LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 239
May 13, 2015.
The second leg match to determine the teams advancing to the Champions League final.
“Glory! glory, Man United!”
Old Trafford, the home ground of Manchester United, was already packed with fans hoping for their team’s qualification for the Champions League final.
“As the Reds Go Marching On! On! On!”
While Old Trafford was heating up with the excitement of the crowd, inside the Manchester United locker room, Cristiano Ronaldo, the best footballer on earth who even mocked the football god (Lionel Messi), was bursting with anger.
“Caralho!”
With that Portuguese swear ringing in his ears, Son Jinho employed his high-level skill of letting it go in one ear and out the other.
‘What’s he talking about?’
Son Jinho lightly ignored Ronaldo’s words, but…
“Son Jinho, as I said before, I will prove in this match that I am the rival of Lionel Messi.”
Thinking that Son Jinho was listening intently, Cristiano Ronaldo became more enthusiastic in his speech.
“Once upon a time, on a particularly bright night, February 5, 1985…”
Ronaldo’s story from the past transitioned to anecdotes about Sir Alex Ferguson.
“Back then, the boss came to me. You are a player with world-class potential.”
Receiving such praise from the legendary manager at a young age, Ronaldo imagined becoming the best player in the world.
And so, Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United.
Alex Ferguson, adapting to the player’s characteristics, showered Ronaldo with praise.
“But the boss didn’t really know me. I wasn’t just a world-class player. I was the player with the highest potential in the history of football.”
With Ferguson’s compliments, Cristiano Ronaldo’s ego skyrocketed into the stratosphere.
‘Isn’t this the boss’s fault? Didn’t he pamper him too much?’
Feeling a limit to Ronaldo’s whining, Son Jinho shifted the blame onto Ferguson for raising his son wrong.
“Cristiano, let’s stop chatting and get onto the field.”
“SIU.”
***
[Manchester United is in an advantageous position, having won the first leg 2-1.]
[Yes. Plus, this match takes place at Manchester United’s home stadium, famously known as the Theater of Dreams, Old Trafford, right?]
[That’s right. But as they say, a football is round, and the outcome is still uncertain. Which team will reach the promised land of the Champions League final in this clash between Manchester United and Bayern Munich? With the referee’s whistle, the match has begun!]
***
As the referee’s whistle blew, the second leg of the Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich kicked off.
Cristiano Ronaldo was running madly to maintain his title as Lionel Messi’s rival.
Like a rabid puppy, Cristiano Ronaldo dashed around the field wildly.
“What, what’s up with him?”
“Ah—! Ref, this guy bit me!”
The Bayern Munich players visibly panicked at Ronaldo’s movements, which had reached another level from the last match.
I kept an eye on the flow of the game, recalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s words.
I’m not sure if it’s just my delusion, but in the lengthy narrative from Ronaldo, I sensed both recognition and jealousy toward Lionel Messi.
Since 2009, Lionel Messi had won the Ballon d’Or four times in a row.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, who always thought of himself as the best in the world, Messi’s four consecutive Ballon d’Or wins must have been shocking.
It makes sense, after all; Ronaldo’s talent is also of legendary caliber in the history of football.
At the point in 2008 when he won the Ballon d’Or and thought his era had come, who would have guessed there would be a G.O.A.T of football with the ‘mad midget’ in the same era?
But sadly, the gods gave birth to Ronaldo and then to the football god Lionel Messi.
‘And then the heavens gave birth to me after Messi.’
Anyhow, while most players likely recognized the difference in talent and humbly accepted reality…
Cristiano Ronaldo was different.
Desiring to be number one rather than a number two in the original history, Ronaldo dedicated himself to training like his life depended on it.
According to the original timeline, he reclaimed the Ballon d’Or for two consecutive years by 2012, instantly rising as Messi’s rival.
In 2015, he did lose the Ballon d’Or to Messi again after Barcelona’s treble, but he came back to seize it again in 2016 and 2017, achieving a tie record with Messi.
Thus, he finally caught up with Messi’s Ballon d’Or tally.
And just as he was one step away from being considered the greatest player historically by leading Portugal to their first major trophy…
How would it feel when his rival Lionel Messi lit up the Last Dance, achieving three consecutive victories in major tournaments and becoming the first with eight Ballon d’Ors?
‘It would be devastating.’
Now I understand the feelings of Ronaldo, who diverged from the original history.
Having aged and realizing his body was deteriorating, the despair of never catching up to his lifelong rival must have settled in.
So he had to say that the Saudi league is better than the French league to belittle Messi’s achievements.
