Chapter 1 When Dreams Come True

As Klopp shook hands with Heynckes, the Borussia Dortmund players were already celebrating wildly on the pitch.

After Zhou Yi had hugged all his teammates, he saw Mark squatting on the ground alone, one hand on the ground, the other covering his face.

He went up behind him, squatted down, and put his hand on Mark's shoulder. "Why are you crying? This is something to be happy about!"

Mark said through tears, "That's why I'm crying... You know, Zhou Yi, I never even dared to dream of this..."

Zhou Yi smiled and put his arm around him. "That's why I said, you still have to have a dream, just in case it comes true?"

Mark chuckled through his tears when he heard Zhou Yi's words. He remembered when Zhou Yi had said this to him at his home.

At that time, Zhou Yi had just been confirmed to be transferred to the first team, while Mark continued to stay in the youth team, not knowing when he would be able to go to the first team.

For him at the time, being able to go to the first team, put on the first team's jersey, and step onto the Westfalenstadion was his dream.

As for participating in the Champions League final, scoring in the Champions League final, and helping the team win the Champions League title—such things were unimaginable…

Now it had all come true.

Life, huh…

Zhou Yi hugged Mark and patted his back. "Okay, stop crying. Don't you see those cameras? The whole world will see your crying face!"

At Zhou Yi's words, Mark finally stopped crying. He wiped away his tears and followed Zhou Yi to the cheering teammates.

After a hard season, they finally reaped two heavyweight championships. For the Borussia Dortmund players, this was the most wonderful moment.

At this time, they had to enjoy it wholeheartedly, without thinking about anything else…

However, after Zhou Yi accompanied Mark back to the players, he didn't stay, but ran back to the bench on the sidelines. After searching for a while, he finally found a stack of red cloth.

He unfolded it and draped it over his body. It was actually a Chinese national flag!

Wearing the national flag, Zhou Yi ran around the field, fully displaying the Five-Starred Red Flag on his body.

"Zhou Yi took out a national flag. It seems he was prepared..." He Ping was also moved when he saw this scene.

The UEFA Champions League is a competition between clubs, and there is no flag-raising ceremony or national anthem.

But in fact, people often see national flags on the football field. Players from various countries use this method to express themselves.

But before this, no one had ever seen the Chinese Five-Starred Red Flag appear on this highest stage.

Now, when this touch of red appeared in front of Chinese fans, many people were still a little unaccustomed to it…

"It's the national flag..."

"Zhou Yi actually prepared a national flag..."

"I don't know why, but the wind is a bit strong..."

"There's sand in my eyes..."

※※※

In stark contrast to the excited Borussia Dortmund players were the Bayern Munich players.

They worked hard for a season, leading Dortmund in the league, but were overturned in the end. The Champions League became their last straw, but they also lost to Dortmund in the Champions League. Losing two heavyweight championships, even if there is still a German Cup to fight for in the end, what's the use?

Every Bayern Munich player stood blankly on the field after the game, staring blankly at the cheering Borussia Dortmund players.

They were old rivals. Including this season, they had lost to Borussia Dortmund in the league for three seasons. So they were no stranger to seeing their opponents celebrate under their noses.

But none of them could compare to this time. It was simply heartbreaking.

Did they work hard for a season for a German Cup title?

The failures of the previous two seasons were nothing more than losing the league title, and the gap was still very large, so they lost it.

But this season, they had an advantage in the league, but they lost it.

In addition to the Champions League title, which they valued even more, they lost it too.

Under the double blow, many Bayern Munich players were discouraged.

Heynckes comforted his players on the field one by one.

After this game, there was another game waiting for them, and now was not the time to be discouraged.

Although the German Cup title is too insignificant compared to the league title and the Champions League title, it is better than nothing to win a German Cup title when neither of the latter two are obtained.

He coached Bayern Munich for two seasons, and he couldn't leave empty-handed in the end. He always had to leave a championship behind.

Many Bayern Munich players looked at the old coach Heynckes and felt even more guilty—they had originally been full of energy and wanted to send Heynckes off with a treble, but they lost two of the three championships…

※※※

While one side of the players celebrated wildly, and the other side was saddened, the preparations for the award ceremony at Wembley Stadium were also completed.

