When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 16: A Simple Day in the Life of a Professional Soccer Player (Please Read On!)

2003 2 Month 15 Day.

"Beep be ...

At 6:30 AM, Roy was startled awake by the alarm clock. He turned to his side and turned it off. A dozen seconds later, he opened his eyes and slowly got out of bed.

A few minutes later.

He drew back the curtains. The sky was just beginning to lighten, a pale blue-gray hue between indigo and grayish-purple, with a hint of salmon pink hue emanating from the eastern horizon.

The local temperature was about 3°C, and the glass windows were covered with condensation, leaving a clear mark if you ran your finger across them.

The nearshore area is steel gray, carrying the chill of winter.

The sound of the waves was low and deep, occasionally mixed with the cries of seagulls and the muffled thud of the cleaning truck's rubber wheels rolling over the cobblestone road.

The beach below the floor-to-ceiling windows was almost deserted, with only one or two Nice locals jogging in the morning, wrapped in windproof jackets, their breath steaming in the air.

Roy followed the routine, leaving the bedroom and entering the kitchen. He first filled a glass with warm water from the water purifier and drank it to flush out toxins from his body.

Press the button on the fully automatic coffee machine on the bar to prepare black coffee for breakfast, and at the same time put whole wheat bread into the bread machine.

同时开始使用榨汁机：50g羽衣甘蓝（补充钙和维生素K）、5g生姜(抗炎、促进循环)、10g奇亚籽（Ω3脂肪酸）、300ml椰子水（补充电解质）、一根黄瓜（补水、硅元素护关节）、一个苹果（天然甜味素）。

7:00 AM.

Roy walked into the bathroom, pinched his chin, and admired himself in the mirror for a few seconds.

Yes, impeccably handsome.

Humming a song as I cleaned my face, I began shaving methodically but unsteadily, my chin slightly raised as the Gillette razor slid across my skin, precisely removing the stubble.

After shaving, spray on a woody aftershave with a slightly minty coolness.

As the coffee machine and toaster beeped, Roy put six egg whites into the frying pan, along with some chopped vegetables and quinoa.

After frying the omelets, place them on a plate and spread unsalted butter on the crispy, golden-brown whole wheat bread.

Pour the thick fruit and vegetable juice into a glass.

As he began to enjoy his morning meal, he turned on the morning news:

The French presenter looked serious.
This morning, anti-war demonstrations erupted simultaneously in 600 cities around the world, including Paris, London, and Rome, protesting the impending US military action against Iraq. According to police statistics, 15 people took to the streets in Paris alone, with the crowds stretching for 3 kilometers from Place de la République to the Bastille.

The scene then changes to a close-up.

Protesters marched through the streets, holding up signs that read "Nonà la guerre!" (No war!).

A group of young people spray-painted doves of peace on the pillars of the Arc de Triomphe, though they were soon stopped by the police.

An elderly couple pushed a stroller with a sign that read, "Does my grandson need oil or peace?"

Roy ate while watching; it was just right, no wonder it's a revolutionary old area.

Shortly after, a segment of a televised address by then-French President Jacques Chirac was shown:

"France will never support this action which lacks UN authorization, and we demand that the verification continue!"

The members of parliament present all stood up and applauded.

Holding a copy of the UN Charter, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin declared loudly: "Today's world is not a unipolar world; international law must be respected!"

The poll data below the program shows: Anti-war support in France: 89%, a record high. Anti-war sentiment in the United States: 38%, up 15% from last month.

At the end of the program, the live broadcast continued to Baghdad, where, amidst howling winds, the footage from the Iraqi correspondents was severely delayed.
"At this moment in Saddam Hospital, Iraqi civilians are receiving wartime emergency supplies. A mother holds up a can of baby formula to the camera: 'Is this what you call biological weapons?'"

Old movies, when watched again, seem newer and newer.

At 8:00 AM, Roy put on his workout clothes and face mask and went to the beach outside his apartment for a 30-minute morning run.

This is a typical morning for a professional football player.

Type "Too self-disciplined" in the chat.

At 9:00 AM, Roy finished a full set of muscle stretching exercises and prepared to drive to the team's training base for daily training.

Most of the team members are enjoying their vacation.

It wasn't that he was obsessed with unhealthy self-discipline; he simply lacked suitable entertainment. He still doesn't quite fit into many of the forms of entertainment available in this era.

It's better to maintain regular training and keep your competitive form at a perfect level at all times.

Right now, all he can think about is training, matches, competition, honor, fame, and fortune.
The moment the key was inserted into the center console, Roy looked up at himself in the rearview mirror.

