When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 212 Things in England are always so bad
On September 26, 2004, Joseph Oletan Adnuja Jr., who had just turned 22, received a call from Chelsea TV.

The person on the other end of the phone told him that the rap song he submitted for Roy had been selected by Chelsea FC, and Roy himself would hear the song and might even meet with him.

He suddenly became excited: "My parents are both Nigerian, and I grew up in Tottenham in North London. I have a lot of affection for Arsenal. I loved Henry! But ever since Roy came to the Premier League!!! God, this guy is so fucking cool! He doesn't care about anyone, and he plays so fiercely and aggressively. I'm completely a fan of his!"

He calmed himself down and added earnestly, "Listen, my love for Arsenal will never change, it's in my blood. Henry will always be my first love in football, the King of Highbury, you understand?"

"But Roy! This madman is completely different! He's like a street fighter, playing football with cleats instead of jump knives. That's what you call a ruthless modern footballer!"

Adnuja, later known by the stage name Skepta, is a leading figure and promoter of British Grime music. In 2016, he won the Mercury Prize with his album "Konnichiwa," becoming an internationally renowned musician.

At home in London, Roy picked up the CD and looked at the title "ROI: The Conqueror's Anthem" printed on the cover. A slight smile appeared on his lips: "That's a cool name."

He casually shoved the disc into the stereo, and a burst of powerful but slightly rough drumbeats immediately filled the entire room.

Although the production quality was clearly amateurish, the raw impact and the passion bursting forth from the lyrics still made him nod along with the rhythm.

Yo, born in the struggle, no silver spoon,

(Born in a slum, without a silver spoon in his mouth)

Boulogne streets, under the monsoon.
(A street in Boulogne, during a monsoon rain)

Mama's last dime turned to my dreams,

(My mother poured everything into nurturing my dreams.)
"Feed your fire, chase what it means."

("Ignite your passion and pursue meaning")
Roy's black Land Rover came to a sudden stop at the entrance of the Harrington training ground, its tires splashing water as they ran over the puddles.

The media waiting at the entrance immediately raised their cameras, and the flashes went off in a flurry.

He pushed open the car door, not even taking off his sunglasses, and strode inside, carrying his training bag in one hand.

Drogba happened to come out of the locker room, the two bumped fists and shoulders, and stood on the sidelines chatting for a few minutes about the previous league matches.

Ten minutes later, Roy, having changed into his training gear, was already practicing shuttle runs with his teammates on the field. The entire Chelsea team was on edge. With the Champions League match imminent, even their breathing carried a sense of tension.

Left Lille's grind, Madrid's cold gate,

(Leaving the trials of Lille, the cold stares of Madrid)

Flushed like a pawn in Florentino's hate.
(Like a discarded pawn flushed down the toilet by Florentino)

But dreams don't drown in Bernabéu's rain,

(But dreams won't drown in the Bernabéu rain.)

Monaco's red, rewrite the game.
(The Red of Monaco, rewriting the rules of the game)
At the Latirby training ground in Monaco, Ribery is dribbling the ball and quickly weaving between the training cones.

He suddenly changed direction and cut inside, then unleashed a powerful shot that sent the ball flying into the net.

Goalkeeper Roma didn't even have time to make a save.

Ribery was breathing heavily, and the scar on his face twitched slightly with each breath.

On the sidelines, head coach Blanco stood with his arms crossed, his face grim.

Assistant coach Jean Petit shouted towards the field: "Cheer up! Let's go to Stamford Bridge and teach Roy a lesson!"

But the defenders on the field exchanged glances. They knew better than anyone just how terrifying the man who led Monaco to the title last season truly was.

They said "He's too raw, too wild, too gray,"

(They said, "This wild boy is too rough, too arrogant, and too gloomy.")
Till he split defenses, surgical slay.
(Until he tore through the defenses and slaughtered like a scalpel)
17 goals in UCL? Psycho!
(17 goals in the Champions League? This guy is insane!!!)

Flicked the script like "Checkmate, I'm Roi."

(Rewriting the ending is like saying, "General, I am the king.")
A shout suddenly erupted on the field as Lampard's long pass arced towards the penalty area.

Roy burst into action like a cheetah, darting diagonally into the heart of the penalty area.

Before the ball even hit the ground, he twisted his body and unleashed a powerful shot with his right foot.

With a muffled thud, the ball slammed against the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the net, before Cudicini could even raise his glove.

Fergie called, "Come north, be my heir,"

(Lord Frost summons "to the North to be his heir")
But he chose blue, London's glare.
(But he chose blue, the London spotlight)
England's shadow? Nah, watch him dance,

(The shadow of English football? No, watch him dance alone)

Dribbled past defenders like "This is France!"

(Getting past all the defenders – “This is a French humiliation”)
Roy dribbled straight into the penalty area, where Huth and Glen Johnson closed him down on the left and right, while Desailly chased closely from behind.

Three defenders closed in on them.

