Late December 2009.
The World Cup group stage draw was held at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa.
The ceremony was hosted by FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke and South African actress Charlize Theron. The draw assistants included David Beckham and several renowned African sports figures.
First, Pot 1, consisting of the host nation and the top seven ranked teams, filled the top spots in each group. From that moment, the future Ho-young remembered began to change.
In the future he knew, England should have been in Pot 1. Instead, France took that place.
Due to Capello's struggles and France's strong performances, the FIFA rankings had shifted.
As a result, Group A consisted of South Africa, Mexico, England, and Uruguay.
Moreover, Beckham, who handled the positional draw, placed England in the second slot, meaning the opening match would be South Africa versus England.
Meanwhile, South Korea, drawn into Group B alongside Argentina, Greece, and Nigeria, was placed in the fourth position due to Beckham's draw.
'Our first match is Nigeria. Originally, we were supposed to face Greece first.'
Watching the live broadcast on TV, Ho-young swallowed hard.
The future he remembered had changed slightly.
'Did I somehow influence Beckham?'
No matter how small, the butterfly effect could not be ignored.
Looking back, it made sense.
When he transferred from São Paulo to Real Madrid, he had caused various changes.
Zidane postponed his retirement. Pérez remained as president. As a result, Beckham enjoyed a better final chapter of his career.
Those changes altered Beckham's life, which ultimately led to a different outcome in today's draw.
'That means our last match is Argentina?'
Facing Argentina with exhausted legs would be nothing short of a disaster.
'This World Cup will be all or nothing.'
If they won against Nigeria and Greece, the schedule would become much more manageable. If not, even reaching the Round of 16 would lead to a brutal path.
Furthermore, with England placed in Group A instead of France, their potential Round of 16 opponent could be Uruguay, England, or Mexico. Nothing was predictable.
Christmas Eve, 2009.
Real Madrid held their annual luncheon.
However, the atmosphere was far from cheerful.
It was hard to believe this was a team achieving remarkable results.
There was visible tension between the players and the board, mainly due to dissatisfaction over the wage structure.
There were also rumors circulating about a "release list" within the club.
Everyone tried to keep it quiet, but the information had already leaked.
President Calderón had already distanced himself from certain players.
He may have thought he was subtle, but the players noticed.
Looking in that direction, Marcelo spoke first.
"How can this be fair?"
Marcelo, who had gained more playing time this year, had been promised a wage increase due to his rising profile.
But after sporting director Ángel was dismissed, that promise disappeared.
Calderón insisted that wages should be based on ability and statistics, not popularity.
"It's getting harder to feel attached to this place. What if we all get replaced? Young, what do you think?"
"This is a crucial period. The chances are low, unless the financial situation is extremely serious."
"Hm."
Marcelo glanced around to make sure there were no cameras and lowered his voice.
"I heard the financial situation is terrible. They say the contracts with Adidas and bwin fell short of expectations."
Marcelo, who seemed to know every rumor inside the club, spoke freely.
"I heard we have the highest debt in the world."
"Higher than Manchester United?"
"That's what they say."
Whether true or not, that would be an enormous figure.
But high debt did not automatically mean financial crisis.
Manchester United carried heavy debt as well, yet their revenue was massive, so they did not need to tighten their belts.
Real Madrid, however, was different.
Their revenue was enormous, but their debt was overwhelming.
They had already accumulated massive liabilities, pulled forward more than two years of budget, and even failed in key business ventures. The situation could not help but be serious.
On top of that, player dissatisfaction was rising sharply, making the future uncertain.
For footballers, late December feels like early morning.
With matches resuming in early January, vacations wind down. Players begin participating in commercials, TV appearances, and other promotional events.
Requests usually come through agents or the club. While not mandatory, attending major events benefits the players as well.
This year, Ho-young had received hundreds of requests.
But since the season was ongoing, he could only accept a few.
Most were short commitments like commercials or magazine interviews. Lucci handled every detail of his schedule meticulously.
As Ho-young's fame grew, Lucci became busier, and his face looked increasingly radiant.
Naturally, the scale of income was growing exponentially.
Like the saying, one well-raised child is better than ten others, Euro Export e PRD Ltda was expanding into a major agency thanks to Ho-young.
They were already well known in Spain and Brazil. Players and prospects were knocking on the door, hoping to join the same agency as Ho-young.
"You look happy. Smiling all day."
"Just today, the company earned 300,000 euros. Of course I'm happy. Money really is the best."
Late at night in Ho-young's room, Lucci continued.
"But more than that, what gives me fulfillment is watching the players I represent grow. It feels like just yesterday you won the Golden Boy, and now you're among the 30 Ballon d'Or nominees."
