Bab 73: Rising Fame, Lingering Doubts
In the early morning, a sleek red Audi S4 Coupe sped along the empty A2 highway, the car's engine roaring as it pushed north to south at breakneck speed.
Behind the wheel sat Rafael van der Vaart, his face set in a grim expression, eyes fixed on the road ahead. Despite the clear path before him, his thoughts were anything but clear, and his foot pressed harder on the accelerator as if trying to outrun his own turmoil.
He quickly passed by De Toekomst and the imposing Amsterdam Arena, the familiar sights barely registering in his mind. As he approached the junction where the A2 and A9 highways intersected, he hesitated, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. After a moment's indecision, he veered right, turning onto the westbound A9 highway toward Amstelveen.
Van der Vaart wasn't sure where he was headed. He just knew he needed to drive, to let the wind whip through the open window, hoping it might blow away the tangled thoughts that plagued his mind.
His form on the pitch had been less than stellar recently, but what weighed on him even more was the growing tension between him and Ajax's head coach, Ronald Koeman.
The rift had its origins not long ago when Van der Vaart joined the Dutch national team for a warm-up match against the United States. His performances this season had been disappointing, and he knew it. The reasons were numerous—his struggle to reinvent his game, a lack of support from Koeman, and the relentless criticism from fans and media alike, which seemed to follow him everywhere, offering no respite.
The frustrations had built up over time, and they finally boiled over during the national team camp. In a candid conversation with a trusted journalist, Van der Vaart vented about his situation at Ajax. He felt he wasn't receiving the support and trust he needed from Koeman. As a young player, he believed that he, and others his age, deserved more protection and encouragement rather than constant criticism.
He voiced his belief that he was being unfairly singled out whenever the team performed poorly, and it wasn't right.
To his dismay, these private remarks were soon splashed across the headlines, sparking a media storm. Koeman was furious and responded publicly, stating that while he didn't trust everything reported in the media, if Van der Vaart had indeed said those things, it was entirely inappropriate—especially coming from Ajax's captain. Koeman emphasized that any grievances should be addressed directly with him, face-to-face, not through the press, as that only served to exacerbate tensions.
Yet, when Van der Vaart returned from international duty, he avoided confronting Koeman, leaving the issue unresolved.
Last night's Champions League match against Arsenal had only deepened his frustration. After just over 60 minutes on the pitch, Koeman had substituted him, a decision that Van der Vaart found hard to accept. It was a crucial game, one where, as captain, he should have been leading the team through to the final whistle. But instead, Koeman had pulled him off when the team needed him most. To Van der Vaart, this was a clear sign of distrust from the coaching staff.
Ibrahimović, with his two goals and an assist, had been named Man of the Match. Youngster Yang Yang, with an assist and a goal, had also drawn widespread praise for his role in orchestrating the team's second goal. As always, Sneijder had been a reliable presence in midfield. The team's 3-2 victory over Arsenal had the media singing their praises, with the players and coaches basking in the spotlight. But Van der Vaart, the captain, had been completely overlooked.
After the match, he had driven home from De Toekomst, his frustration bubbling over into an argument with his girlfriend, Sylvie. She couldn't understand the pressure he was under, her concerns revolving more around when he would have time to accompany her to social events, rather than the turmoil he faced on the pitch.
But Van der Vaart's thoughts were consumed by his uncertain future with the team. After a sleepless night, he had decided to clear his head with a drive as soon as the dawn broke.
The serene landscape along the highway did little to calm his nerves as he drove aimlessly, turning from the A2 onto the A9 and continuing westward.
He didn't know where he was headed, or what he was looking for.
Suddenly, a familiar figure on a country road off the highway caught Van der Vaart's attention.
"Yang Yang? What's he doing out here?" he wondered aloud, recognizing the young player immediately. "Oh, right, he lives in Oude Kerk."
But what was Yang Yang doing out by the lakeside of Oudekerk so early in the morning?
Curiosity piqued, Van der Vaart saw a turnoff toward Oude Kerk and decided to take it. He exited the highway, looped around, and returned to the lakeside road where he had seen Yang Yang.
