When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 251 Fifty Years in the Human World, Like a Dream or an Illusion

In a Liverpool villa, Gerrard watched the FA Cup match enter the post-match commentary phase, his agent Struan Marshall beside him. He gulped down half a glass of water, raised his hand in mid-air, hesitant to speak, clearly agitated, but finally blurted out:

“Strouan, I’m fucking thinking about joining Chelsea. I know I shouldn’t say this, but this team is insane. Have you seen their strikers? I’ve never seen anyone transform a team like that. Baros, Cissé, even Michael (Owen), when you pass the ball to them, you’re always worried. Can they pass it well? Can they adjust? Can they score? What position should I cover after losing possession? What if I get beaten? Damn, Roy is a madman.”

"I've never played against players like that before. Maybe only Maradona could be that good, but I've never seen him play. Every time I play against them, I get crushed. Can we really stop them in the Champions League semi-final? I'll definitely give it my all, but honestly, playing against strikers like that is so damn easy."

The commentator's voice on TV buzzed in the living room.

"I swear I love Liverpool. But..."

He wiped his face with his hand, a long sigh escaping between his fingers.

“Strouhan, you know how much I love this red jersey. Every time I wear the captain's armband, I feel like it's the proudest thing I've ever done in my life.”

Gerald's voice suddenly trembled slightly. He stared at the television screen, but his gaze seemed to pierce through the glass and see far beyond.

“Struan, I’m only 24. I have a long career ahead of me, but I fucking want to win right now. Not five years from now, not ten years from now, right now. Do we even have a chance to win a title? Forget the Champions League and the Premier League. Just a fucking FA Cup, a League Cup, anything will do!”

"Manchester United and Arsenal are tough enough to beat, and now Chelsea has to come along. Do you see who's sitting on their bench? How much effort did Benitez put into signing Morientesfa? I can't even remember how many times he met with that agent; I met him once. And what was the result? Chelsea just snapped their fingers, and he wasn't even guaranteed a starting position, yet he willingly sat on their bench. How much money is that Russian guy planning to throw into football? We work our butts off for a whole season, and they can just write a check and buy three top players."

“I know I’m a good player, Struan. I’m fucking sure I’m one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. But football isn’t a one-man game. I want titles, I want to lift trophies before I retire, not say ‘see you next year’ every year.”

That evening, The Capital Nightclub in Cardiff was packed with Chelsea players.

Champagne was sprayed everywhere, and the music was so loud it made your ears ring.

Roy said after the game that he would pay for all the expenses of the party.

This was his habit at Monaco, but it was the first time he had done so since transferring to Chelsea. There were plenty of people in the dressing room with more seniority than him.

Desailly, Terry, Lampard, Cudicini, Gudjohnsen—any one of them has stayed longer than him.

But it doesn't matter now.

Roy knew exactly what he was doing.

Paying the bill isn't about throwing money away; it's about bestowing a favor.

He began to actively bring his teammates to participate in business activities, and whenever there was a chance to make money, he would involve everyone.

The atmosphere in the locker room gradually changed; you can't just rely on playing well to make people respect you.

To earn respect, you must excel in every detail.

On-field performance is fundamental, but off-field conduct is equally crucial.

Terry was drunk and was clinging to Roy, rambling on and on.

"Roy, to be honest, I was really resentful when you first came. You acted like Chelsea was your territory the moment you arrived, like Abramovich's illegitimate son, with the highest weekly wage in the Premier League, almost double mine, and a signing bonus of over ten million pounds. You even took Joe Cole's number 10 jersey from him."

Terry let out a burp, his voice slurred as he continued muttering, "But you're really awesome now, man. Four titles, one, two, three, four, fucking four! All the championships this year should be ours. We're too strong!!!"

He suddenly raised his voice: "That idiot Campbell recently said in the newspaper that I stole his position? I'm John Terry, who the hell do you think you are?"

Roy patted Terry on the back and nodded, saying, "Yes, John, you're right."

When Gavin Hansen brought Charlotte Church into the party, Roy went to greet them.

The Welsh rugby star and national singer was an important guest in the area, and Roy knew he had to give him the respect he deserved.

