Chapter 249
Mourinho's interview has muddied the waters again. The already confusing news about who will win the Ballon d'Or has now become even more of a hot topic.
Even Ferdinand, who was far away in England, got involved and tweeted on social media:
"If Cristiano doesn't win the Ballon d'Or tonight, I will run naked on the street. I'm telling you, this is not a casual remark, ladies and gentlemen! I'm serious! Come on CR7!"
Cristiano even learned the news backstage at the ceremony. Mendes showed him his phone and joked: "Oh my God, look at you, you have a lot of fans, and it's huge."
Cristiano stared at Ferdinand's tweet, then stood up and looked around and asked: "Where is Leo?"
"I didn't see him, maybe he has passed," said Mendes.
Cristiano tried to get up and look for Ferdinand, but was held down by Mendes and Kaka: "First of all, you have to be obedient and look good tonight. I won't allow any mistakes."
Mendes said, tapping the Portuguese man in front of him on the forehead.
The Portuguese in front of him looked particularly different today. His thin eyebrows were trimmed to be more delicate, fitting his round eyes. The drooping eyes always made the Portuguese look more innocent, especially when he looked up, like a kind-hearted puppy. The trimmed eyebrows slightly modified his round eyes, making him look more handsome and upright, with a bold and sharp beauty.
Mendes was very satisfied with the Portuguese's appearance today. Tonight was a crucial night. No matter who won the Golden Ball, he wanted Cristiano to appear at the awards ceremony like a winner. Even if the Golden Ball was still taken away by someone else, his Portuguese would still be the brightest star and the most stylish one in the audience.
This is called superstardom, Mendes repeatedly emphasized to his boy: "What I see in you is the future, and your future is not measured by a few Ballon d'Or trophies, they are far from enough to describe your legend."
Cristiano blinked and his ears turned red. Mendes is really good at talking.
Seeing this, Kaka raised his hand and rubbed Cristiano's hot ears, and laughed softly: "I think Jorge is not exaggerating at all, you really did it."
Mendes glanced at Kaka. He used the future tense, while Kaka used the perfect tense.
Kaka is even more exaggerated than him.
Mendes said to Kaka: "And you, my boy, you won't be idle either. I have plans for you both."
Kaka raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this. He looked at Mendes, then smiled and shook his head: "But Jorge, I don't have any ideas. I would rather play the game, and then stay in my little home during the break, watching Tom and Jerry with my lover."
"Tom and Jerry?" Mendes was stunned for a moment, then laughed dryly, "Your taste is really... pure."
"No, Kaka, you have...!?" Mendes took a breath, suddenly reacted, and then stopped abruptly.
Cristiano looked at Kaka, then at Mendes. They had not yet agreed privately when to reveal the news to Mendes.
"But aren't you still living with Cristiano?" Mendes reacted.
"So this is the life I dream of, Jorge, I don't have too big ambitions." Kaka said calmly, smiling gently, which made Cristiano blink wildly. He thought Kaka was going to confess, but his lover was like an impenetrable wall, just like in the past, their secrets were always well protected.
Kaka looked at Mendes: "If I have to say, my ambitions may only be two points. One is football, winning games and enjoying the game; the other is my family, protecting their privacy and making them happy. So Jorge, you see, these are what I want."
Mendes looked over and looked Kaka up and down carefully to make sure that the son of God was not joking with him.
"He's serious, Jorge." Cristiano could tell what his agent was thinking.
He lowered his head and grinned happily, but he had to try not to laugh too ostentatiously. He cleared his throat: "So you'd better put your Kaka plan aside. I think my CR7 is enough to set your hair on fire."
Mendes: “…”
His hair had been quite thick recently, but the Portuguese looked as if he would be bald in less than ten years.
"By the way, I'm preparing a hair transplant institution, remember to keep an eye on it for me." Cristiano thought of another thing and reminded Mendes.
Mendes: “…”
How should I put it? It's a bit insulting.
"Did you really not see Leo?" Cristiano quickly returned to his original question. He did not forget what he wanted to do. He stood up from his chair restlessly and looked around. "Didn't he come to see me?"
"No, Cristiano, he knows you have a tough game tonight, so do what you have to do and you will see him at the end of tonight." Mendes rolled his eyes.
"Don't act like I've never been to an event like this before. I don't see any difference between this year and previous years." Cristiano sneered.
He was not surprised that Messi won the Ballon d'Or last year. During the time they had been together in the football world, Messi had won many Ballon d'Ors. Even though there were many controversies, that was the rule of the game. He had seen enough and was no longer at the age where he would be indignant over a trophy.
