In the past, across the football world—including his recent clashes with the United Kingdom—he had been accustomed to throwing his weight around. So what if he misspoke? Apologize? That was impossible! Making a slight concession was already giving them more than enough respect.
Most importantly, Blatter controlled FIFA and held all the chips. But this time, facing Wang Shuo, he felt completely at a loss, finding no weakness to exploit and nowhere to apply his leverage.
Three days after the match against Everton, FIFA officially announced the 23-man shortlist for the 2011 Golden Ball Award. Wang Shuo's name was prominently listed, sparking widespread discussion among media and fans worldwide.
