Su Hang, who had slipped into the penalty area unnoticed, suddenly emerged from behind the Spanish Center Back and his teammate Van Nistelrooy.
The two defenders were locked in a fierce battle for position, leaving Su Hang completely unmarked—perfect conditions for a goal-line finish.
Thud!
Su Hang charged toward the near post, leaped into the air, let the ball roll past his left foot, then swept his right foot behind him to flick it with his heel.
The ball's trajectory shifted instantly, ricocheting into the net.
Van Nistelrooy, watching from behind Su Hang, was utterly dumbfounded.
He already sensed an ominous foreboding about his future at Real Madrid.
Su Hang's finishing ability was exceptional!
His strength, explosiveness, shooting technique, vision, and movement were all outstanding.
Van Nistelrooy was nearly as exceptional... but he was already thirty years old.
Su Hang had just turned twenty.
With Real Madrid now possessing such a formidable goal-scoring Forward, what exactly was Van Nistelrooy doing here?
It seemed... he could only draw defenders away to assist Su Hang?
Wait... weren't both those goals just now created that way?
This damn... wasn't he reverting to his supporting role days at Manchester United?
The difference was, at United, Cristiano Ronaldo created chances for himself but never for Van Nistelrooy.
Su Hang at Real Madrid needs Van Nistelrooy to create chances for him.
Comparatively, the latter scenario is clearly more exploitative, yet Van Nistelrooy seems to accept it!
This guy... isn't that just bizarre!
"Su Hang again! Four to one! Su Hang is on fire!"
"No suspense left! Though both teams still have one more match, this Supercopa de España clearly belongs to Real Madrid!"
"Let's congratulate Su Hang for securing Real Madrid's third consecutive Supercopa de España title! This trophy now stands as his most frequently won award!"
"This isn't Su Hang's first four-goal performance—he's red-hot right now!"
"Of course, we must note this surge came after Real Madrid's substitutions. Compared to the first half, Su Hang was far more lethal in the second."
"That's Zidane's impact. He doesn't just elevate Su Hang—his presence makes Real Madrid's entire machine run smoother."
"Robinho gets his chances precisely because Zidane always
delivers the ball at the perfect moment."
"Honestly, Emerson's control of the game still falls short of Zidane's by a Ronaldinho!"
Ronaldinho: What? Last year I was the world's best, and now I'm not even as good as Zidane?
...
In the 86th minute, the Bernabéu fans were already preparing to celebrate.
Zidane controlled the ball centrally, with Su Hang dropping back to receive.
After Zidane played the ball out, Su Hang turned and drove forward along the flank.
The lead allowed Su Hang no need to rush a pass to the overlapping Carlos.
He began a stepover.
The motion lacked the fluidity of Robinho's, but its speed was blistering.
Clearly, this was the Electro-Shock Step-over!
Thud!
Su Hang flicked the ball to accelerate, brushing past the Spanish Defensive Midfielder.
With the Electro-Shock Step-over's boost, his 90 burst was nearly unstoppable.
Su Hang instantly beat his marker.
Facing the advancing Center Back, his explosiveness granted Su Hang an earlier touch. He lightly tapped the ball, half-turned, pulled it back, then half-turned again.
A high-speed Marseille turn swept past the defender's entire world.
Even Zidane would have to give Su Hang a thumbs-up for that dribble.
High-speed Marseille Turns are notoriously difficult to control and inherently dangerous.
A single collision disrupts your balance, guaranteeing a fall.
Moreover, the move leaves your back exposed—an area vulnerable to impact—making injury likely.
That's why Beanpole strikers should never attempt high-speed Marseille Turns.
Got that, Modrić?
But Su Hang's Strength and power meant he didn't need to worry about that. Even if he took a hit, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
Then, facing the charging Spanish goalkeeper, Su Hang didn't even glance at the unmarked Van Nistelrooy calling for the ball nearby.
Thud!
A flick of the toe.
The ball arced like a rainbow, perfectly sailing over the keeper's head and into the net.
Van Nistelrooy's muttered "dammit" instantly turned into "Holy shit!"
Only such an exclamation could mask his frustration at being ignored.
But no one heard Van Nistelrooy's heartfelt "Holy shit," drowned out by the fans' deafening roar.
The Bernabéu erupted with the loudest cheer to welcome their first match and victory of the season.
Nearly 80,000 fans chanted in unison: "Siu!"
"Siu!"
"Siuuuuuuu!"
Su Hang raised both arms, basking in the fans' adulation like a king, without a trace of modesty.
His sheer talent no longer permitted him to stay low-key!
"If Zidane was the perfect midfielder, then Su Hang is the perfect striker."
"Zidane came off the bench and completed a hat-trick of assists in just forty minutes!"
"Perhaps only now do we truly grasp how utterly wasteful Zidane's retirement decision was!"
"It was a squandering of his talent! He wasn't ready to retire—he remains one of the world's greatest midfielders!"
"Two years ago, I declared Ronaldinho's era had arrived. But now, forgive me for retracting that statement—this remains Zidane's era!"
"What must be most disheartening for Ronaldinho is that even when Zidane's era ends, the next one will likely belong to Su Hang!"
"He kicked off this season with a five-goal performance! He's carried his peak form from last season and the World Cup into this campaign at the Bernabéu."
"Real Madrid fans have every reason to be excited about this season!"
"Florentino may have left, but the Galácticos haven't disbanded!"
...
Minutes later, the referee's whistle signaled the end of the match.
The Bernabéu erupted in celebration as Real Madrid players circled the pitch to thank the home fans for their attendance and support.
Su Hang's five goals earned him the Man of the Match award.
Reporters approached him for an interview: "Congratulations, Su Hang. Your performance truly lives up to the 'Emperor Su' nickname fans have given you."
"Real seemed to struggle in the first half and even fell behind. What are your thoughts on that?"
This was a sensitive question, as acknowledging it would imply the substituted players had underperformed.
Su Hang: "That's not accurate. The game is a collective effort. The goals scored in the second half are undoubtedly linked to the setup in the first half."
"Raúl, Beckham, Emerson—they all contributed to this victory."
"Our overall performance was excellent."
"In terms of details, due to personnel changes and adjustments in the coach's tactics, we still need to refine our play."
"But I believe this match will earn the fans' trust in us."
"We ourselves will only get better."
Reporter: "Have you considered the team's goals for this season?"
Su Hang: "To quote those media outlets who believe Zidane isn't worthy of the crown yet, Real Madrid's goal this season is 'any trophy will do.'"
The reporter froze.
If 'any trophy will do,' then doesn't this Supercopa de España...
Everyone turned to look at Zidane.
Zizou… the King?
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser