A New Era Begins at Lion King Stadium

In the morning, Henry, as usual, went to the training base for his individual session. After finishing his morning training, he walked to the perimeter of the base, where enthusiastic fans eagerly waited for autographs and photos. Fans knew that Henry would soon join the team tomorrow, and many took the opportunity to wish him well up close.

"The team's trip to Asia is just a training camp, not a competition for a title," Henry said with a smile. "There's nothing to really fight for in a friendly match. If something big happens, what will we do in the new season?"

After lunch at home, Henry changed into casual clothes and drove out, heading north toward an area on the southern banks of the Thames near the East Ferry.

He parked in a spacious, clean parking lot and looked up. Across the lot, a new high-end hotel was under construction. It was a comprehensive entertainment complex, and the property belonged to Millwall FC.

The surroundings were pleasant, fresh, and modern. Henry turned to gaze toward the Thames, his eyes solemn.

Right in front of him stood Millwall's new stadium—Lion King Stadium!

From a distance, the brand-new stadium resembled a massive beast, its metallic features standing out in the landscape.

While the interior of the stadium was not open to the public yet, many tourists and local fans were already there, visiting and shopping.

The fan merchandise store was booming with business. Parents brought their children and made sure they didn't leave empty-handed—some fans wore the new team jerseys, while younger fans held blue lion toys symbolizing the club's identity.

The club's historical museum also had a long line, with visitors eager to get inside.

The museum mainly focused on the post-1994 history of Millwall. There were only a few items related to the club's history before 1994, mostly old photos and some key milestones, such as the few legendary managers and a handful of star players. Not much about matches could be found, as Millwall hadn't won a championship before that year.

The museum's highlight was its focus on the club's history post-1994, which drew the attention of many tourists. From the picture of Aldrich at his first press conference at the age of 18 to Millwall's 2000 treble-winning triumph across Europe, the museum was filled with countless stories.

Visitors could admire fantastic action photos from the pitch, view the team rosters for each year, and see simple introductions to the tactical formations Millwall used each season. They could also learn about emerging stars or exceptionally outstanding players from each season.

Visitors could watch goal highlights from past seasons, including every goal from the two UEFA Champions League finals, and relive iconic moments from key battles. The museum even allowed fans to vote for their favorite Millwall player or the most spectacular goal.

Additionally, the museum sold individual highlight reels of each player, along with books and picture albums, catering to the collection needs of many fans.

Henry walked slowly toward the main entrance of Lion King Stadium. His mood suddenly became more serious, as if approaching the stadium required a certain reverence.

Millwall's bars, restaurants, and stores surrounded the stadium, creating a bustling commercial area. Six years ago, no one would have imagined this.

Seeing all of this come to fruition, Henry couldn't help but feel even more respect for his manager and a deeper loyalty to the club he played for.

The main gate of the stadium was closed, but after a brief conversation with the security guard, Henry was allowed in. Inside, there were people already preparing for the interview. Andrew and the BBC production team were getting ready for a special interview. Millwall FC had approved the interview, and BBC would be filming Henry at Lion King Stadium.

Henry walked down the player tunnel and into the stadium, feeling as though he had stepped from one world into another.

In reality, the stadium was just a stadium; its internal structure wasn't anything particularly unique. The Lion King Stadium, with a capacity of 60,000, featured three tiers of seating. For someone like Henry, who had played at such venues both for Millwall and the French national team, the scale of this stadium was nothing new.

But stepping onto the pitch of the Lion King Stadium, he wore a serious expression. His feet sank into the lush, top-quality grass as he walked slowly, step by step, towards the center of the field.

He didn't greet anyone as the BBC film crew began recording, capturing his walk into the stadium in its entirety.

Henry stopped at the center of the pitch, turned his head to look to the left, and saw the empty stands. The seats were arranged in a way that spelled out a huge name: Millwall FC.

Turning his gaze to the right, he saw that the seats formed a giant pattern, the fierce lion from the Millwall crest!

Henry closed his eyes, spreading his arms wide and tilting his head back. Here, it felt as though even the air was different.

It was impossible not to feel the surge of excitement.

He couldn't help but fantasize.

Under the gaze of 60,000 spectators, Millwall, the roar of The Lions echoing in his ears—what challenges would they face? And Henry—what kind of legend could he write here?

Henry, having absorbed the thrilling atmosphere of this world-class stadium, turned and headed toward the BBC crew. Halfway there, Andrew lobbed a ball to him. Andrew wouldn't dare kick it to Henry—his poor kicking skills meant it could end up anywhere, and he didn't want to make a fool of himself.

