditions at the time, snow and more snow, tons of it, but never abandoned.

Being a fan in San José Guayabal hasn’t the usual definition of “fan”, people over here aren’t those who sympathise and cheer while things are well, being a fan in this nation is something that transcends the frontiers of said meaning, it means being on stadium always, no matter what happens, supporting the national team with passion, being proud of them, and wishing the best, more like unconditional love. Football was like a first-glance love by people and the sport, the WC 66 Qualifiers brought a boom into the people, they all were up to get involved into the sport and relax, sending their sons in order to contribute for the “greater good”, assembling the future of the Guayabalense National Team and make it competitive for some day, in order to make the dream of Mariano Hernández, the founder into reality, winning a World Cup would make it true, but that’s not only an Hernández’s dream, that’s the dream of pretty much any Guayabalense football fan, see the nation lifting the trophy crediting La Selecta as Multiversal Monarchs, the day shall come, but no one knows when. The project has ran strong through adversity, has done a lot of things despite finishing 5th out of last in the WC 66 Qualifiers, and also, then failing to qualify for the Round of 16 of the 58th Cup of Harmony… Something that put fans in certain disappointment but also remembered them that La Selecta was going to enjoy a bright future, carving the name into the multiversal football stars, someday, but the process was going to be slow, but safe to do.

World Cup 67 proved to be a rise in terms of performance, La Selecta started well and ended well in said World Cup, which proved to be a quite large calendar back on the time. The team stepped up against Andossa Se Mitrin Vega at the time, same with Taeshan, back when they were a decent team that was always on the brink of qualification. La Selecta might haven’t been a real contender for qualification since the first moment, though, time proved that they were going to be contenders for real, keeping a good level overall and having a good balance between defeats, ties and victories, rounding up to a decent 8-4-4, nice for a second campaign and perhaps a good ranking builder for the time. At Cup of Harmony, things weren’t as good as said qualifier, because we ended dead last in the Group, losing against Mangolana and German American States… That Cup of Harmony proved to be the worst one for the Guayabalense National Team, but helped to earn more experience for real, not in vain, since a great leap forward was coming soon, hence, the team needed to be prepared for it and face every game from then on in a really serious way, because challenges would be getting stronger and stronger, despite that, we weren’t ready for another disaster that was going to happen before the World Cup 68.

No one expected that said bud called Miljanic would die before the start of World Cup 68, it was before a friendly against Texacano, curiously the same match that saw the dude hilariously called “Magadanov” dying, I mean hilariously named due to the issues that many people faced while spelling or pronouncing his large name, utterly large name that has disappeared into oblivion, but still remembered by the fact of being the first manager of La Selecta, being the creator of the game style that still impregnates the National Team in each game, a game focused on counterattacking, speed and calmness, Magadanov was a genius, without doubt. World Cup 68 came and that was the so awaited moment, La Selecta upset Eura, the perennial World Cup contenders at home with a 2-1, kept the Licentian Isles behind the limit in both games, both were 1-1s, while being the third seed was something favourable at the time, no matter what could happen since the top three of each group was going either directly or to playoffs. La Selecta finished second after being thrashed by Eura 6-2, in what is until today the biggest “humiliation” that we have suffered in history, La Selecta was inspired and beat Filopines 4-1 on the road, then won 2-1 to make it 6-2 overall and having to face The Achregimancy, a constant WC side that was the last obstacle La Selecta needed to bring down before going past, the game on The Archregimancy was tough, La Selecta managed to scrap a 2-2 after being in disadvantage on the game, but they got two away goals, which would be decisive for the home match, which also proved not to be easy.

The game isn't over until over, every minute has 60 seconds in it.

