""Football Record"'s Exclusive: Witnessing Maël's Golden Boy Award Victory – A Journey from the Etihad to the Turin Conference Center!" – Football Record
The night of Maël's interview with Football Record, already buzzing with anticipation, caused a sensation upon release.
The first to tune in were the hundreds of thousands of fans who had been eagerly awaiting the exclusive.
Their views and likes quickly propelled the interview video to the top of trending lists across various platforms, attracting even more fans interested in Maël.
Instantly, the news went viral, racking up over 100,000 likes and climbing rapidly.
"20 goals and 9 assists in the league already, tell me, who under 21 can compete?"
"Chasing every goal? I've heard him say it more than once... I'll reserve judgment and see what happens next."
"Maël is already challenging Arsenal legend Henry. In my opinion, scoring 30 goals this season is no problem for him!"
"His individual stats are flawless. What he needs now are accolades like the Golden Boy Award, league titles, and cup victories!"
"Yes, you can sense his hunger for glory in the interview. That's his only weakness... well, and heading (wryly)."
"Let's look at Henry's stats. The Great Henry scored 226 goals and 97 assists in 370 games for Arsenal, nearly a goal per game! But after Maël's explosion this past month, he's averaging almost 2 goals per game!"
"This is Arsenal's best chance at a revival! Kroenke and Usmanov, stop the infighting! Wenger, break the wage structure! Keep him! We need to see a new era begin!"
"He's far better than Fabregas. He's put up stats close to Xiaofa's best season in just half a season, only 10 assists short."
Fans from around the world left comments, many comparing him to Henry and Ronaldo, noting Maël's clear advantages.
He is an incredible player, a player of a whole new level!
All fans share this consensus. They can finally confirm that the player isn't following Ronaldo's path, nor Henry's; he's forging his own!
In terms of performance at the same age, he surpasses Ronaldo.
In terms of overall efficiency since joining Arsenal, he surpasses The Great Henry.
All that's missing is a championship! He has the potential to become the best in Premier League history and one of the best in the world! More people are paying attention to Maël, anticipating his future performances and showing curiosity about everything he does.
At the same time, Football Record released two major announcements.
"'A Record of Golden Boy Maël's Training Life' – a special program will open for pre-order on January 1st and officially premiere on February 1st.
"Filming will take place for three days each month, with guests invited to discuss Maël's performance that month. The filming will air on the 1st of the following month.
"The first guests will be Mr. Mendes and Mr. Wenger, who will kick off the special together."
"'Arsenal's Road to Revival' – a special program is also scheduled to open for pre-order on January 1st and officially premiere on February 1st.
"This special plans to feature a series of interviews with all Arsenal players and coaching staff, and will often host fun star activities. However, due to image rights and other permissions still being negotiated, it's uncertain whether it can air as scheduled. We can only open pre-orders for now, with full refunds if it doesn't air."
These two announcements instantly ignited the fans' enthusiasm.
However, they didn't discuss Maël's special or Arsenal's special first.
Instead, they amplified a question that had been lingering but hadn't gained much traction: "What kind of newspaper is Football Record? How do they have such great resources?"
"Who knows?"
"Is no one questioning the authenticity of these two specials? Logically, launching these specials would require a lot of clout."
"I'm not questioning it, mainly because Football Record was the first media outlet to interview Maël. It seems natural and credible that they would launch a 'Maël' record special.
"And being able to launch a 'Maël' record special, launching an Arsenal one... is barely justifiable, right?"
"Makes sense."
"Pre-ordered!"
"Isn't pre-order starting on January 1st? What are you pre-ordering now? If it's real, I want to see it too."
"You can follow them first, then subscribe when the time comes."
"I checked. Football Record's special subscriptions last year were only over ten thousand, less than 1/500th of Sky Sports. Where did they suddenly get the resources and clout?"
"I don't know. All I know is that another rising star of a newspaper is about to emerge... If both specials air as scheduled and are of good quality, their subscriber count could exceed 300,000 or even higher."
In an instant, Football Record also received a lot of attention, with their follower count skyrocketing by 234,100 in a single night.
They have already advanced towards becoming a top-tier media outlet in the UK.
December 23rd, in a high-end restaurant in Turin, Tuttosport officially invited Maël and his entourage to dine together.
At the dinner table, under Maël's guidance, Vaciago shared with Peter and Emilia the transformation methods of traditional newspapers in the streaming era.