Just then, a drunken Terry suddenly blurted out from behind, "That girl's got a really big light bulb."

His voice was loud enough that several people around him could hear it.

Roy smiled slightly awkwardly, then naturally guided everyone to get to know each other.

Gavin Hansen told him, "I watched the whole game live. Actually, I watch your games all the time. Your performance on the field was amazing. Honestly, you would be a great player if you played football, like a winger. With your speed and change of direction, defenders simply couldn't catch you or the inside center. Your passing vision is absolutely top-notch."

Roy laughed and shook his head: "It's too late to switch careers now. If I were to actually go onto the rugby field, I'd probably be smashed to pieces by you."

Charlotte Church's eyes were bright, and she said shyly:
"Roy, I've seen you on TV so many times, but seeing you in person makes me realize you're even more handsome than on camera. I mean, those broadcasts don't capture the color of your eyes at all, uh, am I saying something weird?"

Roy responded with a polite smile, but just then, his personal assistant, Nicholas Heathlen, rushed through the crowded nightclub and handed him the phone.

Roy took the phone, nodded, and said, "Excuse me."

"Hey Michael, long time no see. How have you been? I often think back to that Ligue 1 match, your tackle almost broke my ribs."

The penthouse suite at the InterContinental Lyon Hotel, next to the Golden Head Park in Lyon.

When Roy's voice came through the phone, Michael Essien looked up and his gaze fell on Mendes, who was holding the phone.

He took a deep breath, and Roy's enthusiastic voice continued to come through the receiver:
"How about it, brother? Listen to me, you should come to Chelsea. We need a beast like you, sweeping through the midfield, tackling and crushing those self-proclaimed tough guys with red faces and buzz cuts in the Premier League. Ha, those guys' skin has been softened by the English rain for ages."

Roy's tone suddenly lowered, tinged with shrewdness: "Forget about Arsenal. Wenger won't let Vieira go; the remaining spots are all for his little prince, Fabregas. Come with us, and I guarantee we'll lift a whole bunch of trophies together."

A shrewd glint flashed in Fabian Paveto, Essien's Moroccan agent.

The tug-of-war with Arsenal had reached a stalemate, but suddenly a more financially powerful suitor emerged.

Now, even Chelsea's star player has personally called to recruit him, a call that has clearly stirred Essien's emotions.
Lyon's league title dream this season is in jeopardy again.

They are now five points behind Monaco, with little hope of a comeback, unless Monaco suffers a major injury crisis in their Champions League semi-final against AC Milan.

Monaco's new owner, Rybonov, while not as wealthy as Abramovich, is an equally ambitious Russian oligarch who is eyeing a monopoly on Ligue 1.

“Roy, to be honest, I’ve always respected you. After you left, our defensive pressure was definitely much less. Malouda and Govou both felt that way, and even Juninho admitted it. Diarra even said that he finally didn’t have to mark you anymore.”

"You're the best player in Ligue 1 in recent years, but strangely enough, we sometimes really do think back to the days when you tormented us. Brother, I'm glad to hear you say that."

Roy's praise made Essien feel a sense of comfort.

When you truly acknowledge a player's strength, and then hear them personally affirm you, that feeling is incredibly powerful.

For a defensive stalwart like Essien, gaining the approval of an offensive linchpin like Roy is an absolute thrill.

He couldn't help but think, "Why hasn't Arsenal made a move? Why hasn't Henry called me? Even if we didn't know each other, with my abilities, shouldn't you have contacted me first?"

“Listen, Michael, come to Stamford Bridge. We need warriors like you here. Together, we’ll make the Premier League our home.”

Essien almost blurted out "I'm in," but he swallowed the words back down.

Fortunately, his agent glared at him in time.

At the negotiating table, some things have to be said indirectly.

Just days before the crucial Premier League match against Arsenal, Chelsea had already quietly secured a victory at the negotiating table without Wenger's knowledge.

English media have called Chelsea the "Mount Everest" that is the most difficult opponent to overcome in the Premier League this season.

On Wednesday, Wenger will lead the entire Arsenal team to Stamford Bridge to challenge this peak.

With the season nearing its end, this clash of titans is destined to be exciting.

Coaches, players, and fans alike are full of anticipation.

