Chapter 1 We are the Champions

“Ole! Ole, ole, ole! We are the champions! Ole! Ole, ole, ole! We are the champions! We are the champions! Ole! Ole, ole, ole…”

Everyone sang "We Are the Champions" together, jumping up and down on the podium, the gold medals around their necks flashing with their movements. In front of them sat the championship trophy for the National High School Football Tournament. This was the second year in a row to win the national championship, which was immense happiness and honor for the entire Shuguang team. For high school seniors like Kaka, seeing this trophy also meant it was time to say goodbye. Today, they embraced each other, singing "We Are the Champions," but perhaps tomorrow they would be embracing each other to say goodbye…

"Are you still playing soccer, Zhang Jun?"

"Yeah!"

"That's good. As long as you're still playing soccer, and I'm still playing soccer, we'll definitely meet again…"

Kaka opened his eyes, finding the morning sun a bit dazzling. Although the winter temperature was low, the sunlight had nothing to do with the temperature. He turned over and got out of bed. Today was the last club tryout. He needed to get up early and prepare.

After washing up, he saw his father and mother in the living room. His younger brother was running circles around the dining table, never still for a moment. Seeing his younger brother's innocent smile, Kaka smiled too. In the three years he had been away, this mischievous brother must have caused his parents a lot of trouble.

"Brother's awake!"

His parents turned their heads, his mother getting up to serve his breakfast, and his father carefully examining him.

Kaka teased his younger brother while eating breakfast. His mother watched the two brothers with a smile.

"Ready?" His father put the newspaper on the table and asked Kaka.

"Yeah." For some reason, he had been able to talk to his father more on the phone. Now that he was home, he didn't know what to say.

"Is big brother going to play soccer again?" In four-year-old Lei Qi's mind, whether it was juggling the ball in their backyard or playing at the Morumbi Stadium (São Paulo FC's home stadium), it was all playing soccer. Kaka smiled and said to him, "Yes, going to play soccer!"

In Brazil, countless teenagers dream of playing soccer and making a name for themselves. Kaka's parents were no exception. They hoped that Kaka could make a name for himself in professional soccer. Therefore, as soon as Kaka returned from China, they busied themselves with Kaka's future. They had visited all the big and small clubs near São Paulo, but the other parties didn't even watch Kaka play. As soon as they heard that this young man with some Asian features had returned from China, they would say with a smile, "Okay, okay, let us consider it." Then they would see the guests out, and afterward, the "consideration" would go on indefinitely. Although his father was very confident in Kaka's strength, there was nothing he could do if others didn't acknowledge it. They could only switch to another club. Every time, his father would say, "Let's go to the next one, shall we?"

Kaka would just nod, "Okay."

And so, a month passed. Today was the last one, and also the biggest. It was either success or failure.

Kaka picked up the memo and looked at it. Under the July 13th column, there was only one word: "São Paulo (saopaulo)."

Gomes Pedro Street, São Paulo City, São Paulo State, Brazil.

"You said he came back from China?" Santana, the coach of São Paulo (saopaulo), asked the Asian man next to him with a smile.

The man nodded.

Kaka easily shook off a defender with a *ren qiu fen guo* (separating man and ball).

"That China with Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall?"

The man nodded again.

Kaka used a feint to fool the goalkeeper who had come out, and gently pushed the ball into the empty net. Kaka's red team was leading the yellow team 3-0. Kaka scored two goals and assisted one.

Santana's expression became very strange: "Are, are you kidding me? Someone with that kind of technique would have stayed in China for three years? In Brazil, someone with that kind of technique and awareness would have already entered a professional team, and would probably already be a starter on the first team! You're actually saying he ran off to China and didn't develop in Brazil? Good heavens!" Seeing the other party staring at him, Santana calmed himself down a little. "Uh... your surname... what is his nationality, may I ask?"

"Brazilian. Although I'm Chinese, his mother is Brazilian. He was born in Brazil..."

Santana interrupted the other party. He clapped his hands and looked up: "Thank God! Santi! Bring the contract!"

A short, stout man ran over and began to make arrangements.

His father watched Santi bustling around, while Santana was on the phone with the club's president, his expression of excitement as if he had kicked up a 50-carat diamond.

"Mr. President, you must believe me, I guarantee he's simply a genius! A genius that only appears once every thirty years in all of Brazil! I've only watched thirty minutes of his performance, and it's made a profound impression on me! He gives me the feeling of a replica of Raí from our club before! Fast! Skilled! Able to organize the attack and also cover and score goals in time! Good heavens! Too perfect! Mr. President, if we let him walk out the door like this today, we'll have nightmares every day!"

A long five minutes. Yes, only five minutes. His father could see that the president was not interested in this unknown nobody, while the coach was trying to persuade him. He himself very much hoped that his son could stay with this famous big club, which would be of great help to his future development.

Five minutes later, Santana put down the phone and walked towards him with a smile: "Okay, Mr. Li, I think we can sign the contract."

The contract itself had already been negotiated by both parties. Now all that needed to be done was to sign their respective names in the places where they should be signed.

Santana looked at the contract with satisfaction. Wait a minute... this genius's name...

"Uh, Mr. Li, your son's name?"

"Ricardo Isecson..."

"Please call me Kaka." Kaka looked at the two of them with a smile.

On that dusty afternoon, someone covered in sweat hugged another person and shouted, "Kaka! Kaka! Nice name! I like it!"

"Kaka?" the two asked in unison.

"Yes, Kaka." Kaka nodded with a smile.