He felt that, for some reason, his eyes looked somewhat fierce.

He suddenly remembered that today was the Lantern Festival.

"Whoo~"

The Renault's 3.0 V6 engine started, and the exhaust pipe backfired with two "boom" sounds, followed by a continuous, low gurgling sound, similar to a boiling coffee pot.

Manchester.

He had a round face, white hair, deep wrinkles, rosy cheeks, and red spots on the sides of his nose caused by ruptured capillaries.

Ferguson sat behind his mahogany desk, his fingertips tapping lightly on the surface.

The table was piled high with tactical notes, player reports, and a cup of long-cold red tea.

Outside the window, the lawn of the Carrington training ground gleamed after being washed by the winter rain, and the gray sky hung low, as if it might fall at any moment.

Several photos are pinned to a corkboard on the wall: a group photo on the first day after taking over Manchester United in 1986, a group photo of the Class of '92, the dressing room champagne battle after winning the first Premier League title in 1993, and the moment Solskjaer scored the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final.
And there's a famous painting, "Crowds on the Beam": During the construction of Rockefeller Center in New York in 1932, under the vast expanse of space, 11 construction workers sat on steel beams less than a meter wide extending into the air, completely oblivious to the danger, calmly enjoying their lunch break. Some smoked, some read newspapers, some chatted, and some gazed into the distance, their expressions relaxed and their postures natural, as if everything was under control.

The bookshelf was filled with well-worn books, including several English translations of "The Art of War".

Ferguson's gaze fell on several newspapers on the table:

The Times: Manchester United were eliminated from the FA Cup Round of 16 after a 0-2 home defeat to Arsenal, with goals from Edu and Wiltord. Arsenal became the first team to advance to the FA Cup quarterfinals.

Sky Sports: The battle between Manchester United and Arsenal continues after the match. Today's game at Old Trafford bore a resemblance to Arsenal's title-winning season there last season. Arsenal prevailed after 90 minutes, advancing to the FA Cup quarterfinals and keeping their double hopes alive. Arsenal's veteran defender Keown was named Man of the Match for his outstanding defensive performance. Manchester United still have a chance for revenge, as the two teams will meet again at Highbury on April 21st.

The Guardian: This was a bloody match. Not only did Manchester United lose, but their star player Beckham was injured during the game. If post-match tests show that Beckham will be unable to play in next Tuesday's Champions League match against Juventus, then Ferguson will face a disastrous period. The Guardian also condemned Van Nistelrooy's serious foul on Keown at the start of the game.

Wenger's face made him subconsciously grind his back teeth.

He swept aside the newspapers, revealing a scouting report at the bottom. He recalled a day in 1999 when, after a match, Manchester United's head of security, Ned Kelly, received a phone call from Cantona's brother, asking him to tell Ferguson that Henry's first choice was Manchester United.

But Ferguson's answer at the time was:

"Impossible, he's always getting injured."

"This kid just dribbles with his head down; Premier League center-backs would eat him alive."

"He is always quiet during training and lacks the fighting spirit that Manchester United needs."

Just like those "different signings" that could form the best European team, Ferguson also had his own "different signings." No one expected that the winger who kept his head down and dribbled the ball would be transformed into a striker of all time in the Premier League.

This missed opportunity, like a prank by the god of football, allowed the British coach who understands the French best to let go of the French talent who deserved to wear the Red Devils jersey.

Now, Manchester United scouts have told him that Monaco has another young striker who is extremely fast, explosive, good at violent breakthroughs, and has a very high attacking efficiency.

Eighteen years old is not a potential seed.

Rather, it refers to the immediate fighting strength of the Ligue 1 title contenders.

His playing style is somewhat like Henry's, meaning that at eighteen, he scored goals on the field like a twenty-six-year-old Henry.

If selecting talent from the youth team is like choosing gold from rust, then this scouting report is like an object in the sand of a lake, nakedly displaying its bright luster.

It's confirmed to be gold, but we don't know how much of it is buried in the sand.

He recalled Wenger's sarcastic remarks about him in an interview: "Ferguson always says he has no regrets, but every time he plays against us, he assigns an extra man to mark Henry. That's the best apology."

"Damn rain. Damn Wenger."

He muttered to himself, but kept staring out the window.

Carrington in the rain, like his Manchester United, is damp, cold, but always vibrant.

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Thank you so much to Osmanthus Wine w and Fragrant Pear Delicious but Not Eaten for your generous donations!

(End of this chapter)