When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 267 But for Your Sake (1)

On the afternoon of July 2nd, the "Pepsi Henry China Tour" BJ Station event was held at the BJ Olympic Sports Center.

Henry participated in the event, first serving as the referee for a 3-on-3 netball match, and later playing the game himself.

During the event, Henry played games with the teenagers and presented an award to the champion of the Pepsi five-a-side football tournament.

Henry's trip to China lasted three days, during which he visited Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen.

Sina.com was the exclusive online media partner for the event, and Henry gave an exclusive video interview to Sina Sports at 5:30 p.m. that day.

A Sina Sports reporter asked: "It can be said that you and Roy are both outstanding players nurtured by the Clairefontaine training base in France. Your football career started here, and Roy was also a Clairefontaine student before joining Real Madrid's youth academy. Now, you two are not only the top two scorers in the Premier League, each leading two top London teams, but also the leading attacking duo for the French national team. The Chinese Football Association is discussing with France the establishment of a training base in Clairefontaine to help young Chinese players prepare for the 2008 Olympics. In your opinion, what aspects should Chinese football learn from French football? Is a youth training system like Clairefontaine a prerequisite for producing top strikers like you and Roy?"

Henry: "Yes, I started my career at this academy. French football has a long history, and the Clásfontein Academy has nurtured many talents, including myself, Roy, and Papin. The Clásfontein Academy has been a great help to French football, and it has also absorbed a large number of young foreign players. Overall, Clásfontein has made a great contribution to the cause of football."

Sina Sports: "Of all the goals you've scored, which one do you consider the best and most spectacular?"

Henry: "Every goal feels special and makes me feel great. Looking back on this season, I've had some great goals against Tottenham, Manchester United, and Chelsea. It's really hard to pick the best one."

Sina Sports: "You yourself are an excellent striker. Among other strikers, which players do you personally admire?"

Henry: "There are some strikers that I really admire. First and foremost, of course, is Ronaldo, he is an excellent striker. Also, there is Ronaldinho, although he is not a striker in the strict sense, he is more of an attacking midfielder. Ronaldo, Vieri and Ronaldinho are all strikers that I like, they all have the ability to create their own scoring opportunities."

"And what about Roy?"

After a pause, Henry added helplessly, "Of course. Of course, the one who has impressed me the most in the last two years is Roy. He scores an astonishing number of goals every year, broke Platini's long-standing record in the European Championship, and helped us win the title. Without a doubt, in terms of goal-scoring, he is currently the most dominant striker in Europe."

"Isn't it from other perspectives?"

"Yes, and there are other aspects, I mean. I must admit, Roy is definitely better at seizing opportunities in front of goal. His positioning and judgment of the timing of his shots are better than mine in these details. Some of his goals look simple, but that's a testament to his extraordinary ability."

At this point, Henry's entourage privately contacted a reporter from Sina Sports, making it clear that they hoped Roy would not be mentioned in any future interviews.

Staff explained that this was to avoid unnecessary comparisons and hype, hoping the media would focus on Henry's own football insights and upcoming events.

This request was conveyed to the relevant media personnel in a tactful but firm manner.

On July 4, 2005, Roy arrived in Hong Kong a day early, accompanied by his personal assistant Heathlen, a team of bodyguards, and other staff.

To avoid media criticism that he was acting like a diva, Roy made a special arrangement to arrive in Hong Kong before the rest of the Chelsea team.

The following day, Chelsea will fly to Hong Kong as planned to begin their Asian tour.

When Roy appeared at Hong Kong Airport, the entire aviation hub instantly erupted in excitement.

More than 2000 fans packed the arrival hall at the airport, and the police urgently dispatched 30 additional officers to maintain order.

Hong Kong TVB Sports reporter reporting live:
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are witnessing a historic moment in football at Hong Kong International Airport! Just off the plane is the most dominant superstar in world football today – Roy. This 20-year-old striker has just led Chelsea to an unprecedented quadruple this season, winning the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup.

"It is worth noting that Roy himself won the Premier League Golden Boot with 40 goals, and with an absolute advantage in total goals, he also won the European Golden Boot. This is the second consecutive year that he has won both the league and European Golden Boot awards, the two highest honors for top scorers."

"It is particularly worth mentioning that Roy has deep Asian blood. His mother was a Chinese refugee who came to France from Vietnam in the 1970s, and his great-grandfather was a Chinese laborer who went to France during World War I. This gives this superstar a special connection with the East. This immigrant story that spans centuries adds a deeper meaning to the enthusiastic welcome from Hong Kong fans today."

"As you can see, despite the airport deploying a large number of security personnel, the arrival hall is still packed with nearly three thousand enthusiastic fans. Roy has been in the autograph area for more than half an hour, causing the B arrival lane to be completely paralyzed. Airport management revealed that this is the busiest airport scene for non-political figures since Hong Kong's return to China in 1997."

"We have just received news that Roy arrived in Hong Kong ahead of schedule to avoid scheduling conflicts with the Chelsea team, who will arrive tomorrow. Before boarding the convoy to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the usually low-key superstar thanked the fans in somewhat broken Cantonese, eliciting cheers from the crowd. We will continue to follow the football legend's activities in Hong Kong."

The following day, the Oriental Daily News published a front-page article titled "The King Arrives," dedicating the entire page to reporting on this sensational airport arrival event that captivated the entire city of Hong Kong.

On July 5, 2005, Mourinho led the entire Chelsea team to Hong Kong and stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

This Asian tour, co-sponsored by Nike and Samsung, aims to convert the team's recent four-time championship win into a fan base in the Asian market.

The Hong Kong Football Association, as the event organizer, co-organized the event with the local tour operator, South China Athletic Association.

Watson Group and Cathay Pacific are the business partners, while the Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department is responsible for providing the Hong Kong Stadium as the main event venue.

When Chelsea stars such as Drogba, Cech, Lampard, and Terry stepped out of Hong Kong Airport, nearly 5000 fans at the scene erupted in deafening cheers.

As a traditional gathering place for Premier League fans, Hong Kong already has a large number of Chelsea supporters, and the team's outstanding performance in recent years has led to a surge in the number of Chelsea fans.

Among them, Roy, who just won the European Golden Boot, is particularly eye-catching. This French striker is not only a favorite of Chelsea fans, but also transcends club boundaries to become a super idol sought after by fans of all teams in Hong Kong.

Even many local fans of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have admitted that they are Roy's personal fans.

On the evening of July 7, 2005, Chelsea played a friendly match against the Hong Kong League All-Stars at Hong Kong Stadium. Manager Mourinho fielded a semi-first-team lineup, with star player Roy starting and playing the full first half.

Chelsea ultimately won easily 4-0, with Roy's breakthroughs on the left wing being the biggest highlight.

He repeatedly outmaneuvered defenders with his dazzling dribbling skills, sometimes delivering precise passes, and sometimes suddenly accelerating and making powerful breakthroughs, eliciting gasps from the more than 3 fans in the stadium.

First, he dribbled past the Hong Kong team's right-back three times in a row with a stepover, then assisted Lampard to score with a low through ball. The most exciting moment was in the 38th minute when he made a 40-meter run, starting from his own half, beating four players before slotting the ball into the far corner. This prompted the fans in the stands to imitate the British fans and erupt in a unified chant of "Super Roy! Super Roy! He scores when he wants!"

After scoring, Roy rushed to the corner flag and, in front of tens of thousands of fans, completed his signature celebration, the "Gates of Hell".

Since Chelsea did not include a match in Guangzhou during their Asian tour, more than 5000 Guangdong fans traveled to Hong Kong specifically to watch the game, making the already booming football market even more frenzied.

According to statistics from the Hong Kong Football Association, the attendance rate for this match reached 98%, setting a new record for the highest attendance rate for a Hong Kong football match that year.

After the match, Roy and the entire Chelsea team circled the field to express their gratitude, applauding the stands for 15 minutes.

He then donated his match boots to a disabled young fan on the sidelines and also donated his match jersey, autographed training clothes, and shin guards used in the Champions League final from his private collection, entrusting the Hong Kong Red Cross to auction them off for charity.

On July 9, 2005, the entire Chelsea team arrived in Guangzhou. The Guangzhou event was exclusively sponsored by Zhujiang Beer.

Due to the limited number of commercial matches, the schedule for this Asian tour has been confirmed to include one commercial match each in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo, with only one official match scheduled for each stop (two in mainland China). Therefore, no friendly matches will be held in Guangzhou; instead, commercial activities such as brand meet-and-greets and youth training interactions will take place.

The team held a fan autograph session at the White Swan Hotel where they were staying that day, and then participated in a brand promotion event arranged by Zhujiang Beer.

On July 11, 2005, Chelsea arrived in Shanghai, causing an unprecedented sensation.

That afternoon, when the Chelsea team's flight landed at Pudong International Airport, more than 5000 fans and dozens of media outlets were already waiting at the scene.

Although the club did not disclose the specific schedule in advance, enthusiastic fans still learned about it through various channels and gathered at the airport exit early.

As Mourinho led his team out of the tunnel, deafening cheers erupted from the crowd, with fans chanting "Chelsea! Chelsea!" and the names of stars like Lampard and Terry.

When Roy was the last to walk out of the passage, the entire arrival hall instantly went wild.

Shouts in various dialects rose and fell like waves:

"Ronaldo! Look over here!"

"Brother Luo! Please, just give me your autograph! I'm begging you!"

"Roy! Roy! Invincible!"

"Brother Luo! What do we do if the Premier League deducts 9 points from our score?"

Will Chelsea pursue this to the end? Is the referee targeting us?

"Can we still win the Champions League next year? Can't we win another one?!"

"If you leave, I'll become an Arsenal fan!" Due to excessive security pressure, the airport temporarily deployed over a hundred additional police officers to maintain order.

The players originally planned to leave quickly by car, but after seeing the fans' enthusiasm, Mourinho took the initiative to ask the whole team to stay for 10 minutes to sign autographs and take photos with some of the fans.

Roy spoke to fans in Chinese throughout the autograph session. His Chinese was very fluent, almost indistinguishable from that of a local, and even had a slight accent that was hard to tell where he came from.

He chatted with the fans, asking them where they came from, why they came to watch the game, and which hotel in Shanghai they were staying at. He even casually commented that "the hotels over there must be expensive."

The fans didn't react at first, but when they realized that Roy's Chinese was so fluent, they all showed surprised expressions.

Throughout the process, Roy signed autographs and chatted with fans in a very natural manner.

Several fans were talking quietly in Shanghainese nearby.

Upon hearing this, Roy said, "What are you saying? I don't understand."

The fans suddenly realized that Roy was responding to them and immediately started screaming.

A female fan wearing glasses suddenly turned her head and blurted out in English, "Are you talking to us?"

Roy continued speaking in Mandarin, adding a joke: "Because I'm a country bumpkin."

As soon as he said that, the local Shanghai fans around him immediately went wild.

A middle-aged man wearing a Shanghai Shenhua jersey slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Oh my god! A French football star is saying 'I don't know'?"

The aunt next to her quickly corrected her: "Oh dear, how can you call yourself a country bumpkin!"

Local fans who understood Shanghainese laughed uproariously, while out-of-town fans who didn't understand were confused but also joined in the laughter due to the atmosphere.

For a moment, both Shanghainese and out-of-towners burst into laughter, and the entire autograph area was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Chelsea are staying at the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel during their Shanghai trip, and the area around the hotel was surrounded by fans and photographers early in the morning.

According to local media reports, this is the largest airport reception for football stars in Shanghai since Real Madrid's visit to China in 2003.

The following day, the Xinmin Evening News ran the headline: "Blue Storm Sweeps Shanghai."

On the afternoon of July 12, 2005, the area outside Shanghai Hongkou Football Stadium was packed with fans early in the morning.

Although the match didn't start until the evening, the area around the stadium was already bustling with activity.

"Dear viewers, now we will introduce the starting lineups for both teams. Shanghai Shenhua will field a 4-4-2 formation: Yu Weiliang will guard the goal; Sun Ji will play right-back, Du Wei and Bian Jun will partner at center-back, and Sun Xiang will guard the left flank; in midfield, Serbian foreign player Trobok will be the playmaker, Xiao Zhanbo will anchor the defensive midfield, and Yu Tao and Wang Ke will occupy the central and left flanks respectively; in attack, Xie Hui will partner with Honduran foreign player Martinez to form a two-striker formation."

Chelsea adopted a 4-3-3 formation: Cudicini in goal; Glen Johnson at right-back, Terry and Abidal at center-back, Bridge on the left; and Geremi as the defensive midfielder, with Lampard and Thiago as central midfielders.

"The most eye-catching lineup is undoubtedly the attacking trident: Iceland's sharpshooter Gudjohnsen on the right wing, Spain's towering striker Morientes in the center, and the superstar we've all been waiting for on the left, Roy. Fans familiar with European football will surely remember that during their time at Monaco, it was Roy, Morientes, and Giuly who formed a formidable attacking line that dominated European competitions, helping the team reach the Champions League final. Back then, Morientes won the Champions League Silver Boot, while Roy broke records with 17 goals to win the Golden Boot. Now, this old partnership has reunited at Chelsea, especially with Roy at his peak, breaking his own records again last season and helping Chelsea win the treble. Roy can now be considered the world's best striker, possessing unparalleled dribbling ability and an astonishing goal-scoring efficiency."

In the seventh minute, Chelsea launched an attack in the attacking third.

Roy dropped back on the left flank to receive the pass. After receiving the pass from his teammate, he first flicked the ball with a light backheel to Lampard, who was making a run forward, and then immediately turned and moved forward.

Lampard understood immediately and lobbed the ball back to Roy.

Roy dribbled the ball and faced the defense of Shenhua midfielder Yu Tao. Suddenly, he made a sharp stop and changed direction, easily creating an angle for himself.

He then accelerated his breakthrough and used a feint to fool Xiao Zhanbo, who was covering for him.

As Du Wei stepped forward to block, Roy had already dribbled into the edge of the penalty area.

When Du Wei stepped up to block, Roy calmly passed the ball to Gudjohnsen, who was making a run down the right flank, while he quickly bypassed Du Wei and continued his forward run.

Gudjohnsen understood immediately and delivered a low cross back to the ball.

At this moment, Roy had already shaken off the defense and received the ball again at the edge of the penalty area.

After receiving a short pass from his teammate, Roy used his right foot to gently dribble past Bian Jun who was rushing towards him.

Facing goalkeeper Yu Weiliang, he did not choose to take a powerful shot, but instead used his left foot to curl a delicate ball.

The ball traced a beautiful arc, passing Yu Weiliang's fingers and nestling in the top right corner of the goal.

The entire goal-scoring process was seamless, from the initial combination play to the final shot.

Roy's superb skills and calm handling made Shenhua's entire defense look like a backdrop.

The Shenhua fans at Hongkou Football Stadium collectively exclaimed in amazement.

Although Chelsea didn't play particularly aggressively, their effortless control kept the game in their rhythm.

Roy's sudden outburst completely disrupted the balance on the field. His first two steps after receiving the ball caused Shenhua midfielder Yu Tao to lose his position, and his subsequent change of direction and acceleration caused Xiao Zhanbo, who was covering, to stumble and almost fall.

Two Shenhua youth team players on the sidelines were muttering to themselves.

Mao Jianqing: "Damn, Roy's dribbling is just unfair, he just walks past people like it's nothing."

Gao Lin: "Holy crap, look at his starting speed, it's like he stepped on the gas pedal, Yu Ge is just eating dust."

Mao Jianqing: "That's awesome! That change of direction doesn't even slow you down. I could practice my whole life and still not learn that move."

Gao Lin: "Don't even think about it. This kind of talent is a gift from God. We could train ourselves to death and still not catch up."

Mao Jianqing stared at the field and suddenly blurted out, "Hey, do you think there's a chance to ask Roy for his jersey after the game?"

Gao Lin scoffed: "What are you thinking? Why would a world-class star bother with you?"

"I just wanted to give it a try."

Mao Jianqing rubbed his hands together. "Look, he didn't sweat much during the game. I bet his jersey is still clean."

In 2025, Mao Jianqing, who was live streaming on Douyin, suddenly saw a comment on the screen: "Who is more awesome, you or Roy?"

We will recall that distant night when Roy effortlessly scored a hat-trick, leading Chelsea to a 5-0 victory over Shanghai Shenhua.

Just as Mao Jianqing was about to speak, he caught a glimpse of a string of glaring text floating across the screen:

"Hilarious! The anchor really played football with Roy? He must have been dreaming!"

"How many goals did Coach Mao score in the World Cup? Want to compare him to Roy?"

"I suggest the commentator win the Chinese Super League Golden Boot before commenting on the GOAT~"

"Coach Mao, I haven't heard your story for three minutes now. You didn't play a single minute in the friendly match, but you still managed to shamelessly sneak into Roy's jersey!"

"The wrong one is already in Wang Tao's hands!"

(Sorry, I've been busy these past few days.)

(End of this chapter)