With a quick flick of his right foot and a push of his left, he slipped through the crowd as if he were coated in oil. Just as Desailly stretched out his leg to intercept, he had already poked the ball into the near corner before the three could surround him, and the ball skimmed the grass and nestled into the back of the net.

London doesn't have UCL? Cool.

(No Champions League in London? Cool)
Cause I ain't even start to rule.
(Because I haven't started ruling yet)
"I don't wait for crowns, I grab 'em",
("I don't wait for the crown, I'll seize it with my own hands")
Mic drop, Napoleon's anthem.
(Throws out microphone, Napoleon's Coronation Song)
Drogba passed the ball across from the edge of the box, and Roy met it with a feint.

He first lowered his shoulder as if to cut inside, tricking the defender into shifting his center of gravity, but then suddenly flicked his foot lightly.

The ball arced through the air as if by magic. The goalkeeper made a full-force dive, his fingertips almost touching the crossbar, but the ball grazed the inside of the post and spun into the net.

The sidelines erupted in a cacophony of curses and whistles.

So here's the tale—no CGI,

(This is the legend—no special effects)
From concrete kicks to Stanford's sky.
(From playing football on the concrete to the sky above Stamford Bridge)
When they ask "Who's next?" point to the pitch,

(When someone asks, "Who's next?" pointing to the football field)

Don't give a damn—'I'm the fucking king.'

(I don't care about anything—'I am the king')
In the early hours of the morning, in a high-end apartment in Chelsea, London, Roy lay on his back on the disheveled silk sheets.

The shadows on the wall sometimes overlapped and sometimes separated, like two trees entangled in a storm.

At two in the morning, Roy walked barefoot to the liquor cabinet and poured two glasses of champagne.

The blonde girl on the bed, panting, propped herself up: "Darling, we should end this."

"I know."

Roy chuckled, swirling his wine glass. She suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her warm body against him: "I wish it could stay like this forever... but my father..."

Roy pinched her chin and shook it, pressing the cold wine glass against her burning face: "Never say never."

On the afternoon of September 27, 2004, Monaco's chartered plane landed slowly at London Heathrow Airport.

The players, dressed in matching dark team uniforms, dragged their suitcases out of the departure lounge, their faces still showing signs of fatigue from the long flight.

As soon as we passed through the glass door, a barrage of flashbulbs went off.

Reporters swarmed forward with microphones, bombarding him with questions like a machine gun: "What do you think of Chelsea?"

Bernardi, is your injury healed?

"Pulsso, how does it feel to play in the Premier League again?"

Reporters surrounded Saviola, microphones practically shoving into his mouth.

"Javier, what's it like joining the treble-winning team from last season?"

Saviola rubbed his red eyes and forced a smile: "It's an honor, but the pressure is also considerable."

How is he playing under Coach Blanco?

Another reporter chimed in, "Are you adapting well to playing as a right winger?"

With Barcelona signing two strikers, Larsson and Eto'o, in the summer of 2004, Saviola, who had lost his place in the team, chose to transfer to Monaco on loan to the previous season's Champions League winner.

In addition to these two players and Deco, Barcelona also brought in right-back Belletti from Villarreal, Aimar from Valencia who are in deep financial crisis, and young striker David Villa from Zaragoza.

After targeted reinforcements during the summer transfer window, Rijkaard finally molded Barcelona into a cohesive unit, making them a formidable force in La Liga once again.

As soon as Monaco's new number 10, Ribery, stepped out of the airport, he was surrounded by reporters, with flashes of light instantly focusing on his scarred face.

"Frank, you've taken over the Monaco number 10 jersey, a number that holds special significance in football. Do you feel that wearing it means taking on more responsibility?"

Ribery's lips twitched twice:
"Of course! Roy was very strong in this jersey. Uh, I will try to be as good as him and help the team. Not to score as many goals, but at least I will do my best."

"Last season, Roy scored 17 goals for Monaco in the Champions League while wearing the number 10 jersey. Do you think you can surpass that record this season?"

Ribery glared at the reporter: "Me."

"I'll just focus on playing football, let the accountants do the counting."

9 month 28 day.

The second round of the Champions League Group A matches continues.

Paris Saint-Germain narrowly defeated Deportivo La Coruña 1-0 at home, while Olympiacos also beat Liverpool 1-0.

In the first round of matches, Liverpool won 2-0 at home against Paris Saint-Germain, while Deportivo La Coruña and Olympiacos played to a goalless draw.

After two rounds, the situation in Group A is very close: Olympiacos and Liverpool are tied for first place with 4 points each, Paris Saint-Germain are close behind with 3 points, and Deportivo La Coruña are at the bottom with only 1 point.

A stunning comeback occurred in the second round of the Champions League Group B matches.

Roma's De Rossi and Cassano scored two goals in quick succession, and victory seemed within reach. However, Real Madrid captain Raul stepped up, first scoring twice to equalize the score, then winning a penalty which Figo converted, and finally Carlos sealed the victory with a powerful shot.

