Chapter 202: Waiting for the prize
When the referee blew the final whistle, Wang Feng let out a long sigh. He hadn't managed to secure a victory, but holding a title-contending opponent to a draw wasn't such a bad outcome after all.
Next to the coaching bench, Mancini walked up to Ancelotti. "Congratulations, you've found a tactic that suits AC Milan and encountered a perfect executor."
Mancini observed clearly that the threat of the 4-3-2-1 formation on the offensive end was entirely created by Kaka; he was the core of this formation. Ancelotti smiled faintly, "I look forward to our next encounter, how will you respond then?"
The two embraced briefly, each with their own thoughts, before heading towards the locker rooms to prepare for the post-match press conference.
As Wang Feng and his teammates prepared to leave the field, Kaka approached him. Somewhat awkwardly, he said, "Wang, could we exchange jerseys?"
Although Kaka was a year older than Wang Feng, at this moment, this shy young man appeared even more innocent than Wang Feng. Wang Feng smiled and patted his shoulder, "Of course, Kaka, your performance today was truly outstanding, even better than mine. I look forward to our next encounter with you." With that, he took off his jersey.
Kaka had always looked up to Wang Feng as a role model, but now the Chinese star had achieved remarkable success in the world of football, earning his place among the elite. So whenever Kaka interacted with him, he did so with utmost respect.
"The Son of the Wind shines at San Siro, Milan Derby ends in a handshake." The headline on the front page of the next day's Milan Sports News read.
"Kaka exploded in this match, contributing two brilliant goals in succession. Coupled with his outstanding performance in the Champions League, his talent was showcased to the fullest."
"AC Milan only spent 8.5 million euros to bring him back from S?o Paulo, which can be considered a bargain. In Kaka, we can see shades of Wang Feng. He undoubtedly has unlimited potential."
"Many AC Milan fans describe Kaka as the Son of the Wind because of his elegant dribbling, as if gliding on the breeze."
"In this match, Wang Feng's performance was equally outstanding. His free-kick goal to equalize the score was sensational. After five rounds of the league, he has already scored 8 goals, a terrifying efficiency."
"In the future, the showdown between Wang Feng and Kaka will also become one of the most exciting parts of Serie A."
Tuttosport titled their report "The Prince of San Siro Battles the King of Meazza", pointing out that both Kaka and Wang Feng scored twice, with no clear winner in terms of brilliance.
The other teammates fully supported the two. Although Kaka was young, under Ancelotti's new formation, he was showing signs of becoming AC Milan's offensive core. Combined with his handsome face, he was rightfully called the Prince of San Siro.
Wang Feng, on the other hand, was undoubtedly the king and spiritual pillar of "Grand Inter Milan". It remains to be seen how far he can lead Inter Milan this season.
After five rounds, the top spot in Serie A was unexpectedly claimed by the rising Roma, who had won five consecutive games!
No one had expected Roma, who finished 8th last season, to suddenly explode and stage a comeback. They made no significant moves in the summer transfer window, only bringing in the midfielder Mini Mancini, and failing to secure Civu who was snapped up by Inter Milan.
The trio of Cassano, Totti, and Montella in the frontcourt played a key role in Roma's rise. After a season of lows and criticism, the young Cassano seemed to have matured and stabilized, although his talkative nature remained unchanged.
"Wang, I've scored four goals already, although I'm still a bit behind you, I'll catch up sooner or later," Cassano boasted when he called Wang Feng.
Cassano was in high spirits, with Totti experiencing a complete breakthrough this season. Not only was he excellent in organizing attacks, but he also provided many assists, showing a ruthless side in defense, helping Roma win a tough battle against Udinese.
"Well, well, well, who was complaining about being the scapegoat a few months ago, wanting to leave Roma?" Wang Feng teased. Cassano on the other end of the phone was a bit embarrassed but argued, "At that time, the situation was indeed helpless, clearly Totti is the Prince of Rome, why should all the blame fall on me when we lose?"
The two chatted about some interesting stories, Cassano complained to Wang Feng about the strictness of Roma coach Capello: "I've clearly improved a lot, but he still mercilessly criticizes me."
Wang Feng comforted, "You should think of it this way, Capello criticizes you because he wants you to get better. Have you ever seen him criticize substitute players who don't even get on the field?" Cassano murmured in agreement, but it's unclear if he really took it to heart.
There was also a significant event in the world of football, as FIFA announced the list of thirty candidates for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award. Wang Feng appeared on this list for the third time, alongside legends like Nedved, Maldini, and Shevchenko.
Real Madrid's Raúl, Zidane, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, and others also made the list, along with renowned players like Henry and Van Nistelrooy.
Apart from Wang Feng, only Vieri from Inter Milan made the list, which seemed somewhat biased considering Inter's achievement of winning five titles. However, FIFA's selections have always favored reputation over performance, so it's no surprise that so many big-name players made the cut.
As for who would win the FIFA Ballon d'Or, opinions were generally unified. Sheer dominance, Wang Feng, right?
Leaving aside his contribution to Inter Milan's five-title triumph, just his 40 goals + 20 assists in the league, winning the European Golden Boot, and his performance of 22 goals + 5 assists in the Champions League, were enough to overshadow everyone else.
Since the start of this season, his statistics have been equally impressive, with 8 goals in the league and 4 goals in the Champions League.
What's even more commendable is that under his leadership, Inter Milan reclaimed the Champions League trophy after thirty-eight years, defeating the star-studded Real Madrid head-on.
"Wang Feng can quietly await the arrival of the trophy!" The credible Sky Sports evaluated.
Of course, there were also a few dissenting voices. The Spanish Marca snidely reported that Zidane should have a chance to win the award, "Under his leadership, Real Madrid won the La Liga title and successfully reached the Champions League final, falling just short of making history with a back-to-back win."
Facing such claims, the Catalan Mundo Deportivo ruthlessly countered, "Then why don't we let Zidane fall just short of winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or?" The media from both sides clashed, igniting a fiery debate.
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