All Chapters of Goal! The Manchester United Captains: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The night before had left a mark. That knock at the door, that calm voice in the hallway, that warning: “Damien wasn’t the only one watching you.”Neither Leo nor Maya had slept well. But now the sun had risen, the city was alive, and the stadium was waiting. There was no time for fear. The Women’s League Cup final match was here.The hum of the crowd seeped through the walls. Boots scraped on tile, tape ripped, jerseys stretched over tense shoulders. Cameras weren’t inside yet, but the whole world was already watching.Maya sat on the bench, tying her laces with hands that trembled just slightly. Leo noticed as he walked into the women’s dressing room to give support as the captain of the men’s team. He walked over, dropped down beside her, and leaned close.Leo: “Your hands are shaking.”Maya: [forcing a laugh] “They always shake before a big game.”Leo: “No, not like this. Talk to me.”Maya: “It’s just… that man last night. His eyes, Leo. Like he knew things we don’t.”Leo: “Forget

The storm was over. Or at least, that’s what the world thought.The betting scandal had been dragged into the light, the syndicates had been exposed, and for a brief moment, football felt… free. But quiet doesn’t always mean safe. Sometimes silence is only the space where the next danger gathers its breath.Leo felt it in his bones. Maya felt it in the way her stomach tightened whenever she read the headlines calling them “the faces of football’s rebirth.” Victory never came without shadows.And the shadows were already moving.The resort chosen for the Global Football Congress looked like a paradise on the surface. White stone walls, endless glass windows, ocean waves folding over each other like silver sheets in the sun. The air smelled of pine and salt. But under all that beauty was the smell of power.Maya and Leo walked into the main hall, their steps echoing against marble floors. Suits everywhere. Executives, federation chiefs, government officials. Some wore smiles too polishe

The first crack appeared in a smile. It was at one of Julian Vance’s carefully staged dinners, where laughter was too polished and the wine flowed just a little too smoothly. Cameras hovered outside the hotel, paparazzi waiting for the perfect shot of the league’s golden couple walking arm in arm. Inside, Julian played the gracious host, his words dripping with charm. But underneath, there was steel.“You’ve done well, Leo,” Julian said, raising his glass in front of the other executives. “Your numbers, your influence—remarkable. You’ve brought more eyes to the game than anyone else in years.”Leo forced a grin, the kind that strained at the edges. “Just doing my job.”Julian chuckled, then shifted his gaze to Maya. “And you, Maya. What courage. What fire. You remind me of what the game was supposed to be before it was all about money. People see you as a beacon of integrity.”Maya’s smile held, but inside she stiffened. She knew what Julian was doing. He wasn’t just complimenting the

The wind whispered through the park, carrying the faint rustle of fallen leaves. The lamps flickered softly, throwing patches of light over the benches and trees. It was the kind of quiet night that made secrets feel heavier — and this one was about to change everything.Maya spotted him first.“That’s him,” she whispered to Leo, eyes narrowing. “The man who’s been following us.”Leo gave a small nod, his jaw tight. “Let’s hear what he has to say.”The man stepped out from the shadows — tall, thin, with tired eyes that looked like they’d seen too much. His coat was worn at the edges, his face pale under the lamplight.“My name’s Carter Evans,” he said quietly, glancing around before taking a cautious step closer. “And before you ask — yes, I used to work for Julian Vance.”Leo’s brows lifted. “Used to?”Carter gave a short, humorless laugh. “Yeah. ‘Used to.’ Until he destroyed my life.”Maya crossed her arms. “You’ll need to explain that.”He exhaled, his breath visible in the cool ni

Julian Vance never raised his voice to start a war. He just smiled — that calm, easy, charming smile that made people forget how dangerous he really was.To him, power wasn’t taken. It was offered — wrapped in compliments, tied with desire, and sealed with trust.And tonight, he had a plan.He wasn’t going to fight Leo and Maya head-on. No — that would be foolish. They were too united, too loyal. Instead, he would slide a thin, invisible blade between them — and let it twist.“Divide them,” Julian whispered to himself as he poured a glass of wine. “Never break the shield. Just make one side doubt the other.”He already knew who would do it.Her name was Isabella Rossi — one of his top executives. Smart. Elegant. Disarming. She could walk into a room and silence it without saying a word. Everything about her was soft — her voice, her perfume, her gaze — but beneath that quiet beauty was steel.Julian trusted her with his most dangerous games. And this one was his favorite kind.The gal