CHAPTER 266: THE REUNION I

The Utrecht training facility was quieter than usual during the pre-season break, with only a few players maintaining their fitness routines before the official team sessions began. Amani arrived early, eager to begin his physical preparation for what promised to be the most demanding season of his career. The Europa League would require a level of fitness and sharpness that he had never needed before.

As he approached the main pitch, Amani heard the familiar sound of a ball being struck cleanly, followed by laughter and animated conversation in Dutch. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized the voices - voices he hadn’t heard together in over a year, not since their academy days when they had conquered Ajax in the 2012 Future Cup final.

"No way..." he whispered to himself, quickening his pace.

There, on the pristine grass of the senior team training pitch, were three figures that made his chest tighten with emotion and nostalgia. The Four Horsemen of Utrecht Academy were about to be reunited.

Malik, now eighteen and visibly more muscular than Amani remembered, was on the right wing going through crossing drills with the precision that had earned him his promotion to the senior squad. His technique was sharper, his movements more confident, but the infectious grin was exactly the same as when they were fifteen-year-olds dreaming of professional football.

In the center, Tijmen - now nineteen and back from his loan spell in the second division - was practicing his finishing with the clinical efficiency that had made him their academy’s top scorer.

He had grown taller, his frame filled out with the kind of physical presence that marked him as a natural center forward. The boy who had scored the winning goal against Ajax was now a man, but his celebration after each goal still carried that same boyish joy.

And there, orchestrating everything from the center of the pitch like a conductor leading an orchestra, was Sofyan Amrabat. At seventeen, he had developed into exactly what everyone had predicted - a defensive midfielder with the vision of a playmaker and the tenacity of a warrior. His passes were crisp, his positioning perfect, and his voice carried the authority of someone born to lead from the middle of the park.

For a moment, Amani just stood there, overwhelmed by the sight of his three closest friends from the academy days. They had been inseparable once - the Four Horsemen, as the academy coaches had nicknamed them after their Future Cup triumph.

Malik on the right, Tijmen through the middle, Sofyan anchoring everything, and Amani pulling the strings from his attacking midfield position. They had been unstoppable together, a unit that understood each other’s movements instinctively.

But then life had happened. Tijmen had been sent on loan to gain experience. Malik had been promoted to train with the senior team. Sofyan had been developing in the reserves. And Amani... well, Amani had become Utrecht’s cup hero and Europa League qualifier. Their paths had diverged, and the Four Horsemen had been scattered to the winds.

Until now.

"AMANI!" Tijmen’s voice boomed across the pitch as he spotted his friend. The striker dropped his ball and sprinted toward him, his face lighting up with pure joy. "You beautiful bastard, you’re back!"

The reunion was explosive. Tijmen reached him first, lifting Amani off his feet in a bear hug that nearly cracked his ribs. Malik arrived seconds later, sliding in with a tackle that sent all three of them tumbling to the grass in a heap of laughter and Dutch curse words. Sofyan jogged over with his characteristic calm smile, but even he couldn’t hide the emotion in his eyes as he pulled Amani to his feet and embraced him warmly.

"The Four Horsemen," Sofyan said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. "Together again."

"I can’t believe it," Amani said, looking at each of his friends in turn. "When did you all get back? How long has it been since we were all together like this?"

"Too long," Malik said, shaking his head. "The last time was the Future Cup celebration, remember? When we lifted that trophy and promised we’d conquer the world together."

"And look at us now," Tijmen added, gesturing around the senior team facility. "We actually did it. We’re all here, all part of the first team setup."

The emotion of the moment was overwhelming. These weren’t just teammates or friends - they were brothers forged in the fires of youth football, bonded by shared dreams and collective triumph.

The Future Cup victory against Ajax had been more than just a tournament win; it had been their declaration that Utrecht’s academy could compete with anyone, that their generation was special.

"Tell me everything," Amani said, settling onto the grass as his friends gathered around him. "Tijmen, how was the loan? Malik, how’s senior team training? Sofyan, when did you get the call-up?"

Tijmen went first, his eyes bright with excitement. "The loan was exactly what I needed, brother. Eighteen months in the second division, playing against grown men who wanted to kick my head off every weekend. I scored twenty-three goals in thirty-four games, learned how to hold up play, how to battle defenders twice my size. Coach Wouters called me back last week - said I’m ready for the step up."

"Twenty-three goals?" Malik whistled appreciatively. "No wonder they brought you back. I’ve been training with the seniors for two months now, and let me tell you, it’s a different world. The intensity, the tactical complexity, the physical demands - everything we thought we knew about football was just the beginning."

Sofyan nodded thoughtfully. "I got my call-up three weeks ago. Coach Wouters said the team needs a proper defensive midfielder for the Europa League, someone who can break up play and distribute the ball. Apparently, our academy reputation preceded us - he specifically mentioned the Future Cup final and how we controlled the midfield against Ajax."

"The Future Cup," Amani repeated, a smile spreading across his face. "Do you remember that goal, Tijmen? The way you turned their center-back inside out before slotting it home?"

"How could I forget?" Tijmen laughed. "But it was your pass that made it possible. That through ball was pure magic - split their entire defense with one touch."

"And Malik’s cross for the second goal," Sofyan added. "Bent around their left-back like it was guided by GPS."

"While you sat in front of the defense like a spider in a web," Malik said to Sofyan, "intercepting everything they tried to play through the middle."

The memories came flooding back - the pressure of playing Ajax’s academy, the weight of expectation from their coaches and families, the moment when everything clicked and they played as one unit. They had been so young, so hungry, so convinced that they were destined for greatness together.

"And now here we are," Amani said, looking around at the senior team facility. "The Four Horsemen, ready to take on Europe."

"About that," Tijmen said, his expression becoming more serious. "We need to talk about what’s changed, Amani. You’re not just one of the Four Horsemen anymore - you’re Utrecht’s star player, their cup hero, their Europa League hope. The pressure on you is enormous."

Malik nodded in agreement. "The media, the fans, the club management - everyone sees you as the key to everything. That’s a lot of weight to carry, especially at sixteen."

"Seventeen next month," Amani corrected with a smile. "But I know what you mean. Sometimes it feels overwhelming, like everyone’s expectations are riding on my shoulders."

"That’s exactly why we need to be together again," Sofyan said firmly. "The Four Horsemen were never about individual glory - we were about collective strength. You don’t have to carry this burden alone."