Chapter 766: Separate Selections
"Have you arrived safely in Glasgow after such a long time away for the away games?"
On the eve of the second round of the Champions League group stage, Wang Feng video-called his wife, Lu Yao, from the hotel.
"We've arrived. The intensity of the Premier League and the schedule are indeed tight. This year, the club still aims for four trophies, and we also have to consider the World Cup qualifiers. It's tough for an old veteran like me to travel around."
"You seem more excited than tired. How does it feel to conquer a new league from the start?" Lu Yao couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"But Feng, you still need to take care of your body. You're not 23 anymore; don't push yourself too hard."
Wang Feng nodded. "I understand. Is everything okay at home? How are Si Yao and Haoxin?"
When the Chinese superstar was away playing, Lu Yao would handle some work, occasionally go shopping, and if the trip was long, she would return to Madrid to take care of the children.
"They're both asleep now. Let's video call again after tomorrow's match. Oh, by the way, Little Si Yao has been pestering her aunt to teach her how to draw lately. She even wants to travel the world like Tian Tian in the future."
"That little girl, I wonder if it's just a passing interest. Let her have fun for now, and if she's really determined, we can find her a professional teacher."
"Has Balda visited our home? He called me too, hoping Haoxin could join the Real Madrid U9 training camp."
"Yeah, but he's still so young, not even five yet. I'm worried he might get injured."
Wang Feng reassured his wife, "The conditions at the Real Madrid academy are among the best in European football. It's not easy for ordinary people to get in."
"And it's normal for boys to have a few bumps and bruises. It toughens them up. Let him give it a try."
The two chatted about family matters like this. Even though they were far apart, their hearts were always together.
As the Blue Moon continued their winning streak against Celtic, Wang Feng opened the scoring in the first half with a set-piece, while Aguero scored in the second half to seal the victory.
While the Champions League matches attracted fans' attention, they were soon stunned by another shocking news that rocked the football world: the long-debated split of the FIFA Ballon d'Or finally came to fruition!
As early as this summer, it was reported by the media that the staff of France Football had officially written to FIFA, revoking their authorization for the Ballon d'Or.
Now, the magazine officially announced that the European Ballon d'Or selection would be relaunched, with the 30-man shortlist to be announced on October 24th, and the award ceremony tentatively scheduled for December 12th.
Following this, FIFA also announced that they would restart the Best FIFA Men's Player award and introduce a redesigned trophy.
From then on, the FIFA Ballon d'Or became history. Wang Feng and Thomas Muller were the only two winners, with the Chinese superstar winning it five times out of the last six.
There were rumors that one of the main reasons for the split was the disagreement between FIFA's selection criteria and the founding philosophy of the Ballon d'Or, with the controversial result of 2014 being the catalyst.
Of course, many also believed that the dominance of the Chinese superstar in recent years had contributed to the current situation.
There were even discussions within the selection committee about implementing special rules to limit consecutive wins or setting higher thresholds for previous winners.
These measures obviously couldn't convince everyone at the FIFA Ballon d'Or level, but it was much easier after the split.
Following past precedents, Wang Feng, who won ten consecutive titles with Real Madrid and continued to excel at Manchester City, was the strongest contender for the FIFA Ballon d'Or. But now, who could win both awards became uncertain.
Entering October, Manchester City finally returned to their home turf for the 7th round of the Premier League, facing Tottenham Hotspur.
Like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur was also from North London. They once had a glorious history, becoming the first team in the 20th century to win both the league and FA Cup, and also the first British team to win a European trophy.
But in recent years, despite maintaining considerable competitiveness, they have always struggled to win titles.
Now, with English star Harry Kane leading the Lilywhites, supported by outstanding players like Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, and Eric Dier, as well as technically gifted young players like Son Heung-min and Harry Winks, their ambition was not only to regain a place in the Champions League but also to challenge for the long-lost league title.
From the match process, it was clear that Tottenham Hotspur caused Manchester City a lot of trouble.
In the 19th minute, the away team attacked into the frontcourt. Eriksen's long pass switched the play, Walker quickly cut in from the wing, then dribbled into the penalty area and passed across for Kane to tap in easily.
Just 10 minutes later, a fatal mistake occurred in Manchester City's defense. Otamendi's clearance was intercepted by Danny Rose, who passed to Alli. He then lobbed the ball over Bravo's outstretched fingers.
The Lilywhites turned the tables to lead 2-0! The situation then became deadlocked. Guardiola made consecutive substitutions, bringing on Sane and Jesus to strengthen the attack.
In the 67th minute of the second half, De Bruyne received a pass from Wang Feng on the wing, and Jesus's close-range volley was blocked by goalkeeper Lloris. The Brazilian forward quickly followed up and tapped in before anyone else, reducing the deficit for the Blue Moon.
In the 88th minute, Silva lofted a ball into the box from a 45-degree angle, and Aguero headed it back towards the penalty spot. In the vicinity of the penalty spot, Wang Feng forcefully pushed aside Winks, jumped up with his back to the goal, and executed a bicycle kick.
His right foot struck the ball fiercely, sending it like a cannonball towards the goal.
Although Lloris got a touch on the ball, its momentum was not diminished as it thundered into the net. 2-2! Manchester City equalized in the final moments of the game!
This match ended Manchester City's winning streak, but they still topped the table with 6 wins and 1 draw, accumulating 19 points.
In second place was Tottenham Hotspur with 5 wins and 2 draws, totaling 17 points. These were the only two unbeaten teams in the league.
Arsenal followed closely behind in third place with 5 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, also on 16 points, tied with Liverpool, who ranked fourth due to inferior goal difference.
After Everton came Manchester United and Chelsea. It seems that this year's battle for the top four will be equally intense.
Defending champions Leicester City, with only 2 wins and 2 draws, languished in 12th place. After significant departures, they were destined to be a flash in the pan.
October's international break was also hectic, with the Chinese team playing Syria at home on the 6th.
The highly anticipated young players struggled to make an impact, so Wang Feng took the field in the second half. Just five minutes later, he delivered a brilliant through ball to assist Wu Lei in opening the scoring.
In the 75th minute, the Chinese superstar dribbled past two defenders in the frontcourt, then took a powerful shot from outside the box, extending the team's lead with a low shot.
The final score was 2-0.
After the match, Wang Feng praised Syria for their tenacious spirit and said it was something the Chinese team could learn from. "They may not have big-name stars, but I see pure desire for victory in their eyes."
Five days later, in the fourth round of the 12-team group stage, the Chinese team challenged Uzbekistan away. The young players, spurred on by the previous victory, fought even harder, coming from behind to win 2-1.
In this match, Wang Feng remained seated on the bench throughout, so it was a victory achieved by the team's own strength, which pleased the Chinese superstar and Marcello Lippi.
With four consecutive victories, the Chinese team was getting closer and closer to the World Cup in Russia.
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