But when he arrived, the area was empty—no sign of the figure he had glimpsed earlier.
"Maybe I was just seeing things," Van der Vaart muttered to himself, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
After all, they had just played a grueling match against Arsenal the night before. The game had been intense, and everyone had been exhausted afterward. Who in their right mind would be out training so early, except for someone like himself, who couldn't find peace even in sleep?
Yet the image of Yang Yang running backward stuck in his mind. "How could that be possible?" he thought, brushing off the oddity.
Still, since he was already there, Van der Vaart decided to get out of the car and take a walk. The calm surface of Lake Oude Kerk contrasted sharply with the turmoil in his heart.
He needed someone to tell him what to do next. Sometimes, he even questioned whether he was fit to lead the team.
Wearing the captain's armband had seemed like a natural step, especially for a homegrown talent like himself. But now that he had it, it felt like a burden he couldn't bear.
The more he thought about it, the more lost he felt.
Van der Vaart sighed deeply and turned back to his car. Just as he was about to get in, he noticed a figure in the distance, accompanied by the soft thud of a football being dribbled.
He squinted, peering at the approaching figure.
"It really is you!" Van der Vaart exclaimed as Yang Yang came into view.
"Huh? What are you doing here?" Yang Yang asked, equally surprised to see Van der Vaart.
Van der Vaart was stunned. He hadn't imagined it after all.
"Why are you out so early... training alone?" Van der Vaart couldn't believe what he was seeing, pointing at Yang Yang in disbelief.
"Yeah, I'm used to getting up early. I go for a run when I have nothing else to do, and I work on my ball control while I'm at it," Yang Yang replied with a smile, then added self-deprecatingly, "You know my basic skills are pretty rough, right?"
Van der Vaart didn't respond immediately. It was true—Yang Yang's basic skills, particularly his ball control, left much to be desired.
Van der Vaart, known for his silky touch and technical prowess, had honed his skills through years of hard training. His first touch was impeccable, a testament to the countless hours he had spent with a ball at his feet. In contrast, Yang Yang's first touch was notoriously inconsistent, often drawing groans from teammates when a pass was miscontrolled.
"Do you train like this every morning?" Van der Vaart asked, still processing the scene before him.
"Yeah, I usually run a couple of laps around the lake, which is about six kilometers. If we're playing an away game, I'll do the same around the hotel to warm up," Yang Yang answered casually.
Van der Vaart was taken aback. Yang Yang's basic skills might have been poor, but his work ethic was undeniable. It reminded Van der Vaart of his own early years, when he had been inseparable from the ball, training day and night. Back then, football had been his greatest joy.
"You seem like you've got something on your mind," Yang Yang observed, noticing Van der Vaart's troubled expression. He was well aware of the captain's recent struggles and the tension between him and Koeman.
Maxwell, the team's joker, often shared the latest gossip, and Ibrahimović never missed a chance to stir the pot. While Yang Yang didn't fully understand the intricacies of Van der Vaart's situation, he could sense that the captain's character wasn't ideally suited to the role—especially when the team needed someone to step up.
"I just had a fight with my girlfriend and came out for a drive," Van der Vaart admitted with a sheepish smile.
He preferred Yang Yang to think he was troubled by his love life rather than the deeper issues weighing on him.
Yang Yang shrugged, choosing not to press the matter.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Van der Vaart asked, trying to steer the conversation away from himself.
Yang Yang shook his head. "No."
"But I heard that lots of girls at your school have been writing you love letters," Van der Vaart teased.
"Who said that?" Yang Yang exclaimed, though he had a pretty good idea that it was Ibrahimović's big mouth.
"Haha, it's true. But look at it this way—it's a good thing. It proves you've got charm," Van der Vaart laughed.
Yang Yang shrugged again, somewhat indifferent to the idea. He hadn't given much thought to relationships. He didn't even know what kind of girl he liked and hadn't made any effort to figure it out. To him, finding someone who understood him was more important.
He thought of his parents, who, despite their occasional arguments, had a deep and loving relationship, sharing both joy and hardship.
