Team Spirit

Chapter 163 (1.1 views, please subscribe for the full list) The Unexpected Golden Globe Award Nominations

In the 76th minute, Feyenoord still hadn't given up.

Buffer passed the ball to Song Chong-guk, who was overlapping on the right wing.

As a result, the clumsy South Korean actually slipped and fell to the ground while rushing towards the football and preparing to cross it.

The football rolled out of bounds.

Feyenoord then made a substitution.

To Tenhagh's surprise, they didn't replace Song Chongguo, but instead replaced him with Buffel.

Ten Hag: "What, are they blaming Buffel for not passing the ball well just now?"

Modric shook his head: "It's their coach who thinks Buffel should take advantage of the time to cut inside and go it alone, instead of waiting for the full-backs to come up."

After all, you're the one chasing the score, not the one leading.

Ten Hach looked at him strangely: "You know a lot?"

It means why you keep interrupting me.

Modric was puzzled: "Don't you understand? Isn't this obvious? It's written in our tactics book, isn't it?"

"When the wingers are alone, they should focus on cutting inside to break through, making the opponent fear our attacks down the flanks. When the full-backs come up, they should focus on running, crossing, and passing back to relieve the pressure on the wingers and conserve their energy."

Ten Hach shook his head secretly and glanced at Alfred discreetly.

He didn't believe Modric could glean so much from Dartford's basic tactics.

Did the old man hand over "Frey's Testament" to Modric?

This guy immediately started a team-wide rectification campaign, always keeping a little notebook to jot down notes—definitely a member of the royal family.

If I can trick him out of it beforehand, I won't have to work for the old man for free.

On the sidelines, Van Persie had already replaced Buffon.

Feyenoord coach Bert van Marwijk has temporarily backed down.

Van Persie was so cocky when he came on the field, he was like, "Go ahead and make me sit on the bench!"
Trailing by two goals, now they know to look for a star player?

In the 81st minute, Feyenoord passed the ball around in their own half, trying to adjust their rhythm.

As a result, Dartford pressed very hard in the attacking third.

Ono passed the ball back to Song Jong-guk.

Lu Kai went straight to Song Zhongguo.

The Koreans suddenly had a whim and wanted to show off Lu Kai.

This can be considered as bringing glory to the country in the Sino-Japanese-Korean war, so that people will not only see the Sino-Japanese conflict.

After receiving the ball, I tried a V-shaped pull... but I lifted my foot too high and couldn't pull it back.

As soon as Lu Kai lunged forward, Song Zhongguo immediately passed the ball to him.

The burning effect is becoming increasingly noticeable.

Lu Kai immediately flicked the ball to the right, intercepted it in the attacking third, and cut inside.

Ono Shinji quickly returned to defense. After reaching his defensive position, Lu Kai used a lateral Marseille turn to get past him and create space.

boom!
Using a spinning kick and a deflection shot, he fired a direct shot from the left side of the penalty area.

The football curled into a superb arc, passing in front of Patrick and snaking past Markovski's outstretched fingers into the net.

"GOAL! Four to two! Lu Kai has scored too!"

"That was a world-class goal!"

"That chip shot was incredibly effortless, with a perfect arc."

"Lu Kai's curveball technique is really amazing."

"Many people have said that Lu Kai doesn't have any special characteristics when playing football, but that's actually because he's very well-rounded. Many of his individual skills are just as good as others."

On the pitch, Feyenoord fans booed.

However, it wasn't for the Dartford players, but for Song Chong-guk.

They believe that South Koreans are practically war criminals.

Some fans with a strong sense of history even said that South Korea has been an integral part of China since ancient times, and that Song Chong-guk deliberately threw the match to help Lu Kai undermine the AFC's prestige.

Some fans who have studied Chinese said that you can tell what this player is going to do just from his name. Song Zhongguo means that he will give the ball to the Chinese player.

Van Marwijk didn't have such a deep understanding of Chinese, but he quickly replaced Song Zhongguo with Swartz.

Feyenoord conceded at least three goals because of this stupid Chinese guy.

It can be said that he single-handedly helped Dartford complete the comeback, and even killed the game.

The problem is, Song Jong-guk's performance is usually not this bad.

For Dartford, Crouch replaced Drogba.

In the 85th minute, Van Persie made a run down the right flank.

Ashley Young saw the opposing substitute come on and thought he was some nobody, but he was the Green Gun Vice GOAT who had kicked Feyenoord to pieces, so how could he back down?
A face-to-face encounter!
Van Persie completely ruined Ashley Young.