Sixty seconds, a minute, that’s perhaps the most normal thing for us in the multiverse, we are subjects of time… If you don’t’ arrive on time to any place, you’re frowned upon people or can even be fired from work, we measure it as time to relax, to sleep, to share with family, to work, a countdown before any important event, time may be our friend or enemy, no matter the happening but time always plays a role in history and this wasn’t an exception. The second leg of the last play-off series of La Selecta vs. The Archregimancy was near to get into World Cup but didn’t counted that they had eleven people thirsty of getting into World Cup, no matter how they did it, they wanted to do it and no matter who were in their front, they were backed by 123,000 people on stadium, and millions in the country, the odds were against them but odds haven’t a word in it, effort does. The game started well with an early goal of Saucedo at the 2nd minute, Zelaya missed a clear goal chance at the 5th minute, La Selecta was having the domination of game and was forgiving the monks, since La Selecta had the game under control, lots of chances were missed, but possession was on the Guayabalense side, the monks weren’t responding as they should, and the situation aggravated on the 62nd minute with another goal from Saucedo , the people was ecstatic, beer was flying all over the place and everybody felt the World Cup qualifying berth close, it was, in fact, only 28 minutes away, and that’s how started a succession of weird happenings, including time-wasting or bizarre situations induced by the Guayabalense players, but La Selecta wouldn’t go through without suffering, The Archregimancy equalized fast with two goals at the 72nd and 79th minute, people’s hopes were vanished as it appeared, suddenly fast.

“Oh lord” “Oh shit” those were the common expressions among Guayabalense fans, they were feeling that it was everything, the game would go either to extra-time or The Archregimancy would score the third in some minutes. Time moved on the clock, we reached the 90th minute and the referee added 5 minutes more as compensation, La Selecta went full attack, they were decided to kill, if they didn’t kill, they would die with honour, the clock was ticking, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock… Minute 93rd, a corner kick from Zelaya, Henry Hernández, the old goalkeeper kicked the ball and smashed it on the post, a defender deflected but Fraser ran to rescue the ball, he did and then dribbled a defender, he placed well and then pulled a shot, time was like frozen at the time, people in total silence and everybody stood up, they were biting their nails, the shot was powerful and well placed, but the goalkeeper was flying to the ball, Fraser stood quietly and saw the ball going towards the goal, the referee flied but not enough, the ball passed a bit under the crossbar and that was it, according to the voice of Julián Ruano “Fraser shoots to goal, referee dives, oh oh oh oh…. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! WE ARE IN! WE ARE IN!!!” and that’s how joy took over the entire Guayabalense nation, people jumped and invaded the field after the end of the game, La Selecta was in the World Cup 68, but who knows how we would perform in it?

The first great adventure began, it was time for La Selecta playing, facing in that WC 68 Group: Free Republics, Cassadaigua and Nephara… Yes, the issue with the Nepharims started that early and had bad results since the very beginning. First of all, La Selecta started well by winning the first match against Cassadaigua, winning 2-0 and making a nation go mental, go crazy and enjoy a lot, the country was united and the joy of the moment was overwhelming, you could see people going on the streets screaming, waving flags or honking like crazy, that’s the magic of football. The scorers were Sean Fraser and Árbol Saucedo, Saucedo goes to history for being the first Guayabalense scorer in a World Cup, that’s basically how things were. On the second match, a defeat against Nephara complicated things, it was a 2-1 defeat, La Selecta still had an opportunity to get into the Round of 16, it was the match against Free Republics the one which cared the most, the locals were up 2-0 but La Selecta equalized and then scored the third goal of the match, La Selecta was through and leaving the hosts eliminated but it came the 87th minute, the Republicans equalised the match, then, killing all hopes from the Guayabalense National Team to pull off a historic feat in their first time into World Cup. Despite that, one can say that World Cup 68 was the real beginning of a dream for those fans who love football in San José Guayabal, optimism was high enough to achieve it, as well the national unity.

Not always can one qualify.

