GOAT: All Football Talents Are Mine

The press conference followed immediately after the game.

Guardiola entered the room, his face expressionless, and for a moment, he couldn't find the words.

The defeat was too much to process.

Finally, he spoke, his voice flat, knowing he had to address the frustrated fans.

"Having spent 12 years at Barcelona, I understand the frustration of losing to Real Madrid. It's a bitter pill to swallow for me."

"What do you think was the reason for the loss?"

"We had our chances—just as many as our opponents. The problem was our finishing. We'll work on that and come back stronger in the second half of the season."

"Lastly, what's your opinion on Woo Ho-young, who scored a hat-trick today?"

"I aimed for perfection, but in the end, it was him who achieved it. That's all. If there's one major factor in our defeat, it's him."

Guardiola spoke candidly, as if resigned to his fate.

He wasn't even angry anymore.

If Woo Ho-young had joined Barcelona instead of Real Madrid—or perhaps never started playing football at all—Guardiola often wondered how much more he might have achieved by now.

It was a bitter realization, one he had to accept again today.

[Barcelona killer Woo Ho-young causes another upset, named Official MOM in El Clásico.]

[Woo Ho-young's rating on WhoScored.com: 10 points]

[Woo Ho-young scores 3 goals from 4 shots, showcasing explosive scoring ability]

[Despite intense pressure, Woo Ho-young thrives and delivers peak performance.]

After the game, numerous articles flooded in, but it was Scolari's interview that garnered the most attention.

"Regardless of the result, I must express my disappointment with Barcelona's professionalism. Alves' actions went too far. The La Liga office must take action and issue a stern warning to Barcelona. Isn't this also a failure of the manager in not controlling his players?"

Scolari, usually cheerful in interviews, was clearly upset.

And who could blame him? Had Daniel Alves' foot been a bit higher, Woo Ho-young's knee could have been shattered.

Scolari wasn't the only one angry.

The club also lodged a formal protest, demanding severe punishment for Alves.

The video of the incident quickly went viral, sparking outrage among Woo Ho-young's fans.

Daniel Alves' Facebook page became a war zone, flooded with insults.

As Barcelona offered weak excuses for their player's actions, the rivalry between Messi and Woo Ho-young intensified.

Whenever the topic came up, heated arguments broke out among fans online.

The battleground was, of course, La Liga Mania.

["You must have been practicing kicks instead of football, right? Typical Barca—no foundation."]

└"Should've let it slide. Alves was too kind."

└"Messi's turn is next. Watch out. Pepe's coming."

└"Messi is agile enough to dodge anything, right?"

└"Yeah, that means he's short."

└"Woo Ho-young's taller, though. And isn't his girlfriend younger and prettier than Messi's? Woo Ho-young wins, hands down."

└"Exactly!"

Amidst the childish but passionate exchanges, the La Liga office announced their decision regarding Dani Alves.

[On November 30, 2009, Real Madrid requested additional disciplinary action against Dani Alves. After careful review of his actions during the match on November 29, 2009, the Secretariat imposed an 8-day suspension from the league and a fine of 80,000 euros on Dani Alves.]

In the end, Real Madrid fans had the last laugh.

But even as their anger simmered, they began to soften, as a series of positive developments unfolded.

The first was the team's performance.

Building on their El Clásico victory, Real Madrid followed up with wins against Almeria and Valencia.

Thanks to explosive performances from Woo Ho-young and Ronaldo, they secured a dominant victory over Zaragoza, maintaining a firm lead.

Real Madrid 13 wins, 1 loss, 39 points, 49 goals scored, 7 goals conceded

Barcelona 11 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss, 35 points, 40 goals scored, 11 goals conceded

Valencia 7 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses, 24 points, 21 goals scored, 16 goals conceded

This season's La Liga had long been a two-horse race between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Awards were split between the two clubs, but starting in November, it seemed to tilt in Real Madrid's favor.