Van Persie cuts into the penalty area.

Ashley Young turned around to chase after him, only to find that he couldn't catch up at all.

Kuyt tries to get a touch on the ball in the penalty area.

Van Persie looked at his teammates.

Influenced by this, Lescott intentionally defended against passes.

As a result, Van Persie took the opportunity to dribble the ball at high speed down the wing, without even pressing the pass button!

Van Persie was incredibly fast; he charged to the edge of the six-yard box and lifted his left foot.

Kuyt and Leonardo formed a two-pronged attack in the penalty area, while Shinji Ono also broke into the penalty area.

With three points of contact, a pass is possible.

boom!
Van Persie unleashed a powerful shot from an impossible angle.

Kasper simply stood there and blocked the ball out of bounds.

"Fake!"

Van Marwijk kicked a water bottle away from the sidelines.

He knows it!

That bastard is absolutely not going to pass the ball!

The conflict between the two originated from a match a year ago when Van Persie, after scoring four goals, ignored the coach's instructions in pursuit of a five-goal victory, and repeatedly performed the same behavior.

After being criticized and educated by the head coach, the hot-blooded young Van Persie believed that the head coach was wrong, and the two had opposing views, which gradually became irreconcilable.

The television screen showed Van Persie's series of brilliant dribbling moves.

But Ashley Young was very upset.

He's clearly so strong, yet he's been getting dominated by others so often this season, making everyone think he's weak.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo is eating him haphazardly.

Dortmund's Rosicky switched lanes and easily made it through.

This little Dutch league substitute, Van Persie, is even more unreasonable.

On the contrary, Odonkor, the fastest player who was more advantageous than all three players, was gradually punished by Ashley Young.

Ashley Young couldn't help but wonder: Am I only good at suppressing top players? And those who are weaker are harder for me to handle?

Ashley Young has a precise understanding of his own abilities.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Van Persie once again put on a spectacular run down the wing against Ashley Young.

Robin van Persie played as a center forward during his time at Arsenal and Manchester United, but he was also a sharp winger in his early career, and because he was left-footed, he was extremely threatening when cutting inside from the right wing position.

It is precisely because the weak foot of wingers is not the main trend of this era that Van Persie, who is "too aggressive," is considered to be more suitable to play as a center forward.

If he had been born ten years later, Van Persie would definitely have remained in the right winger position.

However, just as Van Persie got past Ashley Young, Lu Kai came over and bumped into Van Persie with his upper body, physically blocking him.

Ashley Young, who was chasing back, immediately collected the ball and passed it back to Leicester.

Lescott, on a sudden inspiration, unleashed a powerful kick.

You know what, it actually worked quite well, and it turned out to be a long pass!

Fa Zhongyi, Fan Xiongxin, Na Sili, and Song Gongming.

Alexander Song's template for "Song Dynasty achievements" played a role to some extent, although there was also an element of chance involved.

Yaya Touré leaped high and headed the ball on.

Ribery successfully received the ball and launched a counter-attack at an extremely fast pace.

His ball control was excellent; every time he dribbled, it gave the impression that he might make another move, causing Feyenoord's defenders to hesitate to press him and instead retreat while fighting.

Ribery charged into the penalty area, forcing Patrick to press forward.

boom!
A lob pass.

Crouch, who was following up, didn't even jump; he simply headed the ball into the goal.

"GOAL! Five to two! Dartford are on fire!"

Feyenoord suffered a massacre at their own stadium!

"Who would have thought that after a close first leg, the second leg would end with such a huge score?"

"It seems that Green Gunners are superior in terms of both tactical targeting and player adaptability."

"The AFC is probably in for some trouble this time."

"Shinji Ono, as the Asian Footballer of the Year, did not perform badly in this series. But compared to Lu Kai, a Chinese player who is not eligible for such an award, he was far inferior."

"This is a devastating blow to the overall assessment of Asian football."

The match ended quickly.

Dartford defeated Feyenoord 6-3 on aggregate.

But the actual situation was not as easy as the score suggests.

Feyenoord was even in the lead in the early stages.

The key lies in Lu Kai's three consecutive attacks on Song Zhongguo.

In the confrontation between the Chinese and the Japanese, the Koreans played a crucial role.

……

November 29th, English League One, Round 21.

Dartford beat Burnley 2-1 at home.

Murray scored twice, carrying the team's attacking burden in League One.

December 3rd, League Cup Round of 16.

Dartford hosted Manchester City at home.

