Chapter 234: Team Maradona vs. Team Ronaldo! [Transition Chapter]
"There's a charity match at Camp Nou. Are you guys interested in joining?"
Casillas shook his head. "I'll pass. I need to recover. The World Cup is coming up, and I can't afford to get injured again."
Last year, Casillas suffered a serious injury, causing him to miss many matches for both the national team and Real Madrid. His starting spot at the club was taken by Diego López.
Lin nodded in understanding and then turned to Ramos.
Ramos quickly waved his hands. "No, no, I can't go. I'm a man who loves to study, and I need to catch up on my studies during this time!"
Lin gave Ramos a once-over. Ramos, covered in tattoos and about to turn 27, was now pretending to be a model student. The contrast was too much to believe.
"Don't doubt me! Look, I even brought my books!"
Seeing that Lin didn't believe him, Ramos hurriedly took out his geography and ecology textbooks, which he carried with him.
Lin curiously flipped through one of them and found that they were filled with messy notes. He started to believe Ramos.
"Why are you looking at this? Aren't these high school textbooks?"
Lin had attended school in Spain, so he recognized the books.
Ramos scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
Casillas, sitting nearby, couldn't help but reveal Ramos's secret: "He's about to take the compulsory education exam in February. If he fails again, he'll have to retake it next year!"
Ramos, taking a high school exam? Isn't that something people usually finish by the age of 16? Could someone really drag it out until they're 27?
No way, right?
Lin was so stunned by Casillas's words that he couldn't help but find it funny. The thought of Ramos almost 27 years old and still not having completed his compulsory education certificate was amusing.
Casillas, smiling, asked Lin, "So, what do you think, Lin? Will Ramos pass the exam this time?"
Lin glanced at Ramos. Seeing how seriously Ramos was studying in his free time, making notes and all, Lin responded, "Definitely not, or he wouldn't have dragged it out until he's 27!"
He emphasized the "27 years old" part.
"Haha, that's what I think too!"
The two of them burst into hearty laughter.
Ramos punched each of them with his large fists. "Don't underestimate me. I'm passing that exam this year for sure!"
"Alright, alright, you'll definitely pass. Maybe go to a temple and pray for success, or even tattoo something like 'Guaranteed to Pass' on your arm. That should do it!"
Lin teased.
What started as a joke seemed to be taken seriously by Ramos. He insisted that Lin take him to a temple to pray for good luck and even planned to tattoo the phrase "Lucky Charm, Guaranteed to Pass" on his arm. He must have been so afraid of failing that he was willing to try anything.
As more people filled the lounge, Lin noticed some familiar faces: former Manchester United and Real Madrid star David Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson. The two entered the room one after the other, but they didn't interact, suggesting that any lingering tension between the former coach and player hadn't fully dissipated.
"Hello, Lin. I didn't expect to see you here!"
Beckham greeted Lin warmly.
Although they had never shared a pitch, they were well aware of each other.
When Lin was younger, many of his peers idolized the handsome Beckham.
"Mr. Beckham, you were my childhood idol. I tried to master your signature free-kick technique, but I just couldn't get it right."
Beckham laughed, "If you have some time, we could practice together. But your knuckleball technique is already incredibly powerful. Those last-minute goals you've scored were unforgettable."
Lin then praised Beckham's 45-degree cross as precise and elegant.
Beckham complimented Lin's 45-degree ground passes, calling them imaginative and incredible.
After exchanging pleasantries, they grew more comfortable with each other. Before leaving, Beckham even asked for Lin's phone number, saying he'd reach out when he returned to England for a friendly match.
Lin gladly agreed and extended an invitation to Beckham to watch a match at the Etihad Stadium. Beckham, although no longer a Manchester United player, still found it awkward to attend a Manchester City game publicly. Instead, he promised to watch Lin play during the Manchester Derby in the 28th round of the league.
As Beckham left, Ferguson and Mourinho entered the lounge.
Both Ferguson and Mourinho had coached Ronaldo, so it wasn't surprising to see them at his party. However, it was unusual to see the two of them together since they weren't known to get along.
Upon seeing Lin, Ramos, and the others, Mourinho's expression soured. After leaving Real Madrid, Ramos had taken a few jabs at Mourinho, so the coach wasn't particularly fond of him. As for Lin, Mourinho had once admired him and even tried to bring him to Chelsea. But when Lin chose Manchester City instead, becoming a direct rival, Mourinho's attitude shifted.
In contrast, Ferguson greeted Lin warmly.
"Lin, are you here on vacation?"
"No, Sir. I wish I could take a vacation, but the Premier League doesn't have a winter break. I'm here for Ronaldo's party and the charity match at Camp Nou tomorrow."
"Oh? Is it the one Maradona is organizing?"
The retired manager seemed interested. Although he had retired due to declining health and could no longer handle the demands of full-time coaching, Ferguson had devoted his life to football. Completely stopping was hard for him, so leading a friendly charity match could be a nice way to stay involved.
"Yes, would you be interested in coaching? We're still short of a manager!"
Lin seized the opportunity to invite Ferguson.
Ferguson chuckled, "Why not ask your father to coach?"
It was no secret in football circles that Guardiola was Lin's adoptive father. Given Guardiola's coaching expertise and their close relationship, Ferguson found it odd that they still needed a coach.
"He's probably not in the best mood lately, so I didn't want to bother him."
Lin didn't elaborate, but Ferguson, wise with age, quickly deduced that it had to do with Kroos's transfer. Anyone in Guardiola's position would be upset. Guardiola had been looking forward to the second half of the season, only to be blindsided by Bayern selling their midfield star. It was a wonder Guardiola hadn't clashed with Bayern's management over it.
"If you don't mind an old retiree like me coaching, I'll take the job. But I need to ask first, you're not planning to join Maradona's team and form a super duo with Messi, are you?"
Given Maradona's age, he likely wouldn't play, so he'd probably be coaching. Messi, Maradona's protégé, would undoubtedly be on Maradona's team. Messi alone was formidable enough; if Lin joined him, the game wouldn't be fun. Between the two of them, Maradona's team would dribble and outmaneuver Ronaldo's team with ease.
"Sir, you're being too modest. Your coaching is among the best in the world. I've always wanted to learn from you!"
Ferguson smiled, pleased by Lin's flattery, and jokingly scolded, "You've got a sweet tongue, kid. But if that's true, why didn't you join Manchester United last year?"
Lin was at a loss for words. "Well, you were retiring, so what was the point of me joining?"
Ferguson sighed, "If you had agreed to join United, maybe I wouldn't have retired!"
There was no good response to that. Given Ferguson's age, even if he had stayed on, he wouldn't have been able to coach for much longer. Lin couldn't gamble on something so uncertain.
Fortunately, Ferguson was tactful and didn't press the issue. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he left.
Once Ferguson and Mourinho were gone, Ramos and Casillas both breathed a sigh of relief.
"If I'd known he was coming, I wouldn't have shown up!"
Ramos, watching Mourinho walk away, muttered regretfully.
Lin had heard rumors of deep rifts within Real Madrid's locker room, with many players unhappy with Mourinho. Seeing Ramos and Casillas's reactions confirmed those rumors. It was clear they genuinely didn't like Mourinho.
But this was an internal matter for Real Madrid, and Lin didn't pry further.
As they chatted, Ronaldo's girlfriend, Irina, approached with another young, beautiful woman.
Ramos glanced up and immediately couldn't take his eyes off her. He quickly decided that coming to this party was the best decision he'd made.
Seeing Ramos's reaction, Lin and Casillas also looked up out of curiosity. Irina was already considered a beauty, but even she was outshone by the woman beside her.
Lin couldn't help but wonder, who is this woman with Irina?
"Gentlemen, the dance is about to start. Aren't you going to ask the ladies for a dance?"
Irina said with a smile.
Ramos, eager to forget about his studies and Mourinho, quickly sprang up and asked the woman beside Irina, "Would this beautiful lady honor me with a dance?"
Morata had been about to ask her as well, but Ramos beat him to it. Disappointed, Morata sat back down.
The woman seemed to hesitate, glancing towards Lin as if hoping he would ask her instead. But Lin remained seated, watching Ramos and Morata compete for her attention with amusement, showing no interest in joining in.
Left with no other choice, the woman nodded and let Ramos lead her to the dance floor.
