Next came what was essentially the most heavyweight award of the night.
The FIFA Women's World Player of the Year.
Brazil's Marta finally achieved her long-awaited breakthrough, rising from perennial runner-up to the very top of the world.
The United States' Lilly finished second.
Germany's Ringer placed third.
And then came the final award—the true centerpiece of the evening.
The FIFA World Player of the Year.
As expected, the winner was Zinedine Zidane.
But the person presenting Zidane with the trophy was… Su Hang.
To be honest, Zidane felt a little uncomfortable with the arrangement.
Usually, awards like this were presented by legendary figures of the game.
If anything, it wouldn't have been surprising if, a few years down the line, FIFA invited Zidane himself to present this very award.
And yet now, Su Hang was standing there.
That little punk.
Taking advantage of me.
"Securing this opportunity from FIFA wasn't easy," Su Hang said as he opened. "Of course, I have to thank the legendary Dutch midfielder, Mr. Davids, for being willing to hand this important responsibility over to me."
"This is a sacred moment."
"I know some fans may feel that this trophy could have gone to someone else."
"Especially some of my own fans."
"But I must say this: if this were merely a FIFA World Player of the Year trophy, then I believe it could just as well have belonged to me. Over the past year, my performances were no worse than Zidane's."
In the audience, many faces instantly changed.
What was Su Hang doing…?
Was he upset about losing?
Was he venting his dissatisfaction?
Wasn't this undermining Zidane right on stage?
Had he gone too far?
With the awards now decided, Real Madrid's strategy suddenly became crystal clear.
For the Ballon d'Or, the club had pushed Su Hang hard.
For the FIFA World Player of the Year, they had backed Zidane without reservation.
Two awards. One sweep.
From the club's standpoint, it was flawless maneuvering.
But… had Real Madrid failed to convince Su Hang?
Was he now turning on them mid-ceremony, preparing to criticize both Zidane and FIFA?
It wasn't impossible.
Especially for a young, hot-blooded player.
From Su Hang's perspective, he might genuinely believe that he had performed slightly better than Zidane over the past year—and therefore deserved both awards.
He hadn't considered the heavier emphasis on reputation in the FIFA World Player of the Year.
He hadn't considered that fame takes time to ferment.
He hadn't considered the reality that voters tend to favor proven veterans over even the strongest newcomers.
Disrespect the rules, and the rules won't respect you.
And even if Su Hang didn't respect the award's logic, Zidane was his close friend.
A rare cross-generational friendship.
Everyone had seen their bond at the club.
Zidane had even been Su Hang's mentor, teaching him things he would never share with anyone else.
This was deeply disappointing.
At that moment, Su Hang lost at least thirty percent of his global fanbase.
Among the fans in attendance, the loss was closer to seventy percent.
Because those present understood far better than ordinary fans—not just Su Hang's dissatisfaction, but the reasoning behind it, and the damage his words could do to Zidane right here and now.
Yet on stage, Zidane remained calm and steady.
He didn't even furrow his brow.
Because no one understood Su Hang better than he did.
Zidane remembered a lyric Su Hang often hummed:
"The quieter you are in the crowd, the more invisible you become—sometimes you have to make a scene."
Sure enough.
The very next moment, Su Hang continued.
"But this trophy isn't just a FIFA World Player of the Year award."
"It is the final summary of a legendary player's career."
"It is the crown of a king."
"Zidane."
Su Hang extended the trophy.
Zidane reached out with both hands.
"The king returns to his throne!"
In the next instant, Zidane lifted the trophy above his head, tears streaming down his face.
At that moment, his career was sealed and defined.
King of Football.
At least, in Su Hang's eyes, he was.
And that was enough.
Offstage, everyone was momentarily stunned.
This was yet another public declaration from Su Hang that Zidane was the King of Football.
He had made similar statements many times before, in many places and on many occasions.
Each time, it sparked heated debate.
Yet no definitive conclusion was ever reached.
In Europe, nearly half the people still refused to acknowledge Zidane as the King of Football.
In the Americas, almost no one accepted it.
Ironically, if the candidate were from the Americas, the title would have been granted long ago.
But for a European, it was different.
The reasons had been discussed countless times—chiefly Europe's strong national identities.
But this time, for reasons no one could quite explain, many people swallowed the word "no" before it left their lips.
Zidane's brilliant career flashed through their minds.
Those two words grew heavier, clearer.
From the audience, Ramos was the first to shout:
"King Zidane!"
Captain Su's decision was Ramos's decision.
Raúl followed immediately:
"King Zidane!"
Su Hang's will was the will of Real Madrid's domestic core.
Simon echoed at once:
"King Zidane!"
At the same time, he looked toward Puyol, silently applying pressure.
After a brief pause, Puyol spoke:
"King Zidane!"
Su Hang was the true leader of the Spanish clique. His opinion carried the weight of Spanish football itself.
And Simon was watching.
Cannavaro joined in as well:
"King Zidane!"
Su Hang glanced at him, and Cannavaro instantly broke into a cold sweat.
Don't be fooled by how respectful and protective Su Hang had been since Cannavaro joined Real Madrid.
Roberto Carlos had long exposed Su Hang's true nature in private.
An absolute tyrant.
After some inner struggle, Roberto Carlos also spoke:
"King Zidane!"
At the same time, he felt a trace of resentment toward Ronaldo.
If Ronaldo had been just a bit more explosive during those first three years, maybe he would've had a shot at the crown—and Roberto Carlos wouldn't be backed into this corner now.
Su Hang: Where did I back you into a corner? I didn't even look at you. You're scared and still making excuses.
In the front row, Thierry Henry—ranked fifth this year—stood up:
"King Zidane! You will always be our pride!"
On stage, Figo, this year's third-place finisher, raised his trophy and shouted:
"King Zidane!"
Then he looked toward Su Hang.
That glance—only Su Hang understood it.
Figo had finally repaid his debt.
When he was past his prime.
When his tank was empty.
It was Su Hang who gave him the "Vertical Burst" concept, who suggested he move to attacking midfield, who convinced Zidane to make room.
It was Su Hang who pressured the head coach to deploy him, who pushed for the "Figo–Zidane dual-core system."
That decision let Figo taste the glory of a treble.
It also allowed him to appear at his final World Cup in peak form.
A debt like that could never truly be repaid.
So if Su Hang wanted to do this, Figo would see it through.
If the Ballon d'Or night echoed across the world with "siu,"
then the FIFA World Player of the Year ceremony echoed with:
"King Zidane!"
From the proposal during the World Cup,
to the confirmation at the Ballon d'Or,
to the final seal here at the FIFA awards—
After more than half a year, the third generation of the King of Football was officially written into history.
No more debate.
After Pelé and Maradona,
Zinedine Zidane became the third-generation King of Football.
And Su Hang…
He wasn't just the one presenting the trophy.
He was—
the greatest beneficiary of this coronation.
Zidane: ???