Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Era of Rising Heroes

There are always those who lament that in 2002, there were far more football stars than in 2015 or 2016. But that’s not really the case—2016 wasn’t devoid of stars; it’s just that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were so outstanding. In fact, there were still many players scoring over 30 goals in a single season, but their brilliance was overshadowed.

Certainly, 2002 was extraordinary, with many nations producing what was called a golden generation in football. Even China had stars like Fan Zhiyi, Yang Chen, and Hao Haidong.

There’s a saying that Zlatan Ibrahimović was born at the wrong time—had he been born a little earlier, Sweden would have had a strong squad, and they wouldn’t have failed to qualify for the World Cup as they do now.

Back then, clubs were evenly matched, with rising talents emerging constantly, unlike today. Paris Saint-Germain was just beginning its transformation under wealthy owners aiming to build a powerhouse, while Monaco and Lyon were formidable contenders. The English Premier League was on the rise with strong teams like Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Everton.

In Italy, the Milan duo, Juventus, Udinese, as well as Roma with Totti and Lazio, were all strong teams. Ajax was at its peak in the Netherlands, while Porto was about to soar. La Liga wasn’t yet dominated solely by Real Madrid and Barcelona; teams like Deportivo La Coruña and Valencia also shone, preventing the two giants from monopolizing the spotlight.

In Portugal, Sporting Lisbon and Benfica were highly competitive. The Bundesliga saw Bayern Munich striving to dominate the league alone, but despite the economic downturn, the league was full of emerging talents—the fleeting brilliance of Yang Chen, the “Bremen Light” Pizarro, as well as Klose, Ribéry, and Robben were all waiting in the wings.

Matches back then were worth staying up for; they were thrilling and unpredictable. Nowadays, people often say the Bundesliga is dull, but in those years, it was heart-pounding season after season. From 1999 to 2000, if it weren’t for Ballack’s own goal, Bayern Munich would have missed out on the championship. In the 2000–2001 season, Schalke 04 briefly held the title. And in 2001–2002, everyone expected Bayer Leverkusen to win the championship unless they lost consecutive games at the end—which they did, allowing Borussia Dortmund to stage a stunning comeback.

Even the Bundesliga, often considered the dullest and most predictable league, was so exciting—let alone the others. Who won the Ballon d’Or? Ronaldo? Kaká? Ronaldinho? There were so many.

Who were the champions? No team then was as unshakeable as today’s Real Madrid or Barcelona. Back then, the Champions League crown passed hands regularly; it could be ours today, yours tomorrow.

People got excited when Atlético Madrid reached the final or when Leicester City won the Premier League? Back then, such surprises happened every year—absolutely thrilling!

To be honest, what interests Momo most now is Kaká.

Momo: “Kaká, Kaká, are you there?”

(In group chat mode, all sleeping stars would be pulled in. But calling out a single name is private conversation.)

Kaká: “Who’s calling me? Is that you, Master?”

Momo: “Are you aware of the pain you carry in your body?”

Kaká: “Yes, Master, but it’s okay. Under your blessing, I will spread your glory across the pitch.”

Momo felt somewhat speechless. He wasn’t a doctor and had no cure for Kaká’s illness—a disease that doesn’t kill but is stubborn and troublesome.

Momo: “Kaká, why do you believe in the Master?”

Kaká then spoke of his dives, attributing them to God’s work. Every goal he scored was a gift from God’s love.

From Kaká’s words, Momo sensed his devotion. Kaká shared many insights about football and even spoke of his dreams for AC Milan.

Momo began to see new possibilities for the player chat system—perhaps it could be used for other purposes.

Momo: “Kaká, do you have an agent?”

Kaká: “Master, I do. I have an agent, a very capable person. Thanks to the Master’s grace.”

Momo felt a tinge of melancholy but didn’t suggest changing agents, like to someone like Mino Raiola—that wouldn’t be realistic.

(Kaká’s agent later secured a move to Real Madrid, obtaining a favorable contract.)

Momo: “Is Neuer around?”

Neuer: “Who’s calling me?”

Momo: “Take a guess.”

Neuer: “I don’t care who, but lately I’ve been troubled. The coach made me a goalkeeper.”

Momo: “Why?”

Neuer: “Because I was late once, and the only spot left was goalkeeper. The coach thinks I’m a good lad for the role.”

Momo: “Don’t you like being a goalkeeper?”

Neuer: “Not exactly. I don’t hate it, but I don’t want to be stuck in front of the goal the whole match. It’s suffocating.”

Momo: “You could find some fun—like playing further out. No one says a goalkeeper must stay inside the penalty area.”

Neuer: “Yes, that’s exactly what I do sometimes, even venturing into the center circle.”

Neuer: “I believe a goalkeeper who doesn’t want to be a forward isn’t a good defender.”

Neuer: “Schalke 04 is a great club, but I want to go to Bayern Munich.”

Alright, Neuer’s story will be put aside for now. Momo decided to check on Lahm.

Momo: “Lahm? Are you there? Have you decided to go on loan?”

Lahm: “Yes, I’m going on loan. The new coach plans to turn me into a full-back.”

Momo suddenly realized how easy it was to uncover other players’ secrets through this chat system.

Momo: “Thomas Hässler, are you there? Why didn’t you cooperate with me in the last game?”

Thomas Hässler: “I’m tired, really tired. Everyone suspects whether Momo wants to go to Bayern Munich—they’re jealous, and so am I.”

Thomas Hässler: “Too young. He’s got a chance to go to Bayern at such a young age.”

Momo: “Pizarro? What do you think of Momo?”

Pizarro: “Damn Bayern Munich, damn it! Why can’t I have more time? They want Momo so badly? It wasn’t like this when they told me.”

Momo closed his eyes and shut down the computer, feeling weary. He knew the player chat system could offer some benefits, but he hadn’t yet found the right way to use it.

In the seventh round of the Bundesliga, Munich 1860 will host Hertha. Whether Munich 1860 will start Momo, who has recently had a tense relationship with the team, remains a big question mark.