The power decreased, but precision increased. The football hit the left side of the water bottle and sent it flying out, directly into the goal. The water bottle even drew a rainbow arc in the air!
Despair! They had succeeded twice!
The five men exchanged glances. Who would go next?
Arteta's expression grew tense. This person's skill far exceeded his expectations.
Should he be happy or unhappy about this?
Thinking from different perspectives, the outcome was bound to be different. The original plan was to teach him a harsh lesson, but now it seemed unlikely any of them could achieve a better result than Max.
Arteta knew perfectly well the caliber of these players in their usual training and what Miles' strength was. He also knew that the upcoming match was likely to be precarious.
They had intended to embarrass the opponent, but ended up shooting themselves in the foot. The regret was immense; they wished they hadn't gone down this path.
However, from another angle, this might be a good thing. If this man possessed such formidable strength, wasn't he a treasure for the club?
What the team wanted most was precisely this kind of player: someone with ample skill honed in amateur leagues, yet without a high price tag or airs. A player who could be acquired for very little money, offering the best value for money. Which club didn't dream of such a scenario?
And now, it had landed right in their lap. If they could just endure this, perhaps a substantial bonus would await him after the match!
This was a great accomplishment, and who could argue with money?
His gaze turned back to the goal area. Among the five men, one had already stepped forward. This was Martinelli, the team's top scorer before Cao Baiming's arrival.
A superstar from Brazil, his footballing skills were far beyond ordinary. His talent and ability were evident. Not only was he previously a key player for Arsenal, but he also played a crucial role for the Samba national team, serving as a sharp blade on the field.
However, with the Brazilian squad being so incredibly stacked in this World Cup, featuring stars like Ronaldo and Neymar upfront, there simply wasn't enough space for him.
And now, at his club, he had also become a substitute. When Henry and Messi were present, he couldn't even secure a starting spot.
This was now his moment to prove himself.
Gathering his courage, Martinelli slowly walked towards the shooting spot. Max kicked a football towards him beforehand.
He looked at the water bottle placed in front of him, considering its position and the distant goal.
They weren't even in a straight line; they were ridiculously far apart. He had barely attempted such a shot in his life, and he lacked confidence.
Yet, Martinelli had full confidence in his footwork and skills.
A few seconds later, to everyone's anticipation, Martinelli took a step forward and unleashed a powerful shot.
He still aimed for the water bottle placed furthest from the goal. Everyone would consider it the first target.
However, just aiming for the water bottle wouldn't be enough. This shot was truly directed to the left of the water bottle; only then could it be successfully knocked into the goal!
The football flew along the path he had envisioned. The onlookers saw that the power and speed were absolutely sufficient. While perhaps not as powerful as Max's previous shot, it was certainly enough to send the bottle into the goal.
The next step was to see if the precision could be controlled. This was no simple matter.
After kicking the ball, Martinelli watched the outcome with great anticipation. Fortunately, the football successfully struck the left side of the water bottle, and the water bottle then flew out towards the goal, crossing the line inside the post!
"It's in, it's in! Awesome, awesome!"
The men beside him applauded. They hadn't made such a fuss when Max shot.
"Easier than I thought!" Martinelli thought to himself.
"I can kick a football, and I can play billiards. It's just combining the two; it's not as difficult as I imagined!"
The men beside him saw this and naturally relaxed a lot.
"Good job, keep it up."
Soon, Martinelli prepared for his second shot. However, perhaps due to overconfidence, he didn't even touch the water bottle.
He gave an awkward smile and quickly prepared for his final chance!
He placed the ball, aligning the valve with the position on his instep, which was the hardest part of the football, to exert maximum power.
He took a deep breath, his gaze swept over the goal. After a brief adjustment, he unleashed another powerful shot!
Martinelli had lost his confidence from the second attempt and was solely relying on brute force for a miracle.
However, although the ball hit the water bottle, it struck it dead center. The bottle flew out in a straight line, just missing the goal!
Challenge failed! Martinelli exited the field with regret.
His expression said it all; he was extremely disappointed.
The next player to step up was Odegaard, who bore a heavy responsibility. Due to Martinelli's failure, his burden had increased. One teammate had already failed, and he couldn't afford to fail now.
Losing twice in a row to this amateur player was a huge blow to the team's pride.
Odegaard, hailed as "Little Messi," possessed the most delicate ball control and technique among the players, aside from the three senior figures. The others placed their greatest hopes in him.
Odegaard did not disappoint their expectations. On his first attempt, he successfully knocked the water bottle into the goal, with the football following it in.
His second chance, however, was mishandled like Martinelli's earlier attempt. Due to a sudden gust of wind, the direction was lost, and he completely missed the water bottle.
Fortunately, his third attempt proved his worth once more, completing a redemption with a masterful shot that sent the bottle steadily into the top corner of the goal!
"Beautiful!"
"This should be the goal of the day, no, the water bottle shot of the day!!"
After a burst of excitement, Odegaard also stepped down. As an attacking midfielder, if his position hadn't slightly overlapped with Messi's, he would undoubtedly be one of the team's key players.
More importantly, he was constantly improving, showing significant progress compared to the previous season.
However, on second thought, it seemed the challenge still hadn't been successfully met!