Chapter 213: Reports
After the awards ceremony, Wang Feng gave an interview with FIFA, expressing his thoughts at the moment, saying, "I am extremely excited right now. Becoming the FIFA World Player is every footballer's dream, and I've actually achieved that dream!"
"But at the same time, I'm very nervous, worried that this dream might shatter. So, I'll work even harder in training and matches from now on, to maintain my best form."
Speaking of his competitors, Wang Feng said, "Zidane and Henry are both world-renowned superstars. Zidane's versatility is something I greatly admire; his calmness and elegance on the field are areas where I need to learn."
"Henry is a very aggressive forward; his pace and explosiveness are at a world-class level. Although I have a slight edge in the selection, it doesn't mean I can beat them. There's still a lot for me to learn and grow."
As for his New Year's wishes, Wang Feng said, "I want to help Inter Milan defend the Champions League title. You know, since its restructuring, no team has been able to achieve this honor. But I want to give it a try."
The news of Wang Feng winning the FIFA World Player spread rapidly around the world, with media outlets worldwide reposting and reporting on it.
Renowned foreign media outlets praised Wang Feng's achievement. Reuters commented that Wang Feng's performance was nearly perfect, stating, "Wang Feng is one of the rare sharpshooters in today's football world. Whenever he plays, fans can expect goals and victories for the team."
"When the team needs someone to rescue them, Wang Feng is always the first to step up. Remember the scene where 80,000 people chanted his name together? It's always awe-inspiring and incredible."
Associated Press believed Wang Feng's win was without suspense, stating, "The result was within everyone's expectations, seeming plain, but the difficulties behind it are also very clear."
"Wang Feng is the first Asian and Chinese player to win the FIFA World Player award. In the past year, he has set a historic record for Inter Milan's quintuple crown and achieved the grand slam of personal honors."
"As a player born in a football weak country, Wang Feng naturally lacks advantages in the selection. He can only convince the judges worldwide with better performances and more dominant results."
"The last time a player from a football weak country won the FIFA World Player was back in 1995 with George Weah, but that had some other considerations. This time is completely different; Wang Feng persuaded everyone with his performance, and there is no reason to question the value of the trophy."
Agence France-Presse labeled Wang Feng as the destined ruler, stating, "Wang Feng has shown his royal demeanor since entering the football world. In his first year, he helped Genk win the Belgian Cup, and the following year, he won the league and league cup."
"Coming to Inter Milan, his performance has been even more insane, winning the league, cup, league cup, and Champions League. He's like an emperor conquering territories, wanting to build his own empire."
"Looking forward to his brilliant performance in the national team, helping the weak Chinese football create history."
CNN also extensively covered the news, highlighting Wang Feng's victory over Zidane and Henry, crowning the world football at the age of twenty, just like Ronaldo did back then.
"Wang Feng's achievements are evident; he is currently the best striker in the world, the nightmare of all defensive players."
At the same time, they expressed concern: "We hope he continues to excel, rather than getting trapped in injuries like the past Ronaldo. Although there is plenty of evidence showing Wang Feng's physical strength, injuries are always a nightmare for footballers."
Europe's major sports newspapers were not to be outdone, featuring the news on their front pages. The Mirror from the UK stated, "Wang Feng defeated Zidane and Henry to win the crown, leaving Arsenal in a mixed state of joy and sorrow."
The article pointed out that Wang Feng's victory was well-deserved, but Arsenal had once fantasized about Henry winning the FIFA World Player award, making their feelings quite complicated.
"If Henry had won, he would likely have left for a record price, which Arsenal didn't want to see. The Frenchman reiterated his loyalty to the club after the award, which should give the management some peace of mind."
AS from Spain believed that Real Madrid's streak of players winning the FIFA World Player award was broken by Wang Feng. "If it weren't for Wang Feng, Zidane would likely have been elected."
"The Galacticos' goal is to have the best players in the world, but they failed with Wang Feng. The club shouldn't give up pursuing Wang; at least they shouldn't let their rivals Barcelona get him."
The Milan Sports Gazette reported that Wang Feng had brought glory back to Inter Milan, and his award was beyond dispute. While the Turin Sports Gazette thought Wang Feng's win was unquestionable, they found it surprising that Nedved didn't make it to the top ten. The Rome Sports Gazette reported that Wang Feng's win was a glory for Serie A.
In Asia, within the country, the news of Wang Feng's award swept through like a storm. The Asian Football Confederation immediately changed its website cover to a photo of Wang Feng holding the trophy.
Xinhua News Agency wrote, "Wang Feng becomes FIFA World Player, creating history for Chinese football!"
"2003 is a year worth remembering for all Chinese people. In this year, our young player Wang Feng lifted the honor of being the world's number one in football, which is his pride and the pride of all Chinese people."
"Wang Feng, through four years of struggle, became the FIFA World Player and the Ballon d'Or winner, showcasing the tenacity, hard work, and diligence of the Chinese people. This is something all footballers should learn from."
"From today on, whether in domestic football or Asian football, there's a legendary player of our own, a flag bearer, and a benchmark. Chinese football and Asian football now have a place in the world of football."
In addition to traditional news media, news of Wang Feng's award spread across the internet in no time, causing forums and online communities to crash once again. Excited netizens continued to search for related information, eager to express their feelings and comments. Did the news of the award crash? No problem, they left comments under other unrelated news.
Football, as the world's number one sport, has unparalleled influence and tremendous commercial value. And the FIFA World Player is only one each year, always in the hands of football powerhouses.
But now, a Chinese person has managed to snatch this honor from them. How could the Chinese people, and even ethnic Chinese, not celebrate enthusiastically?
All the attention is focused on Wang Feng, and everyone is eagerly looking forward to the day when he wears the national team jersey.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆webnovel