Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Don't Fight -3
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What is a corporation?
A corporation is an organized economic unit with the goal of making a profit.
In short, it means a group that exists to make money, a group that does whatever makes money and doesn't do what doesn't.
They never do anything that results in a loss.
The same goes for sports brands sponsoring sports stars.
They don't sponsor out of nowhere, nor out of the goodness of their hearts.
Even if there is some goodwill mixed in, the ultimate goal can only be corporate profit.
It means they sponsor when they judge that sponsoring a player can raise their brand value.
In that sense, they don't sponsor just anyone.
For global giants whose names are known to all, this is especially true.
They select stars to sponsor based on very thorough criteria.
It's a given.
This is a form of investment, after all.
Players who seem unlikely to bring profit to the corporation, or who might cause damage, naturally don't get the chance to be sponsored.
But those picky corporations...
Were scrambling over a single player.
It means they were lining up, begging for the chance to sponsor him.
"We have to get him. No matter what..."
Nina Tricenna, the global marketing team leader for Puma, said as she reviewed the documents.
She was talking about a player named Lee Ji-an.
"He's at an age where he can play for more than 15 years... and he's already performing at a top level."
"His playing style is also the kind that young kids can't help but admire."
"On top of that, his looks are overflowing with star quality... he has an appropriate story, too."
"And his reputation among the people around him is great."
"Where in the world do you find a player like this?"
He was so perfect, it was almost laughable.
She even thought it was a relief he'd gained fame so quickly.
Thanks to that, they were able to get in line without being too late.
There are a few criteria for selecting sponsored players.
First, skill.
That goes without saying.
Next is star quality.
Since sports are, after all, a form of entertainment, it's better to work with popular players.
However, this thing called star quality isn't something that can be filled by skill alone.
There are players who are incredibly skilled but lack star quality.
There are many elements that create star quality, such as looks, playing style, personality, and the story the individual possesses.
Lee Ji-an was a player who possessed all of those elements.
Playing style?
He's a player called a 'fantasy player'.
The moment he gets the ball, the stands get noisy.
What more needs to be said?
Story?
It wasn't that everything was perfect from the start.
He has a story of overcoming various hardships and finally standing tall, a story that anyone would be moved by.
Looks?
"He's cute."
"Excuse me?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
She coughed and adjusted her glasses, hiding the words that had escaped her without her realizing.
She didn't want to evaluate the looks of a player who was only 16, but from the perspective of a marketing team leader who had to analyze his market value...
His moderately tall height, his long limbs, and his face that evoked a maternal instinct were all, without a doubt, a pass.
And those looks fit his playing style perfectly.
When he was on the field, he was elegant.
But, more than anything, the biggest bonus point she wanted to give was his personality.
"With that skill, and that star quality... I've never seen a player this harmless before."
A player's personality is the most important element of all.
No matter how good their skill or how outstanding their looks, if there's any instability in their personality, they're hard to take on.
In other words, it's about their private life.
Sports brands need their image more than any other company.
That's because the motto of sports itself is purity, passion, and the like.
Thinking about that, Lee Ji-an was the ideal player.
"He's a player who could become a main model in the future. This player."
Nina Tricenna nodded and closed the documents.
That was her conclusion.
He might not know it now, but Lee Ji-an was a player who would be worthy of being the brand's main model in the future.
The player who could be considered Puma's current main was Neymar from Brazil.
A star among stars.
A player with this level of star quality is hard to find even worldwide.
And that star is Puma's main model.
Lee Ji-an has what it takes to succeed him.
"So, we have to get him, by any means necessary."
"Of course."
"We have to."
She'd heard that Nike and Adidas were also making their moves.
The industry's number one and two.
They were formidable enemies.
However, we couldn't lose.
That's why they had to promise him an unprecedented offer.
Only then would it be a fight.
"This player... we must have him."
The meeting room began to bustle as they started to discuss what that unprecedented offer would be.
···
After AC Milan, the next team we met was UC Sampdoria.
Sampdoria was the second team I had faced after my first-team debut.
That was also my first away game, so they were a team that left quite an impression.
Especially, I remember them more because there were many times I was scared while playing against them.
The Sampdoria players were all so big and rough just to look at that they were frightening.
In fact, I remember a fight broke out during the game back then.
The opponents were so rough that the seniors were furious.
I just quietly watched from behind.
But this time, it felt a little different.
I don't know if it's because we were welcoming them at our home, but when I stood across from them, I didn't feel any fear first.
Is it because I'm taller now, or because my mental maturity has grown?
The Sampdoria players who looked so big back then...
Don't look that big anymore.
So, I was able to play more freely.
"Get him!"
"Pin him down!"
I had changed, but in truth, the opponents hadn't.
They were just as rough as before.
Even when I didn't have the ball, they would poke at me, and when I did have the ball, they would push my back and grab my jersey.
And I, too, struggled with those rough plays, falling over or getting hurt.
But I didn't feel any fear.
That was the difference.
I don't know why, but I wasn't scared.
Even when I fell or was pushed, even when a menacing-looking opponent looked down on me, I just took it in stride.
Of course, if I met someone like that on the street, I would have been terrified, but on the soccer field, I wasn't scared.
Maybe it was because I had the thought that we were better at soccer.
"Yeeeeeeh-!!"
"You dirty bastards, eat this!"
