LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 257
*
[Euro Final Poster Released, Featuring Son Jinho as the Main Focus.]
└ Can you believe this team got knocked out last in their group during the Brazil World Cup? LOL
└ My brother became captain and suddenly we’re in the finals? Wow, this is leadership.
└ But seriously, why the sudden power surge? Did my brother really become naturalized or something?
└ Inside England, they’re saying the lack of factional issues is the reason for the rebound.
└ If only we had Son Jinho, damn. We could have actually won the 2014 Brazil World Cup.
└ Yeah, we were cut out by Germany.
└ Are you really disregarding Son Jinho on Germany’s counterattack?
└ Counterattack? They lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinals, haha.
└ Even if we had beaten Germany, we would still have lost to Brazil.
└ If we beat Germany, why did we still lose to Brazil? Germany crushed Brazil 7-1!
└ We can compete with European football, but we just get wrecked by South America.
*
[England Elated Over Their First Euro Final Appearance.]
└ ? This is England’s first appearance in the Euro finals?
└ Is this the majesty of the birthplace of football?
└ Lol, this is insane!
└ The birthplace of football, but they’re so bad at it. LOL
*
[Free Drinks Being Served to Koreans Throughout England. “Thank you, Korea!”]
└ Oh, what’s this? Why are they being so nice to Koreans?
└ It’s because of Son Jinho, sending him to England.
└ But can this even be counted as national pride…?
└ Isn’t it a bit ambiguous to claim this as national pride?;;
└ But still, it’s a mood booster! More drinks, please—let’s go!
*
[“England’s Forever Captain!”, British Football Fans Cheering for Son Jinho.]
[England National Team Captain Son Jinho, Will He Be Knighted Upon Euro Victory?]
└ Wow, does that mean he will be Lord Son Jinho? That’s dope, lol.
└ Isn’t it too much to get knighted all at once?
└ Yeah, but he’ll definitely get some kind of honor.
*
[Football Legend States, “Once Portugal Defeated France and Reached the Finals, England’s Victory Was All But Secured.”]
*
As the British Empire entered a festive atmosphere and the media began to buzz with excitement…
Bad news reached the England national team.
[Pele Predicts England’s Victory.]
Just before the final, an English journalist asked about the match result, and football emperor Pele predicted England’s victory.
[English Media Apologizes to the Public after Asking Pele for the Winning Team. “A tragic mistake caused by overheating coverage… We are sorry to the public.”]
The journalist who asked Pele for a prediction was bombarded with hate from the British public, and the newspaper issued a public apology.
Finally realizing the atmosphere had changed drastically, the English citizens quickly shifted to a more subdued demeanor.
I was bewildered by the abrupt shift in England’s public opinion.
It was hard to believe that this chaos stemmed from a single word from Pele.
‘Isn’t Pele’s curse just a superstition?’
And in reality, it turns out Pele had predicted quite a few final match outcomes correctly.
But it was overshadowed by his other statements.
Either way, I tried to downplay Pele’s curse as much as possible.
“Hey, did you guys see Pele’s interview?”
“Yeah, he said we’re winning.”
“Ugh, why right now, at this timing…”
It was only until I heard the national team players’ conversations that I felt uneasy.
Hmm.
Actually, was Pele’s curse a form of psychological attack?
*
– Han Gyeouri: Seriously, why did Pele suddenly curse England?
– Han Gyeouri: Is the relationship between Brazil and England not good?
– Ho-woo: It’s tough to find a country that’s historically friendly with England.
– Cheolmo: (Haeun cheering in an England jersey at Stade de France.jpg)
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: (Wearing an England jersey at school and cheering.jpg)
– Ho-woo: Thanks for the support, haha.
– Han Gyeouri: (Dad looking content staring at his phone.jpg)
– Han Gyeouri: Dad, what’s got you looking so pleased?
– Father-in-law: Just proud to see our family coming together.
– Ho-woo: Ah… Ah, Father! 😭😭
– Cheolmo: ….
– Han Gyeouri: ….
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: ….
*
July 10, 2016.
Stade de France.
The national stadium built in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, France, capable of seating 81,338 spectators, was the venue for the final match between England and Portugal.
Having been knocked out by Portugal in the semifinals, the host country, France, saw Euro 2016 turn into a party for others.
Some French politicians and football fans opposed holding the final at Stade de France, arguing it should be moved elsewhere due to their national team not making it, but…
Fortunately, the match was held at Stade de France as planned.
After all, changing the venue just because they didn’t advance would be quite the unpopular move and could prevent them from hosting Euro again in the future.
Anyway, Stade de France was filled with the people of Portugal and England instead of the French citizens.
“It’s coming home, It’s coming home, It’s coming, Football’s coming home!”
The cheers from both national teams echoed throughout the stadium as the Euro 2016 final match commenced.
*
[Hello everyone. I’m your caster Park Yong-jin, covering the Euro final match between England and Portugal. We are currently at the stadium known as the holy ground of French football, Stade de France.]
[England’s Son Jinho and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Both players represent Manchester United in the Premier League, but today, they find themselves as rivals.]
[Yes, they are known to be good friends. Since they know each other well, an unexpected result could arise.]
[That’s right. And another point of interest in this match is the upcoming Ballon d’Or race, right? It’s likely that the winner of this Euro will also win the next Ballon d’Or.]
[Yes. Indeed. Chile won the Copa America after a penalty shootout, and Argentina’s Lionel Messi experienced more heartbreak in this international tournament, so it’s fair to say the Euro final holds the key to the Ballon d’Or.]
└ Argentina lost, huh? I saw them trying to drag their teammates who wanted to drop out to the final.
└ They gave it their all in the final too. But Higuain blew it.
[And speaking of the Ballon d’Or, we can’t skip talking about Lionel Messi. Argentina will record three consecutive runner-up finishes in major tournaments with their Copa America second place this time.]
└ Wow, three consecutive runner-ups in major tournaments sounds kinda cool, lol.
└ How is it three consecutive runner-ups? The 2011 Copa’s runner-up was Paraguay.
└ It’s 2014 World Cup, 2015 Copa, and 2016 Copa, lol.
└ ??? Why is Copa held every year?
└ This year’s event was a 100-year anniversary special.
└ Double experience points, huh?
└ Yep, the winning team this time gets two trophies.
└ Are you serious?
└ Really? Come on, man.
*
[Yes, right as I was saying that, England’s kickoff begins!]
*
In the 13th minute of the first half.
The opening goal came from England, who was dominating the game.
I received the ball from Wayne Rooney and passed it forward into Raheem Sterling’s space.
Raheem Sterling showcased the brilliance of an English star, breaking through Portugal’s flanks, and attempted a cutback.
The cutback from the flank found Harry Kane.
Harry Kane, keeping his eyes on the ball, calmly took a direct shot.
The perfectly struck ball sailed over Rui Patrício’s head, rippling the net.
I can vividly see Harry Kane roaring by the corner flag after scoring.
“Ah…”
I quietly swallowed my frustration between Cristiano Ronaldo scolding the Portugal team and the celebrating England players.
Hmm.
No.
Why.
Of all people, why did you have to be the one to score?
‘No trophy…’
The steadfast resolve that remained undisturbed by Pele’s curse began to waver.