Chapter 186: The stage for awards
When the final whistle blew and the game ended, Wang Feng bent over, resting his hands on his knees. He seemed to have been drained of all his strength. There was no wild joy or excitement as expected, only a sense of relief.
Quickly, he was surrounded by celebrating staff and players. Every face was filled with joyous smiles. Regardless of whether they had played or not, they had all made their contributions, destined to be recorded in the history of Inter Milan.
Konsciakos came to Wang Feng, embracing his little brother tightly. With a complex expression, he said, "Thank you for allowing me to return to my hometown with honor, although I didn't contribute much."
Wang Feng shook his head. "You have done more than enough. Have a safe journey ahead. Let's keep in touch. I'd like to visit Portugal when I have the time."
Upon hearing this, Konsciakos furrowed his brows. "That's great. I can show you some exciting places." Wang Feng playfully punched his chest, dispelling the melancholic atmosphere.
Amidst the lively atmosphere, the Real Madrid players exited the field. They had celebrated on this stage last year, but this year, they could only play supporting roles. Before returning to the locker room, Raul approached Wang Feng and greeted him.
"Indeed, we lost to you. When Real Madrid was leading, I had a bad feeling," he said with a hint of melancholy. "Because when I was still with Inter Milan, you often led the team to reverse the situation and win. Everything seems familiar."
Wang Feng smiled but didn't say anything. He didn't want to keep trailing and reversing all the time, but Inter Milan's defense was indeed unstable.
After congratulating Wang Feng on winning the championship, Raul said, "There are no major tournaments this year. The Ballon d'Or and FIFA Best Player awards at the end of the year are yours for sure. Congratulations in advance. You're still young. Strive to surpass me soon."
"I won't exchange jerseys with you. Someone wants your jersey," Raul said before handing it over. Then, Raúl also came over. "Wang, let's exchange jerseys. We'll settle the score next time we meet."
The two exchanged jerseys happily. Raúl had performed very well in this game, scoring twice. The twenty-six-year-old Spaniard was at the peak of his career.
As they walked away, Ribery suddenly remarked, "Up close, Raúl is indeed very handsome. Damn it, why do I have such an abstract face?" Everyone burst into laughter, while Ribery rubbed his head in frustration, realizing how many endorsement opportunities he might have missed with his appearance.
The temporary award podium on the sidelines was quickly set up. The Inter Milan players lined up in two rows, while the Real Madrid players, led by Hierro, walked through the middle to receive their medals.
UEFA President Johnson stood next to the Champions League trophy, waiting for the players to approach. As the Real Madrid superstars passed by Wang Feng, they all greeted him briefly. In their eyes, Wang Feng was already on par with them.
As the Real Madrid players went up one by one, the loyal fans applauded warmly. Although the team had failed, their fighting spirit during the match deserved respect.
After the runners-up received their medals, the officiating referee team also stepped onto the stage, and finally, it was the night's protagonist—Inter Milan's turn!
Wang Feng stood at the back of the line. Although Zanetti wanted him to raise the cup, he firmly refused. It wasn't his turn anyway, so he decided to leave the opportunity to the senior players in the team. Ultimately, it was decided that the Argentine captain would do it.
Standing in front of Johnson, he smiled and hung the medal around Wang Feng's neck. "Your performance tonight can be described as perfect. I'm sure fans all over the world will be impressed by you!"
"Thank you." The two shook hands politely, and then Wang Feng walked over to stand with everyone else, waiting for the rest of the players.
After everyone received their medals, they lined up on the podium in several rows. Zanetti stood at the front. He received the coveted Champions League trophy from Johnson's hands.
He held the trophy with both hands and turned around, shouting, "On the count of three, let's cheer together!" After three counts, Zanetti raised the trophy above his head. Behind him, his teammates cheered together, and confetti burst out from behind the stage. This scene was captured and became the headline of major newspapers.
Old Trafford Stadium turned into an ocean of celebration. According to the Champions League tradition, fireworks lit up the stadium, illuminating the entire Manchester and announcing to the world the new king of the Champions League!
The Inter Milan team and the trophy took photos one by one. The players' families and friends were allowed onto the pitch to take photos with the trophy. Carl Bess touched the big-eared trophy and murmured, "I never thought I would one day hold the Champions League trophy."
Beside him, Renee chuckled, "Is it yours? Just touching it doesn't make you a European champion!" Bess handed the trophy back and went after Renee to playfully hit him.
Wang Feng walked up to Civu and asked, "How do you feel?" The Romanian replied with a complex expression, "You guys are really strong. The Champions League title is well-deserved."
"Come to Inter Milan. Let's work together and strive to lift this trophy again!" Wang Feng said. Civu nodded, feeling tempted.
The next morning, news media worldwide reported on this sensational battle. Wang Feng's unprecedented quadruple in the Champions League final helped Inter Milan lift the Champions League trophy, becoming the talk of the town.
Wang Feng will win the Ballon d'Or and FIFA Best Player awards! This was a fact that everyone was sure of. This season, no one had the potential to challenge his status.
And this Champions League trophy was Inter Milan's third in history. They last won it in the distant year of 1965, exactly thirty-eight years without a crown, thirty-one years without reaching the final. What dark days Inter Milan had experienced!
The Milan Sports News boldly dubbed Wang Feng "the king of Inter Milan." "Regardless of the future, his name will be displayed in the Inter Milan exhibition hall at the Meazza Stadium, and it will never fade."
The Rome Sports News shouted "Renaissance." "The era of Grande Inter has returned! Wang Feng is only nineteen years old. With his current condition, maintaining a peak state for over ten years is not a problem. Inter Milan will dominate Serie A!"
The Turin Sports News was not so optimistic, knowing more about the inside story. "Inter Milan is flourishing again, but whether they will decline again remains to be seen. The Holy Alliance is on the move."
Many fans didn't understand what the Holy Alliance mentioned in the report was. They thought it was just another conspiracy theory created by the newspapers. Little did they know that what happened three years later would shock the entire world of football and completely change Wang Feng's destiny. Leaving Serie A, he truly began to establish his dynasty and greatness!
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