Tuttosport, also known as All Sports, was founded in 1945 and enjoys a high reputation in the world of football, though it often sparks controversy.
In short, it is considered a relatively successful newspaper, and its editor, Vaciago, is a celebrity in European football.
"I think football newspapers should focus on one or two teams; that's my personal philosophy."
Vaciago was happy to share these ideas, and after dinner, he began to speak, "Like us, we focus on Juventus and the Turin Team, and we are often accused of being heavily biased.
"But from a company perspective, this is a good thing. You get labeled by the fans, making it easier to find your precise audience.
"People often say that the newspaper and magazine business will be impacted in the streaming era, but I believe that a significant portion of people in Europe are still more accustomed to subscribing to newspapers and magazines.
"So, I think digital subscriptions, advertising revenue, newspaper distribution, and magazine subscriptions should all be grasped.
"The first two go without saying, and the latter two are not troublesome to handle. Just print according to the subscription volume. There's no risk, and it will only make your users stickier."
At this point, he opened a bottle of red wine and glanced at Maël and Mendes, "I see that Football Record also focuses on Arsenal and the French Team? It seems to be related to Maël.
"Haha... I won't make any other guesses. In short, you have very good development prospects."
Peter and Emilia on the other side nodded, poured a glass of red wine, and leaned in to chat with Vaciago about some details.
Maël didn't chat with them about these things. He turned to Mendes and said, "I want to open a hall of fame near the Emirates Stadium. What do you think? Open it first at the Emirates Stadium, and when I have national team honors in the future, I'll use replicas to open one in my hometown of Aix."
After listening, Mendes subconsciously glanced at Clermont and Betty, thought for a while, and nodded, "I think it's good. As long as you have the intention, this kind of thing is never bad for you.
"Come to think of it, you already have quite a few honors now. With the Golden Boy Award trophy as the centerpiece, no one will think this is an abrupt exhibition hall."
Maël nodded slightly and simply calculated all the honors he currently had, counting all those with trophies.
First, last season at Sheffield United, he won the EFL Championship title, EFL Championship Golden Boot, Assists Leader, Season's Best Player, and Mid-Season Best Player.
As well as 5 Monthly Best awards, 19 Premier League Man of the Match awards, 2 Hat-trick balls, and 1 Boxing Day Battle ball.
These can all be put in the exhibition hall. It's no problem to arrange them densely in a row.
In the middle, there's also the EFL Championship trophy, which is the best summary of that season in the EFL Championship. Players usually don't have trophies, but they can be restored one-to-one. Many stars do that.
And these are just from the first season. He's also gained a lot since coming to the Premier League this season.
The newly acquired Golden Boy Award, 1 Premier League Monthly Best award, 5 Premier League Man of the Match awards, 2 Champions League Man of the Match awards, and 1 EFL Cup Man of the Match award.
As well as 1 Premier League match ball and 1 international A-level match ball.
That's really a lot.
Although the Golden Boy Award and the EFL Championship title are the most valuable, the others don't look out of place there either.
In the future, when he slowly gets some major honors, he can slowly replace them. Just do it!
"I'll have Pepino help you find a place." Mendes took the initiative when he saw Maël was interested, "At that time, you may have to make another trophy cabinet and find someone to make a copy of all your trophies.
"This is also a kind of collection. No matter how much it's worth to others, it's worth a fortune to you... If you lose the real thing, the loss will be great."
"Yes."
Maël nodded. That's what he thought from the beginning, to display all the replicas and keep the real ones at home.
Mendes smiled with drooping eyelids, raised his eyes, and said, "Don't worry about the rent. It's not much money. I'll pay for it."
"Ah?" Maël turned his head and shook his head with a smile, "No need, Mr. Mendes..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mendes interrupted him, "Just consider it returning a favor. You know how much I can earn from you. Just this wave of the Golden Boy Award is a bonus income of £234,000 after tax."
Maël didn't decline any further and agreed. Then he asked curiously, "When will the bonuses from the three endorsement companies be paid out? I remember I seem to have £1.33 million?"
They spoke in low voices, as if they were plotting something important, but in reality, they were just experiencing the joy of being a money grubber.
"It should have been paid out."
Mendes leaned in and chuckled, "Go check it out when you get back to London. I still remember, you said that after this sum of money is paid out, you'll have £4.5 million in your account."
