From Arsenal to the Ball God

Mid-Season Best, Season’s Best!

Swept!

If he’s not afraid of being called puerile and arrogant, he might as well grab a microphone and sing a song to the other 23 team players—being invincible is so lonely...

Minus 1 team, you have to add Sheffield United’s players in too.

Just joking around, Ma’el had no intention of actually doing such a thing, and he soon saw the host inviting two more award presenters on stage.

One was Sheffield United’s owner McCabe, his old acquaintance, and the other he hadn’t seen before, introduced as the Championship League representative from The English FA.

One held a golden boot, while the other held a gold-trimmed crystal cup with an inside-of-the-foot pass shape on it.

”This is a historic moment!”

The female host’s voice was full of passion, brimming with enthusiasm: ”Before this, no one has ever simultaneously broken records to win the Golden Boot and Assist King in the Premier League, and nearly none in other European leagues.”

Actually, if you narrow it down to leagues with a certain level of competition, Ma’el’s achievements are practically unheard of.

She could easily say the first in Europe’s mainstream leagues, the first in the world’s mainstream leagues.

But as an official host, she couldn’t say that; she must count all the world’s minor leagues.

In those leagues, occasionally such situations do occur.

”2 million pounds.”

When McCabe came beside Ma’el, he didn’t say anything else but happily brought up the bonus: ”You haven’t missed out on a single penny, haha... but I’m still happy; having you is our luck.

”Compared to what you’ve done for us, paying some cash is already good.”

He hugged Ma’el briefly, handed the Golden Boot Award to him, and stepped back with a smile.

The other award presenter came over, handed the Assist King trophy to Ma’el, and said simply: ”Well done.”

Ma’el smiled as he embraced these two honors truly to his chest, unable to hold a third one with his hands, he could only tuck the Assist King trophy under his arm.

”Click-click!” Media photographers frantically took pictures by the side, capturing this rare scene where someone had won so many awards in one season that they couldn’t hold all the trophies.

After the photos, he went offstage for a new round of photos with his family, then was surrounded by his teammates and their families who rushed towards him.

”Ma’el, one shot!”

”Congratulations.”

”With these three awards, I’d be grinning from ear to ear even with just one, but having them all, I have no idea what you feel.”

Standing in the middle of the field, Ma’el felt his smile becoming a bit mechanical for his companions’ photos, feeling for the first time his facial muscles were this fatigued.

When all this was over, he finally had time to rest and ponder over his current mood.

What kind of mood is this?

Thinking back on the bits and pieces of this season, feeling the weighty trophies in his embrace, he looked up and murmured to himself: ”Let’s consider it a good beginning, a good ending!”

At least when returning to the Premier League, he will no longer be a penniless young player.

But rather the Championship League Season’s Best Player, Mid-Season Best Player, Championship Golden Boot Award, Championship League Assist King!

He will charge back onto that coveted field with the influence of sweeping the three major awards!

”Ma’el.”

Before leaving the field, after spending much time with his family, Garrispeed and Jorson approached, coming beside Ma’el seemingly with something to say.

But when they reached him, they simply smiled foolishly with excitement, unable to utter a single word.

”Pleasant cooperation.”

”...Pleasant cooperation.”

After holding back for a long time, the trio finally managed these few words as if thousands of words were left unsaid.

They formed a triangle, hugging each other, patting each other’s backs, using body language and expressions to convey the surges in their hearts.