Following the "China-Japan-Korea Asian Derby", the "China Derby" has now taken place.

Manchester City's starting right-back Sun Jihai has also entered the initial selection for the Asian Footballer of the Year award due to his outstanding performance in the Premier League.

However, they failed to make it to the final three-person competition.

He lost to his own close friend, Li Tong.

In addition, Manchester City also have former Green Gunners centre-back Kevin Dawson.

Their left winger is the legendary McMaraman.

The right winger is Sean Wright, one of Lu Kai's friends.

Sean Wright's adoptive father, Ian Wright, was a star passer at Arsenal. Lu Kai had contact with this striker during his time in Arsenal's youth academy, which is how he met Sean.

Manchester City's two strikers are very famous.

One of them is Robbie Fowler, who just transferred from Liverpool.

After frequent injuries, 28-year-old Fowler can no longer keep up with Liverpool's demands.

After a series of back-and-forth negotiations, he transferred to Manchester City for a low price of three million pounds.

Manchester City manager and former Liverpool legend Kevin Keegan played a significant role in this.

McMaraman also transferred from Real Madrid, where he had no place in the team, because of his friend Fowler.

Unfortunately, neither of the two legendary veterans shone brightly at Manchester City.

In fact, this was Fowler's last season.

During this period, English football stars generally had shorter careers, and Liverpool stars suffered more injuries and retired even earlier.

Manchester City's other center forward is "The French Alien" Anelka!
This lineup is absolutely gorgeous.

But when they actually faced Dartford, only Shane Wright used his sharp speed and breakthroughs to overwhelm Ashley Young, his counterpart.

The rest of Manchester City's star players did not perform to their full potential.

Even Sun Jihai, known for his consistency, was faked out twice by Lu Kai in this game.

Although Lu Kai did not directly score or assist, he orchestrated both of the team's goals.

The goals were all scored by Gilardino, a "Serie A flop striker".

The Italian is thriving at Dartford, scoring as many goals in just three months as he did at Parma last season.

Five million pounds, and it's appreciating in value.

Two to zero.

Dartford defeated Manchester City at home to advance to the EFL Cup quarterfinals.

However, shortly after the match ended, Dartford received some bad news.

Liverpool star Morgan, who returned to action in mid-November, is injured again in this match!

It's not hard to guess the seriousness of the problem from his pained expression.

The hospital released details of his injury... a torn cruciate ligament!
Morgan suffered two career-ending injuries in the last two years.

He broke down at that moment.

Serious injury, surgery, infection, complete surgery, serious injury...

Morgan's career was fraught with difficulties.

As the first star player sold by Dartford for a high price, Morgan holds a special place in the history of the Green Gunners.

This is the first college student in the village.

Unexpectedly, this is how it ended.

Green Gunners fans and players alike sent their best wishes to Morgan.

Sunderland's Elvis Markov immediately set off to see his good friend Thirty.

When he arrived, Lu Kai had just left.

December 8th, English League One, Round 22.

Dartford beat Coventry 3-1 away from home.

On December 10th, the suspense surrounding the Asian Footballer of the Year award was resolved.

Of the three candidates, Iranian player Mahdavikia won the grand prize.

With Hammam gaining power in the AFC, the "rise" of West Asia is unstoppable.

This player plays for Hamburg, who are still in the Bundesliga.

Last season, he helped Hamburg achieve a fourth-place finish in the Bundesliga. As a full-back, he not only scored two goals but also won the Bundesliga assist title.

At the same time, he is also the top right winger for the Iranian national team.

Last season was his peak season.

His rivals are Uzbek striker Shatsky, who won the Ukrainian league's top scorer award last season and also scored a goal in this season's Champions League 2-1 victory over Arsenal.

This is part of Arsenal's unbeaten league record and winless cup run.

Another candidate is Thai player Chaman, who helped his team win the AFC Champions League runner-up title and also won the AFC Champions League Best Player award.

Just looking at these three, it's like gods fighting.

But then I saw Lu Kai.

Since last season, he has won numerous awards, including the EFL Cup, FA Cup, League Two title, Confederations Cup, Community Shield, and many Golden Boot, assist leader, and Player of the Year awards.

Even in Europe, it's almost a top-tier power.

Therefore, this year's Asian Footballer of the Year award is also known as the most uninteresting one.

That's terrible!
The AFC also has other awards.

Rookie of the Year, Yoshito Okubo of Japan.

Best Coach: Han Guoche Jingfu.

The best female player of the year, Ri Kum-suk of North Korea, beat Mio Otani of Japan and Bai Jie of China.

Iraq is the national team of the year.

Club of the Year: Al Ain

China is the best women's national team of the year.

Iran is the best futsal team of the year.

One day later, the Chinese Footballer of the Year was also born.

Because of SARS, it was initially decided not to hold the evaluation this year, but it was later decided to do so anyway.

The final winner was Jörg Albertz, a German player who plays for Shanghai Shenhua.

But neither the Asian Footballer of the Year nor the Chinese Footballer of the Year awards could satisfy the fans.

People have already felt the limitations of these awards.

Lin Tao, a well-known jersey seller and football commentator, said: "In 1995, the Ballon d'Or changed its selection scope from European players playing for European clubs to any player playing for a UEFA-affiliated team."

"George Weah became the first non-EU player to win the award since the reform, thus beginning the Ballon d'Or's global dominance."

"Reports indicate that the Ballon d'Or is preparing for a new round of reforms, aiming to expand its scope to include all professional football players worldwide."

"When the world's best awards are striving for progress and being open and inclusive, why should we limit the scope of our awards to this small area?"

"Only those who play in the Chinese professional league can be eligible for the Chinese Footballer of the Year award? Then what's the point of players going to Europe? This runs counter to the official strategy of encouraging players to learn advanced experience in Europe. It also disrespects the efforts of players who play abroad but still retain their Chinese citizenship!"

"If we can present awards to foreign players playing in China, why can't we present awards to Chinese players playing abroad?"

Lin Tao's statement resonated widely.

In recent years, An Qi, Li Weifeng, Sun Jihai, and Li Tong have all performed well enough to be considered for the Footballer of the Year award, but they have missed out on the award because they did not play for domestic clubs.

Is this their loss?

This is a loss for Chinese football.

Because when the international community mentions Chinese football, they are the first thing that comes to mind.

Not to mention Lu Kai.

Zhongguo Football Shoes didn't dare to respond to the fans' insults.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated that they are studying the relevant rules.

Continue with the delaying tactic.

The former is because Lu Kai is uncooperative and doesn't want to give Lu Kai the title of Footballer of the Year.

The latter is because "UEFA Bro" didn't get things done, but he also refused to refund the money, so I'm feeling frustrated. I'll talk to him about it once I've calmed down.

……

December 13th, English League One, Round 22.

Dartford beat West Ham United 3-2 away from home.

West Ham United are a relegated team from the Premier League.

Logically speaking, their strength is considerable, and they should definitely be ranked among the top teams in League One.

However, their internal strife last season was too severe, and they traded away many talented players during the summer transfer window, including former Celtics striker Holt, who was sent to Sheffield Wednesday.

Therefore, they are currently ranked ninth in League One.

On December 15th, the FIFA World Player of the Year award ceremony was held in grand style.

Zidane lifted the trophy amidst controversy.

He became the second superstar, after Ronaldo, to win the honor three times.

The second place winner of the award was his club teammate Ronaldo.

Third place goes to Arsenal star Thierry Henry, whose statistics are simply too impressive.

Fourth place: Nedved.

Fifth place: Carlos.

Sixth on the list is Manchester United star Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose Premier League title and Golden Boot win carry significant weight.

Seventh place: Beckham.

Raul, ranked eighth, is the biggest winner, with two Real Madrid players in the top three, three in the top five, and fifteen in the top fifteen.

The Madrid City Hall, lent to FIFA last year, certainly didn't go to waste.

People who get paid will actually do their jobs.

AFC: Unlike UEFA.

Ninth place: Maldini.

Tenth place: Shevchenko.

The FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award was first won by a German player named Prinz.

Bahrain was awarded the Most Improved Team award.

Glasgow Celtic won the Fair Play Award.

The Iraqi football community received the FIFA Presidential Special Award.

Iraqi football has won many awards this year because the Iraq War broke out in March.

Europeans have always had a knack for grueling award ceremonies. If football honors require land, national strength, and the people to earn them, then Chinese football can simply continue to be rubbish.

Because everyone has focused their energy on scientific research, production, and construction.

Our passing was inaccurate, but our easterly winds were accurate.

We are not fast, but the J-10 is fast.

We don't have a front three, but we have three aircraft carriers: Fujian, Shandong, and Liaoning.

We may not be able to master complex formations like 433, 442, and 352, but we have mastered 055.

We cannot integrate the front, middle and back offices; we can only integrate foreign trade combined brigade.

It's worth mentioning that England beat France and Brazil to become the best team of the year thanks to their performance in the Confederations Cup.

