章 141: His Name is Ronaldo
Since Ronaldo started the game against Sevilla, many speculated that he would be a substitute in the Champions League final.
It wasn't a difficult guess. Given Ronaldo's physical condition, it was unlikely he could play two high-intensity games within three days.
But even so, Ronaldo is still Ronaldo.
At his level, no team would dare to ignore his presence.
Barcelona was no exception.
Rijkaard had made extensive preparations to deal with Ronaldo before the game, but as the match progressed, he realized that most of those plans were useless.
Unless he was willing to weaken Barcelona's offense, Rijkaard had no effective way to contain Ronaldo.
On the contrary, Gao Shen's decision to bring Ronaldo on at this moment was more about sending a message to Barcelona.
Gao Shen wanted Rijkaard to know that Ronaldo could strike Barcelona's penalty area at any moment, forcing them to be cautious in their attack. But the problem was that Barcelona was the team trailing in the score.
If Barcelona were ahead, Rijkaard might have made some adjustments, but now… there was no time.
...
This was Ronaldo's first Champions League final.
After more than a decade of playing football, it was the first time he set foot on the stage of the Champions League final.
For Ronaldo, the Stade de France carried a heavy psychological burden because it was in this stadium that he had wandered around like a sleepwalker, contributing to Brazil's loss in the World Cup final.
Although he helped Brazil win the World Cup four years later, it never fully erased the pain of that defeat in 1998.
What made Ronaldo even more nervous was that Brazil had also used the home team's locker room at the Stade de France back then.
Everything seemed to be fated.
Especially in the first half, after Barcelona scored the opening goal, Ronaldo grew even more anxious. He feared that the nightmare of 1998 would repeat itself and that he would once again fall short of the championship trophy.
That feeling was truly, utterly despairing!
Fortunately, the continuous adjustments made by head coach Gao Shen brought Real Madrid back into the game, scoring two goals in a row to turn the match around.
Before sending him onto the field, Gao Shen didn't give Ronaldo any tactical instructions. Instead, he pulled him close, looked into his eyes, and said, word by word, "Don't let your nightmare repeat itself! I believe in you!"
These weren't just empty words, because Ronaldo saw genuine trust in Gao Shen's eyes.
Ronaldo had never been someone who was good at expressing himself or communicating with others, nor had he been one to share his thoughts easily. But surprisingly, every time he sat down with Gao Shen, he found himself talking about many personal matters, including past experiences he rarely mentioned to anyone.
Gao Shen was an excellent listener, skilled at drawing out the other person's thoughts while maintaining strict confidentiality.
Ronaldo felt that Gao Shen was like a tree hollow, a safe place to confide in.
Therefore, Ronaldo had shared with Gao Shen his anxiety and the pressure he felt, and how the Stade de France was a place of nightmares for him.
Now, Gao Shen was encouraging him to end this nightmare with his own hands!
...
After Ronaldo came on the field, he played with remarkable determination and moved with great energy.
This caught everyone by surprise.
"We have to admit now that Gao Shen is like a mysterious magician who can make his players instinctively give their best for him, just like Zidane, just like Ronaldo."
"We can all see that Ronaldo is still carrying some weight, that he's not as fast as he was at his peak, and that his fitness still looks poor, but he is truly giving it his all."
"From the moment he stepped onto the pitch, he's been running and pressing."
"We really don't know what kind of magic Gao Shen has cast on Ronaldo to make him so obedient and hardworking, but one thing is for sure: Gao Shen is truly remarkable!"
"Leading Real Madrid to the Champions League final, overturning Barcelona to win La Liga, and being able to get Ronaldo, Zidane, Raul, Beckham, and other top stars in the world to play for him, we have to admit, Gao Shen is a genius."
"A 25-year-old genius!"
...
In the stands, Carlo knew that Gao Shen wasn't just a genius. He simply did things that others couldn't or wouldn't do.
For instance, communicating with superstars, listening to their needs and ideas, and providing them with the support they needed.
Getting this group of already established superstars to give their all on the field was by no means an easy task.
In fact, how many famous coaches in today's world of football can truly do that?
Only by genuinely reaching their hearts, understanding their desires, and gaining their trust, can you get them to fight for you on the pitch.
Carlo had coached Real Madrid before, so he knew better than anyone that while this may seem simple, it was actually the hardest thing to achieve.
Tactics, technique, fitness… these alone aren't enough to reach a player's heart.
In football, the hearts of players are the most complex.
Since taking over as Real Madrid's coach, Gao Shen had worked tirelessly to win over every player.
From youth players to first-team superstars, he made them all willing to fight for him.
Only at this moment, watching Ronaldo running hard on the field, did Carlo finally admit that Gao Shen had surpassed him.
At least, on the path of coaching, he couldn't catch up to Gao Shen.
Because he could never get Ronaldo, Zidane, Beckham, Raul, and others to play for him like they did for Gao Shen.
That was the difference.
...
The Stade de France is most remembered by fans around the world for the 1998 World Cup final.
Gao Shen was no different.
That was the first World Cup of his life.
Although he didn't watch the live TV broadcast at the time and could only learn about it through newspapers, it didn't diminish his longing for the World Cup, the final, or his admiration for superstars like Ronaldo, Zidane, Beckham, and Raul.
And now, Zidane, the hero of France, Ronaldo, the ace of Brazil, David Beckham, England's golden right foot, and Raul, Spain's golden boy… were all playing for him.
What a source of pride this was! What an achievement!
When the ace superstars of both teams from that historic final joined forces, how powerful could they be?
Gao Shen was eager to find out.
Ronaldo did not disappoint Gao Shen's trust and support. In just nine minutes on the field, he gave the world a glimpse of the Ronaldo who once dominated the Stade de France.
And Zidane, too, showed that he still had youth in his legs.
...
Real Madrid won the ball at the edge of their penalty area, with Beckham passing it to Zidane. The Frenchman shielded the ball from Xavi, turned after controlling it, and sent a perfectly weighted pass to the front.
Ronaldo, finding space, sprinted forward with the ball, heading straight for Barcelona's penalty area.
Puyol and Marquez hurriedly retreated.
It was two against two, with Negredo following closely behind.
But Ronaldo drove the ball to the left, bypassing Marquez, and chose to take on Puyol one-on-one.
Puyol stepped up to confront Ronaldo, trying to force him to the left, narrowing the shooting angle, and giving Valdés more space to make a save.
Marquez, positioned behind Puyol, kept an eye on Negredo, ready to step in and block his shot if Ronaldo passed the ball.
The two Barcelona center-backs continued to retreat as Ronaldo advanced into the penalty area with the ball.
Just as Ronaldo was about to face Puyol directly, he suddenly started to execute a series of quick stepovers, his left and right feet constantly moving the ball. His entire body also shifted direction multiple times.
Just when the Barcelona captain tried to stay balanced, Ronaldo swiftly pulled the ball to the left with his right foot.
Then a shot came out of nowhere.
From the continuous stepovers and dribbling to the sudden left-footed strike, the entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye.
Valdés reacted quickly, diving to make a save, but Ronaldo's shot had been lofted just enough. The ball grazed the underside of the crossbar and nestled into the back of Barcelona's net.
After scoring, Ronaldo let out a loud laugh, spreading his arms wide. He didn't run out to celebrate but turned around in the penalty area, walking back with a swagger.
Everyone in the stadium was stunned.
Including Gao Shen on the sidelines.
This is the difference between ordinary humans and an alien.
Even when everyone thought he was finished, even using his weaker left foot, even with nearly no angle to shoot, he still scored!
It's almost unreasonable how he does it!
Because his name is Ronaldo!
...
The Stade de France erupted in wild cheers—not just from Real Madrid fans, but from many Barcelona fans too.
In the face of such a spectacular goal, all fans share the same feelings.
Ronaldo's goal may have looked simple, but it was incredibly difficult to execute.
More importantly, this goal completely shattered Barcelona's confidence and hopes for a comeback.
Rijkaard could throw everything into the attack, but he had to consider the cost.
When Barcelona pressed forward desperately, they faced a Ronaldo who was playing out of his mind, a mysterious Zidane behind him, and Beckham, capable of delivering deadly long passes. Could Barcelona stop them?
Gao Shen clenched his fists and applauded Ronaldo's goal.
He turned to the visiting team's coaching bench and saw Rijkaard covering his face, walking back to the bench in dejection.
This was no surprise.
Rijkaard, known for his appreciation of exceptional talent, placed all his faith in Ronaldinho, with Messi, another genius, playing a supporting role. This strategy paid off initially, as the duo's brilliance led to Barcelona's first goal.
However, Real Madrid, composed largely of hardworking players rather than superstars, managed to turn the game around, taking the lead with a 2-1 scoreline. This alone would have been frustrating for Rijkaard, but what truly made it unbearable was seeing Real Madrid's own genius shine.
In a moment of brilliance, Zidane set up a perfect assist, allowing Ronaldo to go one-on-one with the defense. Despite being closely marked by Puyol, Ronaldo muscled his way through and scored from an almost impossible angle.
This moment struck Rijkaard the hardest, as it highlighted a harsh reality: Real Madrid was never short on talent. Despite his reliance on individual brilliance, it was Real Madrid's collective effort and their own star power that ultimately delivered the most devastating blow to his team.
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