Chapter 251: The eternal captain of Inter Milan
On August 28, 2005, at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, the first round of the Serie A saw Inter Milan facing off against Treviso.
Before the game began, captain Zanetti proposed that Wang Feng should wear the captain's armband, but he firmly refused; the captain of Inter Milan could only be Zanetti!
Other players also agreed. Zanetti had been serving Inter Milan since 1995 and had left a deep impression on every teammate with his patience and tolerance.
Following the referee onto the field, the deafening cheers of the fans echoed in the players' ears. Dressed in blue and black jerseys, they stood up excitedly, applauding and shouting.
The previous season had been frustrating for the team, unexpectedly losing the championship. Additionally, rumors of the departure of the team's star player had saddened the fans of the Nerazzurri.
But now, Wang Feng was still here! Wearing the number 10 jersey, he once again embarked on the journey to pursue glory for the team, bringing joy and excitement to everyone.
Shortly after the start of the match, the dominant home team dealt a heavy blow to the newly promoted side amid the cheers. Wang Feng dribbled forcefully on the right flank, bypassing two defenders and passing into the box.
Adriano, positioned at the far post, slotted the ball home with his right foot, making it 1-0! Inter Milan got off to a dream start.
But things were far from over. In the 14th minute, Wang Feng retreated to midfield to collect the ball, quickly turned to shake off defenders, and charged towards the penalty area. When he reached the 30-meter mark, he suddenly unleashed a shot.
Treviso's defense was relatively loose, perhaps still accustomed to the habits of Serie B, so Wang Feng gave them a good lesson.
"Goooooooooooooooooooal! The ball's in! Wang Feng's long-range cannon has pierced the visitors' goal once again!"
"The ball flew through the entire defensive line at lightning speed. Treviso's defense was in trouble. Just 14 minutes into the game, they were already trailing by two goals. Inter Milan looked in great shape; they seemed unaffected by the controversies of last season."
And as the first half approached its end, it was Wang Feng once again with consecutive dribbles in the attacking third, cutting into the penalty area and slotting another goal, making it 3-0!
Shortly after the start of the second half, a Treviso defender, unable to dispossess Wang Feng of the ball, angrily tackled him, resulting in a free kick in a dangerous position. Wang Feng personally took the free kick, and the ball, spinning rapidly in the air, curved past the wall and into the net.
Wang Feng completed his hat-trick! After this goal, he was substituted by Mancini for protection.
The score remained 4-0 until the final whistle, with Inter Milan securing a resounding victory over their opponents.
After the match, Wang Feng, as usual, took a shower in the locker room, changed into dry clothes, and walked out. At this moment, Zanetti approached him: "Wang, how about coming to my house tomorrow? Bring your girlfriend along, and my wife will cook something delicious for you both."
The next game was on September 10th, with more than ten days to spare. Therefore, the club gave the players a three-day break. Wang Feng hesitated for a moment upon hearing this but nodded eventually. Giving face to the captain was necessary.
The next day was the weekend, and Wang Feng drove with Lu Yao to Zanetti's residence. They had bought a villa in the northern part of Milan, near a large forest park, as well as hospitals and museums, making it a very livable area.
Wang Feng had been to Zanetti's house before, but no matter how many times he saw it, he found it exquisite. It was a two-story villa with its own courtyard, filled with various potted plants and even a swing set. Lu Yao was visiting for the first time and was quickly captivated by the scenery, considering whether to have something similar at their home.
Ring the doorbell, and after a while, a woman's voice came from inside the house: "Please wait a moment, dear. I'll open the door; I'm taking care of the baby and can't free my hands."
Moments later, Zanetti came out and greeted the two with a smile: "Sorry for the wait. Paola gave birth to a baby in June, and she insists on taking care of her herself."
As he spoke, a blonde woman came out holding a baby in her arms, happily saying, "Welcome, welcome, Wang and your girlfriend." Lu Yao chuckled and went over to her, introducing herself in Italian.
Seeing the cute little daughter in Paola's arms, Lu Yao was overwhelmed with cuteness and asked, "Can I hold her?" After receiving an affirmative answer, she carefully took the baby. The little one seemed to sense the change in her arms and furrowed her brows momentarily, but soon found the new environment cozy and fell asleep again after turning her head.
This scene made everyone smile. Zanetti teased, "It seems Lu will be an excellent mother. Wang, you better be ready." The two blushed at his words.
"Too bad Sora isn't a boy; otherwise, I could teach him football and pass on my legacy," Zanetti lamented.
"Girls are adorable, aren't they, Sora? Besides, what's good about playing football? You often can't come home, and you might get injured," Paola scolded Zanetti playfully.
The group sat down in the living room, chatting and laughing, while the child was taken back to the bedroom by the nanny. The newborn baby needed more rest.
Zanetti enthusiastically invited Wang Feng, "Let's go, I'll show you my pitch." So the two men got up and left, leaving Lu Yao and Paola chatting.
"Zanetti is like this; whenever he has free time, he can't stay away from sports and football. On our wedding day, just after exchanging rings and before all the guests arrived, he couldn't resist going for a jog and then coming back. I scolded him fiercely," Paola said, half-complaining, half-sweetly.
Lu Yao nodded in understanding. Wang Feng was also someone who couldn't live without football. The two then continued chatting about some trivial matters of life, such as clothes, bags, and other topics, with a hint of regret for not meeting earlier.
Outside, Wang Feng was visiting a small area set up by Zanetti, which was where he usually practiced football in his spare time. It wasn't large, but the facilities were complete. Since they had nothing else to do, the two practiced passing while chatting, showing a shared interest.
The Argentine recounted his journey into professional football. He was born into a poor family in Buenos Aires; his father was a bricklayer, and his mother was a cleaner, completely unrelated to football.
To support his family, he started working at an early age. Football was merely a toy for him to escape reality. "Gradually, I found myself falling in love with football. Since that's the case, why not embark on the path of professional football?"
Of course, things were not so simple. At the age of 16, Zanetti tried out for the Independiente team but was immediately told that his physique was too slender and weak for football. He could only deliver milk and assist his father's bricklaying work while persevering in football.
At the age of 18, he joined Talleres Athletic in the Argentine second-tier league, starting his career from the bottom. "At that time, I didn't think about the future at all; I just focused on the matches in front of me." With diligence and effort, after one season, he was noticed by Banfield and brought into the top league.
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