England's new manager Stanley accepted the award on behalf of the team, and said excitedly, "First of all, I want to thank Lu Kai and Mr. Alfred."

"Without them, there would be no England team that has reached the top."

"The England team will still need their guidance and help in the future. I will always be Mr. Alfred's assistant coach, and Lu Kai will always be my national youth team captain."

"I am not the true winner of this trophy; I am merely its porter."

Wow!
Stanley's humor and wit earned him a great deal of applause.

He is the most humble national team coach that everyone has ever met.

Stanley: "As a grassroots head coach who started from the bottom, it's really not easy to get to this point. Besides my two benefactors, Alfred and Lu Kai, I also want to thank my father, the senior management of the FA."

The FIFA World Player of the Year award ceremony has come to a successful conclusion.

Stanley won the strong support of England fans with his low-key performance.

People praised him, believing that England had finally produced a smart young manager.

With Stanley around, the English coaching staff won't have to worry for the next twenty years!
Stanley is quite a character; after receiving the award, he negotiated a special clause with the FA.

During the three-month winter and summer transfer windows each year, the "Best Team" trophy can be loaned to Dartford free of charge for public display.

Dartford’s new stadium will be ready for handover next summer, which will also include the club museum and Lu Kai’s trophy room.

This England national team trophy is incredibly valuable and legendary.

As for why those three months were chosen, it was because Stanley knew that Zhongguo has winter and summer vacations, and these two peak periods have the most tourists.

For overseas travel, Europe is the top choice.

For European travel, the UK is the top choice.

For a trip to the UK, London is the top choice.

Dartford is the top choice for a trip to London!
Stanley was never a genius; his smooth rise to success was solely due to his sincerity.

He was genuinely considering Lu Kai and Dartford's interests.

For someone like that, not understanding football is never a problem.

When people are young, they often look down on those who lack professional skills and rise to positions simply through personal connections.

In the end, it was discovered that interpersonal skills were the most widely applicable and strongest professional ability.

December 16th.

EFL Cup quarter-finals.

Dartford have moved to another "Riverside Stadium," Middlesbrough's home ground.

Middlesbrough have been a mid-table Premier League team for the past few years, occasionally facing relegation pressure, and have basically missed out on European competitions.

Therefore, they have the ability to perform well in the EFL Cup and FA Cup.

Their roster over the past few years has been quite good.

This season, they snatched the rights to Lazio's famous star Gaizka Mendieta from Barcelona.

In the history of football flop games, Mendieta will always be a source of regret for many.

This absolute core player of Valencia, a superstar who has won the "European Midfielder of the Year" award twice, has been in a slump since transferring to Serie A.

But he did not succumb to fate.

First, he managed to get a loan to Barcelona, ​​where he delivered a stellar performance.

As a result, injuries and the change of Barcelona's head coach prevented him from permanently joining the club.

Now he has found a way to come to Middlesbrough, and has once again led Middlesbrough to achieve remarkable results.

In fact, apart from his disappointing performance at Lazio, he has performed exceptionally well elsewhere.

But he always suffered injuries just when he was about to achieve results.

This is the biggest reason for the downfall of this charlatan.

Mendieta was once again plagued by injury in this match.

He was forced to leave the game due to injury in the 32nd minute.

Young player Tang Ning came on as a substitute.

Ashley Young, who had been completely outmaneuvered by Mendieta's excellent skills and rich experience, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He can finally bully others, right?
Unexpectedly, Downing also managed to kill Ashley Young three times.

This left the GOAT in a very sorry state.

Fortunately, the team gained an advantage on the right flank.

Valbuena and Gilardino exchanged shots, and the two passed the ball to each other.

Amorim added the finishing touch with a long-range shot that found the back of the net.

Dartford defeated Middlesbrough 3-1, reaching the EFL Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive year.

After the match, Middlesbrough captain Gareth Southgate, as the host, invited Lu Kai, Alfred, and others to dinner.

Further discussions were held regarding his internship at Dartford next season.

Ten Hah, who was freeloading at the restaurant, felt the pressure.

Some people imitate his face, some people imitate his way of walking.

Southgate is trying to become the next Teng!

“Salary? No way! When I last came to Dartford, I actually paid the team £200,000 out of my own pocket!” Ten Hag exclaimed.

Southgate was taken aback. He thought that his veteran signing on a minimum salary was already a show of sincerity, but he didn't expect there to be other top talents.