As is customary in football, a war of words always begins before a match.

Although Arsenal just eliminated Blackburn Rovers to advance to the FA Cup semi-finals and will soon face Chelsea for the title, none of that matters now.

The entire Arsenal team has only Chelsea as their arch-rival.

This may not actually be a good thing for Arsenal.

It's worth noting that despite Arsenal's record against Manchester United this season being one draw and two losses, and even being eliminated by the Red Devils in the League Cup, Wenger actually felt that Manchester United was a "easy" opponent compared to Chelsea.

Wenger was the first to criticize Mourinho. The French coach believes that good managers should be humble and mild-mannered, letting their results speak for themselves.

He implied that the Chelsea manager lacked manners: "You naturally learn to be humble after being in the Premier League for a long time. He (Mourinho) should relax a bit so he can go further. In addition to ability, a Premier League manager also needs to be able to handle other issues."

Arsenal face a tough challenge in this away game.

Campbell and Ljungberg may be sidelined with injuries, and Chelsea only need to win their next two home games to clinch the title with four games to spare.

But Wenger remained firm: "Even with a depleted squad, we are confident we can stop Chelsea from winning the title where they think they can. Last season's unbeaten run has brought Arsenal unprecedented difficulties. No matter how hard we try, we are not as good as we were last year. But I believe my players will show their opponents that the Premier League is not yet in the Chelsea era."

April 20, 2005, the day before a Premier League match.

Cheryl and the other four members of Girls Aloud drove into Stamford Bridge in the group's vehicle, where a large number of fans and supporters were already waiting to enter. With the Premier League title already secured, the team planned to hold a large concert at the stadium and intended to have star players perform on stage.

Besides Cheryl's group, other invited performers included the band LIBERTY, the band X, singers Mark Irwin, Jamaliah, and Jani Frost.

Abramovich paid these stars very high performance fees in order to make the concert a grand affair.

He also gave free tickets to some long-time fans who have supported the team.

Chelsea's high-profile approach has drawn criticism from many media outlets and figures in the football world.

They think Chelsea are too arrogant right now.

In fact, Abramovich has always been a low-key person. Although he is ruthless in business, he doesn't like to be so ostentatious except when he spends a lot of money on players.

However, recently he has begun to appreciate the "villainous" image Roy has created for Chelsea in the media, finding it makes his team look cool.

As a Russian, he seems to have an innate fondness for this ruthless, powerful, and merciless military style.

Kimberly Walsh leaned closer to Cheryl and asked curiously, "Hey, is Roy going to sing on stage today?"

Before the words were even finished, the carriage erupted in the girls' cheerful laughter and lively discussion.

Cheryl smiled, her cheeks slightly flushed. "That's right. You'll never guess what he's going to sing."

She suddenly covered her face.

"Oh my god, just thinking about it makes me want to burst out laughing!"

The girls in the group teased and joked, "Then we'll have to really enjoy your star's golden voice! We heard that the bosses of EMI and Virgin are here today. If Roy sings well, maybe Abramovich will just sign him to a record company!"

"It must have cost a lot of money to poach a star like Roy to sing. I heard that the release clause Chelsea set for him was enough to build the squads of several Premier League teams. Even if they were just a relegation team, they could still make a lot of money from the Premier League's broadcast revenue and commercial income."

That evening, Stamford Bridge stadium was packed to capacity.

As the concert officially began, the fans and music lovers in attendance watched the following performances:

First up was Girls Aloud, who performed hit songs like "Love Machine".

Then LIBERTY performed their signature song, "Thinking It Over".

The X band performed classic rock songs.

Mark Irving performed his solo single.

Jamalia and Jani Frost also performed their signature pieces.

When the music started again, Stamford Bridge erupted in deafening cheers.

As the intro melody began, everyone immediately recognized this globally popular classic song.

Michael Jackson's "Beat It".

And standing in the center of the stage, ready to sing, was Roy.

Even more unexpectedly, the drummer on site was none other than Chelsea's starting goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Cech, who is usually calm and reliable on the court, is actually a passionate drum enthusiast in private.

For him, drumming is the most relaxing way to unwind.

