The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 339 If parting is inevitable, let it end happily.
The podium has been set up in the center of the stadium.

The enormous Europa League trophy gleamed under the lights, resembling a holy grail.

Solemn music played over the loudspeaker, temporarily suppressing the wave of revelry and transforming it into a deeper and more fervent anticipation.

The awards ceremony is about to begin.

Although the process is largely the same—familiar music, a podium covered with velvet, team members taking the stage one by one, and gleaming trophies—each time feels like witnessing it for the first time, leaving everyone breathless.

Because every second spent raising the trophy is writing a unique legend.

So no one ever feels it's repetitive, no one ever gets bored—because the rituals are old, but the glory is always new.

Benfica players, heads bowed, stood in silent rows and slowly walked up the steps covered with a dark blue carpet.

Their steps were heavy, and UEFA President Platini hung the silver runner-up medals around their necks one by one, but no one looked down at them.

The medals hung in front of the deep red jersey, appearing dull and glaring.

As captain Enzo Perez received his medal, his gaze quickly swept over the gold trophy beside him, his Adam's apple bobbing violently before he quickened his pace to complete the entire course.

The entire process was eerily quiet, with only sporadic bursts of encouraging applause from the Benfica stands, which were quickly swallowed up by the immense silence.

"Champion – Bastia!"

The emcee's voice was like a fuse being lit!

The Bastia players erupted in thunderous cheers, pushing and shoving each other as they rushed onto the podium!
Each of them wore the purest and most unrestrained smile.

UEFA President Michel Platini stood in the center of the podium, smiling, shaking hands with each player and personally hanging the heavy gold medals on their heads.

When the veteran Rothen walked up to him, Platini did not immediately present the medal. Instead, he put his hands on Rothen's shoulders, leaned close to his ear, and whispered a few words. Rothen's tears instantly welled up again. He nodded vigorously, bowed deeply, and then accepted the medal.

After receiving his medal, Kanté curiously lowered his head and bit it, then flashed his signature shy smile, eliciting laughter from his teammates behind him.

De Bruyne and Lukaku accepted the medal together, their arms linked. Lukaku excitedly waved his arms, almost knocking De Bruyne over.

Hagi Bejic then went up to accept his medal. This previously unknown coach, along with the Bastia grassroots team, stood before everyone.

At last,
Captain Jan Gaio, who was the last to appear, walked up to Platini.

The entire stadium erupted in the loudest, most rhythmic chants: "Gayo! Gayo! Gayo!"

Platini didn't immediately pick up the medal. Instead, he opened his arms and gave Gaio a long, powerful hug that lasted for several seconds, patting him hard on the back as if completing a handover of power.

"My child, you did it! You've brought glory to all French football fans. Remember this feeling. The path you've walked is more precious than any trophy. Now, enjoy your time!"

Only then did he solemnly hang the last gold medal around Gaio's neck.

"Thank you."

Gaio expressed his heartfelt gratitude to this French legend.

The final moment has finally arrived!
Gaio walked toward the Holy Grail placed in the very center of the pedestal—the enormous, gleaming silver Europa League trophy.

Gaio took a deep breath, stretched out his hands, and picked up the Europa League trophy.

Unlike the Champions League trophy, the Europa League trophy is a cylindrical trophy, resembling a large wine glass.

The teammates were already standing in three rows in front of the "Champion's Arch".

Gaio walked to the front, holding the trophy.

With their bodies hunched over, they took small, quick steps, everyone laughing as they prepared.

The Bastia fans in the stadium began a spontaneous, deafening countdown:
"five four three two one!"

The moment the "one" fell, Gaio exerted his strength, raising the huge trophy high above his head until his arm was fully extended!

moment,

Golden confetti burst forth from all around!

Like a golden downpour!

The stirring melody of "We Are the Champions" resounded throughout the entire stadium!

Countless flashes illuminated the night sky as if it were daytime!

"Bastia, the champion!"

All the Bastia staff rushed to the center, and together with the players, countless hands once again held up the base of the trophy, sharing in its supreme weight!

Amidst the golden rain and deafening cheers, Gaio tilted his head back, pursed his lips, and savored the moment.

Click, click, click!
This scene was also recorded in its entirety.

The flashes of the group photos receded like a receding tide, and the noise subsided slightly.

Gaio held the heavy trophy firmly in both hands, and without a moment's hesitation, turned around and handed it to De Bruyne beside him.

De Bruyne accepted the trophy.

He didn't lift it immediately, but lowered his head slightly, his fingertips slowly tracing the cool metal surface, caressing each exquisite engraving.

