Chapter 461: Round of 16 Draw (Everyday Transition)

South Bank of the Seine River.

War God Square.

Arc de Triomphe.

Notre-Dame de Paris.

Eiffel Tower.

The LED screens of several skyscrapers synchronously broadcast the birth of the Golden Ball winner.

Tens of thousands of fans lifted their heads, sending blessings in various ways.

"2017 Golden Ball Award winner, Li Kang!"

Duan Xuan involuntarily repeated it again in excitement.

Live broadcast room.

The audience watched the Golden Ball winner atop the tower.

The barrage exploded.

【Handsome handsome handsome!】

【Moved, the first ethnic Chinese Golden Ball winner!】

【This pretentious act isn't bad.】

【Please keep pretending to your heart's content.】

【Golden Ball Emperor, with his back to all beings, fishing alone through eternity.】

【He invites the bright moon to pluck the stars; in the world, there is no one like me.】

【Under the night sky, the Eiffel Tower welcomed the coronation of a new king; the young Golden Ball winner, overlooking the mortal world, overlooking all beings.】

【What to do if you get chilly after standing on the tower top for so long?】

【Don't fall down.】

The frigid night wind made the coat's hem flutter loudly.

Moments later,

Li Kang was escorted by a group of security personnel down from the tower's summit.

His legs trembled slightly.

Jinola looked puzzled and couldn't help asking softly: "Li, are you afraid of heights?"

Due to the organizers' lack of experience, the 2017 Golden Ball award ceremony was still quite brief.

The big screen began to play Li Kang's career trajectory:

Old Trafford, came off the bench, completed his European competition debut.

The summer in France, he shocked Europe.

At Cardiff's Qiannian Qiuchang, with his hand bandaged, he lifted the big-eared cup alongside Wenger.

The audience couldn't help but applaud, recalling one stirring segment after another.

European football may have entered a brand-new era.

Half an hour later.

The award ceremony ended.

The attending guests successively stepped onto the main stage.

Griezmann and Cristiano Ronaldo stood side by side; he glanced doubtfully at the other's shoulder, then lowered his gaze to the other's toes.

The shutter sounded.

The flashbulbs flickered.

Li Kang and the era's excellent players left behind a glittering group photo of stars.

There is no banquet that never ends.

The organizers specially arranged a banquet after the award ceremony.

They rented the second-level restaurant of the Eiffel Tower to entertain the attending guests.

Buffon led the way to the dining venue with practiced ease.

He also occasionally threw in a few jokes.

For example: "No way? You French lot have never been to the Jules Verne Restaurant."

Kanté blushed.

Pogba didn't think much of it.

Mbappé wore a smile.

Varane's face remained calm.

Griezmann looked embarrassed.

Benzema couldn't help laughing as he slapped the Italian goalkeeper.

Only then did everyone realize: among the top thirty Golden Ball candidates lurked a bunch of Frenchmen! No wonder they were the lowest-odds team to win the 2018 World Cup.

The Jules Verne Restaurant is over 100 meters above ground; as a Michelin one-star tire, it has undergone much media marketing packaging.

The restaurant has three main dining areas, each overlooking the South Bank of the Seine River, the Trocadéro, and War God Square.

"Li, the fireworks haven't stopped yet!"

"Over at the square, there's still your mosaic puzzle!"

"The fans are still shouting your name!"

Kanté circled the three dining areas, and when he returned to Li Kang's side he was still exclaiming nonstop.

Isco gently pushed aside the little black egg, complaining: "Don't let the cake touch Li."

De Gea couldn't help but shiver.

He looked around, found Buffon's figure, and hurried forward to comfort him, saying:

Your future road is still very long.

Occasional setbacks aren't a big deal; conceding a goal isn't solely the goalkeeper's responsibility.

Come on, prepare early for 2022.

These lines, how come they're so familiar?

Buffon laughed and gave De Gea a push.

Ah.

Last month, Italy was eliminated by Sweden in the World Cup qualifying playoffs, missing out on the 2018 World Cup.

Buffon, tears streaming down his face, formally announced his retirement from the national team.

Messi stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, admiring Paris's night view, his thoughts already wandering: next year's World Cup, the strong opponents Argentina will face far exceed those of the past: the Bullfighter Legion led by Li Kang, the Gaulish roosters brimming with prodigies, the German war machine having completed its new-old replacement, and the Belgian super-platinum generation.

Modric wanted to chat with Li Kang but found he couldn't squeeze into the crowd.

The Ballon d'Or award ceremony came to a close.

Across the internet, news of the new Ballon d'Or winner spread like wildfire.

Li Kang's photos and the Puma logo were visible everywhere.

The paparazzi gathered in Fulham kept increasing in number.

Everything about the superstar became a traffic hotspot, yet no explosive scoop could be dug up.

Tuopu Laotou was hailed as the 'Ballon d'Or mentor,' also called the 'God of Youth Training' and 'Football Artisan' by the island nation's football association, and had to attend three or four interview programs a day.

"When I first saw Li, I knew he would win the Ballon d'Or!"

"He will always be my pride."

At the same time.

The reporters visited Catalonia and found Li Kang's teammates from the same period at La Masia youth academy.

"We treat Li well. We occasionally tease him."

"He has shown from a young age an extraordinary ability to read the game! Coach Bielsa often praises him for being smart!"

"A bicycle! What bicycle?"

Sofia, the foster mother living far away in Lewokusen, actually refused the documentary crew's invitation.

She said Li's career is still very long, and the documentary should be saved for later.

The 'World Football' program team wasn't idle.

They overnight took down the promotional special feature 'Pogba vs Li Kang'.

They remade an episode titled 'The Birth of the Ballon d'Or Winner'.

In the streets and alleys of the Eastern land, a football craze surged.

Kids chased the small ball, often shouting: 'Marseille turn!' 'Ultimate explosive shot!' 'Super arc!'

Days passed just like that.

Li Kang returned to a peaceful and monotonous life.

Each day consisted only of training, watching videos, and playing games.

Recently, the number of paparazzi reporters lingering near his residence has been increasing, which can be indirectly understood as: his home has hundreds of 'paparazzi bodyguards' guarding it every day.

The little assistant couldn't help waving and greeting them every time he went out.

In the blink of an eye.

Once again it was the day of the Champions League round of sixteen draw, and the FIFA World Player of the Year would also announce the result that same night.

Three days later, in Nyon, Switzerland, UEFA headquarters.

The main stage's big screen displayed the list of Champions League round of sixteen teams.

Group A: Liverpool, Basel.

Group B: Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain.

Group C: Chelsea, Barcelona.

Group D: Juventus, Manchester United.

Group E: Arsenal, Porto.

Group G: Manchester City, Atletico Madrid.

Group H: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund.

The Premier League undoubtedly became the biggest winner, with five teams advancing.

Ai si li walked onto the stage holding a glass jar full of small balls, and when exiting he still didn't forget to glance over the seats.

Unfortunately, the person sitting beside Li Kang was no longer Buffon.

No one told him how beautiful the girl's mother was.

The guest for the round of sixteen draw was the recently retired legendary midfielder: Alonso.

He didn't say much pleasantries, cleanly and swiftly drawing the first matchup.

"Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain."