Chapter 148 Golden Globe Award

Following the El Clásico, the La Liga standings have seen a change, with Barcelona catching up with Real Madrid in points, both teams now tied for first place with 30 points.

After Real Madrid lost El Clásico, pro-Barcelona media outlets such as Mundo Deportivo were ecstatic, launching a fierce attack on Real Madrid and eager to announce to the world: This is a victory for beautiful football, and teams built on money are only second-rate teams. No matter how many star players they have, they are just a pile of loose sand that will scatter with the wind!

—This makes no mention of the fact that Barcelona also spent hundreds of millions of euros on transfers this summer.

Pro-Real Madrid media focused their reporting on the referee's decisions, listing how many penalties Real Madrid were denied and attributing Barcelona's victory to the referee's double standards and biased officiating. They even directly challenged Barcelona online, asking: "Barcelona, ​​how many sugar daddies do you have?"

— Ignoring Busquets' second yellow card and subsequent red card, Barcelona were left with only ten men for the final minutes.

The evaluations from neutral media outlets are much more objective.

Barcelona's victory was a double triumph in both tactics and execution. It is a fact that Pellegrini's Real Madrid was unable to effectively break down Barcelona's tactics and lacked the chemistry between Barcelona's players.

However, Real Madrid's performance was not without its merits. Despite issues such as poor on-field management by the head coach, slow defensive transitions, and disorganized positioning in attack, several brilliant attacking plays showed that this Real Madrid team is developing in a positive direction after three months of integration.

Judging from Real Madrid's momentum in the final minutes, if the game had been extended by another 20 minutes, the outcome would have been uncertain.

Once Real Madrid's players truly develop chemistry and become a cohesive unit, the future heights that the second-generation Galácticos can reach are something everyone can look forward to.

The hype surrounding the El Clásico didn't last long; just three days later, it was overshadowed by even bigger news.

At 2:00 AM on December 1st, France Football magazine announced the winners of the 2009 Ballon d'Or on its official website. Fino won the 54th Ballon d'Or with 466 points, beating Messi's 239 points and Ronaldo's 171 points.

At 21 years, 1 month and 7 days old, Fino surpassed Ronaldo, who was 21 years, 3 months and 5 days old, to become the youngest Ballon d'Or winner in history.

After the home game against Almeria in the 13th round of the league, Fino flew to Paris overnight on Real Madrid's private jet. The Ballon d'Or award ceremony will be held the following day at noon.

From the moment the news was announced on the website of France Football magazine, Mendes seemed to be weightless, running and soaring freely in the clouds. Although he had known for a long time that Fino's Ballon d'Or was a sure thing, he still couldn't help but get excited when the news was actually confirmed.

Last year it was Cristiano Ronaldo, this year it's Fino, two consecutive years! Two consecutive Ballon d'Or winners are his clients! He represents the hottest players and the hottest coaches. In the sports agent industry, who can compete with him?

Florentino was equally delighted, as this was Real Madrid's first Ballon d'Or winner since his "reign," and he would personally accompany Fino to receive the award.

The Golden Globe Awards ceremony wasn't particularly grand, and there was no red carpet, but because the awards ceremony was to be broadcast live on television, Fino's styling team was still incredibly busy.

After the announcement, suits, jewelry, watches... luxury brands that had partnered with or were looking forward to partnering with Fino kept sending "equipment" to her home. Whenever she finished training, Fino would constantly try on, wear, and style the clothes.

"Is it really necessary to go to such lengths?" Fino asked helplessly. "There's no red carpet event, and we don't need to compare ourselves to others. As long as we're appropriate, isn't that enough?"

The stylist, who had been hired at great expense, pinched Fino's cheek and whispered provocatively in his ear, "Baby, don't waste this face of yours that can bewitch everyone. You are simply a gift from God to the football world. Of course, you should face the camera in your best condition."

Fino jerked back to avoid the stylist's approach, and he got goosebumps all over.

The stylist covered his mouth and laughed when he saw this.

Upon seeing the stylist with black nail polish, heavy eyeliner, and a meticulously trimmed stubble, Fino couldn't help but ask, "Are you British?"

"Don't be stereotypical, baby~" the stylist winked at him.

Julia patted the stylist on the shoulder, signaling him to stop, and then answered Fino's question seriously.

"This is not just your awards ceremony, but also a great opportunity to showcase yourself. France 1 TV and the internet will broadcast the moment of your award to hundreds of millions of viewers. At that time, the brands behind every item you wear will receive huge traffic, and traffic is money!"

"So I'm the sponsor's human-shaped display stand, right?" Fino joked.

“Well, you could see it that way,” Julia chimed in with the joke. “Besides, such a perfect human-shaped display case is rare, enough to make all the major luxury brands flock to it.”

At the awards ceremony, Fino truly amazed everyone.