"Who is she
?" Lin asked a dejected Morata.
"You don't know who she is?"
Morata was shocked, as if Lin had just revealed some earth-shattering ignorance.
Lin felt confused. "There are so many people in the world, I can't know everyone."
"Uh, do you know who won Miss World last year?"
"Is it her?"
"Bingo! That's her—Miss World Megan Young!"
Well, now Lin understood why Ramos and Morata were so excited. For some reason, athletes often had model or actress girlfriends.
What, my girlfriend is too? Oh, never mind then!
As the dance began, the men went to find their partners or invited single women to dance.
When Lin found Lily Collins, she was standing with two familiar faces: Emma Watson and Victoria Beckham. Seeing Beckham earlier, it made sense that his wife, Victoria, was there too. But seeing Emma at the party surprised Lin.
Emma Watson caught the look on Lin's face, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Mr. Lin, would you like to dance?"
While it was customary for men to invite women, Emma turned the tables by inviting Lin.
Lily Collins and Victoria looked a bit surprised.
Victoria, intrigued, glanced between Lily and Lin, curious about how Lin would handle this situation.
Emma Watson was one of Hollywood's biggest stars, famous for her role as Hermione in the "Harry Potter" series. The character had become a dream girl for many young men. So when she invited Lin, many men in the room envied him, wishing they were in his place.
But to everyone's surprise, Lin politely declined:
"Sorry, Miss Watson, but I'm not very good at dancing, so I won't embarrass myself."
Emma was taken aback. This guy really just turned me down? She had never been rejected before, so this was a first for her. Even Victoria seemed surprised by Lin's decision, casting a few more curious glances at Lily Collins.
"Why didn't you accept Emma's invitation?" Lily asked later as they awkwardly danced on the edge of the dance floor, occasionally stepping on each other's toes.
"I told you, I'm not a good dancer."
He stepped on her foot again, earning a glare from Lily. She knew that one was on purpose. But despite his excuse, Lily was secretly pleased. Taking advantage of a moment when Lin wasn't paying attention, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
Lin paused for a second, surprised, before pulling Lily into his arms and kissing her back.
...
January 22nd, Camp Nou.
Although it was just a friendly match, many spectators showed up. The proceeds from ticket sales would be donated to charity to help those suffering from ALS.
Many players were present, including current stars and retired legends.
The starting lineup for Team Maradona was: Messi, Batistuta, Xavi, Ronaldinho, Verón, Matthäus, Nesta, Samuel, Cannavaro, Zanetti, and Neuer.
On the bench were Di María, Mascherano, Neymar, Higuaín, Iniesta, Agüero, Busquets, Otamendi, Piqué, and others.
Maradona didn't play in many European leagues during his career. Besides three years in La Liga, he spent the rest of his time in Serie A. So, his team included several familiar faces from Serie A, some of whom were his teammates, like Cannavaro, and others his rivals, like Matthäus.
Although Matthäus was only a year younger than Maradona, the difference in their physical condition was stark. While Maradona had put on weight and could hardly play, Matthäus still had some gas left in the tank.
Interestingly, despite his pre-match bravado about "defying" his father-in-law, Agüero ended up on the bench for Team Maradona after meeting Maradona.
In goal, Neuer stood ready, eager to face Lin and defend Maradona's team.
Team Maradona's starting lineup included several retired or nearly retired players, indicating that they weren't fielding their strongest team.
On the other side, Team Ronaldo's starting lineup was:
Lin, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, Pirlo, Gattuso, Zidane, Cafu, Stam, Roberto Carlos, and Buffon.
On the bench were Reus, De Bruyne, David Silva, Thiago Silva, Juninho Pernambucano, Rivaldo, Fernandinho, Marcelo, and Morata.
On paper, Team Ronaldo seemed stronger. However, they had fewer active players in their starting lineup compared to Team Maradona. Their strength lay in their bench, filled with current stars. If they substituted all the veterans for active players, their chances of winning would be high.
But this was a friendly match, so no one would care too much about the result, right?
Before the match, coaches Maradona and Ferguson shook hands warmly. The referee for the match was the newly crowned FIFA Best Referee, Howard Webb.
With a whistle from Webb, the charity match between Team Maradona and Team Ronaldo officially began.
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