The moment he acknowledges Messi’s accomplishments,
he would also have to accept that he was merely the number two who illuminated Messi.
“Jinho!”
While I was digesting Ronaldo’s feelings, İlkay Gündoğan’s pass came toward me.
As I tried to comfort the eternal second-person Ronaldo by passing to him, I stumbled upon an uncomfortable truth.
‘No… Wait a second, Sangam was before the eight Ballon d’Or, right?’
Recalling the feelings of being dumped at Sangam, I changed my mind on passing to comfort Ronaldo and attempted to pass to Robin van Persie instead.
As David Alaba and Jerome Boateng, who thought I was passing to Cristiano Ronaldo, got caught in my feint.
A magnificent through pass broke through the gap between Alaba and Boateng and headed toward Robin van Persie, who was attempting to break into the penalty box.
Rising for a clear shot, Robin van Persie calmly attempted a shot.
Boom!
The moment the ball connected perfectly with Robin van Persie’s foot.
“Si, SIUUUUUUUU─!”
The howl of a beast echoed across the ground.
***
[Son Jinho has seen Cristiano Ronaldo!]
[Son Jinho passes to… wait! No, Son Jinho passes to Robin van Persie!]
[All Bayern Munich players fell for Son Jinho’s feint!!]
[In an instant, Robin van Persie faces the goalkeeper for a clear chance!]
[He shoots!!]
[No, Neuer! He blocks it! Manuel Neuer!!]
[Once again, Neuer is in goal!!! The guardian of Bayern Munich, Neuer, makes a fantastic save, denying Robin van Persie’s shot!]
└ Ugh, uh, how could he not score that?
└ Is he just a dumbass?
└ Wasn’t that a superb block from Neuer?
[By the way, Son Jinho’s amazing pass just came out. I hope there’s a replay….]
└ What was that pass from Son Jinho? I thought he was passing to Ronaldo. Suddenly, he passed to Robin van Persie.
└ For real, I questioned my own eyes while watching that.
***
[Ah. Just as we were talking about it, the previous scene is being replayed.]
[Before Son Jinho received the ball, he checked the positions of Ronaldo and Van Persie. After gazing at Ronaldo, he perfectly deceived the Bayern Munich players and executed a no-look pass to the space for Robin van Persie.]
└ Wow, hahaha.
└ Man, did he really catch all his teammates’ positions in that short moment?
└ Haha, Robin, sweet move! He should’ve finished that! Then it would’ve been an all-time legendary assist.
***
After Manuel Neuer’s superb save, the tide of the match gradually shifted towards Bayern Munich.
They pressed Manchester United into their own territory relentlessly.
As Bayern Munich’s attackers began to pinpoint their targets, the number of effective shots began to rise.
A curling shot from Frank Ribéry near the left penalty area was blocked by David De Gea’s save.
The ball fell near Son Jinho, who was positioned in front of the goal.
“Son Jinho, pass it to me!”
The instant Son Jinho collected the ball, Cristiano Ronaldo, like Pavlov’s dog, instinctively sprinted toward the Bayern Munich territory.
It was possible because he trusted that Son Jinho would connect the pass without losing the ball.
However, Son Jinho responded to Ronaldo’s trust in a slightly different way.
Before Bayern Munich’s player could catch up, Son Jinho, having sprinted, took off and began to dash across the field.
“Son Jinho, don’t be greedy, pass!”
As Son Jinho started to dribble, Cristiano Ronaldo’s earnest voice rang across the ground.
“Football is a team game, Son Jinho!!!!”
Son Jinho used Ronaldo’s impassioned shout as white noise, successfully entering the penalty box.
As he entered the penalty box, he saw Manuel Neuer.
“Son Jinhoooooooo─!”
At that moment, Ronaldo demanded a pass from Son Jinho.
The instant Neuer’s gaze momentarily shifted toward Ronaldo,
Son Jinho faked a pass to him, stealing Neuer’s timing, and attempted a quick shot instead.
Son Jinho’s shot slipped right between Neuer’s legs, ripping through Bayern Munich’s net.
“Wowwwww!”
After scoring, Son Jinho dashed to the corner flag, performing the “hoo” celebration.
“Hmm. I must have about 90% of the credit for that goal.”
Ronaldo approached Son Jinho, who was celebrating at the corner flag, and opened his mouth.
“What, did you send your soul again this time?”
Despite Son Jinho’s blunt question, who was panting heavily, Ronaldo answered with a proud expression.
“No, I used my voice to disrupt those Munich guys.”