[A tribute to the dreams and works we love. Written in a burst of passion, one of those stories I hope to write in my lifetime.]
[Note from 2023.4.1: After commenters pointed it out, I realized just how little I know about soccer, sob sob. I'm looking things up and studying hard, so updates will be irregular.]
The first time she saw him was on Atletico Madrid's youth team. The eleven-year-old boy was turned to the side, talking to a teammate. When he smiled, a tiny canine tooth showed.
The second time she saw him was at an Atletico Madrid match. At eighteen, he scored the first goal of his professional career. His fawn-like eyes glimmered in the sunlight.
Later, at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium that year, the golden-haired boy who scored the winning goal in the European Championship final ran into the wind with his arms spread, as if he wanted to embrace the whole world.
His bright, confident smile was reflected in everyone's eyes, and made the world remember Spain's number 9.
Years later, after another championship win, the domestic media sang his praises: "At this moment, Golden Boy Alberto is the brightest star in Spain!"
Back then, everyone believed he would always be invincible.
*
But even the once-proud Golden Boy could not escape injury. After a serious one, the once-omnipotent boy faded from the spotlight, dropping from the starting lineup to the bench.
Many thought he was a shooting star. Voices of regret and ridicule rose one after another.
Yet in that darkness, one person stayed by his side, telling him, word by word, "Alberto, trust me. I'll get you back to the way you were."
She treated him, designed a rehabilitation program for him, and stayed with him as he gritted his teeth and persevered through the most painful part of recovery.
In the night sky where he had lost his starlight, Alberto was lucky enough to find the moonlight that would shine on him again.
*
When Lin Xiyue was ten, she often followed her father, Atletico Madrid's team doctor, to the stadium. She saw countless figures running with all their might for soccer, and gradually came to understand what the pitch meant to them.
That was why, when she grew up, she resolutely chose to follow in her father's footsteps. With her medical skills, she did everything she could to help those dazzling stars shine brighter.
Perhaps it was fate that she would change that man's life, too.
"Patricia is a doctor, and she is Alberto's whole life."
"Xiyue, you are the moon of my hope."
*
On countless match days at the Calderon, Lin Xiyue sat on the sidelines, watching that figure run and seeing him kiss the badge on his jersey after scoring.
That golden hair shone with the brightest, sunniest glow.
"He will always be an Atletico Madrid boy, the boy at the Calderon who never forgot his original dream."
*This story is dedicated to Fernando Jose Torres Sanz and to Spain's golden generation, forever remembered and forever loved.
*The quoted lines are adapted from the copy for the World Soccer retirement tribute special, "Torres: Through the Storms."
[Reading Guide]
1. A pure-hearted Golden Boy, a dazzling soccer star in his prime, x a sweet, adorable, Chinese-Spanish mixed-race girl and team doctor; (almost) childhood sweethearts / reunion after a long separation; 1v1, both leads are each other's first and only.
2. This story is a tribute to T9, but it is not fanfiction. Strictly speaking, I want the male lead to embody Spain's golden generation. Apart from the clubs and national teams, all other characters are fictional.
3. The author isn't a Spanish major and is terrible at coming up with names. The leads' names came from Baidu, and their names won't be transliterated in the story. The other supporting characters have Chinese names. Please be understanding if they don't follow Spanish naming conventions.
4. The male lead starts out at Atletico Madrid and transfers elsewhere midway through, but in my original setting he spends the longest time at Atletico. I'm a (sort of) Spain fan and will give the male lead and the Spanish team plenty of spotlight moments. I'm not a fan of any particular club.
5. The story begins when the male lead is just starting out, and follows the course of his growth. But this isn't a male-lead-centric story, the heroine isn't a background character, and at heart it's a romance novel. The relevant professional knowledge comes from the internet. If you spot any glaring errors, please point them out!
6. Thanks to @YiLandan Disu Group for the cover background, and @Fenjie de Shengjianbao for the lettering.
Theme: You never know where life may bring you together again.