But his agent is clearly not one of them. Last year, Mendes was so angry that he drank up his entire row of wine collection at his house. God knows he only bought them to decorate the wall, but they were also good wines and very expensive - he later asked Mendes to make up for it for him.
Perhaps many people think that they are in a competitive relationship and hostile to each other, but in fact, he never thinks so.
He does not consider Leo Messi a competitor.
In his eyes, there are many people who are worthy of learning and respect, such as Figo, Van Nistelrooy, Giggs... but they have never been his competitors.
The only one who can compete with him is himself.
"Jorge, relax a little. If you don't know me, you might think I'm the player who's going to win the Ballon d'Or," Cristiano joked.
He lowered his head and fiddled with his phone, calling Ferdinand in the group and asking him where he was sitting.
【Ferdinand; [Positioning]】
[Ferdinand: I'm with Neville, you want to come over? 】
Seeing this, Cristiano paused and began to recall that when he left Manchester United this time, he should have maintained a pretty good relationship with Gary, right? Leo asked as if there was some conflict between the two of them that prevented them from being in the same place at the same time.
He stood up and said to Mendes, "I have to go to the bathroom."
Mendes waved his hand.
Cristiano winked at Kaka again and made a little gesture of running away, which made Kaka nod helplessly. He would cover for the boy.
Cristiano quickly found Ferdinand. When Ferdinand saw Cristiano, his eyes lit up and he took a breath exaggeratedly: "Look, the big star is here. Wow, Ronnie, you look really..."
He couldn't find the right adjective, and Gary Neville added: "Brilliant?"
Cristiano laughed and hugged Ferdinand tightly: "Thank you, Leo."
"Come on, Ronnie," Ferdinand encouraged.
Neville was watching from the side, as if he didn't know how to get in. Cristiano waved at Neville: "Hey Gary, we haven't seen each other for a long time, right?"
"...Yes, Ronnie, yes, you look great." Neville said quickly. He stuttered a little, as if he didn't know how to talk to Cristiano, but soon he regained the familiarity of their previous interactions.
He patted Cristiano's strong arm and couldn't help laughing: "It's really great, Ronnie, I think you are the best of the year, no doubt."
Ferdinand saw this and laughed, "Oh, you found your mouth? I thought you were going to die of awkwardness."
Neville elbowed Ferdinand.
Cristiano raised an eyebrow: "What?"
"Every time we talk about you, he always looks like he wants to participate but doesn't know what to say. I really don't know what's the problem between you two?" Ferdinand said. He looked left and right at the two of them and took the opportunity to throw it out quickly. He didn't know how long Neville would be awkward.
Neville jumped up like a rabbit that stepped on an electric switch, but soon he sat down again - he noticed the scrutiny of the people around him - Neville said softly: "That's your illusion, Leo, I've said it many times! I just happened to miss the team building where you could meet Ronnie every time!"
He said and looked at Cristiano again, he paused, but he didn't know what to say.
To be honest, ever since the last Champions League final night, he always dreams of some strange scenes -
He dreamed of an older Cristiano, an older self, some sharp words coming out of his mouth uncontrollably, the other party seeing him but turning a blind eye, Keane laughing at him, Ferdinand standing in the rain in a black suit holding a black umbrella, and a gray-black monument.
Neville wasn't sure what the dream was about, but it was hard for him to laugh and joke around with Cristiano like he used to. He hated the Neville in his dream. God, he knew he was always outspoken, a bad habit he had when he was a player, but he never thought that one day he would be directed at Cristiano, even if it was just a dream.
"You know it best." Ferdinand shrugged and looked at Cristiano. "What's going on between you two?"
"You make it sound like we're a quarreling couple." Cristiano raised his eyebrows and looked at Neville. He didn't think Neville had any memories of his previous life, otherwise he wouldn't behave like he does now. But Neville did behave strangely, and he always remembered the sudden apology that day.
Ferdinand laughed and retorted: "That's the couple in the cooling-off period for divorce."
"Go to hell, Rio, don't give me goose bumps." Cristiano cursed with a smile, and turned to Neville. He knew very well that the Neville in this world was the Neville who always spoke for him. If anything would change in the future, it was a matter of the future. His love had always been flexible, and he could take it back at any time. Now, he hooked Neville's neck, curved his eyes and smiled, "I really doubt what you usually talk about during training. It's not nutritious at all. Doesn't the boss care?"
Ferdinand said "Hey" and flicked the little Portuguese on the head: "Pay attention, the one you are talking to is a big brother."
Neville froze for a moment. Ferdinand's joke reminded him of a bet he had made with Cristiano a long time ago. It was when they were playing karting. Later, Giggs asked him privately out of curiosity:
"Hey Gary, don't forget our bet."
"Since I'm so worried, should I write you a note?"
