Chapter 739: Doing the Right Thing
On January 9th, in the 19th round of La Liga, Real Madrid challenged Deportivo La Coru?a away, sweeping away the gloom of injuries and achieving a resounding 5-0 victory.
Afterward, the main players of the team joyfully headed to Zurich, Switzerland, to attend the annual FIFA awards ceremony, undoubtedly they would be the absolute protagonists.
"Wang is about to receive his 11th Ballon d'Or trophy, and I'm not surprised at all," said the Argentine star during the routine press conference, alongside the other two finalists, Modric and Messi.
"Whether it's club performance or individual performance, he deserves it. I feel very lucky to be here, but it's already the limit," Messi said with a slightly generous smile, but there was a hint of reluctance and helplessness in his eyes.
When will the 32-year-old Chinese superstar's form decline, and when will he retire from mainstream leagues? There have been rumors that Wang Feng will leave Real Madrid in the summer, but he is still a target for many top clubs. At this moment, Messi just hopes that he won't be so "tired" anymore.
Having already achieved numerous honors, why bother to continue fighting and exhausting oneself? Isn't it more pleasant to retire and make money in the MLS?
Wang Feng still expressed that his achievements couldn't have been accomplished without the assistance of his teammates. Modric sitting here says it all; he has the best teammates in the world.
At the same time, the Chinese superstar also fully praised Messi's skills and spirit. Even after so many years, he still maintains his position among the best in football, which is rare in history.
"I like watching Leo play. His ability and self-discipline amaze me. I believe his achievements will not stop here in the future," Wang Feng said.
The reporters below were suddenly at a loss for words, and someone asked a sharp question first: "Are you suggesting that Messi can surpass Ronaldo and become the new best player of the generation?"
Wang Feng waved his hand repeatedly, "I didn't mean that. Cristiano is also a frequent contender for the best player. Who is better between them, I'm afraid history will be the judge."
As for the last candidate, Modric, during the interview, he did not conceal his support and admiration for the Chinese superstar, "The Ballon d'Or should only be awarded to the captain. It should have been like this last year."
"At that time, the judges could still use the World Cup as an excuse. Now they can't find any excuses. The best player should win the biggest award. That's the right thing to do."
At 7 p.m. in the evening, the red carpet show before the awards ceremony began, which was an interactive session for guests and the media, attracting everyone's attention.
Football's influence is expanding worldwide, its energy is no longer limited to the sports sector, and many literary and fashion workers will come to the event to "leverage popularity."
However, Lu Yao obviously didn't like this kind of attention. As always, she did not appear at the scene, which disappointed many reporters who had once caught a glimpse of her.
After about an hour, all the guests gradually entered the venue and took their seats. German sports program host Kate Abdo appeared on stage, signaling the official start of the ceremony.
The first thing announced was still the Best XI of the year. The Galacticos had a total of 7 players selected, becoming the biggest winners and also setting a record for the most players selected from a single club.
With the huge success of winning the league undefeated, the selection results were very convincing.
The 4-3-3 formation, selected by over 50,000 members of the World Professional Footballers' Association, included Navas as the goalkeeper.
The four defenders were Ramos, Marcelo, Alves, and Thiago Silva.
The three midfielders were Modric, Casemiro, and Iniesta.
The three forwards were Bale, Wang Feng, and Messi.
Barcelona, with their Champions League runner-up position, secured three spots in the lineup, and the only non-La Liga player was Thiago Silva from Paris Saint-Germain.
The Best Men's Coach announced afterward was Carlo Ancelotti, and there was no suspense. As the most successful club coach in history, Ancelotti's status has been mythologized by many fans.
According to Wang Feng's knowledge, teams like Manchester City, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain have all issued strong invitations to the Italian, with treatment that is jaw-dropping.
However, Ancelotti has not yet decided on his next step after the expiration of his contract in the summer. Perhaps he will take a break for a while?
He is very clear in his heart that his coaching may be excellent but not magical. The magical one is only Wang Feng.
Due to Blatter's resignation, the FIFA Presidential Award was also canceled, and the Puskás Award was won by the Brazilian Lira.
The Best Women's Coach was Ellis, who led the United States to win the World Cup in Canada, and the Fair Play Award went to all football organizations supporting refugees.
The Women's Player of the Year was awarded to the American midfielder Lloyd, becoming the third American to be named Women's Player of the Year after Hamm and Wambach.
Finally, the highlight of the awards ceremony, the FIFA Ballon d'Or, was announced. Everyone in the audience knew that there was no suspense. Except for last year, when there were many waves due to the World Cup, there was basically no controversy at other times.
This year was no exception. With unprecedented undefeated league dominance and the indelible contribution of a century's worth of goals in a season, who could threaten Wang Feng's position?
When the award presenter Kaka opened the envelope containing the result, he mischievously smiled and winked at Wang Feng. Scenes of the two competing on the same stage floated in his mind, as if it were a distant memory.
Back then, he still regarded the Chinese superstar as a competitor. To some extent, his career was very unfortunate because there was always a huge mountain hanging over his head.
But it can also be said to be lucky. Even countless years later, people will still remember that under the god of football Wang Feng, there was the agile elf Ronaldinho and the chasing wind youth Kaka.
"I announce that the winner of the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or is—Wang Feng!"
"Congratulations, my friend, my opponent!"
The Chinese superstar stood up with a smile, embracing Modric, Messi, Iniesta, and the players beside him one by one, receiving the most sincere blessings from both opponents and teammates.
Stepping onto the stage, Kaka also gave Wang Feng a hug and then handed him the Ballon d'Or trophy, saying, "You are still the undisputed world's best!"
"Haha, why do you look so unkempt, clearly you're only a year older than me, but you've turned into an old man."
"This is called mature, understand? Who still looks like a teenager in their thirties like you?" The Brazilian was a little annoyed, but in his heart, he thought that he must shave off his beard when he goes back.
After joking with Kaka, Wang Feng then gave his acceptance speech, thanking all relevant persons as usual. The audience applauded and celebrated, but couldn't help feeling emotional. The era of competing with the Chinese superstar was indeed too cruel!
Every time Wang Feng won the award, it was well deserved. Apart from him, no one else deserved this Ballon d'Or. But players like Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Ibrahimovic, Kaka, Ronaldo, and Messi, who were exceptionally talented, always lived in his shadow.
All these regrets were not boring because the stars had once challenged the god of football, creating one exciting and magnificent classic battle after another.
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on fre ew𝒆bnovel.com