But so far, Yang Yang hadn't met anyone who stirred those kinds of feelings in him.
"Trust me," Van der Vaart said, his tone turning serious. "The nightlife in Amsterdam is complicated. As long as you stay here, there will be plenty of beautiful women trying to catch your eye, every day. They'll do everything they can to get close to you, to please you. But you have to know who's sincere and who's just using you."
"In European football, countless women are looking for a shortcut to fame, and being with a professional player is the fastest and easiest way to achieve that. If you're not careful, you could end up being just a stepping stone for them, and it could leave a lasting mark on your career."
Van der Vaart's words struck a chord with Yang Yang. He wanted to ask if Sylvia was genuine or just playing a role, and why they had fought, but he held back, respecting Van der Vaart's privacy.
However, he appreciated the advice. It made him realize that perhaps Van der Vaart's relationship with Sylvia wasn't as picture-perfect as it appeared to the outside world.
As they continued talking, they moved from personal matters to football, sitting by the side of Lake Oude Kerk. The more they talked, the more animated their conversation became.
Van der Vaart, who had been a football prodigy from a young age, shared his insights and experiences with Yang Yang. He had debuted as a left-winger, and his perspective on the game was both deep and nuanced. Yang Yang found himself learning a lot from the discussion.
Some of Van der Vaart's ideas even challenged Yang Yang's understanding of the game, revealing new possibilities and strategies that he hadn't considered before. Football, it turned out, could be played in ways he hadn't imagined.
...
...
"I'm back!"
Yang Yang pushed open the door and stepped into the room, where he found Ibrahimović, Maxwell, and Vermaelen lounging in the living room. They were sprawled out comfortably, watching the morning sports news, clearly waiting for him to return with breakfast.
"Finally! I'm starving over here," Ibrahimović exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.
Yang Yang chuckled as he raised his hands—one holding the breakfast bags, the other clutching a newspaper. He made his way to the dining table, setting everything down.
"Why are you so late today?" Vermaelen asked with a note of concern.
Yang Yang usually returned much earlier. Today's delay was unusual, and the three of them had been on the verge of heading out to search for him.
"We were beginning to think you'd been kidnapped," Maxwell joked.
"I'd have to be blind to get kidnapped. Besides, I don't have any money," Yang Yang responded with a shake of his head.
"Don't be so sure," Maxwell continued with a laugh. "Sports news just reported on you this morning. Everyone's saying you were the number one hero in last night's victory over Arsenal. If someone did decide to kidnap you, I'm pretty sure the club would pay the ransom."
"Yeah, right," Ibrahimović huffed, shaking his head in mock indignation. "It's ridiculous! I was the Man of the Match last night, but all anyone talks about is him!" The Swedish striker looked genuinely annoyed by the situation.
"Well, to be fair, he did play pretty well," Maxwell teased, with Vermaelen nodding in agreement as he munched on his breakfast.
"Honestly, it's because I'm younger, and there's more hype potential. Everyone knows who Ibrahimović is—there's nothing new to report. But nobody knows me, so they can create a buzz," Yang Yang explained with a grin.
Ibrahimović's expression softened as he heard this. "That's exactly right. Just make sure you keep that in mind. Don't get carried away by what people are saying. You're still young, so keep working hard to improve yourself, got it?"
Yang Yang had learned how to handle Ibrahimović, and his words worked like a charm. The Swedish striker nodded approvingly, adopting the tone of a wise elder advising a younger player. Maxwell and Vermaelen nearly burst out laughing at the sight—it was hard to tell if Ibrahimović was being earnest or just playing along.
"Oh, by the way, why are there only three breakfasts? What about yours?" Ibrahimović suddenly realized, eyeing the food as he devoured it.
"I've already eaten," Yang Yang replied with a smile.
"Eaten?" The three of them exchanged puzzled looks, sensing something unusual.
"Yeah, I ran into a friend earlier, and we chatted for a while and had breakfast together..."
"Wait a minute," Ibrahimović interrupted, leaning in closer with a mischievous grin. "A friend?"