His long black hair was firmly fixed at the back of his head with hair gel, revealing his handsome and sharp features. The makeup artist also made him look more mature. Paired with a well-fitting suit and accessories, Fino looked a few years older than his actual age, exuding a steady and elegant elite mature man vibe.

The studio was filled with cheers from the audience. Mendes, who was also present, was extremely pleased. After this mature look, Fino's range of products that he could endorse had expanded, and he was already looking forward to deeper commercial development.

After the Champions League group stage match against Marseille, the club held a grand celebration party for Fino.

Real Madrid's party was different from Milan's. Although equally luxurious and grand, it lacked the decadent atmosphere and was more business-oriented overall.

After dealing with club executives, team legends, and sponsors from both the club and Fino personally, and after delivering polite remarks under the spotlight, Fino felt utterly exhausted.

After the official party activities were mostly completed and everyone had moved on to their own social activities, Fino finally had a chance to relax and went to the banquet hall terrace to unwind.

As Fino gazed at the dazzling lights of Madrid at night, his thoughts drifted further and further away.

This year was absolutely fantastic for him.

In terms of awards, this has been a very fruitful year.

At this time last year, he won the Golden Boy award, followed by the Serie A Best Young Player award. Then, as the core of the attack, he led AC Milan to win the Serie A and Champions League double and won the Golden Boot twice. Now he has won the Ballon d'Or.

He also reaped many rewards in life.

He met Shao Jiayi and others in Dubai, and then reconnected with his motherland. Half of his soul, which had been wandering abroad for ten years, finally found its roots. He received the care and love of Maldini's family, and the other half of his soul seemed to have found its home as well.

Is there anyone in this world happier than him?

Apart from Real Madrid's predicament causing him some headaches, his life couldn't be more perfect.

But then again, isn't that what work is all about? No job is without its headaches, at least his salary is high.

Before joining Real Madrid, he was mentally prepared for a difficult rebuilding process, which only fueled his fighting spirit. If he could lead a struggling AC Milan back to its peak, he could lead Real Madrid to defeat Barcelona.

Moreover, he has a group of strong teammates.

"Phineas!"

Alonso's voice came from behind, interrupting Fino's thoughts.

Fino turned and waved to Alonso.

Alonso walked over, leaned against the terrace like Fino, and turned to ask him, "Why are you standing here alone, lost in thought?"

"It's a bit stuffy inside, so I came out to get some fresh air."

“These kinds of situations are annoying, aren’t they?” Alonso touched his hair.

Fino smiled but didn't say anything.

He really didn't like these kinds of occasions, but it was something he had to participate in; adults can't just do whatever they want.

He knew Alonso understood him, just as he understood Alonso.

Alonso also dislikes socializing; he prefers staying home and reading to social gatherings filled with drinks and conversation.

However, there are some occasions where absence is not an option.

After transferring to Real Madrid, Fino and Alonso became closer; they are now teammates and are finally no longer separated.

When they could only communicate by phone and the internet, Fino believed that Alonso and Pirlo were the same kind of people, both being midfield maestros, mature, wise, elegant, and composed. This was also the reason why he and Alonso were able to become good friends so quickly.

But as the distance between them shortened, Fino learned more about Alonso and quickly discovered the differences between Alonso and Pirlo.

In private, Pirlo is quite lively. Beneath his calm and collected exterior lies a mischievous and playful heart. He's a bit naughty, but also very adorable.

Alonso, on the other hand, is different. He appears gentle and friendly, but is much colder and more clear-headed than Pirlo.

He is two years younger than Pirlo, but Fino feels that he is older in mind than Pirlo, as steady and reliable as Maldini!

However, it's not entirely accurate to say he's introverted, because Fino sometimes finds Alonso quite brooding. You can even see the shadows of Inzaghi and Buffon in him. In some ways, Spanish men are no less capable than Italian men; they are very good at it!

In short, Alonso gave Fino a very special feeling; he was like a forest full of unknowns, radiating endless attraction and filling Fino with a desire to explore.

After Fino transferred to Real Madrid, Alonso kept his promise – the Spaniard treated him to dinner, and he did so many times.

Fino also learned Spanish from Alonso.

Spanish and Italian both originate from Latin, have very similar vocabulary and grammatical structures, so Fino is not difficult to learn.

Some of the tricky parts were the pseudo-cognates, as well as the subtle grammatical and pronunciation differences, which Alonso spent a lot of time helping him distinguish and correct.

"What's in your pocket?" Alonso suddenly reached out and patted Fino on the waist.

Fino felt something slip into the side pocket of his suit.

"What?" Fino instinctively reached into his pocket to touch it, and pulled out a low-key and elegant wristwatch.

"Hmm, so it's a gift." Alonso smirked. "Finnie, congratulations on winning the Golden Globe."

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The author notes: Back then, the Golden Globe Awards were more traditional and not as grand as they are now.

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