[football] walk side by side

"..." Cyril was stunned by this magical turning point: "So you have already decided to go to Arsenal? Are you now a lobbyist for your head coach?"

Fabregas hesitated for a while. He nodded and shook his head again: "I haven't made up my mind yet. However, if you are willing to go to Arsenal, I can give Coach Wenger an answer now."

Cyril held his forehead weakly: "...Why do you think we can work together?"

Fabregas asked rhetorically: "I think we are both very good midfielders. Is there any reason why we are not good partners?"

What you said is so reasonable that I am speechless...

"No," Cyril thumped his forehead, "Have you considered your future development direction? Organizational midfielder? Attacking midfielder?" Swallowed into the stomach.

"Of course it's mainly about organizing the midfield."

Cyril breathed a sigh of relief: "That's unlucky, me too." Cyril paused for a while, afraid that Fabregas would persuade him, so he added with a serious face: "My ideal midfield partner It’s the attacking midfielder, the one who can score more goals than the forwards in the attacking midfielder position, do you understand?”

"Okay." Fabregas seemed quite regretful, "Actually, I think that if I play as a midfielder, I may not be able to score as many goals as the striker."

"Even if that striker is called Leo Messi?" Cyril joked.

Messi blinked and looked at his friend.

Fabregas is stuck.

Facing his friend's equally curious and slightly joking eyes, he pretended not to hear Cyril's question: "Anyway, I hope we will have a chance to cooperate in the future."

"I don't think we have much chance..." Cyril smiled meaningfully: "After all, you will always go back to Barcelona, ​​won't you?"

Fabregas did not answer Cyril's question, but immediately thought of another meaning in his words, and this thought made his eyes widen uncontrollably: "Wait, there is not much chance... You don't want to Go to Real Madrid?"

"I don't know if I have a chance to go to Real Madrid," Cyril shrugged, "It's just that I forgot to tell you, I'm a Spaniard fan."

The two Barcelona youth training players were silent for a while: Although Real Madrid and Barcelona have always had a bad relationship, in the minds of many Barcelona fans, when it comes to the word mortal enemy, the Spaniard must be the first thing that comes to mind.At this point, even Real Madrid have to go back.

Messi couldn't help but said: "Can I ask why?"

"Probably because I have a good impression of this kind of small team?" Cyril thought for a while and smiled slightly: "I like every team that is desperately trying to overthrow an opponent that is several times stronger than myself. I think that's one of the most interesting things about football."

Cesc Fabregas and Messi felt that Cyril's smile was full of malice, no matter how they looked at it, every time the Spaniard met Barcelona, ​​he would desperately want to bite off a piece of flesh from Barcelona The posture, the kind that tries to drag Barcelona back and assist Real Madrid every season.

The more the two La Masia players thought about it, the more they became more and more frustrated. Fabregas exhaled and refused to continue the topic. He stood up and said, "Leo and I should go back after being out for so long."

Messi looked at Cyril and suggested, "Shall we exchange contact information?"

Cesc Fabregas looked tired: "No, I don't want to be friends with the fans of my arch-enemy." Having said that, he still readily handed over his mobile phone number.

"Then, goodbye?"

Cyril saved the numbers of the two, and waved to them as well: "Goodbye."

He drank all the milk in one gulp, and Cyril called the waiter. He wanted to pay for his milk, but the waiter said calmly: "As for the bill, the two gentlemen before have already settled the bill, and the milk is given to you by the boss." Yes, it is said that Porto players do not need to pay for consumption here.”

Cyril: ...Wait, isn't plain water free?

He was speechless for a while, and just nodded in a daze. A few seconds later, the mobile phone in his pocket vibrated when he received a text message. Cyril took out the mobile phone and took a look:

"I settled the bill. Your coffee shop in Porto is so pitiful that you charge for milk. PS Don't thank me too much." - Cesc Fabregas.

Cyril: ...Why is this man so shameless.

Cyril thought about it blankly, and finally chose to reply to Messi.

"I'm sorry, I'll treat you to dinner next time as a landlord's kindness. PS I don't bring that guy." ——Cyril.

"It's okay :) You Porto fans are cute." - Messi.

After the practice match, it was a half-day vacation as usual. Cyril walked out of the coffee shop and walked home slowly.

Just like what Cyril said when he was in the hospital, at this time, their family has moved to an apartment very close to the Porto club. The seller of the apartment is also a Porto fan. The house itself was not newly renovated, so after buying this apartment, Cyril and Shen Wei moved in directly.

At this moment, Cyril only walked for a few minutes before returning home.

Not long after Cyril arrived home, before he had decided what to do, he received a call from Lisbon.

"Cyrillic."

When he heard this voice, Cyril couldn't help being stunned. He put down his phone and glanced at the name on it. It was indeed "Cristiano" that was right, but why was his tone so strange?

"what happened?"

There was a rare silence over there. Cyril felt a little strange in his heart, but he still patiently waited for his friend to speak. After about ten seconds of silence, the other party said over there: "I'm leaving Portugal."

It's "will", not "could".

The characteristics of the player's profession made Cyril almost immediately understand the meaning of his friend's words: "Is there a club that wants to buy you? What team is it?"

"It's Manchester United in the Premier League. We played a warm-up match with Manchester United a week ago, and their coach took a fancy to me." Cristiano said.

Cristiano was actually very happy when he first heard that Manchester United wanted him. A faint uneasiness and reluctance.

Leaving the familiar land and going to a foreign country, away from parents, relatives, coaches and friends.

Cyril understands Cristiano's uneasiness and reluctance. In fact, even for him, it would be a lie to say that there is no reluctance at this moment. However, as a professional player, such a situation is inevitable.

"Isn't this great? Manchester United is a team with great heritage. There, your abilities will be greatly improved and your goals will be better achieved." Cyril said gently: "Congratulations You, Chris."

"I know... I," Cristiano pursed his lips, and said in a low voice, "I'm just a little uneasy..."

Cyril was silent for a while, he did not directly respond to this sentence, but said: "I want to say something to you - but this sentence may make you unhappy, do you want to listen?"

"what?"

"Many people say that Manchester United missed Ronaldo, but in fact, I always feel that this sentence can also be reversed." Cyril said softly: "If Manchester United missed Ronaldo, then Ronaldo missed Ferguson. Where is Grandpa?"

Cristiano was indeed not very happy when he heard the name Ronaldo.

Due to the coincidence of the name, and the teasing and ridicule he suffered since he was a child, Cristiano was not very interested in Ronaldo, but after hearing what Cyril said, he became curious instead: "Why do you say that? He's a world-class player now."

Cyril said bluntly: "The peak a player can reach is not necessarily related to his professional attitude, but the time he can last at the peak must be related to his professional attitude." He paused, "I only agree with you in private. You said—although I don’t know how long Ronaldo’s peak can last, but if he had chosen Manchester United, his achievements would definitely be higher and more durable than now.”

Cristiano thought of the old man he met when negotiating the contract, "You seem to have a good impression of Manchester United's head coach?"

"Of course, Ferguson is a very great head coach." Cyril replied subconsciously, but as soon as he said the words, he had a bad premonition in his heart.

Sure enough, Cristiano said happily: "Then why don't you come to Manchester United too! It just so happens that we can partner again. I think Sir Alex really likes you."

Cyril was helpless: "...Why do you all like to drag me to the team you are going to?"

The word "you" made Cristiano instantly alert: "Who? Who else invited you?"

"Cesc Fabregas, we have a practice match against Barcelona today."

Cristiano was a little anxious, wishing he could fly to Porto to persuade Cyril in person: "No, Cyril, you can't go to Barcelona."

"When did I say I was going to Barcelona?" Cyril had the urge to hold his forehead again: "Okay, no need to emphasize, I know you like Real Madrid, and I also like the Spaniard. It is impossible to go to Barcelona." Barcelona."

"Then come to Manchester United, don't you also like Ferguson very much?"

"It's true that I like Sir Alex Ferguson, but I also like my current head coach very much." Cyril couldn't laugh or cry.

"Oh." Speaking of this, Cristiano lost interest.

Since Mourinho led a Portuguese team to win the Triple Crown as a Portuguese, the whole Portugal has a very different attitude towards him, especially when the head coach is still relatively young.But I don't know, Cristiano just doesn't like the head coach.

Maybe it's an aura issue?

"Well, I hope we can have the opportunity to cooperate in the club in the future." Cristiano muttered: "Then goodbye?"

"Goodbye."

Cyril put down his cell phone and stood by the window of the new apartment, quietly looking at the Dragon Stadium in the sunlight outside the window.The stadium without games looked empty and silent, only one or two managers were still carefully inspecting the green lawn.The entire stadium seemed to have fallen into a brief slumber.

It was also at this moment that Cyril had never been so sure as at this moment—his future would start from here.

……

For many people, 2003 is destined to be a year full of special meanings.

This year, the Russian rich man Abramovich announced his entry into the Premier League Chelsea, which opened a new round of gold dollar storm.

This year, the Galaxy battleship turned from prosperity to decline, and Barcelona started the second dream dynasty.

This year, Manchester United ushered in the new No. 7 C-Ronaldo, and AC Milan took Kaka away from the Sao Paulo club.

This year, Porto won the first "Little Triple Crown" in history, the controversial name "Jose Mourinho", and from then on it officially entered the field of vision of everyone in European football.

Another era of shining stars has since kicked off.