Maël also pursed his lips and chuckled, "Yeah, this is the first time I'm close to £5 million. The acquisition price of some lower-tier League Two teams is also around this, right?"
"Almost, but you still have to consider many factors, such as the team's history, financial situation, etc."
Mendes explained simply, then said, "Looking at you, I'm reminded of Maradona and Naples. You wouldn't want to make money in the early stages of your career and buy a low-level team at the end of your career, turning it into Naples, would you? Then, through your skills and wealth, as well as your connections in the football circle, gradually turn that team into a powerhouse... and make yourself a legend of a city?"
"Who knows what the future holds."
Maël didn't give a clear answer, nor did he deny it. He drank a glass of yogurt and said, "Anyway, it's becoming more and more profitable now. Starting next year, my base endorsement fee will be £1.85 million.
"I'm going to try to increase that number a bit more by the end of the season, aiming for 3 million."
"Then you have to fight for the league title." Mendes raised his glass of red wine and clinked it against Maël's yogurt cup. "I believe in you, keep it up."
Maël returned to London the next day. He first went to the bank to check his savings and found that it had reached '4631233.31', which brought him a great sense of security.
Immediately afterward, he placed the Golden Boy Award trophy in the honor room at home and took a group photo with the four members of his team in the villa.
"For replicating the trophy, let's find the person who made the honor display case. As far as I know, Cristiano also had it made there."
Davis held the Golden Boy Award trophy after the photo, looking a little reluctant to let go, and said, "Absolutely trustworthy, and the price won't be too high. There's very little manual work involved in this kind of thing."
"Okay."
Maël agreed, feeling a burst of excitement at the thought of this honor room being replicated in North London.
At that time, whether it's Arsenal fans in London or French fans who come here, they will probably treat it as a check-in spot to admire his achievements over the past two years.
This feeling is good. Apart from that distant hometown, Arsenal club and France are now also Maël's home.
Xiang Yu once said that returning home with wealth and honor is like parading in brocade at night. It would be a pity if he kept these honors at home and didn't display them outside, so that the people of his hometown could also feel this glory.
"My turn."
José saw Davis holding the trophy and stepped forward to snatch it. "Give it here, give it here."
Safina and Harry also joined in, both showing curiosity about the beautifully designed trophy, waiting to hold it in their hands and play with it.
A group of middle-aged people in their thirties and forties, at this moment, were like children, snatching this 'toy' full of honor.
Maël ignored them and walked to the schedule posted on the side to take a look.
There were only two games left in the first half of the season, one was the game against Wolves on Boxing Day, and the other was the game against Sheffield United at the end of the month.
Both are quite important... Boxing Day goes without saying, and the game against Sheffield United has a bit of a 'returning home with wealth and honor' feel to it.
Maël stayed there for a whole year, completed his debut season, and won his first championship trophy. Of course, he has feelings for that club, and the people there have the same for him.
How can it not be considered home?
Speaking of which, life is still wonderful. Last season, returning to Colney Base from Sheffield United was considered returning home with wealth and honor, and this season, returning to Sheffield United from here is also considered returning home with wealth and honor.
The only thing that has been changing is Maël himself. He is constantly climbing to higher levels and higher peaks.
And the thing that has remained unchanged is also himself. He has never stopped his steps.
That afternoon, in Barcelona, Spain, a Copa del Rey 1/16 final match came to an end.
Barcelona, playing at home, used a rotation lineup to thrash Hospitalet, a team from the Spanish Second Division B, by a score of nine to zero, with multiple players in the team completing a brace.
Fabregas started this game, but he didn't think of himself as a rotation player, only feeling that Guardiola was trying to find his form for him.
What made him a little depressed was that while rotation players such as Thiago, Cuenca, and Tello all completed a brace, he himself didn't score a single goal, and only had 1 assist.
In the locker room after the game, he changed his equipment with a dark face, throwing his shin guards into the trash can next to him.
Pique and others saw him like this, guessed why he was angry, and stepped forward to comfort him: "It's just one game, it doesn't prove anything.
"You're also close to a Double-Double this season, what else are you dissatisfied with? There's no need to compare yourself with others."
"There's really no need."
Fabregas replied, thinking that he was also once a Golden Boy, he felt a little more balanced in his heart, "I'm a midfielder, this kind of performance is already very good."
