[Football] The Ambitious One

Irreverent version:

A mother who died young, a father nowhere to be found, a country torn by war, and a broken boy.

The more lovers, the better! Better to be the other woman than the third wheel!

A showdown between scumbags. Tune in and see who comes out on top!

There are no forever-boyfriends, only plenty of flirty prospects.

Men are nothing compared to a big trophy.

Men are precious, and love is worth even more, but for the sake of a trophy, both can be tossed aside.

Igor doesn't know if he'll end his career at Real Madrid. He only knows that if he doesn't make a move soon, Real Madrid will be the one to end its career. The palace-intrigue stage is set. Come on in if you've got the guts!

Timeline: 2022-2026 or 2022-2027.

Serious version:

He came from the flames of war. The football pitch is his stage.

He knows exactly what he wants, and he will do whatever it takes to get it.

He never regrets anything he does.

His intelligence, beauty, and body are all bargaining chips for survival.

He has many lovers, all enthralled by him, but every one of them is just passing through.

His ambition is immense, and his ability is more than enough to match it.

He says, "I don't want to lose or draw. I want to win."

And he does.

When he chose Ukraine over Spain, no one could have predicted that he would lead Ukraine all the way to the World Cup, becoming the first player after Messi and Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or in consecutive years.

A genius or a traitor?

Igor doesn't care. As long as he succeeds, that's all that matters. History is written by the victors.

Glory will give you the answer. Trophies don't lie.

Prologue:

When the war broke out, Igor Puyatov was only seventeen, but the Ukrainian recruitment office still took him away. Before leaving, he told Natasha, "The shopkeeper on the next street likes you. Go tell him you want to marry him. He's Chinese, so he can take you away from here. Don't worry. I'll survive."

In Igor's world, everything could be compromised.

After Igor was captured, he managed to get close to a man of influence in the prison camp. He didn't want to return to Ukraine and be drafted again, so when the man asked if he could play football, he lied. "Of course. It's my strong suit."

Lies come at a price. Igor ended up in a strange country, in a strange city, learning a strange language and how to play football. He ingratiated himself with his unfamiliar teammates. In their eyes, Igor was so innocent, pitiful, and adorable. Only he knew how much he hated them. Still, the next day, he would put on a smile and help his teammates get their meals and retrieve the ball.

PS: A few warnings in advance: The protagonist isn't a genuinely good person. He isn't chaste, and he'll do anything to achieve his goals. He turns cold and disowns people after sleeping with them. He's beautiful, powerful, and tragic, and has no morals. He toys with men every day, but also suffers setbacks in love. After taking a few blows, he completely lets loose and becomes as cold-hearted as iron. The war is only a small part of the story, serving as the backdrop. The career storyline is 80% satisfying, and the romance is 90% satisfying.

All the settings serve the plot. Other characters' traits and impressions in the story are the protagonist's subjective views. Any out-of-character moments are the author's fault!

Club career: Atletico Madrid to Real Madrid

Blurb dated May 30, 2024

The no-romance novel Football: The King of Football? Me? is complete

A walking magnet for sensational headlines! Two yellow cards turn into a red!

There's never a shortage of news! Faints on the pitch from low blood sugar and gets accused of diving!

Sings the March of the Volunteers in a capitalist country! There's nothing he can't do!

A gigantic Bernese mountain dog with a serious pretty-boy complex barrels through the whole world!

Wang Ke learned the hard way that you can eat whatever you want, but you shouldn't say whatever comes to mind.

"I'm jealous. Why are footballers' girlfriends all so pretty? Ahhh, pause my studies. In my next life, let me be a footballer."

[Beep. Host's wish detected. Generating wish: A 188-centimeter center-forward who will take the whole football world by storm.]

A chaotic Chelsea from the start, and he makes the first team in just one week. From not knowing the rules of Football to becoming an attacking forward, he stumbles his way through the football world as he grows.

A neurotic little scene:

Havertz: "Sigh, when all's said and done, I'm still no match for Mason. Keke lets Mason drive him around, but won't accept my offer."

"You can stay at my place next time. Living with the coach is a bit awkward," Kimmich said considerately.

Wang Ke: Please don't. Would staying with you really 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 is still in that lunatic's mouth!"

PS: The System only provides the initial golden finger: a strong body. The protagonist starts with just a gun, and later has to earn all his gear by fighting for it.

The protagonist is imperfect, and will make mistakes.

The protagonist will definitely win lots of championships. Apologies in advance to the clubs whose titles get changed by the butterfly effect. Sumimasen.

Mixed heritage from four countries. He will NOT play for the national team!

Warnings: The protagonist is a woman in a man's body. There will be unrequited crushes from both men and women, but nothing will come of them. The protagonist has only friendships, no romance, and will remain single for life.

The protagonist will win the 2022 World Cup. Apologies to Argentina fans!

He'll win the Champions League too, though that part hasn't been written yet. Apologies in advance!

Theme: Mountains can crumble, and people can leave. Better to rely on yourself than on anyone else