This passion continued even after he retired. He later formed a folk-rock band called "Wills & The Willing" and served as its drummer. He also collaborated with Roger Taylor, the legendary drummer of Queen, to record the charity single "That's Football".

In 2013, Cech even performed as a professional drummer at the famous Rock For People music festival in the Czech Republic.

"So beat it, but you wanna be bad."

(I advised you to leave, but you insisted on making things difficult for yourself.)

Although Roy's singing voice is not as good as that of a professional singer, his overall performance is good, and he sang the whole song.

Cech's drumming was precise and perfectly coordinated.

However, what excited the media present the most was that Michael Jackson was embroiled in a sexual assault scandal at the time—in November 2003, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old cancer patient named Gavin Avizo.

Roy's choice to sing a Jackson song during this sensitive time will undoubtedly trigger extensive media coverage and controversy.

Backstage, Cheryl was completely stunned.

She had always assumed Roy would sing Queen's classic "We Are the Champions" as planned, never expecting him to switch to singing a Michael Jackson song at the last minute.

This unexpected decision was bound to leave Roy surrounded by reporters after the performance.

Cheryl grabbed the band members' hands backstage and said in a low, urgent voice, "We're doomed! This is really going to be a disaster! Roy actually chose a Michael Jackson song, the one that's been making headlines in court all this time! Look at all those reporters in the audience, their flashbulbs are practically blowing the stage up. Tomorrow, The Sun will definitely write headlines like 'Chelsea star supports controversial superstar' to kill us!"

Roy walked off the stage with an excited smile on his face.

He walked straight to his girlfriend Cheryl and gave her a warm hug.

Cheryl hesitated for a moment before subtly mentioning the potential controversy that singing Jackson's songs might cause.

Don't worry about those things.

Roy laughed heartily and waved his hand dismissively: "Those accusations are all fabricated. I don't care what the media says at all."

He put his arm around Cheryl's shoulder, his tone relaxed yet firm: "Let them come and ask all they want, the show's over. The fans are happy enough tonight, nobody cares about all that nonsense. Right now, everyone's only thinking about one thing: we have to completely crush Arsenal on this pitch tomorrow."

That evening, Roy drove his BMW slowly away from Stamford Bridge.

The media reporters who had been waiting outside completely ignored the other artists participating in the concert and swarmed around his car.

Seeing this, Roy deliberately stepped on the brakes and stopped.

Cheryl, sitting in the passenger seat, nervously grabbed his arm and whispered words of dissuasion.

Roy just smiled at her and then rolled down the car window.

Reporters immediately turned their cameras on him, bombarding him with questions about the controversy surrounding his performance of Michael Jackson songs.

Roy raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, flashing his signature smile: "Listen, guys, this is Stamford Bridge. If you want to interview me, you'd better ask me about my job first. Like, how we're planning to thrash Arsenal tomorrow?" "Hey, Roy! We're not interested in how you thrash Arsenal!"

A familiar voice came from outside the car window.

Roy turned his head and saw Piers Morgan, the editor of the Daily Mirror, squeezed into the front row of the group of reporters.

This man is known as a "big mouth" in the British media and is also a well-known die-hard Arsenal fan.

Roy smiled knowingly. "In that case, I'm afraid I can't accept your interview, nor will I answer any of your questions."

Morgan's expression froze instantly. He scratched his head in frustration, and amidst the snickers of his colleagues, he had no choice but to change his tone: "Alright, alright. So, how does Chelsea plan to prepare for tomorrow's London derby?"

"We'll score one more goal than Arsenal, you know. Football is a game where whoever scores the most goals wins! Morgan, are you ready to say 'One-nil to the Chelsea boys!'"

Morgan was furious, but his years of experience in the media allowed him to suppress his anger and continue to press, "So how do you respond to the singing incident tonight? What's the deeper meaning behind it? Do you believe Michael is innocent? Are you supporting him?"

Roy rested one hand on the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on Morgan's flushed face in the rearview mirror: "Here's what we'll do, Pierce, you shout that slogan into the camera first."

He pointed to the cameras surrounding the car, "Just shout 'One-nil to the Chelsea boys,' and I promise to tell you everything I know."

Morgan, his face ashen, practically screamed through gritted teeth at the camera: "One-nil to the Chelsea boys!"

