Chapter 578: The Celebration
Cheers from the stands filled the sky as Manchester United players temporarily left the field. They were heading back to the Old Trafford locker room to shower, change into the specially prepared championship shirts, and then return to the field to receive their medals, lift the trophy, and bask in the applause of the crowd.
While the players were off the field, the celebration among the United fans in the stands continued. The excited fans created waves, their red shirts and flags rippling in unison, accompanied by loud cheers.
In one of the boxes, United's top brass, including Jassim, Giaretta, Woodward, Bobby Charlton, and other business and political figures, were also celebrating. Vanessa was among them, feeling especially happy as her relationship with Bruno was progressing well and her career was booming. It was a double success for her, leaving her feeling fulfilled and content.
Mourinho was the last to return to the locker room as he had just completed an exclusive interview with the FA's official website. As soon as he opened the door, streams of champagne hit him, blinding him momentarily. Wiping his eyes, he saw Bruno, Ibrahimovic, Harry Kane, Herrera, and others holding large bottles of champagne and spraying him.
"You guys!" Mourinho laughed.
Bruno clapped his hands to gather everyone around.
"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?" Mourinho shouted, realizing that twenty-something big guys were closing in on him. He tried to run, but Faria and Carrick pushed him back.
"You traitors," Mourinho shouted in mock anger as everyone surrounded him.
Mourinho gave in, pretending to surrender: "Don't shoot my face."
Bruno snapped his fingers, and everyone yelled in unison, "Coach, you are the best!"
"Coach, thank you for your hard work."
Mourinho's eyes watered with emotion, feeling a lump in his throat. "You guys... you guys," he choked out.
Then he bowed slightly, saying, "I also want to thank you. It's my honor to work with the best players."
Faria, moved to tears, wiped his eyes.
"Get him!" Ibrahimovic shouted, and the group unleashed another torrent of champagne on Mourinho, drenching him completely.
The United players, now dressed in their commemorative "15" championship shirts to celebrate their 15th Premier League title, returned to the field. Their appearance sparked a wave of cheers from the United fans.
A temporary stage for the award ceremony had been set up.
"Let's welcome the champions, Manchester United, to the stage," the Old Trafford announcer boomed.
The fans' excitement peaked as United's players, starting with De Gea, lined up by their shirt numbers and walked down the red carpet, high-fiving and hugging club staff along the way before stepping onto the stage.
Initially, the players invited Mourinho to be the first to step onto the stage, but he declined, insisting he would go up with his coaching staff after the players.
FA Chairman Greg Clarke, who had years of football administration experience and was a former Leicester City chairman, presented the medals. Clarke, who might become a FIFA vice-president, congratulated each player.
When Bruno stepped onto the stage, the applause and cheers reached a crescendo, clearly marking him as Old Trafford's king.
"Congratulations, Bruno," Clarke said, shaking his hand.
"Thank you, sir. Best wishes for your health," Bruno replied.
Clarke hung the medal around Bruno's neck and congratulated him again.
After the players, the coaching staff ascended the stage. When Faria, Carrick, and others went up, the fans grew even more excited, eagerly anticipating Mourinho's turn.
Though the team boasted superstars like Bruno, Ibrahimovic, Harry Kane, N'Golo Kante, and young talents like Rashford, Mbappe, and Luke Shaw, the fans also deeply appreciated their coach. They knew what the Portuguese manager had brought to the team and the miracles he had created.
Cheers erupted as Mourinho stepped onto the stage, escorting Lady Cathy Ferguson, Sir Alex Ferguson's wife. Sir Alex had suffered a brain hemorrhage earlier in the month and was recovering from surgery, unable to attend the ceremony. In his stead, Lady Cathy received his honorary championship medal.
"Madam, your husband is a great coach of a great team. I believe he will recover soon and continue to contribute to football," Clarke said, embracing the elderly lady.
"Thank you, sir," Cathy replied with a slight bow.
After receiving the medal, Lady Cathy was escorted off the stage by Carrick.
It was finally Mourinho's turn to receive his medal. Clarke shook his hand firmly. "You've surprised me, Mr. Mourinho. You've led this great team to create great history."
"Thank you, sir," Mourinho replied, smiling. "I just did my best at my job."
Clarke patted Mourinho on the shoulder and hung the medal around his neck. "I look forward to seeing even greater achievements from you," Clarke said.
"Best wishes for your health," Mourinho replied politely before turning to face the fans, lifting his medal high, receiving thunderous applause and cheers.
Then came the most significant and glorious moment. Captain Bruno received the Premier League trophy from Clarke.
As he took the trophy, the stadium announcer shouted, "And now, the champions are—"
"Manchester United!!!" over seventy thousand fans roared.
In the deafening roar, with the players counting down "Three, two, one," Bruno lifted the Premier League trophy high.
Red confetti rained down from the Old Trafford roof, fireworks lit up the night sky, and Queen's "We Are the Champions" played over the loudspeakers.
"Congratulations to Manchester United, the highest-scoring champions in Premier League history. This beautiful, miraculous fairytale has the perfect ending," the announcer said emotionally. "Congratulations to the 2017-2018 Premier League champions—Manchester United!"
Amidst the wild cheers and shouts, Mourinho stood at the center of the podium, holding the Premier League trophy high. He looked up at the night sky, adorned with red confetti and beautiful fireworks. The feeling of being a champion was truly wonderful.
Bruno took a deep breath, feeling certain: he absolutely loved this feeling. It was a sensation of pure joy and exhilaration, making every pore feel relaxed and his bones feel soft. It was a feeling he wanted to indulge in but also reminded him not to stop...
More championships and glory awaited in the future!
After the ceremony, the team held a grand parade. United had arranged double-decker buses for the celebration.
Amid the cheers of the fans, captain Bruno and coach Mourinho carried the Premier League trophy out of the stadium.
On the plaza outside Old Trafford, under the gaze of the "United Trinity" statue and tens of thousands of fans, they lifted the trophy together, igniting the crowd even more.
The parade then began, heading from Old Trafford to Manchester City Hall. Fans from around the world gathered, all ecstatic.
According to media reports, nearly 300,000 people participated in the celebration parade, an astonishing number given that Manchester's population was only around 500,000.
The Guardian reported that around 200,000 local residents and nearly 100,000 United fans from around the world joined the parade.
The climax of the parade occurred at Manchester City Hall, where the team presented the trophy to the city's mayor and council officials, receiving their congratulations.
Friends, if you enjoyed the novel, you can subscribe to my Patreon channel.
Until November 30st, get 40% off your subscription and 30% off your novel purchase.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10