As fans argued passionately, Su Hang released a personal statement:
"My respect for Ronaldo will never change. Our friendship is very deep."
"I would never wear the number 9 jersey that belongs to Ronaldo without his consent!"
"And even if it weren't Ronaldo—if it were any of my teammates—I would never take their number."
"I know a jersey number can carry meaning for a player, but I also believe I can give that number even greater meaning."
Su Hang's thoughtful response did not disappoint. It was classic Justice Su—righteous as always.
But this controversy affected someone else's mindset.
That someone was Van Nistelrooy.
...
"Pass it! Van Nistelrooy, pass it… Shit!"
On the sidelines, Capello was livid.
With Su Hang, Raúl, and Emerson all completely unmarked, Van Nistelrooy still chose to shoot. The shot slammed straight into young Kompany, leaving him on the ground gagging.
"What the hell were you thinking? Is this how Ferguson taught you to play?" Capello bellowed, pointing right at Van Nistelrooy's nose. "Did Cristiano Ronaldo rip the passing button off your controller?"
"You hate him for not passing—then why don't you pass?"
"Or do you think no one on this team deserves a pass from you?"
"Be professional, Van Nistelrooy! Stop focusing only on your own performance! Stop thinking you can solve everything alone. We're a team. Trust your teammates!"
Emerson's face darkened. As Real Madrid's midfield core, how could Van Nistelrooy ignore him like that?
Raúl didn't mind—his temperament was always calm.
Su Hang, meanwhile, immediately ran over to check on Kompany and signaled for the medical team.
Fortunately, Kompany was tough and not seriously hurt.
Soon after, Van Nistelrooy was subbed off. Su Hang shifted to center forward, and Robinho came on.
After the training match, Su Hang approached the silent and frustrated Van Nistelrooy.
"Van Nistelrooy, did something happen?" Su Hang asked while packing up. "If you're feeling something, you can tell me. I can talk to Mr. Capello."
Seeing no response, Su Hang added, "Or is it something else? Do you need to speak with the management? Or is it a family issue?"
Van Nistelrooy hadn't planned to just brush it off—Su Hang was the captain, and he couldn't ignore him.
But then he remembered what people said about Su Hang.
He really could influence Real Madrid's boardroom decisions—and even their transfers.
That Modrić, who was practically nobody in the team right now? Su Hang had forced the club to sign him.
Modrić: ???
"I heard from Mr. Capello that you volunteered to give up the central position for me," Van Nistelrooy finally said. "I'm not afraid of competition, but… I want to say thank you."
"I didn't come to Real Madrid to wind down my career. I want to make the most of every minute left—I'm already thirty."
"But Real Madrid's attitude toward the number 9 jersey is making me uneasy."
Su Hang paused. "You mean… you want the number 9?"
Van Nistelrooy shook his head repeatedly. "No, not at all. I'm perfectly happy with number 17. I'm not trying to challenge your status here—I just want to play good football."
"Honestly, with your current reputation, Real Madrid has every reason to give you the number 9. Even if you refuse it, once they sell Ronaldo, that number will undoubtedly be yours."
"But they haven't sold him yet. So are the higher-ups expecting him to lie in a hospital bed for four months, then come back and push me to the bench?"
"I don't want to become the next Morientes. I won't give my spot to anyone! And I hate that guy Ronaldo!"
It was clear Cristiano Ronaldo had left Van Nistelrooy with unpleasant memories.
And to make things worse, Ferguson had taken sides.
Van Nistelrooy thought leaving Manchester United meant escaping Ronaldo's "oppression," only to find this Ronaldo towering over him again at Real Madrid.
Who wouldn't be frustrated?
"I understand, I really do," Su Hang said. "And actually, I know some internal info. Trust me, Van Nistelrooy—Ronaldo isn't going to threaten your position."
"I can't say more, or Calderón will sue me for leaking secrets."
Van Nistelrooy nodded, visibly relieved.
It sounded unbelievable, but that was the reality of Ronaldo's aura.
Once he recovered, no matter who the center forward was or how well he played—even the king of the six-yard box had to move aside.
Later, Su Hang met with Capello to clear up the misunderstanding.
Van Nistelrooy wasn't trying to be selfish; he was just desperate to improve his numbers so he'd have leverage when Ronaldo returned.
But if Ronaldo wasn't returning at all, Van Nistelrooy didn't need to be a slave to stats.
Capello then passed the matter to Calderón.
Real Madrid's board immediately launched into heated discussions.
Ronaldo could no longer help the team—and was creating problems across the board.
Even the jersey number was an issue: as long as he stayed, Su Hang would never accept the number 9.
So… they had to sell Ronaldo.
But given the alien's immense influence, Real Madrid couldn't do it openly.
It had to be done quietly.
After discreetly reaching out to several clubs, AC Milan showed interest.
They had just lost Shevchenko. Signing Ronaldo could turn their commercial prospects around, and their on-field performance might not drop off either.
Even in his fragile state, countless people still believed Ronaldo could return to his peak once healthy.
In fact, right up until his retirement, many fans believed he could return to his glory days.
During this era, Ronaldo wasn't just a player—he was practically a belief.
But AC Milan had just been penalized, and the Calciopoli case was ongoing. Ronaldo didn't want to join, and Milan lacked sincerity—they even tried to lowball Real Madrid.
Real Madrid, however, stood firm.
In the end, AC Milan backed down.
They bought Ronaldo for €20 million.
This transfer became the biggest story at the close of the summer window.
Don't think this price was low. Originally, Ronaldo was supposed to join AC Milan in January for just €7.5 million.
Now the fee had nearly tripled.
And Ronaldo was still injured—meaning Milan paid €20 million for half a season of him.
That's the equivalent of €40 million per full season.
Still the going rate for a top-tier Forward.
Ronaldo's influence needed no further proof.
Of course, this price was also possible because Real Madrid still had Su Hang and Van Nistelrooy—they no longer relied on Ronaldo. They had the leverage to drag negotiations out.
So credit also went to Su Hang.
It looked like renewing his contract cost Real Madrid some extra money, but didn't this deal recover €13 million right away?
If you nickel-and-dime Su Hang, he'll play the long game with you.
But if you show him respect, he'll make you rich.