Nominated for Golden Boy and Ballon d'Or

After an overwhelming majority of readers told me not drop, I have decided to not drop. That being said, enjoy the chapter.

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After the match, Lin received a text message from Lily Collins, learning that she had come to Stamford Bridge to watch the game. However, Lin was already on the team bus back to Manchester and couldn't meet her in person. They continued their conversation via text.

"How was the experience of watching the game live?" Lin asked.

"It was pretty good, but the seats were far from the field, so it was a bit hard to see everything clearly!" Lily Collins responded with a laughing emoji.

"If the seats are too high up, you could bring binoculars. I saw a lot of people doing that!" Lin suggested. He reminisced about his time in Catalonia, where he often watched games at the Camp Nou. The stadium was huge, accommodating up to 100,000 fans. Sitting at the top, it was hard to see the players clearly without a big screen or binoculars. While watching at home might be more comfortable, the live atmosphere with thousands of fans was incomparable.

Lily's willingness to attend the game hinted at her growing interest in football, which was a good sign!

"By the way, how did your movie do?" Lin asked, referring to a film she had starred in, which had been out for about half a month.

"It flopped really badly. The producers and distributors said the movie is expected to lose over 90 million dollars!" Lily replied, clearly upset about the impact this could have on her acting career.

Lin tried to comfort her, "It's okay, don't be sad. I'll take you to another game this weekend and treat you to a big meal afterward. How does that sound?"

"Really?" Lily asked, seemingly cheered up by the offer.

"Of course!"

...

After returning to Manchester, Pellegrini gave the players two days off. The grueling schedule of three consecutive away games had finally ended, and the upcoming fixtures were less intense. Moreover, the players who had missed games due to illness were set to rejoin the team, allowing Manchester City to field their strongest lineup against Norwich.

As discussions about Lin's spectacular goal against Chelsea continued, *Tuttosport* capitalized on the momentum and released the 40-man shortlist for this year's Golden Boy award on October 27. More than half of the players on the list were from Serie A, highlighting the Italian publication's bias towards its home league. However, most of these Serie A players were considered long shots, with the real contenders being Lin from Manchester City, Pogba from Juventus, and Draxler from Schalke 04.

Interestingly, Romelu Lukaku, known for his impressive performance at Everton, was also on the list, ranking in the top five. In the current Premier League season, Lukaku had scored in each of his five appearances, surpassing many top scorers. However, like the others, Lukaku was seen as a supporting player to Lin, who was the clear favorite for the award. The odds of Lin winning were so high that betting companies had stopped taking bets on it.

In contrast to the near-certainty surrounding the Golden Boy award, the Ballon d'Or race was much more open this year. With Ribéry having an exceptional Champions League season, many speculated he might break the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly. On October 29, just two days after the Golden Boy shortlist was announced, FIFA and *France Football* released the 23-man shortlist for the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or. Unlike the relatively obscure Golden Boy list, the Ballon d'Or nominees included some of the biggest names in football, essentially the best players on the planet.

As the defending Champions League winners, Bayern Munich had six players nominated. Despite not reaching the final, Barcelona had four nominees thanks to their La Liga title and strong national team performances. Paris Saint-Germain, boosted by their star-studded lineup, had three players on the list. Real Madrid, despite a disappointing season, had two nominees, including their £100 million summer signing Gareth Bale. Other clubs with one nominee each included Monaco, Chelsea, Dortmund, Arsenal, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City.

With the Ballon d'Or shortlist out, attention quickly shifted from the Golden Boy award to the more prestigious Ballon d'Or.

"Ribéry has a great chance this year!"

"Haha, not so fast. Ribéry scored only three goals in the Champions League, far fewer than Ronaldo, and Bayern finished second in their group after losing to Manchester City. Why should he win the Ballon d'Or?"

"Ribéry has a Champions League title, which gives him a huge edge in terms of honors over Messi and Ronaldo. Why shouldn't he win?"

"So what? If that mattered so much, how come no Chelsea player won the Ballon d'Or when they won the Champions League a couple of seasons ago?"

Fans of the top contenders argued passionately online. Ribéry's supporters believed he deserved the award, while Ronaldo's fans felt Ribéry was unworthy. As always, where there's a discussion about Ronaldo, Messi's fans aren't far behind:

"At least Messi has a league title. Ronaldo has nothing this year, so why should he be ahead of Messi?"

"Exactly! Messi led his team to victory over Ronaldo's Real Madrid in the recent El Clasico, proving he's better!"

"Haha, is it so hard to admit Ronaldo is great? Seven goals in three Champions League games; how many did your little man score?"

"For your information, Messi scored four goals in just two games. His scoring rate isn't any worse than Ronaldo's. Plus, Messi has two hat-tricks in La Liga!"

"Messi's been injured a lot this year. If he had been fit more often, his Champions League tally might not be far off Ronaldo's."

"Haha, then make sure Messi stays fit and doesn't miss games. Why does only Messi get injured so much while Ronaldo doesn't?"