Naturally, Henry flicked the ball up with his toe, juggling it as he approached the crew. Finally, he stopped the ball on his shoulder, grinned, shrugged, and let the ball bounce. He reached out to catch it.

The interview was conducted by a female journalist who had interviewed Aldrich five years ago. Over the past four years, she had only had two interviews with Aldrich, as he only agreed to one interview per year. However, she often had the chance to meet Millwall's stars face-to-face.

The first question she asked Henry was: "How does it feel now?"

"Unparalleled," Henry replied. "If you're a player, standing in a stadium like this, you naturally feel my excitement. Especially when it's your home ground."

"And how does it compare to the old Den?"

"It's not even on the same level. I won't lie and say The Den was some sort of dream destination. We have fond memories there, but the club needs to progress. The Lion King Stadium is what we need—it reflects the strength of our team. No doubt, being here will push us even harder, fight even harder, and make us prouder—of our team, our fans, and ourselves."

...

While the interview was primarily about Henry, it also served as a promotional piece for the Lion King Stadium, adding a touch of mystique to its image.

Henry spoke about his journey with Millwall, including his time before joining. Aldrich had long been interested in his history, from his signing to his rise to stardom. This included his achievements with the French national team.

In the 1998 World Cup, Henry had been a squad player but scored three goals. Though he couldn't be credited with the decisive role, he certainly made a significant contribution.

In the recent European Championship, he also scored three goals, including a crucial one in the semi-finals. He had played brilliantly throughout the tournament and was named to the Best XI.

Combined with his club performances, it was no surprise that he was one of the most sought-after stars in the summer transfer market.

The BBC interview with Henry addressed a rather sharp question: Who do you think is more important, you or Zidane? Who made the biggest contribution?

Henry, known for his somewhat aloof demeanor, was a bit quiet. He was the kind of player who could lead by example on the pitch, but he was never one to take on the role of a locker room leader or a team's spiritual leader. At Millwall, he rarely voiced personal opinions. When discussions about football were happening in the locker room, he would mostly keep quiet. But a locker room does need someone who can speak boldly, someone who can take the lead and direct the team during matches, and that role was played excellently by Southgate. On the pitch, the leader with the strongest fighting spirit and emotional influence was Nedvěd. He was what they called the soul of the team!

At Millwall, Henry was neither a leader nor the soul of the team, and that was the same with the French national team. He was still part of the younger generation, and not the tactical core of the team either.

Whether it was Jacquet's tactical revolution leading France to their first World Cup or Lemerre continuing that success by winning the European Championship, Zidane was always the heart of the French national team. The formations, tactics—whatever the changes, they all revolved around Zidane.

Henry was very self-aware and openly admitted that he could not compare to Zidane. Zidane was the soul of the French team.

Whether he was the most important player or not, it was evident in the training, the matches, and the way the coach set up tactics. Henry could feel it too.

From a different perspective, this is also the sadness of a new-era forward. Forwards are the most likely to shine and become famous, but as defensive midfielders sparked a tactical revolution in European football, the tactical systems began to mature, and the importance of forwards started to decline. The key figures who decide the outcome of a game, the core players who are discussed the most, are often not forwards.

Perhaps only Brazil in 2002, with their seemingly unbeatable trio, could be said to have conquered the world as an offensive powerhouse. After that, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Germany either triumphed with defense or with possession-based, no-striker formations.

The interview was going smoothly, but at the end, the host threw out the question everyone was curious about.

It was about the one-month-long contract renewal issue Henry had with Millwall and the temptations of the transfer market.

Henry took Andrew's advice to heart and didn't bring up the topic of his agent pushing him toward a move to Juventus. Instead, he simply expressed his stance.

"People often say that the best players should play for great teams, because only then can the best truly become great. When I joined Millwall, no one would have called it a great club. The team's strength changed every year, with many stars leaving in the summer. The summer of '98 saw a particularly big exodus of stars. I came in while recovering from an injury, and two years later, people started speculating about where I would go—Madrid, Turin, Milan—just like in recent years when people were always talking about Henrik moving to Manchester, Milan, or Barcelona. Pavel was the same, constantly linked with top clubs. But that doesn't happen anymore. Now, everyone knows if you want Henrik or Pavel, there's only one way to get them: buy the club. I've had offers from several top teams, and it's flattering because it shows my abilities are recognized. But I don't want to leave Millwall. It's not just because I've changed my role here and earned some honors. I also want to play for a great team, of course. Who doesn't? But I feel that joining a big club wouldn't satisfy my ambitions. Staying at Millwall, with the boss, the teammates, and the fans, all working together to make Millwall a great club—that's a success that's far greater than just being part of a great club. I'm confident that we're already enjoying that journey."