“After all, Mr. Alfred’s coaching skills are like dragon-slaying techniques, who wouldn’t want to learn them?” Ten Hag said. “Every season, the line of young coaches sending their resumes to his email address could stretch to the Pacific Ocean.”

Southgate was in a dilemma; after all, he had a wife and children.

My family is very strict, and I'm wary of telecom fraud, so it's difficult to withdraw money.

In the end, Lu Kai spoke up: "Southgate, after all, you play in the Premier League and are an important member of the national team. You are more valuable than the center-backs of mid-to-lower-tier teams in the Eredivisie."

"You can come and play football without paying, it's fine."

Ten Hach: ? ? ?

Southgate was overjoyed: "Really? That's wonderful!"

He made up his mind to go back and discuss with the team, hoping to join Green Gunners after this season.

However, he and Ten Hach did not actually follow the same path.

Ten Hag wants to be the head coach of the best club, but Gareth Southgate's real goal is actually to become the national team coach!

That's why he wanted a signboard that read "Alfred's disciple".

Or he could become an official in the English Football Association.

……

December 20th, English League One, Round 24.

Dartford defeated Wimbledon 2-1 at home, climbing back into third place in League One.

December 23, Pond Convenience Store.

Ashley Young is taking notes.

Amorin, Vardy, and Sterling suddenly darted out from behind him and peeked at his notes.

Amorin: "Wow! Yang, you're so vengeful!"

Ashley Young blushed.

This is his "Death Note".

The document lists the players who had dominated him in their matchups.

Of course, it's understandable that a legend like Mendieta would torment him; his records mainly focus on "non-top players."

He has now become a star player scout.

Those who can defeat him are mostly of average strength.

Only those who are dominated by him have a chance to become superstars.

For example, Odonkor was outstanding.

And those mediocre players... Cristiano Ronaldo, Rosicky, Van Persie, Sean Wright, Downing...

Ashley Young even joked, "If I give this notebook to the BBC, the players on it will be doomed! Their market value will plummet, and no club will even want them!"

This is Ashley Young's carefully selected product!
Vardy asked, puzzled, "By the way, why the BBC?"

Ashley Young didn't dare continue on this sensitive topic, and waved his hand, saying, "You guys can leave now. Don't come looking for me anytime soon. I have a lot of work to do and don't have time to waste on you."

Amorim was very disappointed.

Sterling pulled out twenty pounds and said timidly, "We're here to buy milk tea, Lashi milk tea."

He came in first place in the latest evaluation and won the Green Gun youth training bonus, so he can show off with his senior teammates.

So the three of them remained seated.

The eldest brother, Ashley Young, served them warmly.

Just then, the voice from the TV caught the attention of the convenience store staff: "Hello everyone, this is Canal+ TV, and you are watching the world premiere of the Golden Globe rankings!"

"In our 40-minute program, we will announce the rankings of this year's Golden Globe Awards one by one."

"Definitely a starting player!"

"This list will appear in French Football tomorrow morning."

Ashley Young enthusiastically introduced the TV station to the guests: "This is a French pay-TV station. It hasn't been doing well for the past two years, and it was just sold this year."

"I can't believe they're spreading fake news like this now. The Ballon d'Or has always been announced by French Football, how could he possibly know in advance?"

"If they really had that kind of skill, they wouldn't have been sold off!"

"It's just another French version of The Sun!"

"However, as I said, its host is quite good."

"Just take it as a noise, don't take it seriously."

Everyone looked at the TV: "There are a total of twenty-seven players who received votes this year. The twenty-seventh is Nihat from Turkey."

Ashley Young laughed: "Nobody, never even heard of him."

Modric, who was sitting at another table taking notes, didn't even look up: "Real Sociedad striker in La Liga, scored a whopping 23 goals last season, tied for the Silver Boot with Ronaldo. He helped Real Sociedad win the La Liga runner-up title."

Amorin: "That's pretty awesome."

The TV broadcast continued: "Twenty-sixth place, Toldo."

Ashley Young quickly answered: "That's reliable, Lu Toldo Kai. He learned penalty-saving from me. Italy's second-best goalkeeper, Inter Milan's first-choice goalkeeper."

On TV: "Twenty-fifth place, Larson."

This is also a veteran general.

European Golden Boot in 2000.

They had a brilliant performance in the UEFA Cup last year.

Ashley Young: "The ranking is quite accurate; it does suit Larson."

On TV: "Twenty-fourth place, Ronaldinho."

Ashley Young was stunned: "Holy crap! Who?"

At this point, Amorim was starting to believe it was fake, after all, Ronaldinho was the most expensive transfer this year, and his presence was huge.

It would be outrageous if it didn't make the top ten.

But Modric said: "Last season, Paris finished 11th in Ligue 1, and Ronaldinho scored eight goals in 27 games. This year, he scored two goals in eight games for the national team, including the Confederations Cup."

"Although they still have a lot of assists, their overall honors are lacking."

"However, after joining Barcelona, ​​he quickly became the core of the team and performed very well, so this ranking is appropriate."

"In fact, disregarding his flamboyant playing style, it's a bit of a stretch to include him on this list given his qualifications."

Ashley Young was completely stunned.

Amorim felt the ranking was too low.

Modric thought it was appropriate.

Some people also think that Ronaldinho's ranking is too high.

But only Ashley Young realized a problem.

Last season, when they faced Ronaldinho, my team was practically a duel between them and Ronaldinho.

In the Confederations Cup rematch against Brazil, China emerged victorious once again.

If Ronaldinho is included in this "unofficial Ballon d'Or list".

So what about me, Lu?
Could it be...

Ashley Young even wanted to cover his ears as he watched the host's mouth movements on TV, on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Until the other party said...

"Adrian Mutu!"

Across from Modric, Gilardino, who was drinking a Peach Americano, froze on the spot.

Ashley Young's pained expression shifted to his face.

He was his strike teammate at Parma.

The key point is that his transfer fee to Parma was higher than Mutu's!

He was the superstar everyone was watching, but now, Mutu has actually made it onto the Ballon d'Or shortlist.

Is this a dream?
Modric regretfully announced: "Last season in Serie A, Mutu was terrifying with 18 goals and 12 assists. This season, he has scored four goals in the first three games for Chelsea, and his form is still red-hot."

"Seven appearances and one goal for the national team. He just won the Romanian Footballer of the Year award, and with Chelsea's financial backing, this ranking is perfectly justified."

"Parma's other striker, Adriano, only managed 15 goals and 3 assists. Mutu was Parma's strongest player last season. It's just that the general consensus is that Adriano is more talented."

Gilardino felt increasingly uncomfortable as he listened.

In comparison, what are his four goals from last season?
Even he felt that he was really not worthy of being compared with these big stars.

Yes.

They're all top-tier athletes now.

Even if the Ballon d'Or rankings are fabricated by some dubious TV station, it at least proves that these players do have achievements that are recognized by everyone.

Seeing Gilardino so dejected, Modric couldn't bear it: "Shut it down, there's nothing to see, it's too far away from us."

"We might compete with those names on these lists, but we ourselves will likely never make it onto those lists in our lifetime. Focus on the present and don't be overly ambitious."

Ashley Young, however, lacked this empathy: "Let's see, what if Adriano is next?"

He meant no harm, but Gilardino's fists were already clenched.

On television, the host seemed somewhat surprised: "Oh! Twenty-second place, he's so young. It's hard to imagine a player playing in the third division making it onto this list."

"It has to be said that the Golden Globe Awards are becoming more and more fair; it gives everyone a chance."

"The Ballon d'Or's assessment of him was... he was never called a genius, but he redefined genius, which is a quote from Transfermarkt's comments this summer."

"That's right, he is Lu Kai, a Chinese player from Dartford!"

Lu Kai?

Lu Kai!

Lu Kai!!!

This ordinary name, however, resonated within the convenience store.

Everyone repeated their thoughts, then looked up at the television.

The program was playing a highlight reel of Lu Kai's goals and the various honors he received in 2003.

Gilardino, who was in a low mood, seemed to see a ray of light.

What's wrong with Mutu being included in the list?
I was really bad last season.

But Lu Kai also made it onto the list!
This season, with Lu Kai's help, my goal and assist statistics are recovering. After a season, I might even surpass Mutu's!

It's important to know that everyone here came up from amateur leagues. Lu Kai has never been called a genius, yet he has still broken people's prejudices.

As one of Italy's top attacking talents, how could I accept my fate?
"Lu Kai!"

Gilardino shouted it out.

Modric quickly added a point to Gilardino's attendance record and then shouted it out.

The entire convenience store has been completely renovated.

Jiang Mengyun and Lu Kai came out of the operating room, and Lu Kai was making milk tea for her.

"Really? Is this true?" Jiang Mengyun looked at Lu Kai in disbelief.

Lu Kai laughed and said, "Canal+ TV's new owner has indeed partnered with French football this year, so it should be true."

This is not a dubious ranking list!