Roy let out an excited shout: "Woo-hoo!"

He rolled down the car window and leaned halfway out, his voice so loud it could be heard throughout the parking lot: "Yes, I really love Michael Jackson's music. I think he's one of the greatest musicians ever, the GOAT of pop music. Regarding those accusations against him, I firmly believe he's innocent. Someone as talented as him shouldn't suffer such slander; his achievements are unparalleled. I believe the truth will eventually come out, and his innocence will be proven. To be honest, I didn't particularly intend to express any particular stance when I chose to sing this song tonight; it's purely because it's a good song. But if you absolutely must ask my stance now, then yes, you can think of it as me expressing support for Michael Jackson, and I don't deny that."

The BMW roared to life as Roy slammed on the gas, and the vehicle sped away from Stamford Bridge.

Cheryl, sitting in the passenger seat, tried her best to keep her body low to the ground, a look of panic on her face.

As a public figure, she has always avoided getting involved in any potentially controversial events, fully aware of the significant public relations risks associated with such matters.

Her guiding principle has always been to be extremely cautious, for fear of making a mistake.

However, Roy seemed completely unconcerned about these things, acting without any restraint and disregarding the potential consequences.

Public figures usually avoid expressing overly definitive opinions, for fear that things might turn out differently and damage their image.

But Roy is different: firstly, he is straightforward by nature and doesn't like beating around the bush.

Secondly, as a time traveler, he knows how things will develop in the future.

That's why he dared to express his support for Michael Jackson so explicitly—because for him, it wasn't a gamble, but rather he knew the outcome before he spoke.

Roy reached out and gently ruffled Cheryl's hair, comforting her, "Relax, baby. Don't be too nervous. If anyone asks, just blame it on me and say I told you to do it."

He suddenly burst into laughter and shouted in a raised voice, "Chelsea! 1-0!!!"

At the same time, he slammed on the accelerator, and the BMW's engine roared loudly. The tires screeched as they rubbed against the corner, and the car drifted through the turn beautifully.

Chelsea! 1-0!!!

In the 31st minute, Roy received a short pass from Lampard on the left side of the penalty area.

At this point, Arsenal's defenders had already set up their formation inside the penalty area, forming a tight defensive structure.

Gilberto Silva and Vieira immediately moved to closely mark Roy.

Most players in this situation would choose to turn and pass the ball out of the penalty area, but Roy did not do so.

He first used his right foot to continuously step on the ball to adjust, then gently flicked the ball with the inside of his foot to change direction, and then quickly used the instep of his foot to flick the ball to change direction, and stepped on the ball again to stabilize his body.

Just as the two defenders stretched out their legs to block him, Roy suddenly passed the ball through the gap between Silva's legs.

After passing the ball, Roy immediately forced his way through the gap between the two defenders.

Silva instinctively wanted to reach out and pull Roy's jersey, but immediately realized that they were in the penalty area and that a foul could result in a penalty kick, so he instead stretched out his leg to intercept the ball.

Roy reacted extremely quickly, using the tip of his left foot to step on the ball at the last possible distance and pull it back, just avoiding Silva's tackle.

At this moment, Senderos had already covered the ball, and Roy immediately stepped on the ball again with his left foot, while turning around and using his body to protect possession of the ball.

Under pressure from Senderos, he suddenly turned by pulling the ball back with his right foot, facing the goal directly.

Before the defender could block him, Roy went down and unleashed a powerful shot, the ball slipping under goalkeeper Lehmann's arm and into the net.

After the goal, Stamford Bridge erupted in a huge cheer.

Chelsea fans chanted "Chelsea! 1-0!!!" throughout the stadium, with blue flags and scarves waving incessantly, and the entire stadium was immersed in an atmosphere of excitement.

On the sidelines, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger stood in front of the bench, his face serious and his brow furrowed.

On the other side, Chelsea manager Mourinho excitedly rushed out of the coaching area, clenched his fists, and ran along the sideline for more than ten meters to celebrate.

The goal scorer, Roy, jumped high and pumped his fist.

He then pointed to Lampard, who had provided the assist, and the two ran around the pitch together in celebration, with their teammates joining them.

