[Football] The Ambitious One

The irreverent version: A mother who died young, a father nowhere to be found, a country torn apart by war, and a broken boy. The more lovers, the better! Why settle for being one when you can be three! A battle of scumbags: tune in to see who comes out on top! There’s no such thing as a forever boyfriend, only a whole lot of flirtations. Men are nothing compared to a big trophy. Men are precious, love is more precious still, but for the sake of a trophy, both can be tossed aside. Igor doesn’t know if he’ll spend his whole career at Real Madrid. He only knows that if he doesn’t make a move soon, Real Madrid will be the one left to grow old. The palace intrigue is underway, so come on in if you’ve got the guts! Timeline: 2022–2026 or 2022–2027. The serious version: He came out of the flames of war, and the pitch was his stage. He knew exactly what he wanted and would stop at nothing to get it. He never regretted a single thing he did. His intelligence, beauty, and body were all bargaining chips in his struggle to survive. He had many lovers. They were infatuated with him, but they were all just passing through. His ambitions were enormous, and he had the ability to match them. He said, “I won’t lose. I won’t settle for a draw. I’m going to win.” And he did. When he chose Ukraine over Spain, nobody could have predicted that he would lead Ukraine all the way to the World Cup and become the first player after Messi and Ronaldo to win the Ballon d’Or in consecutive years. Genius or traitor? Igor didn’t care. All that mattered was succeeding. History is written by the victors. Glory will give you the answer. Trophies don’t lie. Foreword: When the war broke out, Igor Puyatov was only seventeen, but the Ukrainian recruitment office took him anyway. Before leaving, he told Natasha, “The shopkeeper on the next street likes you. Go tell him you’ll marry him. He’s Chinese, so he can get you out of here. Don’t worry, I’ll survive.” In Igor’s world, anything could be compromised. After Igor was captured, he gained the favor of an important man in the prisoner-of-war camp. He didn’t want to return to Ukraine and get conscripted again, so when his benefactor asked if he could play football, he lied. “Of course. It’s what I’m best at.” Lies come at a price. Igor ended up in an unfamiliar country and an unfamiliar city, learning an unfamiliar language and learning how to play football. He ingratiated himself with his unfamiliar teammates. To them, Igor seemed so innocent, pitiful, and adorable. Only he knew how much he hated them. But the next morning, he’d still put on a smile and help his teammates get their food and fetch the ball. PS: A few warnings: The protagonist isn’t a good person. He’s promiscuous and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He’ll turn cold and disavow you as soon as you’re out of bed. He’s beautiful, powerful, and miserable, with no morals, and he makes a habit of playing with men. But he’ll also suffer setbacks in love, and after being hurt, he’ll completely let loose and become utterly coldhearted. The war gets little page time and is only the backdrop. The career storyline is 80% satisfying, and the romance is 90% satisfying. All the settings serve the plot. Other characters’ portrayals and stereotypical traits are the protagonist’s subjective impressions. Any out-of-character moments are entirely the author’s fault! Club career: Atletico Madrid to Real Madrid Blurb dated May 30, 2024 《Football: The King of Football? Me?》, no pairing, complete A walking headline machine! Sent off after picking up two yellow cards! Never short on news! Faints on the pitch from low blood sugar and gets accused of faking it! Sings the March of the Volunteers in a capitalist country! There’s nothing he can’t do! A Bernese mountain dog of a glutton, obsessed with good looks, takes on the whole world! Wang Ke learned the hard way: eat whatever you want, but watch what you say. “I’m jealous. Why are footballers’ girlfriends all so beautiful? Ahhh, I’m putting my studies on hold. Next life, let me be a footballer.” [System notification: A wish has been detected from the Host. Generating wish: A 188-centimeter center forward, ready to turn the entire football world upside down.] A chaotic Chelsea from the start, a first-team call-up in just one week. From knowing nothing about the rules of Football to becoming an attacking forward, he stumbles and grows in the world of football. A little backstage drama: Havertz: “Sigh, when it comes down to it, I’m still not as good as Mason. Keke lets Mason drive him around, but won’t accept my offer.” “Stay at my place next time. Living with the coach can be a little awkward.” Kimmich offered kindly. Wang Ke: No need, really. Would living with you be any more comfortable? I’m afraid you’ll climb into my bed in the middle of the night, hold a knife to my throat, and ask if I’ll join Bayern. “Caught red-handed! The roasted pork knuckle Schlotterbeck promised me is still in that hooligan’s mouth!” PS: The System only provides the initial golden finger: a strong body. The protagonist starts with a Dragon-Slaying Sabre, and later equipment is earned through fighting. The protagonist isn’t perfect. He’ll make mistakes and mess up. The protagonist will definitely win a lot of championships. Apologies in advance to any clubs whose titles get changed by the butterfly effect. Sumimasen. Four-country mixed heritage. He will NOT play for the Chinese national team!!! Warnings: The protagonist is a woman who transmigrates into a man’s body. There will be unrequited crushes from both men and women, but nothing will come of them. The protagonist only has friendships, no romance, and will remain single for life. The protagonist will win the 2022 World Cup. Apologies to England fans! He’ll win the Champions League too, though I haven’t written that far yet. Apologies in advance! Theme: Leaning on mountains, they crumble; leaning on people, they leave. Better to rely on yourself than anyone else.