It’s a sad yet real phrase, there’s no team that can qualify for ever and ever, there’s always a day where the streak ends and you go away from glory, that’s saddening but no-one can do anything in regards of preventing said issues, it’s impossible. La Selecta was marching triumphant in World Cup 69, first half of qualifying and it was a nice 6-0-1 record despite losing against The Sarian at the road, La Selecta had the best amount of goals scored in the entire qualification, with 28, the pace was overwhelming for the rivals but the nightmare was about to begin, a series of matches where La Selecta tied twice and then was defeated three times, they were still in qualification zone, the Free Republics were ahead in the group at Matchday 13 while The Sarian was at the second place, La Selecta had a two points gap over the Sarianese, but the last matchday of the Qualifiers were against The Sarian, the National Team was playing at home, at Estadio Nacional Barrio El Niño, the same exact place where they qualified the last World Cup, it was matter of time to see La Selecta qualifying after they got over 1-0 at the 15th minute, the eternal problem appeared, they wasted chances, a lot of them, only to see them falling on the end of the match with two late goals, The Sarianese did it, they broke an unbeaten record of 15 home games without being defeated, La Selecta was eliminated from the World Cup, for the chagrin of a nation involved under a cruel communist regime.

The Cup of Harmony was hosted in Valladares and Yttribia, La Selecta was paired with Red Blackiland, Sargossa and Zenic, a nice group, La Selecta passed the Group Stage unbeaten, scoring four games average per game, scoring twelve in the Group Stage, yet receiving seven against, then they qualified until the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by Brenecia, it was a harsh outcome for the fans, yet good since they at least made it far in said tournament, no matter what happened, the fans were always there, happy to support the National Team, they made the trip to Yttribia and pretty much packed the stadia, they were with the Team always, the Team was basically told by them “You’ll never walk alone” and that’s how the fan relationship consolidated the most, the fans were feeling proud. Football wasn’t also enjoying, it made union among the fans, and that was enough to create a solid revolutionary movement, specifically a royalist movement that caused a coup d’état against the communist regime, which brought the Kingdom into existence, the Kingdom emerged and left the communist isolation, La Selecta was ready for the World Cup 70, which was hosted in San José Guayabal, and that’s how the second round of the adventure began. La Selecta won the first match 4-1 against German American States, but that was only the good part of it…

Hosting the World Cup it’s usually a great experience, but World Cup 70 was perhaps not so good, despite tying against Pasarga, who were in that time a perennial contender and also going to be champions in World Cup 72, La Selecta had to go through the back door after being defeated by Buyan, the Hedgehogs defeated La Selecta 1-2 and devastated many people after it, it was painful not qualifying further at their own home.. That’s life. Overall, La Selecta had done a lot of good performances during the last World Cups, being enough to ensure them having a bright future, and also having a more and more consolidated football league, players were being exported in-masse, players were also coming, it was the end of one era in the national team, since another bad moment was bound to happen soon, that’d cost the continuity to a manager, which was well respected for the Guayabalenses at said time. But a new era of prosperity and unknown success was going to happen, glory would arrive at San José Guayabal in different ways, football would start to flourish like a garden during spring, after a harsh winter, after a long time of being inactive and few time of adaptation to be involved in football. What was for sure, La Selecta wasn’t disappointing us at all, things were going smooth and work results would appear, it wouldn’t take a lot of time to do, it was matter of time and patience, that was the key factor, patience, since as it was said earlier by Hernández “Trying to run while doing baby-steps is dumb.”

You let it slip but you got something way better!

World Cup 71 was the beginning of a cycle of success, but not the usual kind of success, it’d be the other part of success, the hidden one, not as tasty as winning a World Cup but better than anything else. The cycle was going fine for La Selecta, they managed to be unbeaten and leading the Qualifiers for thirteen out of fourteen matches, including a thrashing against Saintland away, a 1-4, and keeping Star United States on second place, the Sanctii were doing it horribly but it wasn’t something to consider them dead, they managed to ruin the unbeaten record of La Selecta and making them fall in second place, Star United States qualified directly and La Selecta had to play against Nova Anglicana, La Selecta had a bad time on the Anglicanan nation, being beaten 2-1, La Selecta had the task to be finished at home, things were going to be okay perhaps, but nobody expected to suffer this, an incredible mistake that marked the career and life of Henry Hernández. It was the second leg of said playoffs, La Selecta was winning it 4-2, they were qualifying in the last minute, everything was going cool, people was celebrating, but… SURPRISE! Emmanuel Moga kicked from mid-range at the last minute, Hernández took the ball badly and sent it into the goal, in an unfortunate own goal… Nova Anglicana qualified to the World Cup and La Selecta had to go through CoH for third time, still, that wasn’t going to be a bad experience.

