Chapter 552: The Eighth Ballon d'Or
The first match of 2012 was the first leg of the fifth round of the King's Cup. On the evening of January 4th, Real Madrid hosted Malaga at the Bernabeu.
In the first half, neither side displayed exceptional form, and the game was rather dull. It wasn't until the 32nd minute when Wang Feng dribbled into space at the top of the penalty area and fired a powerful shot with his right foot to break the deadlock.
After the break, in the 64th minute, Di María swiftly dribbled down the wing and then passed back into the penalty area with a triangle pass. With no one pressuring him, Higuaín took a shot that hit the inside of the crossbar and bounced into the net, making it 2-0!
Malaga then pulled one back with a long shot from Van Nistelrooy. However, with only 10 minutes left in the game, Wang Feng received a diagonal pass from Modric on the right side, faked a move to cut inside the defender, and then curled a left-footed shot into the far corner.
The ball flew in a huge arc in the air, evading the diving Martinez's fingertips and almost scraping the inside of the post before nestling into the net, making it 3-1! Real Madrid gained a significant advantage in the first leg.
Four days later, in the 17th round of La Liga, the Galacticos traveled to the Carmenes Stadium to face newly promoted Granada.
This team had some connection with Real Madrid. Since its founding in 1931, they had long been in the Spanish second division. Even during their most dominant periods, they could only maintain a place in La Liga.
However, after relegation from La Liga in 1976, Granada experienced multiple debt crises. At one point, they were even relegated to the fourth tier of Spanish football due to unpaid wages.
At this critical moment, former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz and his son Francisco Sanz took over the club. They gradually turned the tide and were promoted until finally securing a La Liga spot last year.
Less than 7 minutes into the game, Wang Feng received a through ball from Alonso, rushed into the penalty area, and was brought down by the Malaga defender Máinzer, resulting in a penalty. The Chinese superstar coolly converted it to open the scoring.
Ten minutes later, Di María forcefully dribbled down the wing, passed through the legs into the penalty area, and Wang Feng, surrounded by two defenders, cleverly flicked the ball with his toe to Ramos, who nodded it into the empty net.
Before the end of the first half, Hélder Herrera's long-range shot from outside the penalty area was blocked by the goalkeeper, but he fumbled the ball. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Higuaín pounced on the loose ball and tapped it into the net, further extending Real Madrid's lead.
In the second half, Pepe and substitute Carleone scored another goal each for the visitors, while Granada's striker, Gezu, scored a consolation goal, making the final score 5-1.
Compared to the Galacticos, this Andalusian team was far inferior in strength. They needed to continue working hard on their relegation battle this season.
In another Barcelona derby, Espanyol stubbornly drew 1-1 with Barcelona, making their cross-city rivals increasingly distant from the league title.
More media outlets expressed disappointment with Barcelona's performance this season, especially in the attacking department. Although they had many big wins, they always seemed to stumble when it mattered most.
Apart from Messi, there were no other players in the front line to rely on. Villa's decline was significant, Neymar seemed very immature, and the Argentine star repeatedly proved that he couldn't dominate games like Wang Feng; he needed help.
"Wang, long time no see!" In a five-star hotel in Zurich, when Wang Feng heard the doorbell open, a slightly round figure appeared at the door and gave the Chinese a bear hug.
It was none other than "R9" Ronaldo. Seeing Ronnie, Wang Feng was also very happy and quickly invited him and his wife Maria Antonia into the room.
"Why are you here in Zurich this time?" Wang Feng asked curiously. Ronaldo held a retirement press conference in February last year at the Corinthians club news hall. At that time, the Chinese superstar had sent him a message expressing his regret.
Ronaldo said he was invited to serve as a guest at the FIFA annual awards ceremony. "In the past few years, I attended as a player, but this time, experiencing it as a guest is completely different."
Wang Feng chuckled, "So you don't care about your figure at all? It's only been half a year since retirement, but you look like you've gained two rounds."
Ronaldo shrugged, self-deprecatingly saying that retired life was too leisurely, and he couldn't control his appetite. Compared to other Brazilian football stars, Ronaldo's post-retirement life was considered "restrained."
Apart from daily enjoyment, he didn't waste much, and entrusted professionals to manage his assets, adhering to the principle of not putting all his eggs in one basket, thus living very comfortably.
