The Most Anticipated Player
“Who is the player most anticipated?”
“The most anticipated player? Obviously ‘Ryu’. His play always inspires me. Even though he's already retired, I want to play with him once.”
A soccer talk show ahead of the World Cup.
The studio buzzed at the words of Marisol, the greatest superstar in the soccer world who had dominated from the mid-90s to early 2000s.
In fact, reacting to Marisol's words in a soccer program was not something common.
Marisol was a legend among legends who scored over 400 goals in the league alone, having won one World Cup and one runner-up with the Brazilian national team, three Champions Leagues with AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, seven league titles, and eight top scorer awards.
If one were to pick the greatest soccer player of all time,
It would be Freyja, the one who made Real Madrid the world's greatest club and the main figure in the five-time Champions League winners.
Giant, the first 'Football Emperor' who experienced three World Cup wins.
Maria, who changed the tactical paradigm of soccer with 'Mariaism'.
Julia, the 'Kaiser' who led Germany's World Cup win and was Maria's rival.
Diana, the 'God of Soccer' who broke the Ballon d'Or award rule that non-Europeans couldn't win and won three Ballon d'Ors, leading Argentina's World Cup win.
And right after that, it would be the second 'Football Emperor' Marisol and her rival Veronique. Of course, Marisol's evaluation was higher among them.
But Marisol, who chose Ryu Ha-neul as the player to pay attention to to the extent that she would express admiration for such a legend, her answer was unexpected.
“Ryu.... You mean Ryu who plays for Barcelona?”
“Yeah, Ryu, the male soccer player of Barcelona.”
If one were to pick the player who plays soccer the best in the current soccer world, it would be Francesca, the Italian left winger forward and Ballon d'Or winner last year who plays for Real Madrid, and her teammate Lucy, the Spanish 16-time Ballon d'Or winner.
And Alvaria, the Barcelona player who won the Ballon d'Or in 15, among the players who won the Ballon d'Or in the last three years.
And just below that, it would be the line of Albertana, the main striker of Manchester City and Spain, and Charlotte, the main winger of France, and Lucia, who is half a generation older but now too old to be considered.
Ryu Ha-neul, who scored over 1 point per game in attack points while winning the Champions League title, top scorer, and league top scorer this season, and Marisol, who achieved a double with La Liga win and Copa del Rey win, are indeed great, but
They are players who will lead the next generation, not yet on the list of names.
Moreover, Marisol who played the full season and topped the scorers in two competitions, not Ryu Ha-neul who only played half a season.
“Hmm.... Is it because you just want to play against a man?”
Since Marisol had been switching multiple men since her playing days and even met 2-3 men at once, the host couldn't help but doubt Marisol's choice.
“What? Today we didn't come to talk about soccer?”
And Marisol smiled wryly at the host's words.
'Well, if it weren't for a soccer player, it would be hard to recognize Ryu's true value.'
Looking at the host's bewildered expression, thinking that ordinary people have no choice but to accept it.
“Anyway, the player that the former 'Football Emperor' is paying attention to is Ryu, right? Then, what about the others?”
“Well, it's true that Ryu is the player people are anticipating. Actually, playing for a strong team like Barcelona, what will he show in the relatively weak South Korea? It's curious, you know.”
“Hey, Ryu won the World Cup at 17 in South Korea.”
“Oops, that's right. But the youth national team is just a youth national team. As evidence, none of the people gathered here have won it?”
“Well, it's different.”
“So, what do you think, Terien?”
So the arrow turns to Terien, who was called the king of the EPL in his prime.
“I think Charlotte is the most anticipated.”
“Isn't it too biased to say that for a country like France?”
“Haha, it's Marisol's fault for not picking Hoberta. Hey, Marisol. If Hoberta sees this broadcast, what do you think she would say.”
Terien's answer was Charlotte from France. Charlotte couldn't be considered one of the best players of this era, but since Marisol's answer was so shocking, there were no audience members expressing admiration for Terien's words.
After that, other panelists also mentioned names like Francesca who couldn't go to the World Cup, except for Lucy, Alvaria, and Albert, and the program flowed smoothly with their normal words.
“Then, the favorite for the World Cup this time is Spain, right? With Lucy, Alvaria, and Albert as the attacking line, and Lucia, who showed consistent performance leading Barcelona's league win this season.”
“Well, that can be said. Actually, it's a natural story. La Liga teams have been dominating the soccer world for several years.”
“What other teams are strong candidates for winning?”
“Most players are probably in Munich, Germany. They won the World Cup based on that organization last time too. Or Brazil or France, the eternal winning candidates?”
“I want to pick Uruguay as a dark horse. That guy Marisol is really something.”
“But Marisol didn't pick Ryu as the anticipated player? But Marisol?”