But when he thought of his data from the year he won the Golden Boy, and then thought of Maël's, he couldn't help but feel a burst of frustration, and anxiety rose again about the current situation, and he was always frowning.
Messi and Iniesta and others were sitting on the other side in casual clothes. Hearing them comparing the new Golden Boy to a hypothetical enemy in their words, they also focused their attention on Maël.
"18 years old."
Iniesta thought of himself at 18 years old. That year, he had just joined the first team, the Galácticos were in their first phase, and Ronaldinho had just arrived in Barcelona.
A childish face, unable to secure a starting position, and being happy for a week with just one goal and assist... That was his memory of being 18 years old.
But looking at Maël, looking at his data performance and dominance in the Premier League at 18 years old, and his high spirits when winning the Golden Boy Award, it seemed that he was really not in the same dimension as them, as if he was really like an Alien.
The problem is that, as an outstanding representative of La Masia Youth Training, he has always been regarded as a genius.
The Xavi-Iniesta-Busquets Trio became famous all over the world, and even a player of Fabregas's talent level could only be their substitute, unable to shake their position.
How could he see a strong sense of inferiority in a rookie? Iniesta had to turn his gaze to Messi, a player he admired and possessed historical-level talent.
As a teammate, he wouldn't feel inferior to Messi, only admiration. Therefore, if Messi could surpass Maël, he would feel more balanced and have some glory.
But this time Iniesta hesitated. He had experienced Messi's 18-year-old period. At that time, although Messi was highly expected, he was completely different from now.
At that time, he could only score 10+ or close to 20+ goals in a single season, which was completely different from the current 50+ goals and 20+ assists.
In other words, if this trend continues, in another two or three years, Maël might become a player with 60+ or even 70+ goals in a single season? Iniesta gasped, saw Messi looking at him, and couldn't help but say, "Are you feeling pressured?"
Messi adjusted the hair on both sides of his forehead, looked at Iniesta, and after a long time, said, "I will show a better state. We are in a better team and can get more."
He avoided it. He must be feeling pressured. Iniesta understood this, nodded, turned his head, and said nothing more.
This may be the first time Messi has encountered such a setback since he was a child. He has overcome illness, loneliness, exclusion, lows, and so on.
But he has never encountered a player with better talent than him. This time, can he continue to win? At the same time, Real Madrid also thrashed Ponferradina, a team from the Spanish Second Division B, 7-0 at home, advancing to the Copa del Rey Round of 16.
In this game, Ronaldo came on at the last moment to warm up his feet and find his form for the next game. He also scored a goal as he wished.
At the post-match press conference, the then coach Mourinho and Ronaldo attended together. They first answered a few routine questions, and then were led by reporters to the question of 'Maël'.
"Mr. Mourinho, does Real Madrid need a player like Maël? Does Mr. Florentino have any plans to buy him?" A reporter threw the question to Mourinho.
After his medium-length hair gradually turned white, Mourinho cut it into short hair. At this moment, a few smiles appeared on his face, "I want to say first that we already have Ronaldo, but after that"
He turned his head and glanced at Ronaldo, and the two laughed together, as if they knew what he was going to say next.
"After that." Mourinho waved his hand at the reporters and said firmly, "I have to say that no team doesn't want Maël. Everyone likes him. The contribution he brings to the team is amazing.
"Mr. Florentino has indeed talked to me about the Maël issue, but I can't tell you the details."
"Ronaldo?" A reporter threw the question back to Ronaldo and asked, "What kind of player do you think he is? Do you want to be his teammate?"
Ronaldo showed a slightly playful smile, raised his eyebrows and said, "I am very happy to be teammates with top players, and he has undoubtedly become a top player.
"The two points of '18 years old' and 'top player' seem a bit abrupt, but he did it, which means he is different, it must be so, but after that"
He turned back and looked at Mourinho again, and the two looked at each other and laughed together, "I have to say to Mr. Mourinho that my contribution to Real Madrid is also amazing. This year I hope to score 60 goals.
"Even 70 goals are possible? You know, when more and more excellent players come out, the best player will also be under pressure, and he will move towards higher goals."
"Haha...!"
Mourinho laughed loudly. Ronaldo's answer praised Maël and showed his own edge, which was just right.
"Maël's goal is to win all the awards, all the honors... We guess this includes his desire to break many Football Records."
A reporter looked at Mourinho and Ronaldo and threw the question to both of them, "What do you think of his bold words? Will Real Madrid be under pressure when they meet them in the Champions League?"