The game became a stalemate after Roy's goal.

Arsenal immediately adjusted their tactics, completely tightening their defensive formation.

The four defenders – Lauren, Toure, Senderos, and Ashley Cole – maintained a tight defensive line, while the two holding midfielders, Gilberto Silva and Vieira, rarely crossed the halfway line, focusing on intercepting attacks in midfield.

This makes it very difficult for Chelsea to create chances like they did with their first goal.

Chelsea also played relatively cautiously, with Mourinho not instructing his players to push forward aggressively.

Makelele stayed in front of the defense to provide cover, and the two full-backs, Abidal and Maicon, made fewer runs forward.

This conservative style of play slowed down the pace of the game.

Roy's activities on the left flank are Chelsea's main attacking threat.

In the 38th minute, he used his speed to break past Lauren and cross the ball, but Drogba's header went just wide.

In the 43rd minute, Roy dropped back to midfield to receive the ball, and after a one-two with Lampard, he attempted a long-range shot from 30 meters out, which was easily caught by Lehmann.

After the start of the second half, Arsenal continued to stick to their defensive strategy.

In the 51st minute, Roy switched to the right wing, combined with Maicon, and crossed from the byline, but Toure cleared the ball before Drogba could reach it.

In the 54th minute, Roy returned to the left wing, used a feint to get past Lauren and cut inside, but his shot went high under pressure from Senderos.

During this period, although the score remained unchanged, Roy's frequent positional changes and dribbling breakthroughs on both wings were among the few bright spots for Chelsea in the dull match.

He kept trying to break the deadlock with his individual skills, but Arsenal's dense defense was indeed difficult to penetrate.

Neither coach has made any substitutions yet, and the game continues to be a back-and-forth affair.

In the 55th minute of the match, the Stamford Bridge stadium broadcast an important message: in another Premier League match being played at the same time, Everton were leading Manchester United 1-0.

The specific details of the goal are as follows: Cristiano Ronaldo fouled Kilbany, and Everton were awarded a free kick on the left side of the attacking third.

Arteta took the penalty kick, sending the ball into the penalty area. Duncan Ferguson, eight yards from goal, shook off Rio Ferdinand's defense and headed the ball powerfully into the Manchester United goal.

This news caused a huge reaction at Stamford Bridge.

Even if Chelsea had beaten Arsenal in this match, they would still have needed to win another game to clinch the title.

But now Manchester United's loss means that if Chelsea wins this game, they will secure the league title in advance.

A deafening roar of cheers immediately erupted in the stadium.

Tens of thousands of Chelsea fans began chanting "Long live Everton," thanking the team that was originally unrelated to them for helping them clear the last obstacle on their road to the title.

The atmosphere in the stands instantly shifted from tense to jubilant, with Chelsea fans already celebrating the upcoming championship.

Wenger's face turned ashen instantly.

When he heard the news broadcast that Everton was leading Manchester United, he immediately realized a harsh reality.

Arsenal may very well become the backdrop for Chelsea's title win today.

Although Arsenal are out of contention for the title this season, witnessing their arch-rivals' coronation ceremony on their home turf would be an unbearable humiliation for the club.

A nameless rage surged within Wenger.

He recalled that Manchester United should have suffered the humiliation at Old Trafford after dropping three more points, but escaped it due to a schedule adjustment.

Now, by a twist of fate, Arsenal has to bear this humiliation.

This sense of unfairness almost made him curse out loud on the spot.

"Attack! All of you, push forward!"

Wenger practically jumped up from the bench and roared at the players on the field.

He quickly made a tactical adjustment gesture, ordering the two wingers, Fabregas and Pires, to stop tracking back and for the whole team to push forward.

The usually refined professor now had a ferocious expression, as if this competition, which had nothing to do with rankings, had suddenly turned into a final.

However, in the subsequent matches, Chelsea did not adopt their usual high-pressing tactics, but instead played relatively conservatively.

This is mainly due to the players' poor physical condition caused by the tight schedule, coupled with some injury problems in the team, and the more important Champions League matches to consider next.

Therefore, Mourinho opted for a more conservative tactical approach, requiring the team to focus on controlling the tempo and avoiding unnecessary exertion.

