Chapter 271: FA Cup final; against Manchester United
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[You have completed a Season System Quest!]
[Congratulations! You have completed Season Quest 1!]
[You have completed mission 1: Win the English Premier League with Fulham FC!]
[You have been rewarded with +4 increase to 2 random football abilities!]
[Your Pace attribute has increased by +4!]
[Your Dribbling attribute has increased by +4!]
…
[You have been rewarded with +10,000 Skill Points!]
…
[You have been rewarded with a bonus reward: X Factor pill ×2]
>X Factor pill: In football, the X factor is a variable in a given football game or situation that can have the most significant impact on the outcome of the game. When this pill is ingested, you become that variable, massively enhancing your team's chances of winning a game<
…
[You have completed mission 2: Become the top assist provider of the English premier league!]
[You have been rewarded with a +5 increase to your passing attribute!]
[You have received a random passing skill!]
[Skill randomizing…, please wait…]
[You have received a passing skill: Mesut Ozil Bounce Pass]
***
[Congratulations! You have completed Season Quest 4!]
[You have completed mission 1: Secure a top 4 finish for Fulham FC, guaranteeing Champions League football for your club in the next season!]
[You have been rewarded with a +5 increase to your physicality and defending attributes!]
***
[Season Quest 5: Completed]
***
[Season Quest 3: Failed]
***
[Season Quest 2: Pending]
***
[Congratulations! Your overall system rating has increased to 87!]
[Player Attributes:]
*Pace: 86
*Shot: 85
*Pass: 85
*Dribbling: 82
*Defending: 40
*Physicality: 81
*Stamina: 86
Overall Rating: 87
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In one day, Sam's attributes increased explosively, taking his overall rating to a staggering figure of 87.
'Damn!' This was his only reaction on seeing that figure.
The season was yet to end for Fulham unlike most other clubs in the premier league, but still, it was a legendary season already.
Sam and all his teammates were already immortalized in Fulham, recognized as legends of Fulham football club after creating history, bringing the club's very first major trophy.
The fact that it was the premier league title made it even more special.
The past few days, everyday felt like Christmas to Fulham supporters.
The more he grew, the harder it was to improve his attributes, Sam already learned this after playing so many games this season for Fulham.
This was why he felt so much more different after his attributes experienced such an explosive growth. 'Damn! I doubt even the system expected me to complete so many season system quests'.
'If it did, it would have never made the rewards so lucrative'.
This was also another highlight of the incredible feat that Sam achieved with Fulham this season.
Originally in the premier league, Fulham was a renowned mid-table team, they were never synonymous with winning trophies not to talk of winning the premier league trophy.
To win it in his second season with the club emphasized the difficulty of what Sam just did, he made the impossible possible with Fulham.
The footballing world was still reeling from the brilliance of the little Nigerian, but for Sam, the season was not over yet.
The FA Cup final was originally scheduled for 17th May but due to the premier league schedule, it was postponed to after matchday 38 of the premier league.
Almost a week later after playing Man City in the last matchday of the premier league, on the last day of May, Fulham lined up on the pitch again against the other Manchester club in a blockbuster FA Cup final matchup.
(FA Cup:)
(Final:)
(Manchester United – Fulham)
(Date: 31st May, 2025)
For the last time this season, this legendary Fulham side lined up on the pitch against a vastly improved Manchester United side under the tutelage of Ruben Amorim in a blockbuster FA Cup clash.
On that night, Fulham fans witnessed another Sam masterclass.
Both teams started with their strongest lineups and like expected, Ruben Amorim had a special plan to shackle the Fulham superstar.
Manuel Ugarte, the Manchester United midfielder was tasked with being Sam's shadow for this game, man-marking him to restrict his impact on the game.
Manuel Ugarte did an amazing job, reducing Sam's impact in the advanced parts of the field but in response, Sam simply decided to do more without the ball as he abused the Manchester United midfielder with his stamina.
By half-time, Manuel Ugarte did a good job as the scoreline was still 0-0 but by then, the midfielder was already out of breath as Sam pushed him to his limits.
In second half, the floodgates finally opened.
Manuel Ugarte dug in, restricting Sam's impact offensively but still, Sam did enough of the little bits to let his teammates shine.
In the 71st minute of this tight game in Wembley Stadium, Emile Smith Rowe finally did it, floating a pass for Alex Iwobi to neatly sweep into the Manchester United net as Wembley Stadium erupted, fans of the Fulham persuasion roaring at the top of their lungs.
In this game, the Manchester United players could not help but feel that Sam was even better and faster.
It was almost like he was not yet used to his body's new capabilities which helped Manuel Ugarte in barely keeping up with him.
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7 minutes after Alex Iwobi's goal, in the 78th minute of the game, Bruno Fernandes struck for Manchester United, an absolute rocket from midfield.
POW!
And just like that, Manchester United were level again.
Fulham dragged it to after fulltime before winning it late in additional time as Rodrigo Muniz became the hero, pouncing onto an Emile Smith Rowe cross and heading home past Andre Onana to make Fulham FA Cup champions for the first time in their history.
Emile Smith Rowe won the man of the match award for this game after his impressive 2-assist display.
FWEEEE!
As soon as the final whistle sounded, the Fulham players felt vindicated, giving in to their emotions again as they cried, hugging each other excitedly.
When their families entered the pitch to celebrate with them, they felt that this was the best year of their life.
Lifting the premier league title last week and the FA Cup this week, was there a period of life better than this?
They were living the dream.
And with that, Fulham did the unthinkable, winning the double of the premier league and FA Cup trophies of the 2024/2025 season.
It was a record-breaking season.
It was a legendary season and at its heart was Samuel Moses.