After I Picked Up a Stray Man by the Road
After My Scheming Imperial Brother Set His Sights on Me
Seasonal Delicacies
After Toying with the Emperor and Then Abandoning Him
After the Aloof Emperor Became Obsessed With Me (Reborn Twice)
The County Magistrate's Little Cook
A Survival Guide for the Fourth Consort (Transmigrating to the Qing Dynasty)
Spring Grass in the Forbidden Palace
The Prince Claims Her Beauty (Reborn)
The Imperial Consort's Daily Wellness Routine (Qing Dynasty Transmigration)
After Saving the Violent Crown Prince (Reborn)
Everyday Life Running a Shop in Ancient Times
To find some information, you can read football novels written by other great masters. After reading a few books, you will know the general process and rules of the game, such as Chen Aiting's article at the starting point. Don't worry about the relationship between the male and female protagonists. In those few years, the development history of football and various major events are relatively clear. The process, the transfer, which club is rising, the coach's change, the rules of the Football Association, it is almost based on reality. Of course, the part where the protagonist has changed has to be omitted. Although it does not involve Atletico Madrid much, there is also the La Liga part, mainly Real Madrid in the later period, and the Liverpool part. From Irving starts from the time after he left Liverpool. There are players and coaches. It is recommended to read the coach to gain more. The article about coaching Real Madrid has a section about coaching Manchester City. The corresponding time seems to be around the 2010 World Cup. Torres is mentioned in it. He was mentioned when arranging tactics as a forward for Liverpool or Chelsea. It is recommended to read it from back to front in time. It is easier to understand. Just read the article about coaching Real Madrid first, and then read the author's other early books. One of them has a section about the protagonist becoming the technical director of the Spanish Football Federation? ), It seems that this position involves Spanish football, and there is also a book about being a coach of Atletico Madrid. The golden finger is relatively big, but the situation of Atletico Madrid, coaching players, etc. At that time is relatively clear. At that time, Atletico Madrid was relegated to the second division, Torres was a teenager. It is easy to see the history of some changes in the author. They are all more famous players later, and they should all have an impression. In addition to novels, you can also find some archeology and autobiographies on the Internet. Torres has written several autobiographies, and you can find translations on the Internet. Romance is almost enough. If you want more details, you can read the autobiographies written by players and coaches of Atletico Madrid and Liverpool and Chelsea. Some of them are quite good. There was someone who wrote about Chelsea before. I read the biographies of Mourinho and Chelsea. They are very detailed, including the tactical results of each round, opponent coaches, and player lists. Although they are not Liverpool, they are in the Premier League, so they should be useful for reference. If I go to Chelsea later, I will use it. For the time being, this is
Torres was injured mainly during his time at Liverpool, and in order to participate in the World Cup, he had direct surgery on his knee at that time. Was it twice in a short period of time? This was too hasty. Then, relying on his youth and good health, he seemed to recover quickly, he went back to the game without much rest, which was very harmful to the body. After all, Torres's playing style has a lot to do with his knees. He probably didn't expect the consequences to be so serious, such as changing speeds and directions at high speeds. Sometimes the body cannot keep up with the consciousness, and if the ball is missed by a few tenths of a second, the ball may not be able to avoid the interception or be kicked in. Of course, it may also be related to the club. After all, there is no one except him. Use it to your death.
Toni is the child Atletico Madrid is most reluctant to sell. The biggest regret between him and Atletico Madrid may be the Champions League final. The spirit of those red and white players is far beyond what the current Atletico Madrid players can match.
Jinjiang actually has articles about asking girls, but now we can no longer call them asking girls (Torres, stop lifting the iron)
You can check out "The Triple Crown Dynasty of the Spanish Matadors"
See what I found, add it to your favorites
I've been using water trays recently, and I feel bad.
There is a small mistake in the time. The first one is the day before July, and the second one is late June. It should be late July. Of course, under normal circumstances, both La Liga and La Liga finish in May, and then the players will have about a month of vacation. In July, they will start training one month in advance to prepare for the new season. The first round of the new season will be in August, and La Liga seems to be a little later. Abnormalities such as strike due to unpaid wages, competition year arrangements, and the epidemic period will be different. It will be different twenty years ago, but it won't be too different. The European leagues are almost like this, which is equivalent to our winter and summer vacations. They also have holidays. Our winter vacation is the Spring Festival, and theirs is Christmas. Depending on the climate, the German league has a longer winter break because it is colder, icy and snowy. The Premier League does not have a winter break, and there are even games on Christmas Day, just to attract fans. Because Russia is farther north and colder, the league times are also different. This can all be found.
Is it beautifully written?
This is the first round of the new season. I'm curious what the previous chapter was like?