Chapter 131: The Moment of Celebration

Chapter 131: The Moment of Celebration

The cheers in the stands of the Stadio Olimpico in Rome were deafening as the Udinese players temporarily left the field. They headed back to the locker room to shower, change into the championship jerseys prepared by the club for the victory, and then return to the field to receive their medals, lift the trophy, and bask in the cheers of the crowd.

As the players briefly exited, the ecstatic Udinese fans continued their wild celebrations in the stands. Waving black and white jerseys and flags, the crowd was a surging wave of jubilation.

Vanessa was utterly thrilled, celebrating joyously with other Udinese fans around her. She had indeed come to watch the game live, opting not to sit in the VIP box but among the fans, wearing Udinese's number 18 jersey. She wasn't concerned that her jersey might reveal her relationship with Bruno, as there were thousands like it in the Stadio Olimpico that day.

Given Bruno's stellar performance this season, his jersey was the best-selling among all the players, even surpassing the legendary captain Dinatale in popularity. Vanessa was overjoyed for Bruno leading Udinese to the Coppa Italia victory and wanted to shout to the world that the most dazzling player on the field was her boyfriend, Vanessa Heisler. However, considering the potential impact, she restrained herself and simply cheered for him alongside other fans.

In the VIP box, Bruno's family and the Rich family celebrated with champagne that Mr. Rich had prepared in advance. "Mr. Rich, you were ready for this?" Bruno's mother asked in surprise. Mr. Rich smiled proudly, "Of course, Mrs. Fernandes, I had full confidence in Bruno." Bruno's mother smiled knowingly. She knew Bruno had formed a close bond with this Italian family during his year in Novara, but she hadn't expected them to have such strong faith in him, perhaps even more than her own family.

Meanwhile, in another box, the Pozzo family, Udinese club executives, and various dignitaries from business and politics were also celebrating. Gianpaolo Pozzo was particularly delighted. Last summer, when he decided to sign Bruno, he was not sure if Udinese could truly win the championship; he just knew from various sources that Bruno was a talent, and signing such a player was sure to be profitable. However, Gianpaolo never imagined that ten months later, Udinese would indeed win their first major championship in over a hundred years—the Coppa Italia.

Furthermore, in two weeks, Udinese might also become European champions—an utterly dreamlike experience. As for Bruno, his value had skyrocketed from 20 million euros last summer to 35 million now. Gianpaolo believed that if Bruno were to transfer to a top club this summer, he could easily bring in 40 million euros for Udinese. However, Gianpaolo had no immediate plans to sell Bruno; the young man would turn 20 in September and was at the prime time for his value to increase even further. With Bruno's potential and performance, retaining him for a few more years could significantly benefit the club, especially since Udinese might play in the Champions League next season.

Bruno was unaware of Gianpaolo's thoughts about selling him and wouldn't have minded even if he knew. From the day he joined Udinese, he understood that this was not the final destination of his career but a stepping stone to bigger clubs. At the moment, Bruno was the last player to return to the locker room after giving an interview for the official website of the Italian Football Federation.

As he pushed open the door, he was immediately drenched by jets of champagne from his teammates. "You guys dared to ambush me!" Bruno laughed. Dinatale clapped his hands, and the players quickly gathered around. "What are you guys doing?" Bruno yelled playfully as more than twenty men surrounded him, making it impossible to escape. Trapped by his vice-captain Bastia at the door, Bruno surrendered, covering his face and shouting, "Not the face!"

As Bruno braced for the champagne shower, Dinatale snapped his fingers, and suddenly everyone shouted in unison: "Bruno, you're the best! Bruno, thank you for bringing us the championship!" Bruno was touched, feeling a rush of emotion. "You guys... it's not just my victory, but the result of all of us working together! It's an honor to play and win with you all!"

Before he could finish, Bruno was once again engulfed in a wave of champagne. The locker room fun continued until the Italian Football Federation staff arrived to escort them to the award ceremony. Everyone changed into specially designed victory shirts and returned to the field to more thunderous applause from the fans.

During the award ceremony, the runner-up medals were presented first, with some of the younger players jokingly watching the Napoli team receive their silver medals. Bruno whispered about maintaining dignity, but he gave up trying to instill a sense of decorum in them—it was a time for celebration.

The defeated Napoli players collected their medals in a somber mood, a stark contrast to the jubilant atmosphere surrounding the Udinese squad. The referees received their awards, and then it was time for the champions.

"The moment has come to award our champions, Udinese!" announced the stadium speaker. The crowd went wild as Guidolin and his coaching staff led the way to the podium, followed by the players who relished the applause, high-fiving and hugging fans as they ascended the podium steps.

Captain Dinatale was the last to walk up, greeted by a resounding cheer. His decade-long service had made him a special figure in the hearts of Udinese fans, a place not even Bruno could usurp. As Dinatale received the trophy, the announcer shouted, "And now, the champions—Udinese!"

The stadium erupted as Dinatale lifted the Coppa Italia trophy, with black and white confetti raining down and Queen's "We Are the Champions" playing through the speakers. "Congratulations to Udinese, the 2013-2014 Coppa Italia champions!" the announcer proclaimed.

Amidst the roaring cheers and the festive atmosphere, Bruno looked up at the night sky, mesmerized by the fireworks and the falling confetti. Breathing in the moment, he felt an overwhelming joy, a sense of achievement that was both thrilling and deeply satisfying.

Yet, Bruno's thoughts were already turning to the future, knowing that this was just the beginning of his journey to greater heights.