His gaze lingered intently on the trophy, as if he were having a final conversation with an old friend with whom he was about to part ways—this trophy was the most glorious chapter in his wandering career, and also the most perfect gift before a grand farewell.

finally,
He took a deep breath, with a hint of lingering affection and relief, and steadily passed the trophy to the next person.

The trophy continued to be passed around amidst the waves of jubilation.

Kanté gave the glass a shy grin as he took it, while Lukaku excitedly gave it a loud kiss, eliciting laughter from those around him.

Finally, the trophy was passed to veteran Rothen.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

All the noise seemed to be muted the moment he accepted the trophy.

He neither laughed nor shouted, but simply used his hands, marked by the passage of time, to caress the cup tightly, again and again.

He slowly and heavily pressed his forehead against the cold glass, closed his eyes, and his shoulders trembled slightly.

In the final chapter of a career, all the regrets and fulfillments converge in this silent touch.

Rothen looked up, his gaze piercing through the crowd, and saw Haji Begitch.

Haji Begichi slowly walked forward.

Instead of accepting the trophy, he reached out his right hand and, instead of touching it, forcefully patted Rothen's arm, which was tightly holding the trophy.

This is an expression of recognition and gratitude between men.

Subsequently,

His gaze swept over all the team members, and finally he raised his hand and gently touched the base of the trophy with his fingertips.

Just a moment, quick and restrained, as if touching a rare treasure, or as if merely confirming its existence.

then,

He immediately withdrew his hand and said, "Guys, don't stop, go and enjoy this moment that we've been waiting for for thirty-five years with our fans!"

"go!"

Gaio called out to his teammates.

They thronged around the trophy, like a blue torrent, rushing towards the Bastia die-hards' stand.

This time, Gaio raised the trophy high, paying tribute to the most loyal followers of Bastia.

boom!
"Bastia!"

After the fans' cheers, the song "Allez Bastia" rang out again, filled with supreme glory and pride.

this moment,
Thirty-five years of waiting, all the sweat and tears, have turned into the dazzling light on the trophy and the golden confetti flying everywhere.

A Corsican football legend was forged on this night.

After the celebrations on the sidelines, staff began guiding the players back to the locker room.

At the entrance to the tunnel, Chatham opened his arms and embraced each of the sweat-drenched, glittering players, whispering congratulatory words in their ears.

When it was Gaio's turn...

Chatham's hug lasted particularly long.

he knows,
This championship is a gift Gaio left to Bastia; they may never have such a moment again.

This is the legendary story left behind by Gaio.

The moment the locker room door closed, a roar erupted from inside, several times more intense than that on the court, a complete and cathartic release!

The champagne cork shot towards the ceiling like a cannonball, spraying golden liquid everywhere.

The sounds of singing, shouting, crying, and clinking glasses completely drowned out the narrow space.

Meanwhile, on the distant island of Corsica, the entire city of Bastia was in a frenzy of celebration!
All the squares, bars, and streets were packed with people dressed in blue, cars were honking their horns, and church bells were ringing for football.

The giant screen repeatedly replayed the scene of Gaio lifting the trophy, and each replay elicited deafening cheers.

At this moment, glory is no longer confined to a single stadium.

Through radio waves and emotions, it completely connected the grass in Amsterdam, the champagne in the locker room, and the streets of Corsica, completing a grand coronation ceremony that spanned the ocean.

The awards ceremony has ended.

But the legendary night in Bastia was only just beginning to reach its climax.

Sunset Cafe Bistro.

With one foot on the bar and the other in an ice bucket, Bertrand held up a huge beer jug ​​like a champion's trophy and roared at the packed crowd of customers: "Tonight! There are no bosses here! Only brothers! All-you-can-drink! Free! We'll drink until we drop! Cheers to Bastia!"

As he downed glass after glass of anise liqueur, his mind was filled with Jacques's words: "I hope to see Bastia win the championship again in my lifetime."

but,

He never saw it again.

Roncagliari, the Bastia star, stands with all his youth academy teammates on the highest railing of the Cesarí stadium.

They took off their youth team jerseys, waved them wildly, and led the Bastia team song at the top of their lungs in front of the sea of ​​people surging in the square below.

They shouted Gaio's name.

His face was streaked with tears of anticipation, fervor, and determination—Gaio and that trophy illuminated a clear and tangible path to his future.

Martin, the usually carefree guy with a mediocre alcohol tolerance, is currently standing atop the fountain statue in the center of the city square!

What he was waving was not a scarf, but a huge, worn-out 1978 Bastia team flag.

These are old items belonging to the old man in my family.

He pounded on a broken copper pot he'd somehow found next to him with all his might, creating a deafening noise. His completely off-key singing, however, elicited the loudest sing-alongs and cheers from the entire audience.