We took the lead around the 15th minute of the first half with a header goal from senior Milenkovic, and I scored a goal around the 35th minute to take a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, I assisted senior Saponara's goal to complete a 3-0 victory.
And around the 75th minute, I was substituted for Riccardo Romero and came off the field.
"The genius comes out, and the genius comes in. What a meaningful substitution!"
"..."
Romero seemed to be trying to add meaning by saying it was a swap of geniuses, but unfortunately, the coach told me to rest a bit, saying he was taking me out because of concern for injury.
...So does that mean it's okay if Romero gets hurt?
Well, anyway.
The Romero who came in for me showed off his annoying personality to the opponents as well and put on a decent performance.
And so, we continued our momentum with two consecutive 3-0 victories.
AC Milan and Inter, who were above us, also won, so our rank didn't go up, but regardless of the ranking...
We were continuing to move up.
···
"This is no joke! A fight has broken out! A fight has broken out among the world's top corporations over our player! Hahaha!"
When I heard that voice, which sounded like he'd swallowed a train whistle, for the first time in a while, I suddenly had a useless thought.
If this agent were a coach, there would be no cases of players not hearing the coach's instructions in any stadium.
The agent who had helped with the previous contracts spoke with a beaming smile.
"The people in charge of those amazing brands were briefing me with their heads bowed, haha!"
"My shoulders just naturally went up!"
"Ah, but that's not the important thing."
"First, take a look at the conditions they've offered!"
The agent handed over a few documents and immediately began to explain.
Perhaps because the content was a bit complicated, he seemed to be trying to explain it simply to match my level.
"Let's hit the important points first!"
"Adidas! They're offering a lot of money!"
"Nike! They're offering the longest contract period!"
"And Puma! They promise to launch a soccer cleat line with you as the main model!"
It was so simple it went right into my ears.
Adidas, money.
Nike, contract period.
Puma...
Soccer cleats?
"Th-those soccer cleats..."
"Ah, yes! So, you're wearing Puma cleats right now, right?"
"Yes."
"Because of that, the sales of that model have increased quite a bit!"
"Whether they're kids or ordinary people, they're buying the cleats you're wearing!"
...It's a story I can't believe even after hearing it.
People are buying and wearing the cleats I wear, just because I wear them?
"If you sign a contract, we promise to create a new model just for you!"
"You will be the model for that model!"
"A soccer cleat born just for you will be created!"
The following story was also unbelievable.
The cleats I'm wearing now were ones I bought new after signing my pro contract not long ago.
I remember buying them with great resolve.
They were much more expensive than the cleats I'd worn before.
That was just a few months ago.
And now, that company is saying they'll make cleats for me.
They're not just giving me the existing cleats for free...
They're saying they'll create a model for me.
I looked at the agent with a slightly suspicious gaze.
"What is it?"
"Ah... it's nothing. I'm just so surprised..."
An agent with a face that makes you think he wouldn't get scammed even if he negotiated with the mafia, so this can't be a scam, right?
I was just so unbelievable that I had a moment of doubt.
The agent laughed and said.
"This is an unprecedented offer that only stars get!"
"It means they're valuing you very highly!"
"A portion of the sales revenue from that model even goes to you, so that part is not to be ignored either!"
I was prepared for it, but...
At this level, I can't help but feel a sense of burden.
I even have that thought myself.
Hmm...
Am I worth that much?
What are they seeing in me to go this far?
If they're going to support me this much, how much better do I have to get to show them a worthy performance?
More than happy, my shoulders feel heavy.
"..."
But...
Once I've made up my mind, I can't run away now.
Thinking about it, I've always hated feeling burdened...
But maybe the reason I'm having these dream-like days is, in a way, thanks to that burden.
If it weren't for the people who called me a genius, I wouldn't have worked so hard at soccer.
And if I hadn't lied to Ji-woo...
Would I have been able to play in the first team?
I am a weak person.
That's why, that's why I've worked hard.
Sometime ago, Coach Toni told us something.
He said there's a saying that every weakness can become a strength.
When I heard that at the time, I didn't really understand what it meant.
How can a weakness become a strength?
But now I understand.
Because I am the proof.
I, who used to feel easily burdened by even small things, was able to have a more desperate heart because of it.
So, this burden I feel now...
I shouldn't just feel it as a burden.
I should accept it as nourishment that can help me grow.
"Well, you don't have to decide right here and now!"
When I was silent for a moment, the agent said.
"We need to stir up the fight more!"
"Don't be fooled by the word 'partnership'!"
"You are the 甲方 (the superior party), and they are the 乙方 (the inferior party)!"
"Why?"
"Because you are a player of that much value!"
At the agent's words, I looked at my dad and smiled.
Even for such a happy occasion, my dad couldn't show that he was happy.
"Did you hear that? He says I'm that good."
"Huh? Ah... right."
I watched my dad scratching his head and smiled again.
The agent said we needed to stir up the fight more, but I didn't think that was necessary.
Because I already had a direction I was leaning towards.
Suddenly, something I wanted to do came to mind.
Acting like I know nothing, I'll go shopping with Ji-woo.
And when we go to the store...
I'll spot my picture and say casually.
Oh, it's me.
"..."
When I imagine that, uh-uh.
What's this?
My shoulders keep wanting to go up to my ears...