Ronaldo's fans were dismissive of these arguments, pointing out that staying injury-free is also a skill and part of being a top player.

"Let's face it, Ronaldo and Messi aren't the same type of player. Messi leads La Liga in dribbles and creates more chances, which naturally leads to more fouls. Isn't that normal?"

"To be fair, Messi is a ball-carrying player with the ball at his feet longer, so he gets fouled more often than a striker like Ronaldo."

"Okay, even if that's true, what about Lin? Lin plays the same position as Messi and in the Premier League, which is known for its physicality and fouls. So why hasn't Lin been injured as much?"

This question stumped Messi's fans. They couldn't understand why Lin seemed so resilient and had such a high appearance rate.

While Lin was among the 23 nominees for the Ballon d'Or, he wasn't considered a serious contender. He was ranked fifth, behind Ribéry, Ronaldo, Messi, and Iniesta, making him a long shot for the award.

Lin's fans were unfazed by this outcome. 

"No rush, Lin is still young. Let's grab the Golden Boy award this year, and after winning the Champions League and World Cup, we can talk about competing with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo for the Ballon d'Or."

"You're optimistic! Winning the Champions League and World Cup isn't easy!"

"The World Cup might be a bit easier with Spain's strong national team, but the Champions League..."

"The Champions League is also possible. Remember, they beat the defending champions Bayern!"

"Sure, they beat Bayern, but there's still a significant gap in quality. Plus, Guardiola's Bayern doesn't feel as dominant as they did under Heynckes."

"You're right, Guardiola's Bayern lacks that championship aura Heynckes had."

"Maybe they just need more time. Guardiola's only been there for less than half a year. Let's wait and see."

...

Lin had no ambitions for this year's Ballon d'Or, knowing he had little chance. Being ranked in the top five was already a significant achievement. As for the Golden Boy award, it had been almost certain from the start of the season, so there was little surprise there. However, winning the Golden Boy award would still significantly boost his popularity and market value.

Since *Tuttosport* announced the Golden Boy shortlist, more sponsors had approached Lin for collaborations. The latest offer came from a well-known domestic smartphone company looking to expand its high-end market. They had developed a premium smartphone to challenge the dominance of Apple and Samsung and wanted Lin to help promote it, leveraging his influence in Europe.

Initially, they had considered a Bundesliga star, but Lin's broader appeal made him a better choice. After trying out the product, Lin found it of excellent quality, and with the generous offer, he saw no reason to refuse.

To avoid disrupting Lin's training and matches, the company brought their filming team to Manchester for an on-site shoot.

"Hello, Lin! I'm Guo Fan, nice to meet you. I'm a fan of yours!" said the director, a tall, thirty-something man from Shandong province.

Lin was momentarily taken aback. Isn't this the same Guo Fan who later directed the pinnacle of domestic sci-fi films? What is he doing shooting a commercial?

Lin warmly shook his hand, "Hello, Director Guo! I'm a fan of your work. I'll follow your lead for today's shoot."

Guo Fan, who had worried about Lin being a difficult star to work with, was relieved to find him so approachable. But what did he mean by being a fan? Did he watch "The Adventures of Li Xianji"? That film was quite niche and not well-received.

Guo Fan brushed off the thought as Lin just being polite and continued, "You're too kind. Let me brief you on today's schedule."

...

Under Guo Fan's direction, the crew shot scenes at the seaside road in Manchester, the Carrington training ground, and the Etihad

 Stadium.

In the seaside scene, Lin, with the phone in his pocket and earphones on, jogged along the coastal road. The camera started with a close-up of the phone logo peeking out of his pocket, then panned out to show the vast open road, symbolizing the journey ahead.

At the Carrington training ground, Lin used the phone's sports features during training, attaching it to his upper arm to monitor various physical metrics, showcasing its practicality.

At the Etihad Stadium, they filmed a scene of Lin sharing a victory moment with friends and family via the phone after a game.

The entire shoot went smoothly, taking less than half a day to complete, much to Guo Fan and his team's satisfaction.

"Lin, you're amazing! You're not just great at football; you could easily become an actor!" Guo Fan praised after the shoot, giving Lin a thumbs up.

Lin didn't take the compliment too seriously, knowing Guo Fan was just being polite. He had no plans to pursue acting, especially since professional football left little time for such ventures. However, building a good relationship with someone like Guo Fan could be beneficial, given his track record of blockbuster films.

After the shoot, it was already past six in the evening. As Lin was about to head home, he noticed some crew members preparing instant noodles for dinner. Considering they were far from home, Lin decided to invite everyone for a proper meal.

"You're guests here, so let me treat you all to dinner," Lin offered.

"Oh, we couldn't possibly impose!" Guo Fan replied, but quickly instructed his team to pack up, not wanting to miss the opportunity.

Lin chuckled at the quick change of tone. The nickname "Master of Persuasion" certainly fit!