When the match reached the 93rd minute, the referee blew the final whistle.

Chelsea ultimately defeated Arsenal 1-0, holding onto this crucial victory.

When the final whistle blew, confirming Chelsea's title win, a deafening roar erupted from the Stamford Bridge stands.

Many older fans, those who have supported Chelsea since the mid-20th century, were in tears at this moment.

They have been waiting for this league title for a full fifty years.

Fans could be seen embracing each other everywhere in the stands—fathers and sons, husbands and wives, and even complete strangers hugging each other excitedly.

Many people knelt on the ground, holding their heads in their hands, seemingly unable to believe what they were seeing.

Blue flags and scarves were tossed high into the air, instantly turning the entire stadium into a blue ocean.

Some fans pulled out long-treasured black-and-white photos, memories of watching games at Stamford Bridge when they were young.

Today, pointing to the photos, they say to the young people around them, "Children, I've waited my whole life for this day."

Her voice was choked with sobs, and she could barely speak.

Fans on the sidelines began throwing blue ribbons and confetti onto the field, and soon the entire lawn was dyed blue.

Parents lifted their young children high above their heads so they could witness this historic moment.

A little boy, about seven or eight years old, was riding on his father's shoulders, holding up a homemade sign that read in crooked handwriting: "Dad says this is the best day he's ever had."

Immediately after the whistle blew, Mourinho jumped up from the bench and excitedly ran along the sideline in celebration.

The Chelsea players went wild, hugging and cheering each other.

Although the fans knew from the 55th minute that the team might win the championship, they still couldn't hide their excitement when the moment actually arrived.

According to Premier League regulations, the league prepares trophies and podiums in advance for matches where a champion may be decided.

With the possibility of winning the championship in this round, the relevant preparations have already been completed.

The podium, fireworks, ribbons and other celebratory equipment have all been set up on the sidelines.

As the match ended, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore carried the championship trophy onto the field, ready for the official award ceremony.

According to the procedure, firstly, championship medals will be awarded to each player and coaching staff member. Then, the whole team will take a group photo on the prepared podium. Finally, the captain will raise the Premier League championship trophy.

The entire stadium was decorated with blue ribbons and lights, and staff were making final preparations.

At that moment, the Stamford Bridge stadium's public address system officially announced:

Chelsea Football Club, 2004-2005 English Premier League Champions!

Wenger stood silently on the sidelines and mechanically clapped his hands.

His gaze was vacant as he stared at the Chelsea players who were celebrating wildly, his face expressionless.

The French coach slowly turned and walked toward the players' tunnel. On the way, he stopped and looked back one last time at the podium that was being set up in the center of the field.

On the football field, the winners make history, while the losers can only leave in silence.

Arsenal's current pain is real.

Not only did they become the backdrop for their arch-rivals' championship win, but what no one knew was that for the next twenty years, this team would repeatedly miss out on the league title, becoming one of the longest-waiting teams in the Premier League era.

The tears of Chelsea fans were a testament to half a century of memories.

Fifty years in this world are like a dream, an illusion.

The elderly people in the stands, many of whom have been following the team since their youth, witnessed the glory of the FA Cup and European competitions brought by Peter Osgood in the 1970s, the European Cup Winners' Cup won by Zola and Di Matteo in 1998, and also experienced the struggles in the second division during the low period.

Now, they have finally won the league championship, but many of their old friends who watched the games with them back then are no longer by their side.

Those old fans who passed away before they could live to see this day, those old friends who used to meet at Stamford Bridge every match day.

What's even more heartbreaking is that over the past fifty years, too many Chelsea fans have passed away with regrets.

Many of them, until the very last moment of their lives, still hoped to see Chelsea regain the league title.

Some people brought Chelsea's team flag into their hospital rooms, some were still asking about the team's latest score before they died, and some asked their children to pass on the news of the championship victory to their tombstones.

These loyal supporters ultimately did not live to see this dream come true.

Behind the revelry on Stamford Bridge at this moment are countless stories of waiting and regret.

Those empty seats, those treasured old tickets, those names that couldn't be there—they all remind us that the most moving part of football is often not the victory itself, but those who dedicate their lives to their beliefs.

(End of this chapter)