“Well, what a player is anticipated and what a team is anticipated are different.”
“...So no one chose England? I hope you knew that this program is broadcast in the UK.”
“Haha, England is... Well, it's always a winning candidate, so no need to say it.”
“But it's already too late, Terien.”
After Marisol's words that caused people's doubt, the program flowed smoothly.
“Hey, Marisol.”
“Huh? What's up?”
And after the program ended and the broadcast equipment was turned off, Terien called Marisol in the waiting room.
The two were of the same age, having played together in the EPL since the 04-05 season, and one time Terien won the top scorer, and once they jointly won the top scorer with the two of them. Their teams were also Arsenal and Manchester United, so in their playing days they were rivals, and there was still some resentment left between them, so they weren't on good terms.
“But, was choosing Ryu really sincere? Is Ryu that kind of player?”
But even though they were like that, Terien had to ask Marisol. Since Marisol had done many weird things since her playing days, he was curious about the intention.
Moreover, Marisol was famous for her male preference since her playing days.
Terien, who had played for Barcelona, thought that if Marisol was trying to attract Ryu Ha-neul's attention, he could warn through the colleagues they played with at that time.
Marisol is a player that every soccer player admires. If such a player approaches a young player, everyone's guard would lower. If Ryu Ha-neul were a woman, it wouldn't matter, but Ryu Ha-neul is a man. And that man has an appearance that makes anyone turn back on the street, so Marisol is dangerous.
'This woman is going to ruin the friend who will shine in the soccer world.'
So Terien, with a sense of mission for his junior at Barcelona he played for and for the soccer world, grabbed the not-so-friendly Marisol even after the broadcast ended and asked the question.
“Sincere?”
“Literally.”
“Haha, so you're below me.”
But Marisol laughed at Terien as if looking down on him.
“Below? During the two years we played in the EPL together, I won the top scorer every time. Did you forget?”
“...The first season was an adaptation period. And in the second season, I was practically the top scorer. I played fewer games than I did.”
“Hah, playing in the game is also skill. If you hadn't met fewer men, it wouldn't have been the case.”
The two legends of the soccer world continued their childish banter and looked into each other's eyes. And in that situation, Marisol was the first to raise the white flag.
“Enough. You know that too since you played for Barcelona. That guy's talent.”
“Hmm.... I know because I played for Barcelona? Everyone showed that much at Barcelona. You probably don't know because you didn't play with Lucia. There shouldn't be any reason to evaluate it that way, excluding the fact that he's a man?”
“So you never won a Ballon d'Or, friend.”
“……”
...It felt like he had stabbed Terien's most painful spot by raising the white flag.
“Marisol sees me as a friend. But Ryu is a guy who seems like a combination of me and Veronique. Well, the slow part is like Veronique.”
And the following words, Terien was slightly shocked. Marisol is a player with outstanding soccer skill and great pride in her own ability. Such a Marisol comparing herself to another person.
The fact that there are two such players is surprising, but the evaluation of Ryu Ha-neul as seeming like a combination of himself and Veronique is also surprising.
'...Is this sincere? It doesn't seem like it's just because you want to get attention from a man.'
“Well, it's true that interest goes beyond soccer skill.”
'This trash guy...'
“...Ryu is still a minor.”
“In Brazil, having two kids as a dad at that age isn't strange. Moreover, he's over 170 cm tall, so isn't he already an adult or something?”
“This crazy...”
“Our father had me at that age too, haha.”
“...Well, culture is different in each country.”
Terien, who was about to say a swear word, nodded his head nonchalantly after hearing Marisol's parents' story.
Actually, Ryu Ha-neul, despite being a minor, is tall and his body is already like an adult. Especially in the pro world, to survive, he must have a tough body stronger than an average adult woman, so it's not strange that there is a person like Marisol.
His face looks young because of East Asian genes, but thinking of Yoon Seo-hee, a Korean who played one season with him at Arsenal, even if he were an adult, it wouldn't look strange.
'Well, Yoon thought he was a minor when she first saw him. For a Korean to be 30, they're really amazing.'
“Why, did you suddenly become interested?”
“I thought you were like me. I'm already married.”
“Married? How many marriages? I hope this marriage lasts long, friend.”
“...I don't want to hear from a woman who doesn't even have a husband and meets multiple men.”
“Yeah, I don't want to get married three times either, so it's the same.”
'......This guy is dangerous. I should contact Lucia again after a long time.'
So Terien vowed to warn Lucia, who is currently the main player of Barcelona, and spat on the way Marisol was leaving.
*
-‘Football Emperor’ Marisol! The most anticipated player is Ryu Ha-neul!
……Meanwhile, Marisol was picked as the player most anticipated in the World Cup through today's program…….