The new era began and Paulo Oliveira was the manager of La Selecta for the CoH, hosted at Ceni and also on home, things started well after defeating Gregoryisgodistan 1-0, then winning the second match and also the third, three-one against Vermark, which curiously was the only goal allowed by La Selecta in the entire tournament. The Knockout phase went perfect, winning all the game on normal time and reaching the final without issues, the thing is the rival, it was the hardest one, it was Valanora, the elves who saw a streak of 38 World Cup finals appearances being ruined at the last matchday. The game was fierce, La Selecta wasn’t as experienced as the elves at the time, who were commanded by immortal Laborious Hawk, the talisman and most known foe from them, the game was a stalemate, a 0-0 for one-hundred and twenty minutes, it was time for the penalty kicks, where La Selecta enjoyed the nice goalkeeping from Abraham Terrazas and accuracy of the strikers, La Selecta scored the last penalty kick, made by Zelaya, and that was it, La Selecta won the CoH 71, they lifted the trophy, people recovered joy and craziness possessed the stadium, it was like a major historic feat by the team, they were now national heroes, but not so close to be national legends, to the point of being like Luis Barbosa… Well, being like Barbosa is pretty much an impossible feat.

World Cup 72 came and saw how the National Team qualified for the World Cup, they were defeated by Abanhfleft at the first match day but then took revenge by winning 6-4, then kept a solid record against all the teams, including Ko-oren and winning the game 1-0, also tying said game at the second leg of qualifiers away, perhaps that was the most important score in the Qualifiers, then, defeating Sameba 3-2 to qualify as group winners, finally, La Selecta came back after some time and was also enjoying some success after that Cup of Harmony victory. In the Finals, they were paired with The Holy Empire, as one of the hardest teams out there. La Selecta were defeated on the first matchday by Felix, then tied Kandorith and after it, beat The Holy Empire by 2-0, another 4 points run but not enough to qualify for the Knockout phase. Despite that, the confidence was restored, since they managed to qualify for another WC after having a while without doing it, preparations were going to be made for World Cup 73 and that would be, perhaps, the time to make something decent, time to do noise, time to impact into the World Cup for real, hopefully, it’d be enough to do something decent and perhaps only achieving Round of 16.

Okay, World Cup 73, match day 4, a glorious match was happening at Gregoryisgodistan, you know them, those pesky guys who are brainwashed, that was heated up to be a “clásico” and indeed it was a “clásico” La Selecta managed to take early advantage in the game by scoring two goals in the first nine minutes, then defending well and avoiding an onslaught made by the Gregoryisgodistanis, it was hard but La Selecta managed to attack well and score the third goal of the game, after that, a penalty kick for the Slaves and the 1-3 for La Selecta, spectacular game. After it, La Selecta qualified in good fashion, it was second time in a row that La Selecta won the group of qualifiers and then going to the World Cup, where they were paired with the Polar Islandstates, Schottia and Farfadillis. Said World Cup were spectacular, two 1-0s secured the participation into Round of 16 for La Selecta and then a 4-1 win against Schottia, the rest of the road was spectacular for the national team, qualifying through all and reaching the semifinals, where they lose 13-12 in PKs against Eura, ruining the perfect run of them. La Selecta defeated Vilita 4-2, which is casually the World Cup 77 Final rival, and won the third place of said WC.

So far, so close!

