Chapter 376: Who else
After the match, Wang Feng, who scored a hat-trick, was successfully elected as the MVP of the final. The Real Madrid team joyfully received their championship medals, and finally, captain Raúl lifted the championship trophy.
This trophy resembled an hourglass, thicker at both ends and thinner in the middle. Most of it was silver, with a circular golden tray at the bottom and a golden sphere embedded at the top, resembling a miniature version of the Earth.
Having won both the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup successively this season, trophies that the Galaxy battleship had not previously laid its hands on, the players were in high spirits. Raúl smiled and said to Wang Feng, "Wang, let's celebrate in a special way."
The Chinese superstar readily agreed. They placed the trophy on the long table prepared by the organizers, and Wang Feng and Raúl lay on either side, kissing the trophy. The rest of the players and head coach Schuster cheered and celebrated behind the long table.
This scene was captured by photographers and made the front-page headlines of major media outlets the next day. It became an eternal classic moment, once again demonstrating the harmonious atmosphere within the Galaxy battleship to the fans.
Next, the schedule remained tight, and the Real Madrid team needed to rush to Pamplona, Spain, to participate in the 16th round of La Liga against Osasuna. Wang Feng informed the club of his leave as he needed to go to Switzerland to attend the annual FIFA awards ceremony held at the Zurich Opera House.
In his absence, the team lost again, fatigued from the travel and rotation. The Galaxy battleship ultimately lost 1-2 to Osasuna. After the match, head coach Schuster expressed satisfaction with everyone's performance.
"The continuous tough matches and the bad jet lag affected us, but I am pleased to see the players' fighting spirit on the field. Our cohesion has grown stronger after experiencing some things!"
This time, Lu Yao did not accompany Wang Feng. She was not suitable for long-distance travel at the moment, which disappointed the designers at Armani, who had prepared beautiful dresses for her this year.
They even consulted Wang Feng's opinion, hoping he would accompany a domestic female star to the awards ceremony. However, he politely declined. The only person who could stand by his side was Lu Yao.
On the evening of December 19, 2007, three hours before the awards ceremony, the Chinese superstar was still making final preparations at the hotel. Balmond sat on the sofa chair beside him and asked, "Wang, FIFA's confidentiality work is too good. Are you confident about winning the big prize?"
Wang Feng smiled lightly. "Besides me, who else?" This year wasn't an international tournament year, and his performance was still outstanding compared to the previous year. It could be said that anyone other than him would cause huge controversy if awarded.
Balmond nodded. Over the years, he felt that the luckiest thing for him was to meet Wang Feng at a critical moment and seize the opportunity to sign this superstar. Otherwise, with his rising speed, famous agents would soon be flocking to him, and he wouldn't stand a chance.
In addition to Wang Feng, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi appeared as candidates for the first time among the top three. This also marked the arrival of a new era dominated by the younger generation.
However, the two of them had no confidence in winning the award. Messi was indifferent to being empty-handed, while Cristiano Ronaldo had gone through great hardships to help the team win the Premier League title, only to end up empty-handed. Even his smile seemed forced.
As a "senior", Wang Feng had rich experience competing for the FIFA Ballon d'Or with players like Ronaldo, Zidane, Henry, Ronaldinho, etc. He carefully guided the newcomers in participating in interviews and various activities arranged by FIFA until they finally sat in the middle of the front row of the Opera House.
The ceremony began with the presentation of the best young players in various competitions. Argentine youngster Aguero and German rising star Kroos won the awards for the U21 and U17 World Cups respectively.
Next, the annual best player in beach soccer was awarded to Brazilian star Buru, and the Fair Play Award was given to Barcelona. They had provided free advertising space on their jerseys to UNICEF and sponsored impoverished orphans over the past year.
The FIFA President's Award went to Brazilian legend Pelé, and the FIFA Women's World Player was once again awarded to Brazilian star Marta. Although they did not win the Women's World Cup, the performance of the Brazilian team was impressive.
The final highlight—the FIFA Ballon d'Or—was presented by FIFA President Blatter and football legend Pelé. As Blatter slowly opened the envelope in his hand, the whole venue held its breath, waiting for the result.
The big screen behind the stage played highlight reels of Wang Feng, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Messi's performances over the past year, showcasing various extraordinary goals, making people marvel at their young age but exceptional skills.
At this moment, the TV broadcast focused on Wang Feng's face. He calmly gazed at the stage until his name resounded through the Zurich Opera House, then he showed a shallow smile.
The Chinese superstar was elected with 1,247 votes, Messi ranked second with 404 points, and Cristiano Ronaldo came in third with 326 points. Following them were Drogba, Ronaldinho, Gerrard, Pirlo, Ribéry, Henry, and Buffon.
After slowly standing up, he hugged Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi beside him one by one. Both of them showed regretful expressions. After all, this was their first time being in the top three, and who wouldn't want to win the top prize?
However, they generously congratulated Wang Feng and watched him walk to the stage to receive the award. Taking the trophy from Pelé's hands, the Chinese superstar stepped up to the microphone and cheekily said, "Here I am again, hehe."
Laughter and warm applause erupted in the Opera House. After everything subsided, Wang Feng continued, "Thank you, FIFA, thank you to all the judges, thank you everyone. Thank you very much for your love and support." With that, he bowed deeply in gratitude, and the audience erupted into thunderous applause once again.
"Being able to lift the FIFA Ballon d'Or trophy for the fourth time is a great honor and motivation for me. It will remind me to always live up to this trophy."
"This honor belongs not only to me but also to everyone at Real Madrid. It is because of their strong support that the club has achieved many honors in the past year, and I have been able to perform."
"Finally, I want to dedicate this award to my family, especially to my soon-to-be-born little baby. It is you who have always given me strength. As long as you are with me, I will never be lost!"
As soon as he finished speaking, another round of thunderous applause and cheers erupted, with everyone shouting Wang Feng's name, applauding and cheering for this world superstar.
During the awarding process, there was also a big blunder. Pelé actually mistakenly gave the second-place trophy to Cristiano Ronaldo because he seemed to have won more honors this year according to his impression.
But in reality, Messi was the second-place winner! Here, it is worth mentioning FIFA's bias towards South American players. The embarrassing situation left the two newcomers at a loss as to how to respond.
Fortunately, the host reacted promptly and guided Pelé to redistribute the trophy. Cristiano Ronaldo's face was as calm as water, feeling as if he had been slapped several times. He could barely muster a smile for the final group photo.
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