His wife below was crying and laughing as she tried to get him down, but he just waved the flag in his hand like a child.

There are many, many more.

This is a resonance across the entire island.

On the streets, strangers embraced and high-fived at every intersection; on balconies, elderly people smiled as they showered flower petals and ribbons down; on the sea, all the ships sounded their horns at the same time, the loud sounds mingling with the city's cheers, shaking the Mediterranean night sky.

The trophy is still in the Netherlands, but its spirit has been completely integrated into every heartbeat and every breath of Corsica.

tonight,

It's destined to be a sleepless night.

At the post-match press conference in Bastia, Hagi Begic brought Rothen with him.

He originally wanted to bring Gaio along, but Gaio said he would talk to the Bastia fans directly, rather than through the news media, in a different way.

Haji Begić then gave up.

Hagi Bejic, with his hands clasped on the table, faced the barrage of cameras and microphones, his voice steady and clear, "Respect to Benfica and their coach Jorge Jesus. They are a great team, and tonight's result..."

He paused briefly, then continued, "It's the cruelest side of football at times."

He then talked about some aspects of the match, saying, "Many people will talk about the 6-0 score, but for me, this match is not about the score, but about the answer."

We answered all the doubts in one season.

People say we relied on luck, that we're a collection of losers and discarded players, role players snatched up from big clubs and minor leagues. Tonight, we gave the loudest response in 90 minutes.

Before the match, we knew Benfica would press high up the pitch and try to control the game. Our answer was simple: discipline, patience, and decisive efficiency.

Yang's performance tonight transcended the scope of any tactical board.

His journey is more legendary than any trophy. He was never a perfect player, but he shattered all doubts with his purest talent and the most resilient heart.

When you have a player like that, born for big moments, your job is to trust him and provide him with a platform to perform.

tonight,

He repaid everyone's trust in a way that was almost like science fiction.

35 years ago, Bastia lost the championship in the Netherlands.

This incident cast a shadow over the club for decades.

Tonight, we have come to the Netherlands not to erase history, but to write new history.

This trophy is a tribute to the older generation who never stopped believing, and also a textbook on hope and perseverance for the new generation of fans.

After saying all that, Hagi Begic inevitably talked about the team's future.

This is the tragedy of small teams.

The outstanding performances of Lukaku and De Bruyne will see them return to Chelsea this month as the season ends, while Gaio is already considered a member of the elite club.

Hagi Bejic said, "The world of football is always turning. The sun will rise again tomorrow, and there will be new challenges. Tonight, we enjoy the victory."

But I know that some players are destined for a bigger stage. My job is not to stifle talent, but to help them take flight.

Whatever the future holds, tonight's glory will forever belong to Bastia, to Corsica. This is an indelible chapter we have written together.

Finally, he said, "Right now, what I want to do most is go back to the locker room and be with my teammates. They are the heroes tonight, thank you."

He nodded slightly, not giving the reporter a chance to ask further questions.

Rothen's remarks were also very composed; he knew how to deal with the media.

the other side.

Benfica's press conference was simpler. Jesus had no intention of discussing tonight's game; he simply said, "I am the head coach, and the responsibility for all tactical arrangements and the players' mental preparation lies with me."

This disastrous defeat is my sole responsibility. The players gave their all; they shouldn't be blamed.

We need time to process this defeat.

It hurts, but true powerhouses must learn to rise from the ashes.

Finally, I want to apologize to all Benfica fans.

We have let you down and made you endure such a painful night.

Your support doesn't deserve this kind of reward.

We'll be back, thank you.

After saying that, Jesus walked away.

He definitely needs to process tonight's crushing defeat.

This applies to all Benfica players and fans.

As time went on after the match ended, the media produced more and more news, quickly reporting the result of the game.

It's fair to say that newsrooms around the world were instantly abuzz with the keywords "Bastia" and "6-0".

Perhaps tomorrow,

An epic match has completely dominated sports news around the world.

But tonight, there's already a flood of timely news.

Bastia thrashed Benfica 6-0 to claim the Europa League title! Gaio's hat-trick and hat-trick of assists in the final cemented his legendary status.

"Jan Gaio's creation: Bastia wins the Europa League with a record 6-0 score, completing an epic journey."

Special Report: From Ligue 2 to the Top of Europe: A Full Retrospective of Bastia's Two-Year Miracle

"Cold! Cruel! Historic! Bastia humiliates Benfica 6-0, Gaio involved in all six goals."

"Gaio: A Super Genius Who Shatters All Prejudice"

L'Équipe went to great lengths to promote Gaio, while other media outlets merely published brief reports.