World Cup 74-76 have been perhaps one of the weirdest periods for La Selecta, oscillating from a World Cup final to being eliminated in Group Stage with a single win and winning third place, it was basically a rollercoaster of emotions for all those people. World Cup 74 was the time where SJG hosted the World Cup once again, it was paired with Ceni, Apox and Gregoryisgodistan. The opener game was won 1-0 against the eternal enemies, winning 3-1 against Ceni and then tying 4-4 against Apox, in a wild match. La Selecta also surfed through the Knockouts and reached the final after beating Audioslavia 2-1 in a game not proper for those with heart disease, the final was played against Nephara and you know what happened, I’ll better omit this and the same with World Cup 75, not worthy to mention because I get somewhat pissed while remembering the final defeat and the bad participation at 75… In World Cup 76, La Selecta reached once again Semifinals and was defeated by Audioslavia in PKs, they won the third place against Chromatika and that’s how the World Cup 77 time was going to be… It’s the time, we are on the final once again after getting good scores and avenging that final defeat, La Selecta is now on home, the players will play the match of their lives, it’s a World Cup final at home, perhaps the dream of every child who loves football, now it’s the time to get this sorted out and make the dream of Mariano Hernández come true, the founder of the Guayabalense football is waiting anxiously for the game and see the dream of winning it before dying.

by **Vilita** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 7:53 pm

It was the morning of the World Cup 77 Final and the Vilitan National Team had just finished their final team training session before their date with destiny. They knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and they were putting their all into it. The coaching staff, however, was worried about their players getting overworked. So they had gone out in the cooler morning air and made their final preparations, went over their final set plays and then ran their final set of drills. Then they came inside expecting to watch film of their opposition.

Instead, however, what the Vilitan players found was film from years past. Film from legendary teams of Vilitan past.

The first ever internationstatal goal scored by a Vilitan player - Callum Banda's goal on Matchday 8 of World Cup 13 Qualifying. It was also Vilitas first ever victory in international competition.

It had taken the Jungle Cats 8 games to score their first ever goal and over the 18 game qualification period they had scored just 8 total goals - 4 of which came in the final match of the campaign. But as the tape showed, the players of the Colony of Vilita - as it was then known, perservered. They weathered through the tough times to make a name for themselves - to make a name for their country.

Scenes from the first ever World Cup held in Vilita - World Cup 17, then, of course, the magical run to the World Cup 20 title - widely remembered as the greatest moment in Viltan Sporting history. Riding the boots of Banda, the Vilita Jungle Cats had upset their way to the World Cup Final. Bringing millions of Vilitan supporters with them to Druida, the Jungle Cats found themselves in what seemed a difficult match at the time against two-time World Cup Runner-Up Audioslavia. The Jungle Cats were triumphant but it was not their super-star goalscorer Callum Banda who notched the all-important tally. Instead, it was Tanner Nerni - a true team role player of dual Vilita & Turorian descent. It was the then-underestimated winger who scored the goal for the Jungle Cats that brought World Cup glory to the Vilitan Cove.

Then, the coaches paused the tape.

"I want to take a moment to reflect. A reading, from the Book of Banda"

Then, opening to a preselected passage, they recited

Over the course of a life, there is a story
The story consists of many chapters
The chapters consist of many pages
and those pages consist of many words.

Those words consist of letters, those letters of strokes and those strokes of something even smaller. Something small and seemingly unimportant.

But its all important. Every action you take can be the one that changes the narrative, the one that scripts the story for all to see.

You can ride the Boots of Banda, but on the day, everyone - anyone - can be a Tanner Nerni.

by **The Royal Kingdom of Quebec** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 7:56 pm

This is the final match of the year, so let's celebrate! Thank you to all for making this world cup a wonderful one, the one that I will remember for great RPs that I read, great characters RP'd, etc. 'Til the next time, farewell!

Final Cutoff

World Cup 77 - Roleplay Thread

WC77F - World Cup Special 2

Garbage Time - Pre World Cup 77 Semi Final

The Wormhole - WC77 Semi-Finals

Garbage Time - WC77 Semi-final

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