At first, both sides held back, letting other brands take the first shot at testing Su Hang's value.
But it didn't take long for them to realize—there would be no bargain-hunting this time.
Adidas stepped in first with a massive five-year, €25 million contract, directly matching Cristiano Ronaldo's deal.
Judging by accolades alone, Su Hang had already surpassed Ronaldo at this stage.
But Ronaldo had been famous for two or three years by now, staying red-hot the entire time. He had essentially inherited all of Beckham's resources at Manchester United, making him a star with enormous athletic and commercial value.
Aside from his club salary, practically all his endorsement deals were top-tier.
Nike quickly responded with a five-year, €30 million offer.
In other industries, athletes usually don't envy one another's endorsements—it's outside their expertise.
But this Nike offer was so astronomical that plenty of players couldn't help feeling jealous.
Su Hang's yearly endorsement fee was now higher than Messi's entire five-year total.
And Messi's annual earnings were already more than what many unknown or mid-tier players made in three to five years.
Soon after, Adidas returned with new terms.
They matched Nike's five-year, €30 million deal and promised to immediately produce Su Hang's custom boots—giving him true superstar treatment.
Roberto Baggio's Diadora boots from the 1994 World Cup—the pair he wore when he sent that penalty into the sky.
The Mercury boots Ronaldo hung around his neck after losing the 1998 World Cup final.
Zidane's golden Predator boots from this year's World Cup.
Beckham's Predator 5… All symbols of football royalty.
No player could resist this kind of temptation—just as no author refuses a book deal, no musician refuses an album release, no TV actor refuses a movie role.
At this level, money is no longer the main factor.
But Nike once again outbid Adidas.
Five years, €35 million.
Plus custom boots.
A full house—nothing beats it.
Under these conditions, Su Hang requested a face-to-face with Adidas executives.
He told them the money didn't matter much. What he really wanted was to realize his personal dream of design.
The Adidas executives lit up immediately, saying Su Hang could participate in the design process of the boots.
But Su Hang kept shaking his head.
Only in the end did he reveal what he truly wanted—his own footwear brand, "Siu," and for it to become an Adidas sub-brand as a condition for signing.
He wanted to follow Jordan's path and build his own version of AJ.
Adidas refused outright at first. But when Su Hang mentioned Nike's extensive experience in this area, their stance softened.
The two sides then began the first round of discussions—equity shares, profit distribution ratios, capital exchange proportions, contract duration, and more.
After several follow-up meetings, they reached an agreement.
Most details remain undisclosed.
Financial Times: "Battle for the 'King of Football' Ends! Adidas Signs Su Hang for Five Years, €20 Million!"
Forbes: "Why Did Su Hang Reject Nike's €35 Million for Adidas' €20 Million? The Hidden Reason: He Wants to Be the Next Jordan!"
Business Weekly: "The AJ Legacy Lives On! Adidas Announces New Sub-Brand 'Siu' with Su Hang!"
CBN: "Su Hang Loses Up to €4 Million Per Year by Choosing Adidas! But If Siu Recreates the AJ Myth, He Could Earn at Least €10 Million Annually!"
Economic Observer: "Su Hang's Biggest Career Gamble Begins! If the Siu venture fails, he could lose over €20 million!"
The London Globe: "8%! Adidas' Siu Brand Reveals Name of Su Hang's First Signature Boot—Eight Percent!
This number represents the probability analysts gave Spain of winning the World Cup before the final!
The name not only commemorates Spain's victory, but also stands for an unyielding spirit."
Sky Sports: "Su Hang Launches a New Era in Boot Endorsements! More Superstars May Demand Their Own Signature Brands from Nike and Adidas."
Los Angeles Daily: "The NBA Model Is Taking Root in European Football. Europeans don't know how to monetize—leave that to the Americans!"
The Wall Street Journal: "Su Hang's Wealth and Influence Are Soaring. An American-style system could revolutionize European football. Establishing an NBA-like football league in Europe would be priceless! I call it the European Super League!"
...
By August, Real Madrid had begun their preseason training.
New and returning players arrived one after another.
The day before, Capello had personally visited Su Hang's home.
National team, club, achievements, honors, team standing, commercial value, public image… This summer, Su Hang elevated every part of his career to its peak.
What does it mean to be a "hexagonal player"?
This—this is the real thing.
If Calderón needed to travel to Sichuan just to hold onto his position, how much more would a coach like Capello need to show respect?
Earlier, some people couldn't understand why Su Hang wouldn't give Calderón the slightest courtesy in their contract talks, which made things appear far more strained than they actually were.
But it wasn't tense at all.
Calderón still keeps regular contact with Su Hang even now, frequently inviting him to elite private gatherings.
So where's the supposed grudge?
If Su Hang hadn't taken that hardline stance during negotiations, he would never have earned Calderón's current respect.
Never analyze the actions of people dealing with tens or hundreds of millions of euros using the mindset of ordinary individuals.
Different positions mean different priorities, different ways of expressing them.
Times change.
Many believe that being consistent forever is a noble virtue.
But in reality, it's arrogant—and selfish.
When your identity, status, and wealth expand rapidly, maintaining the same behavior as before only sends the wrong signals, harming both you and others.
If, as a celebrity, you still walk around openly without disguise, you'll cause traffic jams and inconvenience countless commuters.
As a leader, every emotion you show carries extra meaning. If you appear too soft, too uncertain, too approachable, many people around you will suffer the consequences.
Raúl is the perfect ordinary man—but he is not a great leader.
And don't forget, Su Hang is now the leader of Real Madrid's Spanish clique.
If Calderón could easily manipulate him, then the rest of the players would be at Calderón's mercy—signed or benched at will.
So why did Raúl, Guti, Casillas, Helguera, and Salgado support Su Hang?
From the viewpoint of a "spiritual shareholder," Su Hang now stands in opposition to the club—a true Ball hog.
But players have always been the natural opposition to the club.
A team's success has never depended on whether it has Ball hogs.
If a season ends in excellent results, even if everyone is a Ball hog, it's still a great team.
If the results are poor, even if everyone is well-behaved and loved by management, it's still a bad team.
...
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