"Male or female?" Maxwell chimed in, eyes twinkling with curiosity.
"Was it that girl who wrote you the love letter?" Vermaelen asked, his tone full of playful envy.
Yang Yang shook his head with a wry smile. "Sorry to disappoint you guys."
"Oh my God! You actually had breakfast with a guy?" Ibrahimović's face contorted into a look of exaggerated shock.
"Something's definitely up," Maxwell declared, doing his best impression of Sherlock Holmes.
"Now I'm starting to feel unsafe around you," Vermaelen added, pretending to be frightened.
Yang Yang was completely exasperated, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. It was Van der Vaart."
"You had breakfast with him?" Ibrahimović's tone shifted immediately, his expression serious.
Everyone on the team knew that Ibrahimović and Van der Vaart had a notoriously strained relationship.
Both Maxwell and Vermaelen were taken aback. Van der Vaart wasn't known for hanging out with teammates outside of the pitch, and he didn't live anywhere near their neighborhood. What could have led to him having breakfast with Yang Yang in Oude Kerk?
Yang Yang, sensing the tension, quickly explained, "I was out running by Lake Oude Kerk, and I saw him sitting by the lake, looking pretty lost. I figured something was on his mind, so I went over to talk to him. He said he'd had a fight with his girlfriend and was out for a drive."
Ibrahimović scoffed at the mention of the word "drive." "A drive? In that beat-up Audi? He wishes!"
Maxwell and Vermaelen exchanged amused glances. Ibrahimović could be quite childish at times.
Van der Vaart's Audi had been a purchase he made when he renewed his contract, a bit later than Ibrahimović's flashy Porsche. Though it wasn't as expensive as the Swedish striker's ride, it was still a sleek, new model in the Audi S series. But it seemed there was always an unspoken competition between the two stars.
"Why did they argue?" Maxwell asked, his curiosity piqued.
Yang Yang shrugged. "I didn't pry too much, but from what he said, Sylvia wanted him to go to a party with her in the next few days, and he didn't want to go. He said he wanted to focus on training and the upcoming matches, but he was in a bad mood after last night's game, and they ended up having a bit of a fight."
"That makes sense," Maxwell nodded.
"What do you mean?" Yang Yang asked.
"Well, I've heard that Van der Vaart often attends these high-profile parties in Amsterdam. That's part of the reason why he and Sylvia are known as the Dutch Beckham and Victoria. But the club, including Ronald Koeman and Van Gaal, aren't happy about it. They want him to focus more on football and less on the social scene."
Yang Yang nodded, recalling the infamous fallout between Ferguson and Beckham, partly due to Beckham's relationship with Victoria. The "flying boot" incident in the Manchester United dressing room had exposed the tension to the public. Ferguson's biggest gripe with Beckham had been his shift in focus away from football and towards his social life after marrying Victoria.
"It's a tricky situation," Maxwell continued. "You know, a footballer's career is short and full of uncertainties. Someone like Beckham has built a brand for himself, so he'll be set even after retirement. Van der Vaart and Sylvia, along with their team, are probably thinking along those lines too."
Maxwell paused, shaking his head. "But his form has been poor lately, and now with this conflict with Koeman coming out in the open, his situation has become really precarious. If he doesn't manage things carefully, he could find himself on the wrong side of the club."
Ronald Koeman's management style was notoriously tough, and Van Gaal was equally known for his strict approach. With both of them at the helm, there was no room for distractions or poor performance. If Van der Vaart didn't shape up, even his captaincy might be at risk.
"Look at what happened to last year's captain, Chivu, and Trabelsi earlier this season," Ibrahimović remarked with a sneer, clearly taking a shot at Van der Vaart. The Swedish striker seemed to take pleasure in seeing Van der Vaart in a difficult position.
Yang Yang suddenly realized that despite Ibrahimović's outward defiance and desire to leave the club, he had never crossed any lines with the management. It was clear that Ibrahimović had his own way of navigating the tricky waters at Ajax.
"You know," Yang Yang began cautiously, "I've noticed that during games, you and Van der Vaart don't really communicate, and there are hardly any passes between the two of you. That's not a good sign."
