Beneath Vicente Calderón Stadium.
After the match, there was one player in the interview room wearing a stiff expression.
It was Cesc Fàbregas, who had led the team to victory with 2 assists in today's match.
Questions poured in at him, most of them about the match.
But Fàbregas kept a dark expression on his face.
At that, one reporter asked,
"Aren't you happy to have won the match?"
"I am. But..."
Right after the match, Fàbregas had gone through several changes of heart.
"To be honest, I realized a lot from today's match. Things like what direction I should move in as a footballer, and what role I should play in the team."
As the future captain, Fàbregas had been thinking a lot about how he should lead the team, and today's match had helped him find the answer.
"But why is your expression so dark?"
"Because I realized that everything I've done up to now has been wrong."
"What?"
One intriguing sentence.
It was the moment every journalist's ears perked up.
"As of today, I intend to give up my shirt number."
"...!!"
Words that instantly turned the interview room tense.
And he meant it.
Setting aside everything external, if you looked only at ability, then Ho-young was clearly the rightful owner of the number 10.
Fàbregas had felt that for certain through today's match.
Of course, it was not an easy decision.
Handing it over was the same as giving enormous strength to that side.
But Fàbregas did not see it that way.
"I don't know what will happen to us from here. This choice may bring even more confusion to the team. But in the end, I believe it will help the team greatly. He has that kind of power."
A statement that Ho-young could do it.
In other words, it was the same as saying he would get rid of the clique that had taken root in the national team together with Ho-young.
"So does that mean you acknowledge Ho-young as Spain's ace?"
"That's right."
Fàbregas nodded and continued.
"We will become one. We will become one and achieve the dream we failed to reach at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and we will set a record that no one else has ever managed. Together with him."
"Do you mean Ho-young?"
"Yes. Together with him, we will make Spain the greatest national team in history. We welcome his selection to the national team."
There was no trace of the Fàbregas who had openly clashed with Ho-young.
At that sight, the journalists were left speechless.
And then, Fàbregas's lips moved quietly.
"Our goal is..."
Gulp.
The interview room became so quiet that one could hear the sound of swallowing.
Every journalist's gaze fixed on Fàbregas.
"Nothing but the title."
A powerful ambition.
Fàbregas's confidence and spirit filled the interview room.
At that same time, a similar atmosphere was flowing through the press conference room downstairs.
It was Del Bosque's interview.
"Today we were able to give a small preview of the kind of results we can achieve at Euro 2012."
"So that means you believe you can win Euro 2012."
"We beat the Netherlands by a wide margin today even after having a man sent off. Who can beat us like this? Spain's nickname, the 'Invincible Armada,' has now become reality."
Everything was perfect.
Provided they solved a few internal issues.
One reporter asked about that.
"There is a lot of controversy surrounding Ho-young's shirt number. What do you think?"
A question that touched Del Bosque's nerves.
The answer, however, was unexpected.
"I don't think there's anything controversial about it at all."
"...!"
The one who answered was not the manager.
It was Ho-young, who was sitting beside him as today's Man of the Match.
"If it were me, I'd kick the ball one more time instead of wasting time worrying about a shirt number."
"So are you saying you don't mind keeping the number 20 you're wearing now?"
"I am someone who was deeply hurt by the Korea Football Association. So right now, I only feel endless gratitude toward my teammates and the people of Spain, who have accepted me and recognized me as a national team player. Whether it's 10 or 20 doesn't matter. The fact that I am part of the Spain national team does not change. That is enough for me."
In truth, if he had wanted to, he could have forced the number 10 onto his back.
Because Del Bosque, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, and everyone else were treating Ho-young as the top priority.
But Ho-young's thoughts did not change.
'The national team is different from a club.'
He had to be even more careful with the national team.
If a rolling stone came in and pushed out a stone that had already settled, it could cause a disaster.
He needed to manage the pace slowly and calmly.
But then.
"Fàbregas says he'll give up the number 10!"
Breaking news from a journalist who had run down from the interview room upstairs.
At those words, every gaze turned to Ho-young.
It was the moment everyone's anticipation swelled.
"I'm grateful, but I won't take it."
!
One unexpected line.
As the situation became more and more interesting, Ho-young spoke again.
"Whether I'm wearing 10 or 20, I'm still the same Ho-young. So from today onward, Spain's number 20 will be remembered as Ho-young's number. And the owner of the number 10 is Fàbregas. He fully deserves it."
Words filled with sincerity.
That single statement spread across the world through the press.
[Ho-young decides to keep wearing number 20... expresses thanks to Fàbregas for offering number 10... a heartwarming conclusion]
└This story sounds very familiar.
└A tale of two good brothers, lol
└Fàbregas and Ho-young went from sworn enemies to looking out for each other.
└This is moving. Nice to see.
└So is Ho-young going to keep wearing 20 from now on? At this rate, number 20 might become an iconic number too. Like Cruyff or Henry with 14.
└I'm going to buy the shirt right now.
└It's already sold out lol
└What, already...?
The Ho-young effect appeared immediately.
After the match, Spain national team shirts with the number 20 on the back sold like wildfire, and a slight worldwide trend of preferring the number 20 began to emerge.
