They lost.
There was no chance left.
They could've lifted the Copa del Rey over the corpses of the Galactic Warship, but now…
One minute later, as Beckham launched the ball into the stands, the referee blew his whistle three times in succession.
The match was over.
"Congratulations to Real Madrid! After ten long years, they've finally lifted the Copa del Rey once again!"
"But more important than the cup itself is the discovery of a new forward-line supernova!"
"On a day when both the Alien Ronaldo and the Ring King Raúl were sidelined by injuries, the emergence of Su Hang could bring new possibilities for Real Madrid!"
"Those tuning in to this live broadcast are lucky—we've witnessed the rise of a future superstar with a single goal!"
"Remember this name: Su Hang!"
"His appearance feels like a declaration to the world of football... Attention! Attention!"
"The Galactic Warship has officially set sail!"
...
**"Benchwarmer scores winner against Zaragoza, helping Real Madrid win the Copa del Rey after a decade!"**
**"Real Madrid youth product bursts onto the scene! Earns a penalty, scores a goal—post-match rating rivals Zidane's!"**
**"Su Hang's background revealed! Joined Real Madrid's La Fábrica youth academy at age 9; his father has close business ties with club president Florentino!"**
**"Zidane: Su is a super striker—his positioning, dribbling, and finishing are flawless!"**
**"Figo: I didn't see Pelé or Maradona at 18, but I've seen Su Hang!"**
**"Beckham: I see a bit of young Ronaldo in Su Hang—but Su is even deadlier!"**
**"Villa: We were winning, but Su Hang's appearance changed everything. He became a nightmare for all of us!"**
After the match, every major outlet scrambled to cover the game.
Because it had everything fans love.
A giant on the ropes. An underdog in the lead.
Superstars scoring. Three red cards.
Fan riots. The game interrupted.
But none of that matched the thrill of an unknown academy player stepping up in a crisis—and becoming a star with just one goal!
Even fabricated reports raked in tons of views.
For example, Juan Uria of *Daily Sports News* wrote: "We found broken door panels and shattered glass in the Real Madrid locker room. We have reason to believe a conflict occurred inside."
"Considering Queiroz's bizarre decision to let Su Hang play, we believe Su attacked him. Queiroz then retaliated by sending Su on to take the blame—but no one expected Su to play so brilliantly!"
Uria's guesses were eerily close.
But since *Daily Sports* is notoriously anti-Madrid, no one took it seriously.
...
"Ding! Moment Card effect has ended. You've learned a lot from Cristiano Ronaldo—like his hairstyle and height."
"You've acquired the star-level skill: 'Cristiano Ronaldo's Instant Noodle Hairstyle.'"
"You've gained: 'Height +2cm.'"
**Cristiano Ronaldo's Instant Noodle Hairstyle:**
Cristiano Ronaldo's career spans multiple eras. Some say his peak was the Golden-Edge Ronaldo; others argue it was the Instant Noodle Ronaldo. During that period, Ronaldo's heading reached perfection!
**Effect:** When you're in the opponent's penalty area, your jumping, strength, heading, and attacking positioning improve. Inside the six-yard box, you have a chance to trigger the "Aerial Dominance" effect, helping you win aerial duels.
After receiving the system alert, Su Hang opened his stats panel:
\=
Name: Su Hang
Age: 17 years, 159 days
Height: 178cm + 2cm
Weight: 68kg
Team: Real Madrid U16 Squad
Overall Rating: Amateur-Level Player
Skill: Cristiano Ronaldo's Instant Noodle Hairstyle
===================================================
Shooting: 70
Heading: 75
===========
Most of the data was still locked and inaccessible—only "Shooting" and "Heading" were visible.
These stats could be improved through training.
Their unlock likely wasn't random.
They probably came from Ronaldo's Moment Card.
"Ding! Zidane appreciated your hunger to win on the pitch. He's awarded you the player-level skill: 'Back Pass While Shielding.'"
**Note:** Intense training makes you stronger. Training efficiency varies depending on league and team level.
**Note:** Being recognized by star players helps accelerate your growth.
**Back Pass While Shielding:** Use your back to shield and block the opponent while smoothly delivering a return pass to a teammate.
"Ding! Queiroz is extremely unhappy with your aggressive behavior in the locker room. You will not be included in the squad for the next match."
Su Hang stared at the string of messages, deep in thought.
He had expected this move from Queiroz—and frankly, it wasn't a bad thing.
Thanks to Ronaldo's Moment Card, he had carried the team.
But without the card, his performance would've been disastrous.
Football tiers range from: Football Enthusiast, Amateur, Youth Academy, Professional, Second Division, Top Five Leagues, Star Player, Top Star, Elite Star, Superstar, and finally, Legend.
As an amateur-level player, Su Hang had no business playing for Real Madrid.
So not playing was actually a good thing.
But to train more effectively—and earn recognition from star players—he had to make it into Real Madrid's first team.
He just needed an opportunity!
...
**March 20, 2004.**
Three days had passed since Real Madrid lifted the Copa del Rey.
It was Matchday 29 of the league.
Real Madrid were away against Athletic Bilbao.
But to the fans' confusion, Su Hang—hero of the Copa del Rey final—was not named in the squad.
Queiroz explained: "Su Hang is still young and not ready for league play... Portillo is in good form and will take on the scoring duties while Ronaldo and Raúl are out."
But the result? Real Madrid suffered a 2–4 defeat.
Portillo was sluggish the whole match and was battered by Bilbao's defenders to the point of tears.
After the game, fans criticized Queiroz's squad selection.
Meanwhile, Su Hang *just so happened* to be wandering the streets of Madrid...
And was *coincidentally* spotted by Clara Cecilia, a *Marca* reporter who'd received a "tip" from an "enthusiastic insider"!
Clara immediately approached the rising star for an interview. During the chat, she asked a sensitive question:
"Why weren't you in the matchday squad today?"
"Was it really because you're not ready, like Queiroz said?"
Su Hang gave a confident smile to the camera. "Not at all. I stay ready. I can't wait to play for Real Madrid. I think Queiroz should at least call me up to the first team."
Clara: "Aren't you afraid this will offend Queiroz?"
Su Hang shrugged. "Can't help it. My situation is kind of urgent. I need to join the first team soon."
Clara raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
Su Hang's eyes gleamed with determination. "It's a promise I made with my father. If I can't make it into Real Madrid's first team... I'll have no choice but to go back and inherit our billion-dollar family business."
--
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