When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 111 Luo San Sui

Under the studio lights of "Voetbal Inside," Doutzen Kroes sat on a red sofa, her deep red wool plaid skirt and Monaco jersey standing out under the spotlight.

Host Wilfred Hens adjusted his glasses, with two iconic guests sitting beside him—John Dirk, known for his sharp tongue, and tactical expert René van der Heyden.

Hens adjusted his posture. "Speaking of which..."

He gave a knowing smile. "We've talked so much about your story, now it's the male lead's turn."

Van der Heyden chimed in at the opportune moment: "Exactly! From your childhood on the Friesian dairy farms to the Parisian advertising scene, now it's time to tell how you lured away our football golden boy."

He deliberately emphasized the word "abducted".

He looked up with a mischievous smile. "Did Roy deliberately make several mistakes during that audition for the commercial?"

Van der Heyden: "I knew it! I've watched that jewelry ad eight times, and the way that kid stares off-camera is just weird!"

"Wait a minute! You have to give our Dutch girls some advice. How can they, like you, win over those handsome and talented French hotshots?"

Hens immediately chimed in: "Exactly! We can't expect all the girls in the Netherlands to work as extras on commercial sets, can we?"

Du Chen chuckled softly, covering her mouth, and gently twirled the end of her hair with her fingertips: "It's actually very simple."

"When he's exhausted and collapsed on the sofa after training, don't ask him 'How was your day?'"

Instead, it was said, "I saw that change of direction you made in the second half; the defender's knee was about to break."

"My God! This is even worse than making them memorize football tactics!" Van der Heiden turned to the camera, spreading his hands exaggeratedly, "Girls, now you know why we're single, right?"

"Speaking of tactics," Hens leaned against the table, "what does Roy think about the differences between Dutch football and foreign leagues?"

Du Chen's fingers gently caressed the hem of her skirt: "Every footballing nation has its own style. Roy often says he admires the Dutch attacking football."

“Ha!” John Dirk suddenly interjected, “So he’s playing ‘Total Football’ at Monaco?”

He deliberately dragged out his words and winked at the camera, "No wonder he's so fierce! In the last round against Lens, he scored two goals by himself!"

René van der Heyden immediately chimed in: "Indeed fierce! They almost came to blows with Van Bommel and Robben at the Champions League stadium! It was killer football!"

Dirk slapped his thigh and laughed: "Killer football? I think it's record-breaking football!"

He counted on his fingers, "Fastest goal scorer, most shots, youngest."

Suddenly turning to Du Chen, she asked, "By the way, with how fast he can run, does he stay at home all the time?"

The studio erupted in laughter.

"Which players does he admire?" Hens suddenly interrupted.

"His favorite player is Ronaldo, but he also admires the Dutch trio, especially Van Basten."

Du Chen paused for a moment, then added, "He also greatly admires Cruyff. As for the coach, it should be Deschamps."

A few soft laughs rang out in the studio.

Hens pressed his advantage: "How does he adjust his mentality after a loss?"

“First of all, he rarely loses,” Du Chen said with a slight smile. “He said that victory would overshadow defeat, and defeat would make him crave the next victory.”

"Wow!"

Van der Heyden whistled exaggeratedly, then threw his hands behind his head and leaned back. "Listen to that! That's the confidence of a top striker!"

Dirk immediately slammed his fist on the table and burst into laughter: "'Rarely loses'? This kid is even more arrogant than Cruyff was back in the day!"

He turned to the audience and winked, "But they certainly have the right to be arrogant, don't they?"

The studio was immediately filled with whistles and cheers.

Hens seized the opportunity to fan the flames: "Looks like the word 'failure' doesn't exist in our Golden Boy's dictionary?"

“Who says there isn’t?” Van der Heiden interjected with a wicked grin. “It’s just that the word ‘victory’ has been pushed to the last page!”

Henness suddenly leaned forward: "What about the media's opinion of him?"

“Different media outlets have different voices,” Du Chen’s eyelashes trembled slightly. “First, is it acceptance?”

“Accept?” Van der Heiden immediately seized on the word, turning to wink at Dirk. “That’s a pretty official answer, like a club press release.”

Dirk laughed loudly: "If you ask me, media reviews are like weather forecasts—" He deliberately dragged out the words, "You can't believe even half of them!"

Hey! We're media too!

“Except for us. His girlfriend vouches for him.”

Hens didn't give them a chance to continue, quickly throwing out the next question: "Future plans? What do you want to do after you retire?"