About two months earlier, the final 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or had been announced, and Ho-young's name was on the list.
Realistically, first place was unlikely. But perhaps he could reach the top five.
That alone would be the youngest ever.
"Lucci, be honest. What place do you think I'll get?"
"I'd say fourth."
"Heh. Then I'll boldly say third."
It was not a prediction, but a wish.
Although he had not won the Champions League, he had claimed the Golden Shoe. It was not unreasonable to aim that high.
The Ballon d'Or ceremony took place on December 28 in Paris.
After attending the Montaigu Tournament ambassador appointment ceremony, Ho-young headed to the awards.
The atmosphere was more relaxed than expected.
Many who knew they would not win did not attend, but Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi, Iniesta, Eto'o, and Kaká were present.
"Woo!"
Kaká, dressed in an elegant suit, approached Ho-young.
"I knew you'd show up."
"Just here to observe. Next time, I'll come to win."
"What? You've already given up today?"
"Am I the only one?"
"Hahaha. Then should we go congratulate Ronaldo in advance?"
"No. He's probably rehearsing his acceptance speech. He's been preparing for days."
"Sounds like you've gotten close to him."
"Somewhat. But not as close as we are."
"Hahaha!"
In a good mood, Kaká placed a hand on Ho-young's shoulder and lowered his voice.
"So when are you coming to AC Milan?"
"What? Suddenly?"
"You promised. We'd play together someday."
"Then why didn't you come to Madrid?"
"Calderón didn't really want me. So you should come. Galliani and we always want you."
"Haha. But for some reason, I don't fully trust Vice President Galliani's words."
As they chatted lightly, the rankings were announced.
Fourth place went to Kaká, who had won the FIFA Confederations Cup MVP and Golden Boot, and tied for Serie A top scorer.
And then.
[<3> Ho-young Woo]
Third place went to Ho-young, who had claimed the 08-09 Champions League Golden Shoe.
Second place was Lionel Messi, who had won the Champions League Bronze Shoe, Copa del Rey, and finished second in La Liga scoring, totaling 40 goals.
First place was Cristiano Ronaldo.
'So close.'
He was grateful, but being third left a slight sting.
Messi's Hidden Condition 2 required finishing above Messi in the Ballon d'Or rankings.
But this season.
If he excelled in the Champions League and the World Cup, it was achievable.
That made next year crucial.
January 2010.
As the winter transfer window opened, many players changed clubs.
Real Madrid moved quickly, placing unnecessary players on the transfer list.
Van Nistelrooy, Garay, and Mahamadou Diarra were sold before contract renewals.
Despite that, the team continued its winning streak.
They crushed CSKA Moscow in the Champions League Round of 16 and advanced to the quarterfinals. In the league, they added 10 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, reaching 70 points after 26 matches.
As the team thrived, Ho-young's talents grew as well.
[Ho-young]
[Possessed Talents: Unrivaled Finishing Ability (W+2), Football Prodigy Without Precedent (W), Immaculate Playmaking (W), Thunder Thighs of Cha Boom (L), Ball Mastery at Its Peak (SSS+3), Perfect Focus (SS+2), Unrivaled Football Sense (SS+2), Perfect Composure (SS+), Astonishing Pace (SS-), (More...)]
The fusion process was complete, but many talents still seemed combinable.
He simply did not know how yet.
For now, he invested heavily in Ball Mastery, pushing it to its final stage.
Only one step remained before breaking its limit.
Perhaps he could surpass it before the season ended.
He had already acquired A-grade defensive talents from Ramos, Pepe, and Marcelo, transferring each upgrade into Ball Mastery.
Other S-grade defensive talents were harder to obtain as a forward, so he temporarily set them aside.
He had also fully invested the potential he acquired from Ronaldo and Agüero.
It was March 19, three months before the World Cup.
On the same day, the Champions League quarterfinal draw took place.
[Manchester United vs Bayern Munich]
[Inter vs Barcelona]
[Olympique Lyon vs Bordeaux]
[AC Milan vs Real Madrid]
Real Madrid's opponent was AC Milan.
Easier than Inter or Manchester United, but far from simple.
They had Kaká, Ronaldinho, Pirlo, Gattuso, Inzaghi, and other experienced players.
March 30 arrived quickly.
Both teams trained relentlessly.
But one week before the first leg, trouble struck.
['Real Madrid's Ho-young' suffers minor right ankle ligament injury after collision with Diego Costa, doubtful for next match]
For the first time in two years, Ho-young had suffered an ankle injury. His participation was uncertain.
But.
'We will advance no matter what.'
In peak form, Ho-young was convinced they would win.
(To be continued.)