Chapter 320: Busy winter break
The league stopped and entered the winter break, but Wang Feng couldn't enjoy his vacation as before, spending his time vacationing and practicing on the warm coast. Instead, he had to participate in commercial activities planned by Real Madrid.
Real Madrid is arguably the most professional and enthusiastic club when it comes to developing the commercial value of its star players. Therefore, Wang Feng was destined to spend the New Year in continuous busyness.
Fortunately, Lu Yao decided to accompany him all the way, while his sister returned to China to spend the holidays with their family. With his lover's company, the trip wouldn't feel too tiring for Wang Feng.
The destination of the Real Madrid team was Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Recently, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company became Real Madrid's new sponsor. As a giant backed by the Abu Dhabi Royal Family's fund, they provided substantial funding.
Therefore, the International Energy Company instantly became the biggest sponsor of the Galacticos. At the same time, they also offered Wang Feng a lucrative global endorsement contract, targeting his Asian identity.
For this visit, the club arranged the highest level of reception. Real Madrid's vice president, Amador Suarez, personally led the team, accompanied by the head of the commercial department, Fernandez, and several staff members. Along with Wang Feng's agent, Balmond, and Lu Yao, a team of over ten people boarded a private plane and landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
As soon as they stepped off the plane, Wang Feng felt the warm atmosphere. Dozens of media outlets were constantly taking pictures, while a large group of fans not far away held banners welcoming his arrival.
For security reasons, the security guards did not allow him to interact with the fans closely. However, to show appreciation for their enthusiasm, Wang Feng still stopped for a long time, continuously waving and acknowledging the adorable people.
Leaving the airport in a luxurious Rolls-Royce prepared by the Abu Dhabi Fund, their first stop would be the Emirates Palace Hotel, where they would rest briefly before meeting with members of the royal family.
As the world's most luxurious and expensive eight-star hotel, its construction cost nearly $3 billion. The hotel, which opened in April last year, only hosted heads of state or royal family members. Wang Feng was the first non-political visitor, showing the extent of the Abu Dhabi Prince's attention to him.
Upon arrival, Wang Feng and Lu Yao were greeted by a magnificent classical Arab palace, resembling a huge castle facing the sea to the north and west.
Led by the staff into the hall, the first thing they saw was the magnificent golden dome above. Lu Yao, despite being well-traveled, was still shocked by the scale of this place. She whispered to Wang Feng, "Isn't this too extravagant? It's just gold plating, right?"
Wang Feng calmed himself. He had some prior knowledge, so he wasn't too surprised. He whispered back, "No, this should be made of pure gold. It's said to have cost 22 tons of gold."
Lu Yao's eyes widened, and for a moment, she stood there dumbfounded before regaining her senses. Fortunately, the hotel staff were well-trained and did not rush the guests.
As they walked, they marveled at the luxurious surroundings. Everywhere, there were utensils made of pure gold or plated gold. Indeed, gold was the most representative symbol of wealth in the eyes of Arabs.
A beautiful Arab waitress led a dozen people to stand in front of Wang Feng and said softly, "Mr. Wang Feng, during your time here, we will serve you and your wife throughout. You and your wife can make any requests to us regarding food, clothing, housing, or transportation."
Wang Feng was somewhat surprised. Upon inquiry, he learned that this hotel usually assigns six waiters to serve one distinguished guest, including room cleaning, laundry, meal preparation, etc. All aspects of daily life could be assisted by them.
"Such an extravagant life," Lu Yao exclaimed.
During dinner, Wang Feng and the others finally met the mysterious Abu Dhabi royal family. Unlike the high-profile Dubai royal family, they were generally more low-key in the international community but had stronger economic strength.
They discussed many details of future cooperation and then had dinner together. Compared to the formal and cumbersome European royal families, the Abu Dhabi royal family was much more relaxed.
During the dinner, a middle-aged man named Sheikh Mansour showed a keen interest in football. He kept asking Wang Feng about various interesting stories in the football world and even expressed his desire to acquire a European football club.
Instead of sponsoring a team, he hoped to control one. Real Madrid was definitely out of the question, but Premier League clubs would be more suitable. After all, there was the successful experience of Russian oligarch Abramovich with Chelsea.
"If one day I really take over a European giant, can I invite you to join my team?" Mansour asked eagerly. Wang Feng smiled awkwardly. This was poaching in front of the vice president of Real Madrid. He didn't give a direct answer, just wishing that the UAE could fulfill its wish to acquire a football club.
After the warm hospitality, the Chinese superstar began his business trip. First, he had to shoot multiple posters and promotional videos for the International Energy Company. Meanwhile, the UAE Football Association specially organized a friendly match named after Wang Feng. The two teams from the local Super League would compete, and Wang Feng would present the trophy to the winning team.
After the match, he also attended a fan meeting, signing autographs and taking photos with passionate Middle Eastern fans. His friendly attitude and accommodating behavior received warm praise from everyone. Even some initially arrogant Middle Easterners were moved by him and became loyal fans of the Chinese superstar.
On New Year's Eve, the Chinese star was invited to attend a New Year's Eve program on Abu Dhabi TV, talking about his football career. He greeted the people of the UAE in Arabic, once again winning the favor of the locals. Of course, in the end, he also sent his blessings to Chinese fans in Chinese, believing that many fans back home were also following him at this moment.
On the first day of the New Year, Wang Feng finally got a moment to catch his breath. He and Lu Yao spent some time exploring Abu Dhabi, buying many specialties to send back home. Then, they returned to Madrid with the club staff.
"Real Madrid's Crazy Money-making in the Middle East, Wang Feng's Terrifying Value Begins to Show!" Spain's National Newspaper published this article in a New Year's special edition. The report pointed out that although it cost the Galacticos �100 million to bring in Wang Feng, halfway through the season, the profits he brought have far exceeded that number.
"Wang Feng's Real Madrid No. 10 jersey has sold over 1 million units worldwide, and sales are still increasing. In addition to this, various peripherals and club endorsements have brought in over �5 billion in revenue for the Galacticos."
"Not to mention the sponsorship from the International Energy Company this time. They approached Real Madrid purely because of Wang Feng, providing a super high sponsorship fee of �400 million, becoming their main sponsor overnight."
"It's worth noting that the current world's second-largest primary sponsor amount is Arsenal, who received approximately �100 million from Emirates Airlines, less than a quarter of what Real Madrid got."
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