"No."
Mourinho first pointed out the second question, and then said, "It's a good thing for players to have goals. Players without goals cannot compete for the best.
"But the word 'all' is a bit too big, that's difficult. I only hope that Maël will continue to motivate himself to become better because of this grand goal."
Ronaldo then took over the conversation and said with a faint smile, "My opinion is different from Mr. Mourinho, you know why."
"Because you want everything too?"
"Yes."
"Okay, let's end the press conference. I wish you a Merry Christmas, and I also wish Maël, who is far away in London, a smooth Boxing Day Battle, haha"
December 24th, Christmas Eve.
The whole of London was immersed in a peaceful and joyful atmosphere. Christmas trees were set up everywhere on the streets, and many Christmas-related activities had already begun.
Children write down their wishes on this night, and families smile and go to the streets to purchase the gifts on their wish lists, while also buying sweets and other necessities for the festival.
Maël went shopping with his uncle and aunt's family on this night. When he was tired, he ate and chatted in a luxury restaurant.
"Everything is going well."
Uncle Clermont was radiant. This year was almost the happiest year of his life, "The eldest and second child will both take the college entrance examination next year, and they will strive to be admitted to schools in London.
"Ava is still young, but we planned her transfer already. With your name out there, we hardly encountered any trouble."
Maël hadn't replied when his aunt Betty couldn't help but say joyfully, "Maël, you should have seen the expressions on the faces of those neighbors and teachers when they got your autograph. We'd never seen such enthusiasm before.
"Many people invited our family to their homes for dinner, but we refused, afraid they would make some request that would trouble you.
"The happiness of this year is beyond words. Because of you, we have also begun to be respected.
"I've said too much already, so I won't express it further. Just know how grateful we are."
Maël nodded and buried himself in his food. Although he was wearing a hat today, he was quickly recognized.
Several female college students at the next table pointed at him and whispered, their faces showing surprise. One pushed another, wanting to come over and strike up a conversation.
Maël glanced at them, not paying much attention for the moment. "The honorary exhibition hall in the city center will start renovations tomorrow. This is probably the fourth one in London. It will likely be very popular after it opens.
"I'll have to rely on you, Uncle and Aunt, to help me out more. Take shifts guarding the store, and wipe the glass cabinets when you have time."
"Definitely!" Betty nodded emphatically. "Don't worry, I've always done this kind of work at home very well. This time, doing something even more important, I will take even better care of it."
Clermont simply raised a glass of wine, his eyes filled with gratitude. "I can only express my thanks again. Without you, we would never be able to live this kind of life."
"We don't need to say those things." Maël waved his hand at them, noticing that the girls at the next table had chosen a representative to come over.
"Maël."
She blushed as soon as she approached, mainly because she realized Maël was with his family. "I'm sorry to bother you, but my friend wants to take a photo with you. Is that okay?"
"Sure." Maël didn't want to disappoint them, smiling and nodding in agreement.
After taking photos with each of them while sitting at the table, he soon heard surprised 'ahhs' from over there, and the girls skipped out the door.
He smiled softly. This kind of thing was quite common now.
After dinner, he took his uncle and aunt back to a detached villa they had just rented in London. They planned to live here in the future, and now they were just getting familiar with it.
The annual rent for this villa was £150,000. It was not far from the storefront Mendes had chosen for the honorary exhibition hall, and the environment was good. Maël could also stay here sometimes when he came over.
"Living here makes me feel like my lifespan will increase," Betty said, standing by the window on the second floor, looking at the street scene with a sigh.
Clermont lay on the sofa, enjoying it all with his eyes closed. "So, we are also considered 'newly rich,' right?"
"Haha..."
The family smiled. Maël stayed for a while before saying goodbye. "The club has a Christmas dinner tomorrow, a game the day after. I'll see you when I'm less busy. Settle the eldest and second child in early, and bring Ava over."
"Okay, don't worry about us. Focus on your own things, that's what's important."
"Bye, good luck!"
His uncle and aunt saw him to the door. Maël looked at their new appearances, feeling a sense of satisfaction. He waved goodbye to them.
Walking down the streets of London, he put on a mask to avoid being recognized, enjoying the festive atmosphere alone.
Compared to the first year, he had adapted a lot, and the feeling of loneliness was much less.
It seemed like he had many good friends and family here, many things to care about, and everything was officially on track.
A year-end summary? Perhaps it was. Maël recalled the various emotional highs and exciting moments of the past year, a smile on his lips.
This year had been good from every perspective. He had come from the EFL Championship to the top league, and had gradually stepped onto the world stage, achieving many goals.
Next year, he would strive to go from a top player to a superstar in the world of football!
The next day, Christmas officially arrived.
London's annual Santa Claus parade began again. The charity run that Sheffield had last year was also taking place here, as if all the excitement was no different from the past.
Maël heard the commotion outside before he even left the house that morning. He leaned against the window and watched for a while before grabbing a football and heading out.
All four members of his team had returned to their hometowns. Today, he planned to practice 'Improvisation' alone on the lawn in front of his house, striving to upgrade this skill, which was just one step away from lv4!
That would definitely be another enhancement to his dribbling ability, and he would have even stronger breakthrough ability!
Moreover, most of the skills he had planned to focus on before had already been upgraded. Once 'Improvisation' and 'Stamina' were raised again, the training panel would be officially refreshed.
A new year, a new atmosphere, and a new training panel would give him a very special feeling.
"Bang, bang, bang!"
On the training ground, Maël's feet touched the ball rapidly, breaking through the marker cones and dummies.
He had already mastered the training methods. José and Davis had also left a detailed plan before they left, which he could follow.
After a morning of training, Maël went inside and fried some nutritious food to replenish his strength. He had learned a few tricks from Safina.
He glanced at the proficiency of 'Improvisation' and found that there were only 4 points left. As long as he practiced hard in the afternoon, he would definitely be able to raise it to lv4 before the team dinner at night!
"Merry Christmas!"
He turned on the TV, and the news anchor was wishing the viewers a Merry Christmas.
Maël used a fork to pick up a slightly burnt piece of egg, took two bites, and realized it didn't taste right. Suddenly, he felt empty and stood there blankly for a long time.
Just like José said, he didn't like silence and always liked having people around him, but of course, he wasn't a fragile person. He quickly came back to his senses and continued eating.
...
Around four o'clock in the afternoon, after another round of tedious breakthrough training, Maël felt a strange sensation in his legs. More precisely, it seemed to originate from his brain and spread all the way down to his legs.
*"Boom!"*
*"Pa-boom!"*
He dribbled the ball a few more times and found that his control over rhythm and change of direction had improved significantly.
His footwork was much faster, and he had a better grasp of the timing for dribbling past opponents. He quickly imagined himself as a defender and realized that he must have become even more difficult to deal with.
Lv4 was here!
The first lv4 additional skill! It should have miraculous effects!
[Additional Skill: Improvisation lv4]
[Proficiency: (1/1500)]
[Effect: After countless trials, your control over rhythm has reached perfection. You can often change the rhythm of your breakthroughs in a masterful way, catching defenders off guard!]
"Improvisation!"
Joy appeared on Maël's face, casting aside the loneliness and tedium he had felt earlier.
He had many ways to adjust his mood. Many things could make him feel better, such as winning games, leveling up, scoring goals, and providing assists. These things would make his spiritual world exceptionally full.
"Stamina is the only old skill left."
He murmured excitedly and pulled up the skills he was training to view the new skill panel.
[Skill: Sprint lv4]
[Proficiency: (95/5000)]
[Skill: Brutal Shot lv4]
[Proficiency: (364/2000)]
[Skill: Stamina lv3]
[Proficiency: (1974/2000)]
[Skill: Fancy Dribbling lv2]
[Proficiency: (519/800)]
[Skill: Heading Timing lv2]
[Proficiency: (289/300)]
[Additional Skill: Fancy Skills lv1]
[Proficiency: (310/1500)]
"Stamina is also leveling up quickly, and Heading Timing will soon be lv3."
Looking at the panel, he thought, if all these skills were upgraded to lv4 or lv5, wouldn't he be close to being truly all-around? What was he still missing?
"Never mind for now."
Maël didn't think too much about it. He would look for it on the field later. He should wash up and get ready to go to dinner with his teammates.
...
At six o'clock in the evening, amidst a lively atmosphere, Maël, dressed in a suit, arrived at a restaurant and entered the private room where Arsenal was having their Christmas dinner.
"Xu Xu~!"
Van Persie had sharp eyes; a top striker possesses keen Observation. He whistled twice before saying, "Look who's here?"
The voice attracted everyone's attention. They turned to the door and cheered when they saw Maël, "Oh!"
"Dang dang dang dang! I have a friend!"
Sagna stood up as if possessed and started dancing directly, "He drives a Bugatti on the sidelines and dances Swan Lake on the defensive line!"
German iron guard Mertesacker stood up, raised his drink, and shouted, "Welcome, Golden Boy!"
"Clap clap clap!"
Amidst a burst of warm applause, Maël walked into the restaurant, looking embarrassed, and sat down next to Van Persie. Mr. Wenger was sitting opposite him.
"Training again today?"
Van Persie handed Maël a piece of fruit and smiled, "I feel like there's no moisture in your face, as if it's been drained."
"You guessed it." Maël waved his hand, looking like he was suffering, "Don't mention it. I don't want to talk about football after hard training at a dinner party."
"Haha!"
Van Persie and a few others next to him laughed. Seeing Maël's appearance, they had the idea of teasing him.
"Maël, those two goals in the last game were beautiful. You must have practiced your Volley a lot, right?" Vermaelen said cheekily, imitating Maël's Volley action.
"What do you think of the 3-4-3 formation? What about the 4-1-4-1?"
"I don't know. We should ask Maël first. He's the expert."
"Oh, Maël, you must have a deep understanding of football training. Can you teach me how to improve my Stamina?"
Maël sat there with a bitter face, wanting to cover his ears, but he was a little hungry, so he couldn't stop eating.
When he finally survived this wave of attacks, everyone turned their attention to Mr. Wenger, ready to tease this lovely old Professor.
"Mr. Wenger, have you learned your dance yet? I think Van Persie and Maël are really going to lead us to the championship."
"It's too far away. How about dancing one when we are unbeaten in the first half of the season?"
"Haha... No, we have to keep our promise. Let's wait until we win the championship."
"Is it tango? Or Samba? Or ballet? Hahaha!"
A burst of teasing sounded, and everyone laughed. Maël was also happy to be immersed in this atmosphere, watching Mr. Wenger join in the fun with others.
Wenger stood up with a spirited smile. He was very energetic today, wearing a matte gray suit and his usual red tie. "If you say so, why don't I dance one now?"
"." The players were stunned for a moment, then realized that Wenger was joking, but of course they wouldn't let go of this good opportunity, and immediately clapped their hands and knocked on the table, cheering, "Oh!"
"Clap clap clap! Deng deng deng!"
"One! One!"
"No, no, no." Wenger hurriedly stepped back and waved his hand, smiling bitterly, "I was just kidding."
"Haha."
Maël couldn't help but laugh at his appearance. The atmosphere of this dinner party was very good from the beginning, and he liked it very much.
When Mr. Wenger finally escaped, everyone focused their attention on Van Persie again.
"Robin, Maël already has 20 goals, and you only have 16. Do you still want to compete with Maël for the Golden Boot?"
"Yeah, yeah, Maël is about to score as many goals as your age. Why haven't you scored as many as his age?"
"Pfft!"
Van Persie looked astonished and laughed absurdly a few times, but he wasn't angry. With the current atmosphere in the Arsenal team, it would be too sad if someone couldn't take such a joke.
Wenger came to Maël's side at this time and touched his shoulder.
Maël turned his head with a smile, seeing that Mr. Wenger seemed to have something to say, and asked, "What's wrong?"
"After the Golden Boy Award, you have accumulated some experience."
Wenger came to Maël's ear and smiled, "Taking advantage of today's Christmas dinner, I'll tell you good news. I'm going to promote you to second captain."
Second captain?
Second only to Van Persie?
Maël turned his head, thought for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "Then can I make a request? I want the number 7 jersey."
The number 7 has a special meaning for winger players, and he has always wanted it. It wasn't easy to get when he first arrived, but maybe now is the time.
Mr. Wenger didn't think for too long before nodding in agreement. He patted Maël on the shoulder one last time before leaving.
Second captain + number 7.
The joy in Maël's expression grew even more. He had indeed done a lot in this half-season.
ps: This chapter is a transition, brothers. The pace will pick up in the second half of the season, because I've already gone through it once, and going through it in detail again would drag down the pace.
Of course, I will still write about the places that need to be written, and I won't rush through it carelessly. I will try to be detailed where necessary and concise where appropriate.
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