Ibrahimović didn't deny it. "What do you expect? He doesn't talk to me, doesn't pass to me. Am I supposed to go begging him for it? You've seen how he acts, all high and mighty."
It was no secret that Ibrahimović and Van der Vaart, the two biggest stars at Ajax, had never gotten along. They were both of similar age and talent, and neither could assert dominance over the other. Their mutual dislike had only grown over time, turning into a full-blown rivalry.
"I've always wondered," Yang Yang mused aloud, "why do you even care about the captain's armband? Do you actually want to be Ajax's captain?"
"Captain? Hell no. It's just a hassle, more responsibility, and no real benefits. I'm not interested," Ibrahimović shot back.
"Then why do you keep fighting with him over it?"
The Swedish striker grinned. "Because it pisses me off to see him strutting around like he's better than everyone else."
Yang Yang, Maxwell, and Vermaelen all shook their heads, smiling wryly. It was so typical of Ibrahimović—his defiance and stubbornness, his refusal to back down even when it seemed unnecessary.
When Van der Vaart was appointed captain, Ibrahimović had gone straight to Koeman, demanding to be made captain himself, openly challenging Van der Vaart's position. The ensuing drama had caused quite a stir within the team.
"Look," Yang Yang said seriously, "whether you like it or not, we're all in this together. We won 3-2 against Arsenal at home, which is great, but the away leg is the real challenge. Highbury Stadium is a fortress, and we need to be united, not divided."
Maxwell and Vermaelen nodded in agreement.
Ibrahimović and Van der Vaart were Ajax's most important players, their biggest assets on the pitch. If they couldn't get along, it would be nearly impossible for the team to perform at its best.
Yang Yang observed Ibrahimović closely, noting that the striker didn't respond immediately. He wasn't one to openly admit when someone else was right, but Yang Yang could tell that the message had gotten through. What Ibrahimović would do with that understanding, though, was anyone's guess.
...
...
The day after Ajax's thrilling 3-2 home victory over Arsenal, the match dominated headlines across the Netherlands and throughout Europe. The game had captivated audiences, but it was the first goal that garnered the most attention, becoming the focal point of numerous reports and analyses.
Yang Yang, who had just become the youngest goal scorer in the history of the Champions League, found himself thrust into the spotlight of mainstream European media for the first time. His performance in the match, where he either directly or indirectly influenced all three of Ajax's goals, left no doubt in anyone's mind—Yang Yang was poised to become Ajax's next rising star.
However, as the excitement over his on-field exploits spread, the Dutch media also turned their attention to a more pressing issue: Yang Yang's contract renewal. It was no secret that the current contract between Yang Yang and Ajax was precariously weak, offering little in the way of security for the club. If Yang Yang chose to leave Amsterdam, this contract wouldn't be able to hold him back.
In response to these concerns, Ajax's technical director, Louis van Gaal, addressed the media in a carefully managed interview. He reassured fans and reporters alike that the renewal negotiations with Yang Yang were progressing smoothly. Van Gaal expressed confidence that Yang Yang would continue his career at Ajax.
"Whether it's for him or for the club, staying at Ajax is the best decision," Van Gaal stated firmly, his words intended to quell any growing doubts.
But amid Van Gaal's reassurances, there was a notable silence from Yang Yang and his agent, Mino Raiola, who was handling all aspects of the contract renewal negotiations. Neither offered any comment on the matter, leaving the media and fans to speculate.
This silence only fueled rumors and speculation among the press. Was Yang Yang's future at Ajax as secure as Van Gaal claimed? Was Raiola playing his cards close to the chest, waiting for a better offer or a more advantageous situation? The lack of clarity left many wondering what the coming days would hold for Ajax's young prodigy.
The media's speculation ranged from optimistic predictions of Yang Yang signing a lucrative new deal with Ajax to more sensationalist theories about a potential move to one of Europe's biggest clubs. The uncertainty surrounding his contract renewal was now as much a topic of conversation as his match-winning performance against Arsenal.
Status Power Mingguan
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