Player of the Month Awards:

September: Lionel Messi

October: Cristiano Ronaldo

November: Woo Ho-young

Manager of the Month Awards:

September: Luis Scolari

October: Pep Guardiola

November: Luis Scolari

The Player of the Month for December had not yet been announced, but it was widely expected to go to Woo Ho-young, who scored three goals and provided one assist that month.

By mid-December, Woo Ho-young had scored 17 goals in 14 league matches, becoming the top scorer in La Liga.

Things were going incredibly well.

The upcoming Champions League round of 16 match against CSKA Moscow didn't pose much of a threat, allowing the team to rest easy.

Christmas Break

With all players on Christmas break, the days were filled with trips to clubs or casinos at night, casual pizza and beer sessions at home, and friendly soccer matches to build team spirit.

As one famous footballer once said, "Soccer games are also a form of training." It was rare to find a player who didn't enjoy playing soccer games.

Cristiano Ronaldo was no exception.

On December 23rd, Ronaldo woke up at 6 a.m., finished his morning workout, and ate a salad with chicken breast while watching a video of CSKA Moscow's strategic analysis, prepared by the club's technical team.

His life was consumed by football—he was determined to be the main character on the field, even if Woo Ho-young had claimed that spot.

But today, on the eve of Christmas Eve, Ronaldo decided to take a break.

"Let's just enjoy today," he thought.

He sent out a text to his friends.

["Do you have time? Want to play a game at my place?"]

The reply was swift, and the first guest arrived an hour later.

"You're here?"

"Yeah," said Woo Ho-young, carrying several shopping bags.

"Why'd you bring this?"

"Bought some things—incense, wine, stuff for the housewarming."

"Thanks. I thought the house would be empty, so this is perfect."

"I should be the one thanking you for the invitation."

Though it had been six months since they last played together, the two fell into an awkward conversation, unsure why it felt so strange.

"Sit on the sofa, and I'll put on some TV. You might like it."

"Anything good to watch?"

"The Moscow Analysis Video."

"Ah."

Intrigued, Hoyoung immediately focused on the TV.

Another guest arrived 20 minutes later.

"Sabi, you made it?"

"Sabi?"

"Oh, it's Young!"

Ronaldo had invited both Woo Ho-young and Xabi Alonso to his house.

It was an unusual combination, one Ronaldo had envisioned even before joining Real Madrid.

Xabi Alonso in midfield, himself up front, and Woo Ho-young as the forward.

Though their plans didn't exactly unfold that way, Ronaldo was still happy to have them over.

"Let's have lunch first. You guys eat yet?"

"I'm starving."

"Me too. I'm your first customer. Hope it's something good."

"Alright, I'll handle it."

"Looking forward to it. I thought you only knew soccer, but you can cook too?"

"Of course."

Ronaldo, ever neat, donned an apron and started preparing food.

All he had were chicken breasts and salad dressing from the convenience store, sprinkled over cabbage.

"Are you serious right now?"

"Chris, where's the meat? What's this?"

"That's all?"

"That's ridiculous."

Xabi Alonso stared, incredulous.

"Chris, how much do you make a week?"

"278,000 euros."

"You should hire a chef. You really going to eat this all the time?"

"Is it that bad?"

"Oh my God. Are you joking?"

"Oh, I forgot the salt and pepper."

"Right..."

Though Xabi Alonso was shocked, he also found it amusing.

But the real shock came after the meal.

"Everyone done?"

"Yeah. So, what now? A game?"

"Sure. Let's play to digest."

But instead of bringing out a game console, Ronaldo brought out a soccer ball.

"Alright, let's head outside."

"Where?"

"We'll play a two-on-one game in the backyard."

"Oh my God."

The "game" Ronaldo proposed wasn't a video game, but actual soccer.

Xabi Alonso's expression twisted.

"Damn, I don't usually swear, but…"

Hoyoung's next words shocked him even more.

"I'll go first. Need to work on my pressing ability."

"HOLY SHIT."

Xabi Alonso, overwhelmed, finally let the expletive slip.

Hoyoung smiled, his eyes gleaming with determination.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

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