L'Équipe published a lengthy article.

Obviously.

It had already been written before—

[The Soul of France! Gaio's divine intervention led to six goals, as Bastia thrashed Benfica 6-0 to claim the Europa League title! The national team captain's hat-trick and hat-trick of assists cemented his legendary status! The greatest player in European competition history! From prison to the pinnacle of Europe, he made all of France tremble!]
Amsterdam's night sky was torn apart by blue flames!

When Jan Gueiao—the 18-year-old prodigy wearing the captain's armband for the French national team—delivered an epic performance of 3 goals and 3 assists on the final stage, leading Bastia to a brutal 6-0 victory over Benfica, the entire European football world trembled at his feet.

From the very first minute, Gaião was like a sword drawn from its sheath, carrying the glory of his national team and the wildness of Corsica, relentlessly piercing Benfica's defense.

Three goals in just fifty minutes, but this is just the beginning!
He then provided three assists for De Bruyne and Lukaku, completing an unprecedented hat-trick of assists in the Europa League final!
"He is not only a striker, but also a commander!" wrote a reporter from L'Équipe on the scene. "When he charged forward wearing the Bastia captain's armband, the will of all France burned in his eyes!"

Who would have thought that this national team captain, who now drives France wild, once walked into prison in handcuffs on his 17th birthday?

That lost boy on the streets of Niaoquan Town, that problem talent abandoned by Chelsea's youth academy, that prisoner imprisoned for robbing a few dozen euros—through the most brutal self-redemption, he wrote the greatest phoenix-like legend in football history!
In the 2011-12 season, he led Bastia to a double title in Ligue 2 and the French Cup;
In the 2012-13 season, as the new core of the national team, he led Bastia to win the French Super Cup and the Ligue 1 title.

Tonight, as captain, he lifted the Europa League trophy high, completing the most perfect crowning achievement of his career!
French national team coach Didier Deschamps witnessed everything on the field. After the match, he said frankly: "Yan showed me the answer to the future of French football. He has not only talent, but also a tempered soul. He deserves this championship."

"His journey is more legendary than any trophy," head coach Hagi Bejic said emotionally after the game. "He was never a perfect player, but he shattered all doubts with his purest talent and the most resilient heart."

Today, Gaio is no longer a lone hero of Corsica, but a banner carrying the hopes of all France.

"He made all French children believe that no matter how humble their origins, they can reach for the stars!" said French Football Federation President Le Graët emotionally.

He came from the streets of northern Paris, he was tempered in prison, and now he wears the captain's armband for the national team—he is Jan Gué, the greatest phoenix-like legend of French football!
Tonight, all of France is in a frenzy for him!

at the same time.

The internet is also a hotbed of excitement for Bastia fans.

Countless people left their comments, posts, and replies.

The internet connects everyone.

"In 1978, my father broke down crying on a rainy night in the Netherlands."

Thirty-five years later, I can finally shout at his photo: 'Dad, we won! And we won 6-0!'

This trophy was too heavy; it crushed Benfica, but it healed the broken hearts of two generations of our family.

Gaio isn't just playing football; he's stitching up the wounds of our history.

"Yes, during each elimination round, they all said that the dark horse miracle always has an end."

But Gaião turned the miracle into a myth, crushing Atlético Madrid in the group stage, tearing apart Inter Milan and Chelsea in the knockout stage, and finally nailing Benfica to the pillar of shame with a 6-0 victory.

This is not a journey, this is the path of judgment descended from the gods!

“I watched the whole thing with my son in my arms, and he asked me why I was crying.”

I said, 'My child, you are witnessing the greatest hero in Corsica's history.'

Every goal by Gaião was like a hammer blow, shattering all the prejudices that 'small island teams have no future'.

This trophy is the strongest source of confidence he left for all Corsican children!

“I was yelling at the screen in Melbourne, and my neighbors called me crazy.”

But how could I not go crazy?

Every time Gaio scores, I feel like I can smell Bastia anise liqueur.

He enabled those who had traveled thousands of miles away to finally stand tall and proclaim, "I come from Bastia!"

I was crying and laughing at the same time.

I know this might be the last gift Gaio leaves us—with such a performance, how could those big clubs let him go?

But that's precisely why this trophy is so precious.

He bid farewell in the most extraordinary way: not by leaving quietly, but by leading all of Corsica to the pinnacle of Europe!

"To hell with tactical analysis! To hell with data comparisons! All I want to do right now is jump into the sea shirtless and swim freely! Gaião has made everyone remember that football is not a numbers game, it's about passion, tears, and the explosion of 35 years of waiting culminating in a 6-0 victory! This is what football is all about!"