"Then there's no need for it. The note can't bind anything. If it worked, there wouldn't be so many divorces."
——"So, what kind of bet did you make with that brat? Did it even escalate to the level of divorce?"
——"It's nothing, just a small bet. For example, if my future self finds fault with him and scolds him, I have to publicly record a video of myself barking like a puppy as an apology and post it on social media. To be honest, this is something you would do, right?"
Neville took a deep breath. He even felt his fingertips were numb. He suddenly called out in a low voice: "Ronnie?"
"Huh?" Cristiano looked down. "What's wrong, Gary?"
"I just suddenly remembered that we made a bet before, do you remember?" Neville asked.
"What bet?" Cristiano was stunned.
"Go-kart."
Cristiano suddenly realized that it had indeed been a long time. He couldn't help but laugh: "You still remember it, I forgot it."
"Of course." Neville responded. Ferdinand looked at the two people in front of him in confusion as if they were playing a game of charades.
Neville whispered, "I've always kept it in mind. Who told you to make a bet without a deadline? You're really cunning. I have to keep it in mind all the time."
Cristiano laughed: "That's great, my goal has been achieved."
Neville blinked, and then he followed Cristiano's smile and curled his eyes, and he took a deep breath.
Ferdinand said, "Tsk, what little secret do you two have?"
"It's no secret, Giggs knows it," Neville said.
Cristiano paused and said, "Why are you telling everyone about this bet?"
He had already begun to think that the bet was a little childish; he was just being impulsive at the time.
Neville shrugged. "He kept asking me questions, but it's good for you, Ronnie. So many people know about it, and I don't want to ruin it."
He looked at Cristiano seriously. Cristiano paused, then he nodded, spread his hands and smiled: "Okay then Gary."
They were chatting animatedly here when the lights in the ceremony area began to dim gradually; the highlight of the party was about to begin.
At the bottom row of seats closest to the stage, Mendes was waving towards Cristiano, signaling the boy to hurry over.
Seeing this, Neville gently pushed Cristiano: "Your agent looks anxious, he is looking for you."
Cristiano took a breath when he saw this: "Too bad... I lost track of time. I have to go now, we'll talk next time, Gary, Leo, see you next time!"
As he spoke, he quickly crossed the crowd and strode towards his agent.
"This guy..." Ferdinand said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "He is still like a child as before. It makes me worry."
"That's good," Neville said. "He hasn't changed much, which is hard."
Ferdinand hummed, looked at Neville and said, "You are right, but it is always weird. Stay away from me."
Neville: “…”
///
Cristiano returned to his seat. Messi and Iniesta were sitting two seats to his left. Mendes wanted to pick him up and press him into his seat.
He ignored Mendes' angry expression, coughed lightly, straightened his suit, took his seat, and whispered to Mendes who was sitting in the back row: "I'm here, right? It makes no difference!"
After he finished speaking, the camera turned with the crane arm. Cristiano quickly sat up straight and put on his usual expression, while Messi smiled and waved at the camera.
The final Golden Globe Award ceremony undoubtedly made everyone in the stadium hold their breath, and the giant screen in the center of the stage replayed the wonderful performances of all the candidates.
Cristiano tightened his grip on the armrest slightly, and he had to realize that, well, he wasn't completely as indifferent as he told Mendes, of course he wanted the damn Ballon d'Or, he just wanted to be the best in the world, and he was willing to prove it again and again.
He is not afraid of injustice, but he is just an ordinary person who can also feel resentful and depressed, nervous and expectant.
Kaka was sitting on the other side of him. He saw Cristiano's little movements completely, but he couldn't pry open the boy's fingers or hold his hand to comfort him. He could only hold the armrest slightly and turn to the big screen.
Cristiano's eyes were fixed on the picture until his name popped up at the end -
Cristiano Ronaldo!
"The winner of this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or is Cristiano Ronaldo!!"
Mendes was almost crying with excitement in the back row. He happily leaned over the back of the chair and wanted to give Cristiano a good kiss, but his Portuguese was hugging the Son of God, leaving him no space at all.
He had no choice but to push Cristiano and urged happily: "Hurry up Chris! Quick!"
Cristiano smiled, then quickly stood up and strode onto the podium.
He took the golden ball from the award presenter. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't say anything. He just felt a surge of heat in his eyes, making his eye sockets turn red quickly.
He tried to clear his throat, then began the award speech he had prepared in advance.
Mendes was watching from below and couldn't help but record the video with his phone. While recording, he couldn't help but think sadly:
God, all his carefully applied makeup was in vain - Cristiano's eyes were red and wet from crying, which had nothing to do with the cool and winner-in-life image he had imagined!
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