This is the real 2003 Ballon d'Or ranking!

"Ah!!!" Jiang Mengyun hugged Lu Kai happily, "All milk tea purchases at this store today are free..."

Lu Kai quickly covered Jiang Mengyun's mouth: "Take care of the household, take care of the household! Don't be impulsive!"

Jiang Mengyun then changed the word "free" to "50% off the price!"

"For the next three days, everything will also be 50% off!"

The convenience store erupted in cheers, with everyone shouting that the boss was generous.

Only Ashley Young was caught off guard by the news, his hands and feet were ice-cold.

He still remembers this time four years ago, when he had just joined Green Gun and was showing off his skills in front of Lu Kai.

Who could have imagined that four years later, this genius would fall from grace?

But those ordinary people of yesteryear have become legends.

It's not that I don't want things to be good between us, brother, it's just that you can't drive a supercar in front of me.

I can't take it anymore!
At that moment, Ashley Young felt a deep empathy for Gilardino, and he approached Gilardino: "You're feeling down, aren't you? Go outside for some fresh air?"

Gilardino laughed and said, "I'm in a very good mood right now. Aren't you happy for Lu?"

Ashley Young almost cried: "Of course I'm happy!"

The list of Canal+ TV stations caused a sensation that day, but no confirmation has been made by any party.

The next morning, France Football sold out immediately.

A spoiler actually boosted their sales, something no one had expected.

And the list above is indeed the same as the one reported by Canal+ TV.

Nedved won the Ballon d'Or.

Maldini is second.

Henry came in third; he should have been second, but Lu Kai left him empty-handed, with only the statistics remaining.

Next up are Shevchenko, Zidane, Van Nistelrooy, Raul, Carlos, Buffon, Beckham, Ronaldo, Del Piero, Dida, Makaay, Nesta, Totti, Ballack, Ibrahimovic, Inzaghi, Jan Koller, Deco, Lukay...

Lu Kai really is there!
Sky Sports: "Henry is third, Van Nistelrooy is sixth, David is tenth, Mutu is twenty-third! But the most surprising result is actually Lu Kai in twenty-second place!"

BBC: "Five years of football career finally recognized! Watch him rise from the ninth tier of leagues to 22nd place in the Ballon d'Or!"

The Times: "A grassroots legend, achieving greatness! Lu Kai"

The Echo: "The Ballon d'Or is fair! One player each from the Red Gunners, Red Devils, and Blues are on the list!"

Sports Illustrated: "Kobe chose 24 because he didn't want to be the next Jordan. LeBron chose 23 because he is the next Jordan. Lu Kai chose 22—could he be the Jordan of football?"

Dongqiudi: "History made! This is a miracle! Lu Kai becomes the first Chinese player to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or!"

Football News: "Lu Kai garnered three votes, ranking 22nd and the highest in Asia! Although Hidetoshi Nakata has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or three times, he has not won any votes! Lu Kai has won three votes, ranking 22nd and the highest in Asia!"

Sports Weekly: "Asian Footballer of the Year is nothing, Lu Kai made Asian player history, who deserves whose honor?"

Lu Kai's nomination is truly astonishing.

The wind direction can change in an instant.

Does this mean that frame rate will become a criterion for selecting players in the future?
No games that don't lag?

However, because of Lu Kai's inspirational story, everyone offered their blessings this time.

Only Catalonia remains true to its nature.

Mundo Deportivo: "Lu Kai's inclusion tarnishes the Ballon d'Or shortlist; Barcelona players wouldn't even deign to be nominated!"

"Mundo Deportivo: How can Lu Kai be ranked higher than Ronaldinho? What makes him so special? Just because he has more championships? Just because his statistics are better? Is there nothing else important in football besides championships and statistics? Is a fancy playing style and a natural feel for the ball less important than the hard work of an ordinary person?"

To be honest, Ronaldinho himself was very surprised when he saw these news reports.

He now finally understands what Iniesta meant by "You saved me".

Xiao Luo quickly gave an interview, expressing his best wishes to Lu Kai: "In fact, there is no problem with Lu Kai's ranking being higher than mine. He has been better than me over the past year, there is no doubt about that."

"It's a mistake to say that I should be ranked higher than him! Of course I want to beat him, but in the game, not in the media."

But Mundo Deportivo countered with: "Ronaldinho angrily denounces the media's unfair evaluation, saying he will beat Lu Kai in the match to prove that the Ballon d'Or is a mistake!"

perfect!

unbelievable!

(End of this chapter)