Olympiacos' center back tried to shift his weight at the last moment, but his tackling foot was already halfway extended.
In the scramble, his left and right feet tangled awkwardly, and he tripped himself up.
Bang!
Su Hang's thunderous strike inside the penalty area rang out at the exact same moment the Olympiacos defender crashed to the ground.
The next instant—
The ball smashed into the top corner of the net!
The Bernabéu fell into stunned silence.
Only when Su Hang sprinted to the corner flag, leapt into the air, spun 180 degrees mid-flight, and landed with a thud,
did the Madridistas snap out of the shock from that unbelievable chain of stepovers.
Then came the loudest roar of the night:
"Siuuuuu!"
With his back to the crowd, Su Hang stood tall—like a god descending onto the pitch.
The camera cut to the superstars' faces.
Rivaldo's eyes were wide with shock, as if he were seeing Ronaldo for the very first time all over again.
Likewise, Zidane, Figo, Raúl, and the rest could hardly believe it.
They knew the old Su Hang never would have pulled off stepovers—let alone a chain of them.
But this guy's ability to learn… was frightening.
To these veterans, Su Hang's natural talent seemed ordinary.
But every player past thirty understood one truth:
Even an average player, if he keeps improving, will eventually climb to the very top.
And in Su Hang, they saw that steady progress.
"He's not born a Ronaldo," Zidane muttered softly, "but sooner or later, he'll become the real Ronaldo."
"He might even… surpass Ronaldo."
...
Marca: "Real Madrid beat Olympiacos 4-2 to claim their first Champions League victory of the season!"
AS: "Rivaldo bags a brace, proving the old master still has his edge. Zidane and Figo score as Ballon d'Or winners shine!"
Bild: "Three Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player winners share the spotlight with their goals, but Su Hang steals it with two strikes in the final three minutes!"
Sky Sports: "Golden Ball clash produces a surprise hero! Apart from Su Hang, every scorer tonight is already a world-beater!"
Gazzetta dello Sport: "A magical second round! Lyon's youngster Benzema nets his first Champions League goal, breaking the record as the youngest scorer! Real Madrid captain Su Hang scores twice on his Champions League debut!"
Bild: "It's not just Robinho who can pull off stepovers—Su Hang can too! With a dazzling chain of stepovers that sent his marker the wrong way, Su Hang scored a goal for the ages!"
Kicker: "Real Madrid's tactical changes bring three straight wins! From three defeats to three victories, people are starting to understand the true meaning of the Galácticos!"
"The Galácticos don't just mean Real Madrid—they mean Real Madrid with Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo, Beckham, Raúl, Carlos, and Su Hang!"
...
After the match, Rivaldo praised Su Hang in an interview:
"When I first read in the media that Real Madrid's academy had produced the next Ronaldo, I scoffed."
"There can never be another Ronaldo. He's unique—we all know that."
"But after tonight, I have to admit, Su Hang is outstanding."
"He has strength, speed, agility, and intelligence. He has the instincts of a true goal scorer."
"He may still have shortcomings in other areas, but at his age, his potential is limitless."
"He will become a great player."
Of course, as a "Barça legend," Rivaldo was asked to compare Su Hang with Messi and Robinho:
"Who do you think will achieve more—Robinho, Messi, or Su Hang?"
Rivaldo: "Robinho is very good. He's the typical Brazilian player—his football is more dazzling than the other two."
"But he hasn't proven himself in La Liga yet. He still has a way to go."
"Messi, in my opinion, is almost a perfect player. He combines the best of South American and European football. His touch and natural talent are second to none."
"And Messi has grown up in La Liga. From last season to this season, he's already a starter for Barcelona. In that sense, he's ahead of Robinho."
"But Su Hang… sorry, Su Hang isn't even on the same level as them."
"Su Hang has already proven himself—winning multiple trophies for his team and rescuing them countless times. He's already a mature superstar."
"To compare newcomers like Robinho and Messi with Su Hang is disrespectful to Su Hang."
Messi: ???
Robinho: ???
There's no doubt Rivaldo's interview would be dug up time and again in the future, cementing Su Hang's standing in the football world.
Returning the compliment, Su Hang praised Rivaldo's form in his own post-match interview:
"Unbelievable! It's hard to imagine a player at his age being in such incredible shape."
"Rivaldo, Zidane, Figo—they've completely changed my view of players over thirty."
"We always think young players have unlimited potential, but now I believe these veterans are the true treasures of the team."
"To be honest, Barcelona should have done everything possible to keep Rivaldo. Just look at their results after he left—you'll understand how much he was worth."
Rivaldo gave a thumbs-up in response.
In recent years, Barcelona had gone trophyless.
The Galácticos may have fallen short of their grand expectations, but they still had no problem grinding Barcelona into the dirt.
No wonder Barça were furious at this interview.
...
Not long after, Su Hang came to appreciate Rivaldo even more.
Because this was a man who didn't just talk well—he backed it up with action.
"Ding! Rivaldo applauds your performance and gives a thumbs-up to what you said in the interview. He believes you're excellent, but still lack variety in your dribbling. Compared to Messi, your left foot is weaker. So he gifts you the skills 'Brazilian Knee Flick Dribble' and 'Left-Footed Prodigy.'"
Brazilian Knee Flick Dribble (Superstar skill): Brazilian football is like the samba—dreamlike and passionate, fiery and swift.
Your dribbling, acceleration, agility, and Offensive Awareness all improve.
For three seconds after using this skill, your explosive speed receives an extra boost.
Left-Footed Prodigy (Legendary skill): Rivaldo, Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, was once hailed as the left-footed prodigy. His left foot was simply unbelievable.
Your left foot will reach 70% of your dominant foot's ability.
During a match, once you reach the required number of left-foot touches, there's a chance to activate the "Golden Left Foot" effect. Your next pass or shot with your left foot will perform at 150%–300% of its usual effectiveness.
As a result, Su Hang's Offensive Awareness, dribbling, and Explosiveness rose to 83, 72, and 82.
Agility was unlocked as well, reaching 70.
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
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