It was actually Ronaldinho, who returned to South America to play, seemed to be struggling. With his departure from the mainstream European football scene, his earning ability plummeted, completely unable to match his high consumption. Moreover, Ronaldinho's financial management skills were disastrous, far from being as flexible as on the field.
"Moreira is simply throwing money away. I advised him, but he didn't listen. In recent years, the world economy has been in a slump, and there are few beneficial investment projects. He acts like a fool with a lot of money, allowing himself to be deceived."
Ronaldo admired Wang Feng's investment vision. The Chinese had established a professional investment group, Fengyao Corporation, many years ago, and in recent years, ventures into real estate, the internet, and high-tech companies had brought huge profits, even more than his own earnings from playing and endorsements.
This was an extremely rare success story in the entire football world. In fact, most players' investments were very blind. They were very wealthy but lacked the knowledge and time to study, so they were easily losing money as they managed finances more.
The most famous example was King Pelé. At the end of his career, he jointly invested in a construction materials business with an entrepreneur, entrusting him to manage it. As a result, there were huge losses over ten years, leading to his old age spent struggling for money.
"Perhaps in the future, we can collaborate in the commercial sector." Ronaldo said, "I heard you plan to buy a football club for management? It coincides with my thoughts. I also want to continue to be involved with football in this aspect."
The two chatted happily until Antonia reminded Ronaldo that he needed to prepare to go to the opera house first, so they had to stop. "See you later, Wang. I look forward to seeing you shine again and win the Ballon d'Or this year."
"Thank you for your kind words, Ronnie."
This year, Wang Feng attended the awards ceremony alone again. He took the special car prepared by FIFA to the Zurich Opera House. Lu Yao needed to take care of their newborn, Wang Haoxin, their son, who was very healthy.
Following the normal routine, he would enter school in a few years like his sister Si Yao. The path ahead would depend on the child's own decisions. If he could inherit a good sense of football, Wang Feng was also looking forward to him becoming a professional player.
Lost in thought, the driver quietly reminded him that they had arrived at their destination. As he got out of the car, the screams of fans and the flashing lights of journalists were incessant.
Wang Feng, who has long been at the pinnacle of his career, smiled as he stepped onto the red carpet, waving amiably to the crowd on both sides as he made his way towards the venue.
The final three candidates vying for the Ballon d'Or were still Wang Feng, Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Earlier, they had attended a media briefing organized by FIFA.
There was no doubt that Wang Feng was the most anticipated player to win the award, to the extent that the other two competitors admitted they couldn't compare to the Chinese superstar.
However, there was some suspense regarding who should rank second. Both Messi and Ronaldo had experiences of overshadowing each other. Last season, Ronaldo was notably outstanding, helping Manchester United reach the Champions League final.
But since the second half of the year, Messi's performance had also been remarkable, whether in terms of goals or assists, surpassing the Portuguese player's statistics. Therefore, predictions for the second place were much more heated than for the winner.
Entering the opera house, Wang Feng saw many familiar faces, with players from Real Madrid and Barcelona making up the majority. This indirectly indicated the significant influence the two La Liga giants held in the world of football today.
In addition, he also saw Rafa Benitez, who was currently idle at home. This was the first time the Spaniard had appeared in public since leaving the Galacticos.
The Chinese superstar took the initiative to greet Benitez. Although they had some disagreements in the past, they had also achieved great success together, and now meeting again, they remained friends.
"How have you been lately?" Wang Feng asked with concern. Benitez smiled rarely, "Feeling quite good. Watching games from the perspective of an ordinary fan has deepened my understanding of football."
Apparently, Benitez currently had no plans to return to the football scene, perhaps waiting for a better opportunity.
After brief pleasantries, the ceremony officially began. Serving as the emcees were the Dutch football legend and one of the "Three Musketeers," Gullit, and the presenter Murray.
The first award presented was the Best XI of 2011, with football legend Pele as the presenter.
The Best XI lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Real Madrid's Casillas as the goalkeeper. The defenders included Real Madrid's Ramos and Pepe, Barcelona's Alves, and Manchester United's Vidic.
In midfield, the trio consisted of Real Madrid's Alonso and Sneijder, and Barcelona's Xavi.
Leading the forward line was Real Madrid's Wang Feng, accompanied by Barcelona's Messi and Manchester United's Ronaldo.
This dream team was composed of players from Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester United. Although Sneijder had since left, he had provided strong support for Real Madrid's five consecutive championships last season and was currently performing decently at Inter Milan.