Raul led Real Madrid to a comeback victory against Roma with two goals and an assist, while also raising his total Champions League goals to 47, surpassing Eusebio (46 goals) and just two goals away from Stefano's record of 49 goals.

This "Champions League Player" has made the most appearances among active players with 89, while Van Nistelrooy (37 goals), who is second on the active top scorers list, has been far surpassed.

Raul only needs three more goals to become the all-time top scorer in Champions League history.

In the other match in the same group, Dynamo Kyiv defeated Bayer Leverkusen 4-2.

After two rounds, Dynamo leads the table with a perfect record, Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen are tied with 3 points, and Roma are at the bottom.

In the second round of the Champions League Group C, Juventus easily defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0 at home.

Giuly's precise cross from the right wing assisted Ibrahimovic's powerful header to open the scoring, followed by Del Piero's curling shot from the edge of the box to seal the victory. Juventus secured three crucial points with typical Italian efficiency.

Bayern Munich thrashed Ajax 4-0, with Makaay scoring a hat-trick and assisting Ze Roberto's goal.

The Dutch striker has scored 11 of Bayern Munich's last 13 Champions League goals. After two rounds, Bayern and Juventus are tied with 6 points, but Bayern leads on goal difference. The two teams will face each other directly in the next round.

The second round of the Champions League Group D matches kicked off, with Manchester United thrashing Fenerbahce 6-2 at home.

Giggs' lightning-fast goal opened the scoring for the Turks, followed by a superhuman hat-trick from 18-year-old Rooney, and goals from Van Nistelrooy and Bellion to completely dismantle the score. The Turks managed to salvage some pride only through Nobre and Tugay.

In the other match in the same group, Lyon defeated Sparta Prague 2-1 away from home. The French champions and Manchester United are tied for the top spot in the group of death with 6 points each.

Rooney's debut for Manchester United was a sensation.

This £2700 million teenager scored three goals in three different ways: first, he calmly slotted home a through ball from Van Nistelrooy to open the scoring; then, he unleashed a powerful shot from 25 yards out on the right wing that found the top corner; and finally, he completed his hat-trick with a Beckham-esque free-kick.

After Beckham, England has finally welcomed another all-around attacker.

The media hailed him as the "British Star," not only because of his talent, but also because he carried the hopes for the revival of the Three Lions.

The 70,000 spectators at Old Trafford stood and cheered throughout the entire event, knowing that Manchester United had finally welcomed a new generation of kings.

Manchester United fans held up English banners at Old Trafford:
"Forever Love Rooney!!!" and "Who Needs Roi?"

British media outlets unanimously agree that Rooney's debut performance proved he has the potential to rival Roy, and the two could become the "two greatest players of all time" in football, bringing a new golden age to English football.

Although Roy had already demonstrated top-level ability, many commentators firmly believed that Rooney's achievements were no less impressive, and that he had the potential to become one of Roy's most important rivals in his career.

Lineker said emotionally on a BBC program:
"Let's be honest, tonight we witnessed not only the birth of a genius, but also the beginning of an era. When 18-year-old Wayne Rooney broke through Fenerbahce's goal in three completely different ways, I suddenly realized: we are witnessing the rise of a genius who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Roy."

"He can break down defenses like a bull and tear open space with poetic touches. Look at this hat-trick: the first goal was the hunter's ruthlessness, the second the gunner's brute force, and the third the artist's delicacy. It reminds me of Maradona's debut at Camp Nou in 1982, that raw energy that made the whole stadium tremble."

"Rooney's violent aesthetics are exhilarating, while Roy's terror lies in his machine-like all-around game. Imagine this: while Rooney is rampaging through Goodison Park, Roy is calmly exploiting the weaknesses of the Monaco defense in the dressing room. They are like two sides of the same coin; Rooney is the raging torrent of the Merseyside, while Roy is the sharp edge tempered by the Mediterranean. One shakes the world with the raw power of English football, while the other redefines the modern striker with the elegant ruthlessness of France."

"Of course, Roy has already reached a higher starting point—at 19, he won the Champions League, the European Championship, and the Golden Boy award, and since transferring to Chelsea, he has topped the Premier League scoring charts. But Rooney's explosive growth shows me another possibility: one day in the future, when Roy is curling a deadly shot at Stamford Bridge, Rooney may be responding with a tank-like attack at Old Trafford. This is not a contest between two equally brilliant players, but a double feast bestowed upon us by the god of football."

"Finally, a reminder to everyone: when the French media said 'Roy is redefining expectations for young players,' they didn't expect England to have its own answer. From tonight onward, remember this proposition: when France's 'ruthless devil' meets England's 'red warrior,' the football world will witness the most magnificent song of ice and fire."

But many England fans were thrilled when they saw the segment, with young people chanting Rooney's name at the top of their lungs; they hadn't felt this confident about the future in a long time.

Ferguson, watching the television program's portrayal of prematurely developing young players, fell into a long silence, his joy at the resounding victory vanishing. He muttered:
"Things in England are always so bad, especially their television programs."

(End of this chapter)