Rise of a Football God

2-0 to Nigeria.

Croatia was stunned.

"VICTOR OSIMHENNNN!!!" The commentator screamed.

"What a striker!"

"Oh, Nigeria! What a blessed country, to have two attacking talents like Osimhen and Sam on the same thing is just a blessing!"

"What a powerful header from Osimhen, and what a pass from Lookman!"

"What of that Sam interception?" The assistant commentator asked.

"OHHH!" The commentator exclaimed. "The timing on that tackle was diabolical. Croatia's compact midfield slightly stifled Sam's attacking performance this game, but his work rate is immense".

"The boy is everywhere!"

"What a player!"

"He still feels slightly rusty. I heard he got married recently, but still, Sam is Sam. What a baller!"

That goal secured Nigeria's lead in this FIFA World Cup game.

Victor Osimhen scored his second goal in the 73rd minute, and with it, Nigeria's victory was assured.

And yet, that was when the Croatian coach finally made the change.

Luka Modric was introduced into the game.

The warm-up of the Croatian legend alone induced a thunderous roar from the stadium stands occupied by Croatian fans.

Luka Modric entered the game in the 74th minute, and then all hell broke loose.

Luka Modric was 40, he was old now, and yet, old habits die hard.

Even at the ripe old age of 40, Luka Modric was still a capable agent of chaos in a football pitch. And tonight, he embodied that maestro spirit again.

Luka Modric entered the game and changed it.

Instantly, with his impact, Croatia stole superiority in the tight midfeld battle, now dominating the Super Eagles' players.

The Croatian suffocated Alex Iwobi and Wilfried Ndidi with his unpredictable movement, impressive passing range, and vision.

Luka Modric was like a magician with his wand on the field in midfield.

Anywhere he swung his wand towards, chaos erupted. The Nigerian defense that had been stalwart for over 70 minutes was no longer as imperious.

His passes cut the defense open again and again, putting Nigeria under pressure and forcing them to defend. Nigeria defended and for some time, it was effective till the 86th minute of the game.

Modric received a pass just outside the 18-yard box and immediately, he swung his right leg for a first-time outside the box shot.

Wilfried Ndidi reacted, jumping on a sliding tackle to block the shot angle.

And yet, it was just a feint.

With a subtle touch, Luka Modric sent the Nigerian midfielder sliding one way before cutting back. The direction he cut towards already had an obstacle there though in another Nigerian player, and yet Modric didn't' hesitate.

In one fluid motion, he moved.

Bzzz!

His legs rapidly touched the ball twice, switching between both legs as he cut through the new opposition with a la croqueta.

And just as Calvin Bassey charged out to clatter into him, he passed, kicking it with the outside of his right boot and pushing it into Perisic's path.

The Croatian didn't miss a bit, Perisic swinging his right leg with power as he connected to the ball with a first-time effort.

BAM!

Stanley Nwabali reacted but there was very little that he could do as the powerful shot flashed past him and into the net.

2-!

Perisic didn't' celebrate, simply charging into the net, picking the ball and running back to the halfway line quickly kickoff and continue the game.

The game continued, and with it, the Croatian dominance continued.

Modric, the agent of chaos did wonders with his hex wand.

He weaved through the Nigerian players like a drunk warlord who could not be stopped, Croatia pushing more men forward minute. And yet, in their zeal to attack and equalize, they forgot their back and that was when Sam pounced.

Whoosh!

Another pass from Modric that sent panic through the Super Eagles' defense but having read it this time, Sam dived in on another sliding tackle and again, he did it, intercepting the pass.

Modric and the nearest Croatian immediately pounced, eager to rush him and reclaim position but with his spatial awareness, Sam was active.

He knew where his nearest teammate was without even looking.

And so, Sam simply flicked the ball left before jumping past Kovacic's aggressive tackle, equally evading Modric's lunge in the same movement.

"Wilfried!" Sam called loudly.

The Nigerian midfielder did not hesitate, hitting the ball once to Sam as soon as he received the pass, sending it far ahead into space.

The Croatian backline was exposed due to committing too many men to attack. Only D. Caleta-Car remained the man in defense.

The defender reacted immediately after the long pass, but who was he in the face of Sam's sheer blistering pace?

BAM!

Sam dug in, erupting like the flash as he blitzed past the midfielder.

And yet, D. Caleta-Car was not alone.

As soon as the ball was hit long, Livakovic the Croatian goalkeeper also reacted, chasing the ball down. The ball moved towards him, giving him the advantage and yet, he was still not fast enough to get to it first.

Sam arrived to the ball first with blistering pace.

Whoosh!

The goalkeeper slid, trying to take Sam down in a desperate tackle and yet, Sam's reflexes were lightning fast, reacting having predicted his intentions already.

With his right leg, he pushed the ball before quickly jumping over the challenge as the goalkeeper slid beneath him.

The goal was exposed!

And yet, due to the jump sideways with the ball, D. Caleta-Car managed to complete his recovery run, blocking him and intending to jam into him.

But Sam was too swift, too elusive to be handled so easily.

The defender barely started moving towards him when he execute a Ronaldo chop, chopping the ball to the left and following it, away from the defender.

The defender despaired.

The space opened up to Sam, and then…

Bam!

He hit the ball with power from outside the box, sending it towards the empty goal. As the ball rolled towards goal, Sam spread his arms the Jude Bellingham style, already celebrating.

The ball rolled into the net unhindered, and then, the stadium erupted again.

GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Nigerian fans brought the stadium down with noise!