From Arsenal to the Ball God

”The results are in! Congratulations to him! The Puskás Award for Goal of the Year goes to Ma’el!”

The voice of the host, He Wei, in the CCTV-5 studio carried a touch of poetry, ”A year and a half ago, in the capital of Wales, in the port city on the border of England, at Cardiff City Stadium!

”At that time, the young man donned the number 31 jersey of Sheffield United, marking his professional debut!

”In that match, he assisted twice, seemingly carrying the label of a genius since bursting onto the scene!

”But, I think, including Ma’el himself, no one could have predicted that his rise would be so steady, so rapid!”

”Under the spotlight of the Zurich hall, the illustrious Messi, fresh from winning the quintuple with Barcelona, was applauding him, and Javi was also celebrating for him!

”These are among the world’s best footballers, who, along with me and you in front of the TV, witnessed Ma’el’s extraordinary brilliance at 18, as he reached a small peak in his career!

”What is Messi thinking? What is Javi thinking? We may never know, but we are aware of the excitement within ourselves, a happiness we cherish!

”Let’s ponder together, at this moment, in London, in Paris, in the little taverns by the Thames River, surely Arsenal fans are cheering for him, and his admirers are screaming for him!

”He will be the future leader of the France team! The iconic figure of Arsenal! A beacon for the younger generation, the hope of world football!

”Those who admire him will treat him as their Holy Grail, because he seldom disappoints; he always brings joy to people!”

”From Ferguson’s eyes, we saw complexity and envy, from Guardiola’s, astonishment at that goal, the award-winning goal currently replaying on the giant screen at the venue!

”Having him is a blessing, just like how Manchester United once and Real Madrid now have Ronaldo, or how Barcelona has Messi, has Habib!

”He might just return Arsenal to glory, offer Wenger a renewed hope for championship victories towards the end of his career!

”He can only tread the path to legend! Developing step by step, attaining honors gradually isn’t usually what geniuses aspire for; they always want to do something special, achieve it all early!

”Congratulations to him, Leon Maerel! After this award ceremony, he will take a crucial step towards superstardom!

”From any angle, he fits the part; he possesses football skills that amaze all football enthusiasts, looks that captivate girls, and a physique that boys envy!”

”The phenomenon of... 41 advertisement covers, with 40 coming from the same player, might one day make a comeback in the world of football!

”In conclusion, ending with the player! If today’s version could look back, perhaps he’d see the self that practiced on muddy fields, recall the confusion, the pain, the bitterness of sweat dripping into the mouth back then!

”But as he looks forward, the path ahead blossoms with success, the red carpet of achievement crisscrossing, laid all the way to his doorstep!”

After finishing this long commentary, He Wei picked up his water cup and drank two sips of Pu’er tea. A slight hoarseness rose in his throat as he smiled gently.

But he did not regret it, seeing that youthful, spirited boy on the camera, witnessing his flawless face and the vitality in his disposition; he was deserving of all the praise.

Perhaps many do not have opportunities like Ma’el, but simply sitting somewhere or lying somewhere watching him brings a sense of beauty.

...

”Clap, clap.....!”

At the Korni Training Base, inside the first team meeting room, everyone present witnessed the first moment Ma’el received the Puskás Award.

”Nice!”

”He did it!”

”It’s his!”

In terms of prestige, the Puskás Award falls short compared to the Golden Ball Award, but it also depends on who wins it.

If it’s a player from third or fourth-tier leagues in Asia or America, someone who isn’t remarkable but lands the award for an occasional miracle ball, it might not cause much of a buzz.

At most, it brings the player attention and etches his name permanently in the history of world football.

But if it is someone who has already displayed extraordinary form at Arsenal, currently topping the Premier League scorer chart with 23 goals this season, winning it, that’s different.

Ma’el’s current statistics already exhibit a superstar’s performance, the player urgently needs some prestigious awards and championships to solidify his celestial stature, the accumulation of these honors is crucial!

With this award, he enters a whole new stage, whether in terms of personal influence, commercial value, or fan experience.

Everything changes!

”I also want a Puskás Award.” Van Persie, a connoisseur of miracle balls, looked at Ma’el holding the trophy, eyes brimming with envy, ”I hope to fulfill this wish within my career.”

”Who doesn’t want it.” Alexander Song stared blankly at Ma’el delivering his acceptance speech, looking at his glamour and splendor, couldn’t help but twitch.

People always envy things that seem close yet remain unattainable.

For Alexander Song, his style of play virtually ruled out the possibility of receiving this award, he couldn’t unleash a Ronaldo-like long shot, nor could he accomplish Ma’el’s dribbles.