“Right now, he should only be planning for the present and his football career,” Du Chen replied crisply.

"what!"

Van der Heyden whistled, "I give that answer full marks! It's neither too definitive nor too vague."

He blinked. "Looks like a standard answer you rehearsed with your agent?"

When the topic turned to fan comments, Du Chen said, "Being criticized or praised both mean you're getting attention, don't you?"

Dirk immediately chimed in, "I love hearing that!"

He turned to the audience, "Just like my wife said! It's better to be criticized than ignored!"

The studio erupted in laughter.

"Is there a big difference between your personality at home and on the court?" Hens continued to press.

“I don’t know,” Du Chen’s voice softened, “but he won’t bring his work status home.”

Van der Heiden suddenly sat up straight: "Wait, does this mean..."

He gave an exaggerated look of confusion. "Does he ever suddenly do a bicycle kick at home? Does he ever practice his celebration in front of the bathroom mirror?"

Are you quiet or outgoing in private?

"Sometimes quiet, sometimes like a three-year-old." A smile flashed in Du Chen's eyes. "Very cute."

"A three-year-old?!" Dirk slammed his fist on the table and laughed, almost sliding off his chair. "Hiddink would go crazy if he knew! They were humiliated by a three-year-old on the radio and at the Philips Stadium! Twice!"

Van der Heyden immediately chimed in: "I suggest buying him a kids' meal next time; maybe he'll score a few more goals!"

The entire studio erupted in laughter, and even the cameraman couldn't help but shake the camera.

Hens suddenly quickened his pace: "How do you behave when you're angry?"

“I rarely see him truly angry,” Du Chen’s shoulders tensed slightly. “He’s probably most angry when he’s fouled.”

Is there anything particularly stubborn about it?

"No, he's very relaxed," Du Chen shook his head.

Do you nitpick over small things?

“As I said, he often acts like a carefree child.”

Du Chen's tone carried a slight defensiveness.

Henness suddenly posed one last question: "Is he trusting of others?"

Du Chen was speechless for a moment.

Hens pressed on: "Does he trust you?"

A brief silence fell over the studio.

Du Chen took a deep breath: "Trust... doesn't it take time to build? We've only known each other for less than a year."

Her fingers secretly clenched the hem of her skirt, her knuckles turning slightly white.

Hens adjusted his posture, flashing his signature gossipy smile: "Tell me, how do you guys usually manage your time? Especially during the season?"

“Roy likes to read, listen to music, and watch movies. Sometimes we go on short trips, and he’ll rent a boat and take me fishing,” she chuckled suddenly, “though he rarely catches anything.”

Van der Heyden interjected, "I can vouch for that! I saw him at the port of Rotterdam last time, and he didn't even realize his bait was all gone!"

"Does he mind if you talk about him in public?" Hens pressed.

“I don’t mind, he’s very relaxed about it,” Du Chen answered readily.

Dirk immediately grinned mischievously: "That's because you've only said nice things, isn't it? How about you drop some bombshells?"

Du Chen simply smiled and remained silent.

"Shared interests?"

“We each have our own hobbies, but we both love to travel.” Du Chen paused for a moment, “and more importantly, we can enjoy participating in each other’s favorite things.”

Hens suddenly threw out a tricky question: "Does he consult you on important decisions? For example, rejecting Real Madrid?"

Du Chen's eyelashes fluttered rapidly: "Maybe he just felt it wasn't the right time. He was happy in Monaco, and the fans loved him."

Van der Heyden whistled: "I give that answer full marks! It neither denied the transfer rumors nor failed to give face to the current club."

When the topic of long-distance relationships came up, Du Chen's expression darkened slightly: "We each have our own jobs, but we try to find time to get together."

Dirk suddenly interjected, "If you ask me, the biggest advantage of a long-distance relationship is—"

He paused deliberately, "We would never argue over the remote control!"

This clumsy joke actually lightened the mood a bit.

The conversation about daily life made Du Chen feel much more relaxed.

"He loves Chinese food the most, and he also likes French food. But to be honest, his everyday meals aren't very tasty."

She made a cute face. "But you know what a professional athlete's daily diet is, right? Boiled chicken breast with broccoli. I feel sorry for him."

Van der Heyden immediately chimed in: "I tried it once, and it tasted like chewing a rag!"

"Cooking? He's a pro!" Du Chen's eyes lit up when she said this. "His specialty is..."