In terms of the proportion of personnel, La Liga was undoubtedly the most competitive league in today's football world. Even many judges admitted in post-ceremony interviews that there were many outstanding players in the Spanish league who unfortunately did not make the list, such as Hélder Herrera, Di María, Iniesta, Soldado, and many more.
After the Best XI was announced, FIFA President Blatter took the stage to deliver a speech, expressing his admiration for the past year's splendid performances in football, which had produced many new records and legends.
He then announced that Manchester United coach Ferguson was the recipient of the FIFA President's Award for 2011, highly praising the contributions Ferguson had made to the prestigious club over his 25 years as manager.
Ferguson, when receiving the award, teared up. He expressed deep gratitude to Manchester United for their support, stating that the team was his home and his life.
Next was the presentation of the Best Women's Coach award by German football legend Matth?us. The recipient was the Japanese women's national team coach, Sasaki, who led the team to victory in the Women's World Cup last year.
Following the Women's Best Coach award, the FIFA Best Men's Coach award was announced. Former Real Madrid coach Benitez received the award, defeating Ferguson and former Barcelona coach Guardiola for the ultimate victory.
Although Benitez left Real Madrid after last season, it was undeniable that he had continued the team's glory.
Subsequently, the Fair Play Award was presented by French football legend Karembeu, with the Japan Football Association winning the award.
After the massive earthquake in Japan, football had provided the people with the courage to rebuild after the disaster. The Japanese women's national team also won the Women's World Cup, and at this moment, the significance of football transcended, leading to the Japanese Football Association receiving this honor.
Next, the Puskas Award was announced, with three candidates: Wang Feng's long-range world-class goal in the Champions League final, Rooney's spectacular bicycle kick against Manchester City, and Neymar's long run against Flamengo.
Mexican football legend Sanchez presented the award, which ultimately went to Neymar for his outstanding goal, serving as encouragement for the young Brazilian talent.
In terms of excitement, Wang Feng and Rooney's goals were more thrilling, but since the Chinese superstar had won the Puskas Award for two consecutive years, and Rooney lacked favorable support after leaving Manchester United, Neymar was the balanced choice.
As the various major awards were gradually announced, the ceremony finally reached its climax. Prior to this, FIFA had specially invited the famous British singer James Blunt to take the stage and perform "Stay the Night."
This lively song brought the atmosphere in the venue to a climax, with many attendees unconsciously tapping their feet along with the beat.
As the song ended, the FIFA Women's Best Player award for 2011 was announced. Blatter took the stage with the Latin diva Shakira to present the award.
As Shakira announced the winner's name, the Japanese women's national team's Sawa won the award, defeating Brazilian superstar Marta and American star Wambach with her status as a Women's World Cup champion.
Finally, the long-awaited FIFA Ballon d'Or for 2011 was presented, with Ronaldo unexpectedly appearing as the final presenter, leaving Wang Feng surprised. "This guy didn't even tell me about this."
Ronaldo opened the envelope and glanced at it, then revealed a meaningful smile. At this moment, all attention was focused on him, and many people felt surprised. Could there still be any unexpected changes?
"I announce that the winner of the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or is... Wang Feng!"
It was still Wang Feng! Almost everyone in the audience wore expressions of confirmation, as only he truly deserved it!
"Come on stage, my good brother. This is your eighth time winning the Ballon d'Or, creating an unprecedented and tremendous achievement. You are the legend itself!"
"Let's applaud Wang Feng and offer him our sincerest congratulations!"
Wang Feng stood up from his seat, embracing both Ronaldo and Messi on either side, and exchanging high fives with his Real Madrid teammates in the back row. Everyone's faces showed expressions of admiration and envy, as if they were witnessing the god of football.
It was hard to imagine a player maintaining such a peak performance for such a long time, whether at the club or international level, he had established immortal merits. This could only mean that the legend continued.
Amidst thunderous applause, the Chinese superstar ascended the stage to receive his award, taking the FIFA Ballon d'Or trophy from Ronaldo's hands. The Brazilian blinked and said, "Congratulations, Wang. Time flies, and I'm honored to present the award to my former teammate."
"Thank you, Ronnie. I'm also very happy."
In his acceptance speech, Wang Feng, as usual, thanked all his family, club, fellow players, and fans who supported him. "To win this award for the eighth time, to be honest, my heart is very excited."
Although nearing 30, the Chinese superstar expressed his ambitions in front of everyone, stating that this was by no means the end, nor his limit!
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