Goal!
A Champion's Journey
The story of Ryker Storm, Part One. A football novel written by Arnav Jha, a 13-year-old author from Delhi.
Tap the ball to shoot. Use the arrow keys or swipe to move through the match.
Written at thirteen
Arnav Jha is a 13-year-old writer from Delhi, and Goal! A Champion's Journey is Part One of a series. On the pitch he plays left back, just like Kieran, and his favourite club is FC Barcelona.
For my mum, my dad and my dog (Tuffy).
Tuffy, I know you cannot read this, but you believed in me anyway. Good boy.
Tuffy is still waiting for someone to throw a ball.
The story
Ryker Storm is thirteen, stands 5 ft 11 in, and is already the star of Silverwood Academy's football team.
After his late winner in the inter-school final, a scout from Redcastle United, his favourite club, invites him to a summer trial in Valoria. Over 37 chapters he climbs from school legend to the state team, and learns that talent gets you noticed but only consistency keeps you there.
Where do you want to start?
The squad
Tap a card to flip it. Ratings are the whiteboard scores the coaches reveal in Chapter 5.
The coaches
Five stages, 37 chapters
Pick a stage to see what happens.
Big moments
Ryker vs Aditya
Take the fifth penalty
In Chapter 33, Ryker takes the last kick of a shoot-out with the whole tournament on the line. Your turn: five kicks, pick your corner.
Click a spot in the goal to shoot.
Trial Run
Dribble like Ryker through five levels, from the school final to the state final. Dodge defenders, grab golden balls, then beat the keeper.
Move: arrow keys, A and D, or drag on the pitch
Skill: Space or the gold button does La Croqueta, a quick sidestep that slips past tackles
Shoot: when the goal appears, time your shot past the keeper
Watch out for red-ringed defenders. They slide in after you.
Your player card
In Chapter 5 the coaches rate every player on a whiteboard. Now it's your turn. Fill this in, train harder to boost your stats, then download your card.
Read Chapter 1
The first chapter of the book, free. Turn the pages with the buttons or the arrow keys.
Talk like the academy
Football words from the book, and where to learn the real thing.
La Croqueta+
Ryker's quick foot-to-foot shift through the dribbling maze in Chapter 4.
Fernando Torres explains it (UEFA)Nutmeg+
Kieran slips the ball through a senior's legs in Chapter 8. Ryker does it too in the gaffer's scrimmage.
Read about the nutmegRondo+
The fast, two-touch keep-ball drill where the seniors test Ryker in Chapter 10.
How a rondo worksDefensive midfield+
The deeper role Gaffer Khatri gives Ryker in Chapter 32: less freedom, more responsibility.
Midfield roles explainedPenalty shoot-out+
How the Chapter 33 knockout match is decided, with Ryker taking the fifth kick.
The rules of a shoot-outFull time.
For now.
Left out of the final state squad, Ryker and Kieran get a phone call from the National Development XI: a three-day private camp. Closed doors. No media. Part Two, Make or Break, is coming.
The game does not listen to the loudest player in the room. It listens to the one who understands it.Gaffer Khatri