Dirk suddenly interrupted, "Wait, you're not in charge of ordering takeout, and he's in charge of plating it, are you?"

“He’s a really professional cook!” Du Chen raised her voice, gesturing unconsciously with her fingers. “Last time he made pan-fried duck breast with caramelized apples and port sauce.” She paused, “As for Chinese food, his sweet and sour pork ribs are absolutely amazing.”

"Let's talk about Roy's hobbies. Does he listen to music? What kind of music does he like?"

“He has a very diverse taste in music; he listens to hip-hop, rock, jazz, and classical music.” Her lips unconsciously curled up. “But his favorites are still the Eagles and Guns N’ Roses.”

"Guns N' Roses?" Van der Heyden interjected, making a guitar-playing gesture. "No wonder he always flips his hair after scoring; he's imitating Slash!"

Dirk chimed in, "I bet he was singing 'Sweet Child O'Mine' in the shower!"

"What about the movie?" Hens continued.

“He watches a wide variety of movies, but he especially likes Westerns.” Du Chen thought for a moment, “I think his favorite is Sergio Leone’s films, and he idolizes Clint Eastwood.” She paused, “He also really likes Akira Kurosawa’s works.”

Van der Heyden exaggeratedly clutched his chest: "My God! A football player who watches art films!"

He turned to Dirk, "Back in the day, we only read Playboy in the lounge!"

Dirk immediately retorted: "That's you! I only read 'International Football'!"

This obvious lie caused the entire audience to burst into laughter again.

Hens then posed the next question: "What about reading?"

Du Chen suddenly burst out laughing: "He reads a lot, but he especially hates it when people say he 'loves reading'."

Roy particularly dislikes being labeled a "bookworm." He says that once someone is branded as a "book lover," trouble begins.

She imitated Roy's tone,
“When I read a popular novel, people make a big fuss: ‘Wow, a bookworm reads this?!’”

“‘If he hadn’t read a certain classic, people would say: ‘My God, he hasn’t even read this!’ So now he simply says, ‘I’ve read it,’ and ‘I haven’t read it,’ and he’s too lazy to explain.”

"Aha!"

Van der Hayden slapped his thigh and laughed: "That's so true! Just like when I complimented Dirk on his culture, he immediately held the newspaper upside down!"

Dirk added with a mischievous grin, "Or like me, after admitting I can sing, I'm now forced to sing a few lines at every party!"

When Hens tentatively inquired about sensitive topics such as locker room conflicts, transfer rumors, and the commercialization of football, Duchen's answers were watertight:

He is popular everywhere.

"Focus on Monaco."

"Times are changing"

Henness suddenly lowered his voice and gave a meaningful smile: "Speaking of popularity, we've heard there's been a little 'jersey number incident' between him and Wiltord?"

He deliberately emphasized the words "minor incident".

Du Chen blinked, looking puzzled. "Wiltord?" She tilted her head slightly. "Sorry, I'm not very familiar with him. Which team does he play for? Arsenal?"

Van der Hayden immediately slammed his fist on the table and burst into laughter: "Listen to this! This is the highest level of diss!"

Dirk couldn't help but chime in: "She only knows Bergkamp! And Overmars!"

He mimicked Du Chen's innocent tone, but couldn't hide his schadenfreude, "The pride of the Dutch gang!"

Finally, when talking about fans' expectations, Du Chen's tone softened: "He has higher expectations for himself and is always worried about disappointing the fans."

The studio fell silent for a few seconds.

Hens coughed lightly: "It seems our time has come."

"Thank you for letting us see Roy off the field."

The lights in the "Voetbal Inside" studio dimmed, and the Champions League theme song, "Champions League," suddenly began to play!
Hens' voice rose to a crescendo amidst the rousing melody: "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's Champions League time! Let's turn the camera to—"

The large screen instantly switched to the match footage at the Stade Louis II, where the lights twinkled like a sea of ​​stars under the night sky.

The camera panned across the stands, capturing the red and white flags waved by Monaco fans. A huge TIFO was unfurled in one corner of the stands, with "MONACO VAINQUERA!" written in bold on it.

The fans sang the team song in unison, their cheers rising higher and higher.

The players from both teams lined up to the strains of the Champions League theme song. Roy was third in Monaco's line, his brand-new red Mercurial boots gleaming dazzlingly under the lights.

He chewed his gum, his gaze sweeping over Arjen Robben, the Dutch international, in the PSV Eindhoven squad opposite him, and the two exchanged a brief glance.

