Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussions of bullying.

The London Dragons Youth Academy summer camp is a high-intensity environment that would be difficult for any soccer player since it is the chance of a lifetime. As an American in an English-led sport and alone in a new, much larger city, Leo’s struggles with his confidence are entirely understandable, especially when he comes to understand the privileges and caliber of the students by whom he is surrounded. However, Leo is ultimately able to overcome his fear of failure as he gains more confidence through improving his skills and realizing that he should not sacrifice the fun of his favorite sport in pursuit of perfection.

Leo’s fear of failure arises from the sense that he is much different from the other students, many of whom have been training for an opportunity like this one their whole lives. When Leo first encounters Robbie, he’s shocked by his roommate’s single-minded determination and rigorous preparation through his club team coaches. Later, when Samantha asks him if he’s ever had formal training, Leo’s impostor syndrome flares up again as he tells her that “I’d been playing my whole life, in the backyard and the neighborhood park and the YMCA leagues. No club teams, private coaches, or even special summer camps” (71). So many of the other students seem to have had access to such resources, and it makes Leo feel behind from the start.

Leo gains confidence by practicing the rudimentary techniques more, commenting, for example, that he “learned more about trapping and passing in those two and a half hours than in [his] entire life” (104). Similarly, he’s thrilled when his strategic suggestions lead to goals during scrimmages or when he manages to best a teammate. However, he works to build his own confidence, as when he remembers how his mother told him, “It’s not your failures in life that matter, Leo, because everyone fails at something. The most successful people in the world often fail the most. What matters is that you get out of bed the next day and try again” (121). Then, during the World Cup, Tig provides crucial advice to Leo by emphasizing that enjoyment is a key to success: “You know why most kids stop playing sports, Leo? Not because they’re not winning. That doesn’t even make the top ten. It’s because they’re not having fun” (231). His words inspire Leo to start taking risks and trust in his own innate ability. While Leo still makes mistakes during the final match, he pushes himself to have a good time playing, feeling more confident in the skills that he does have.