[Sales of Spain national team shirts increase eightfold... Adidas hits an unexpected jackpot thanks to Ho-young]
As the Royal Spanish Football Federation benefited as well, the love for Ho-young only grew even more.
As for the Spanish people, there was no need to say any more.
[Ho-young is the best. At this point, honestly, just give him a knighthood. I'm not saying that because I'm a Madridista, I'm saying it as a citizen of Spain.]
└I'm an Atleti fan, but if he carries us to titles at the Euros and the World Cup by himself, it might be worth considering.
└I'm hardcore Culé, but... I admit Ho-young.
└What is happening right now? A Culé is supporting Ho-young? Good lord.
└An Asian is accomplishing the great unification of Spain that no one else could!
There had been a famous formula that 'Culés = Ho-young's anti-fans,' but even that strange phenomenon was gradually starting to disappear.
And so, Spain's greatest golden age was only just beginning.
And that did not apply only to Spain.
[Premier League Round 30: Manchester City crush Stoke City 4-0 even without Ho-young... Robinho scores a hat-trick]
Stoke City put up an extremely defensive setup, but Manchester City produced a complete performance and won by a landslide.
They had won so cleanly that people even started saying, "Manchester City means victory."
Thanks to that, Ho-young was able to enjoy some sweet rest.
The energy he recharged there was meant to be unleashed in Round 31 at the end of March.
And with that, the team kept rolling forward.
So far, Manchester City had secured one trophy.
It was the trophy they won at the end of February by beating Chelsea in the League Cup final.
And at the end of March.
Manchester City also produced a satisfying result in Premier League Round 31.
However, with the Champions League semi-finals approaching, they rested key players in Premier League Round 32 and ended up drawing.
But it was not a problem at all.
<1> Manchester City 29 wins, 3 draws, 90 points
<2> Manchester United 23 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses, 74 points
Only 6 matches remained.
If Manchester City won the next match in Round 33, they would secure the title regardless of the remaining fixtures.
Their sacrificial offering for Round 33 would be Chelsea, who were currently in 3rd place.
April 11, 4 PM.
A thunderous roar erupted at Stamford Bridge in London.
It was the voices of about 38,000 home fans hoping for a Chelsea win.
["Looking at the current situation, Chelsea's chance of winning the title is 0%. But if they win every remaining match, they still have a chance of catching second-placed Manchester United. So they have to do their best."]
["That's right. And for that reason, Chelsea have come out today in a 5-4-1 formation."]
Not a desire to win, but a determination not to lose.
It was the tactic most teams facing Manchester City had been using lately.
Because everyone knew that trying to go toe-to-toe would not break through City's defense.
So what Chelsea prepared was an ultra-defensive system.
Their goal was a draw.
The moment the match began, they revealed their true nature.
First, they controlled the penalty area around a back five of Ashley Cole, David Luiz, John Terry, Cahill, and Bosingwa.
In front of them, Essien and John Obi Mikel formed the first line of resistance.
They were fully committed to stopping Manchester City's attack.
Counter-attacks and all that did not matter.
Defense alone, that was all Chelsea had prepared.
Chelsea had already lost twice to Manchester City this season.
They knew as well as anyone that this season's City were impossible to beat.
That was why they had prepared such a tactic.
But then.
["Manchester City's attacking numbers increase to eight."]
When Chelsea went into extreme defense, Manchester City did not sit still either.
Around the 18th minute of the first half.
Manchester City pushed everyone into Chelsea's half, leaving only Kompany and Thiago Silva behind.
From there, they exchanged passes endlessly and shook Chelsea's shape apart.
At the center of it all was Ho-young.
"Get Ho-young!"
"Stay with him! Tackle!"
"Stop hesitating and drag him down!!"
Chelsea captain John Terry.
With the team in danger, the man known as a master of dirty defending stepped forward.
["Ho-young knocks it ahead and charges forward! He's running like a madman with the ball at his feet!!"]
["John Terry is chasing him!"]
Pulling at the shirt was only the beginning.
John Terry practically threw his body at Ho-young and tried to force a physical battle.
And that was not the end of it.
At the same time, he hooked his leg in to try and bring him down.
But Ho-young was no fool who would just let himself be handled.
His physical battle ability had already reached the human limit.
As he drove forward, Ho-young simultaneously increased the rotational force of his upper body.
It was a technique he had acquired by making Drogba's instincts and experience his own.
The result was obvious.
"Urgh!!"
John Terry was not just pushed back, he was sent tumbling away into the distance.
And as Ho-young left him behind, good news arrived.
[You covet Gladiator's Match Muscles (SU).]
Knock down John Terry 5 times or more in physical duels.
By achieving that, he was finally able to covet John Terry's unique talent.
And at that very moment.
['Gladiator's Match Muscles (SU)' has successfully fused with 'Body Reaching the Pinnacle (W+3)'.]
[The talent has reached the limit of humanity.]
[You transcend Body Reaching the Pinnacle (W+3).]
[Transcendent Body (TS) ↑]
[It will take 30 days to fully transcend the talent. During those 30 days, you cannot transcend any other talent.]
Transcendence of the body.
At last, the moment when he could freely unleash all the skill he possessed was right in front of him.
(To be continued.)