Hens winked at the camera at the end: "Let's see what kind of performance this 'three-year-old' who's giving defenders all over Europe a headache will deliver tonight?!"

The theme song reached its climax, and the scene cut to the moment the ball was kicked off.

Hens stared intently at the screen: "PSV Eindhoven are pressing really hard right from the start!"

Van der Heyden nodded: "Robben is like a machine on the left wing, he really gave Givet a hard time getting past him."

In the footage, Robben repeatedly changed direction to get past Givet, and swept a low cross across the face of goal, where Kezman's shot was saved by Roma.

Dirk slammed his fist on the table: "Monaco's start is like they're sleepwalking!"

Du Chen pursed her lips, her fingers unconsciously twisting her scarf.

In the 15th minute, the situation began to change.

Roy suddenly dropped back to the center circle to receive the ball, turned and shook off Vogel's marking, and dribbled forward at high speed.

"They're here!" Hens shouted.

Roy made a sudden stop and change of direction, shaking off Park Ji-sung's tackle, and then passed the ball to Giuly on the right wing before quickly moving forward himself.

Giuly passed the ball back to Pedretti, who then switched it to Rothen on the left wing.

Van der Hai leaned forward: "Watch this teamwork!"

Rothen crossed the ball into the penalty area, and Morientes outjumped Buma to head it across.

The ball fell towards the top of the arc.

“Roy!!” Dirk roared.

Roy met the ball with his left foot, deftly avoiding Faber's sliding tackle, and then curled a shot with his right foot.

Voruts made a diving save, barely managing to touch the ball with his fingertips, but it still spun into the net! 1-0!

The studio erupted in chaos.

Hens: "From the start to the finish, Monaco only needed four passes!"

Van der Heyden pointed to the replay: "Look at Roy's positioning, first retreating and then moving forward, completely disrupting Feng Lansen's plans."

Dirk turned to look at Du Chen: "You knew he'd get in, right?"

Du Chen loosened the tightly wrapped scarf, revealing his first relaxed smile of the night: "He said before the game that he wanted to try out the new shooting technique he had learned."

The camera followed Roy closely.
He ran with his arms outstretched toward the corner flag, his red and white jersey billowing in the night wind.

As it approached the sideline, it suddenly knelt down and slid, leaving two clear tracks on the grass.

As he stood up, his right index finger lightly swept across his eyebrow, giving a playful military salute.

The close-up shot zooms in on his sweaty face:

His black hair clung to his forehead, with sweat dripping from the ends.

His black eyes were strikingly bright, and a smile he couldn't hide played on his lips.

Monaco fans waved their scarves wildly, and the stands erupted in deafening chants of "ROI! ROI!"

Riazor Stadium, 20th minute of the match.
La Coruña is launching a fierce attack on AEK in Athens.

Valerón dribbled past two players in midfield and suddenly delivered a through ball. Pandiani pokes the ball before Capus could block it, but the ball grazed the post and went out of play.

A sigh of regret rose from the stands.

Just then, the stadium's public address system suddenly announced:
"Breaking news from another Champions League group stage match – Monaco 1-0 PSV Eindhoven, goal scorer: Roy, 19th minute!"

The entire stadium froze for a second!
Immediately afterwards, a deafening roar of cheers erupted from all four sides of the stands!

Deportivo player Sergio was the first to react, turning around and waving wildly at the substitutes' bench: "Did you hear that?! Monaco is in the lead!"

Pandiani rushed to the sideline, pounding his chest and roaring at the fans in the stands, as if he had scored the goal himself.

Even goalkeeper Molina ran out of the penalty area to high-five defender Andrade.

The Athens AEK players looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zagorakis's face darkened, and he immediately yelled at his teammates, "Don't get distracted! Keep marking your man!"

Anyway, it has nothing to do with them anymore; they just want to concede fewer goals.

On the sidelines, Deportivo La Coruña coach Irureta, whose face had been tense, suddenly relaxed, turned to his assistant coach and said something, and the two of them smiled at the same time.

The game resumes.

Deportivo La Coruña players were like they'd been injected with adrenaline, launching an even more ferocious attack.

Fran made a series of changes of direction to break through on the left wing, forcing Casapis to commit a foul and receive a yellow card.

The singing from the stands grew louder, fans waved blue and white flags, and a huge banner was unfurled:

"Now, it's our turn!"

(End of this chapter)