Among all these posts.

A post titled "If we must part, let it end happily" became the number one post among the twenty most popular posts on the Bastia fan forum.

"When Gaio lifted that weighty Europa League trophy high under the dazzling Amsterdam night sky, when he donned the blue jersey and completed an epic double hat-trick, when the entire city of Bastia chanted his name—"

I wept in the sea breeze at night.

I know this may be the last time we see him create miracles as a Bastia player.

My connection with Gaio began two years ago on a drizzly afternoon.

My son Antoine is the same age as Gaio.

It was probably June 2011, what day? I can't remember exactly, but he saw Gaio at a youth team match in Nantes.

"Dad, that number 10 player from Nantes named Jan Gaio is a genius," he excitedly told me on the phone. "His dribbling moves are as unpredictable as the sea breeze."

Later, sporting director Mr. Chatham brought back from Nantes the boy that Antoine loved so much but had been abandoned by professional teams, a player deemed a waste.

However, fate played a cruel trick on us.

Five months later, my Antoine was killed in a car accident; and almost at the same time, Gaio, who had come to Bastia, was imprisoned for that foolish mistake.

For a long time, I couldn't watch football anymore—it cost me both my son and my hope.

Until this year, at Mr. Chatham's insistence, I reluctantly came to the stadium and saw that figure starting anew.

He was wearing the number 10 jersey that my son had once praised, running frantically on the court as if he wanted to outrun all the doubts and the past.

At that moment, I suddenly understood: some redemptions need to be witnessed.

So every home game day, I sat in the second row of the South Stand—the seat where I used to watch games with Antoine.

I've watched Gaio go from stumbling and falling to being unstoppable, from Ligue 2 Golden Boot winner to Ligue 1 champion, and tonight, he's made all of Europe tremble.

When he dribbled past his opponents with sharp skills in the final and slotted the ball into the goal, I could almost see Antoine cheering in my ear: 'See, Dad! I told you he was a genius!'

Invitations from top clubs will surely come flooding in.

I know that this child from the suburbs of Paris is destined for a bigger stage.

But this time, I won't cry.

Because Gaio has given us the most perfect farewell gift – not a cold transfer fee, but a championship trophy that makes Bastia's name resound throughout Europe.

They didn't leave quietly; instead, they made everyone remember them from the top of the world: there's a team in Corsica called Bastia, and they conquered Europe!

He came from the town of Nyolschöne, a suburb of Paris, and had been abandoned by everyone, but found a new life in Corsica.

This championship is his most heartfelt farewell to us.

So, if we must say goodbye, let this night become an eternal monument.

Go, Yang!

Go conquer the Bernabéu, shine at Old Trafford, smash through the Allianz Arena, and make the whole of European football fall for you.

Corsica will always be your safe haven, and Bastia will always be the brightest lighthouse when you look back.

No matter which prestigious club you wear, whenever the sea breeze sweeps across the Corsican mountains, we will always remember that a Parisian boy once grew up here to become a true king.

Parting is not the end, but another form of companionship.

This championship is not the end, but a new starting point for you to spread your wings and soar.

Thank you, Jan Gaio.

Thank you for making me fall in love with football again. In every cheer you give after a goal, there will always be one that belongs to Antoine.

Thank you for giving us the most perfect ending.

This is an article.

It brought tears to the eyes of not only Bastia fans, but also Gaio.

Two o'clock in the morning.

After a lively celebration with his teammates, staff, and family at the hotel, he returned to his hotel room, exhausted.

He turned on his computer and went to the Bastia fan forum.

I saw this trending post at first glance.

When Gaio finished reading, he wanted to say something too. He typed some words in the reply box, but then deleted them all.

He knew he needed to say something.

He sent an email to Dinar, a journalist for the Bastia Evening Post and a staunch fan of Gaio.

The question was simple: could he have a separate interview segment during the filming of the documentary about the team's championship journey?

He has a lot to say to the Bastia fans.

These words can be preserved in a documentary or published in a newspaper.

After the email is sent.

Unexpectedly, the other person was still awake and immediately replied, "Of course."

Gaio asked him why he was checking emails so late.

Dinar replied, "My God, how are you going to sleep tonight?!"

Gaio smiled.

Yes.

How will I be able to sleep tonight?
So, after saying goodbye, he opened a Word document and decided to write an article.

Write a farewell piece about Bastia.

This article will be the first article on the First Perspective website.

Then articles about other Bastia players, as well as Zidane and others, will be published on it.

What to write?

Gaio suddenly remembered the forum post he had just seen.

He wrote the title – “To Antoine”.

(End of this chapter)