The Borussia Dortmund players gathered together, waiting for the award ceremony to begin.

On the Chinese Internet, there was also a heated discussion about this game, all of which were comments congratulating Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi had created the first in Chinese players' history, and he certainly deserved to be praised.

Moreover, many people believed that Zhou Yi had actually created the first for Asian players—he was the first Asian player to appear in the Champions League final and help his team win the Champions League title.

Although Park Ji-sung had won the Champions League title before, in 2008 when Manchester United won the Champions League title, Park Ji-sung didn't even make Manchester United's squad for the Champions League final. He watched the game from the stands. Because he had played enough times in the previous Champions League games, he was eligible to receive a Champions League medal, but he didn't contribute much to the most critical final.

This Champions League title had a kind of "lying down to win" meaning in it, and it was not convincing enough.

Later, Manchester United participated in two more Champions League finals, and Park Ji-sung played in both of them. But both times, he failed to help the team win the championship.

Both times they lost to Barcelona and missed the Champions League title.

If Park Ji-sung's achievements in the Champions League are used as a benchmark, then Zhou Yi has now surpassed Park Ji-sung's benchmark and stands in front of Asian players as a mountain.

Borussia Dortmund's ability to reach the final and win the championship this season is inseparable from Zhou Yi's contribution.

Against Atletico Madrid, it was his world wave that helped Borussia Dortmund eliminate Atletico Madrid in the end. Otherwise, Borussia Dortmund would have stopped in the quarter-finals.

In the semi-finals against Real Madrid, it was Zhou Yi's assist at home that helped Borussia Dortmund beat Real Madrid 4:1. In the away game, it was also he who initiated Borussia Dortmund's counterattack at the last moment, allowing Götze to score the most critical goal.

Not to mention his performance in the final.

Some people have even begun to look forward to this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or awards.

They think Zhou Yi will definitely be one of the three people standing on the stage this time.

As for which place he will be, people's opinions are not very consistent. Zhou Yi's fanatic fans are very confident and believe that Zhou Yi will definitely be this year's Ballon d'Or winner.

Those who are a little calmer think that Zhou Yi's performance is of course very good, but in front of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, no matter how good the results seem to be useless. Although he has a lot of assists, he doesn't have many of the most eye-catching goals.

Since the merger of the World Footballer of the Year and the Ballon d'Or, the selection criteria seem to have become just looking at the number of goals scored.

People with more goals have a greater chance of winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or.

From this point of view, Zhou Yi can't compete with Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo...

※※※

At the award ceremony, the Bayern Munich players went up one by one to receive a silver medal.

But obviously, the silver medal cannot make up for the trauma in their hearts.

After the Bayern Munich players received the award, it was the turn of the champions, Borussia Dortmund.

None of the players in the Borussia Dortmund lineup had ever experienced winning the Champions League title. When they were waiting for the award in the stadium, they sang and danced, excitedly like children waiting to be given candy.

The TV broadcast gave close-up shots of several Borussia Dortmund players.

Zhou Yi was also among them, hugging his teammates and talking and laughing.

Winning the championship put a smile on the face of every Borussia Dortmund player.

Then, under the guidance and instructions of the staff, they began to line up and step up the steps towards the podium.

The award ceremony for this Champions League was not held on the podium in the stadium, but directly in the stands.

In the position of the rostrum.

The players had to climb up the stairs.

This distance is neither long nor short. When the Bayern Munich players climbed up, they were weak and listless. For them, this section of steps was extremely long.

But for the Borussia Dortmund players, it was too short. They took three steps in two steps, and everyone rushed upwards.

Along the way, Borussia Dortmund fans kept patting them on the shoulders, touching their heads, and high-fiving them.

Everyone had an excited smile on their face.

After arriving at the rostrum, they passed in front of the award-presenting guests one by one.

These guests shook hands with them, hugged them, patted their faces, and said some words of praise and encouragement.

Then, they received the Champions League gold medal from the hands of UEFA President Platini.

Then, they walked past the Champions League trophy. Some Borussia Dortmund players, who couldn't wait, had already kissed the cold outer wall of the trophy.

Zhou Yi was at the back of the line, still wearing the Chinese national flag.

"Well done, Zhou Yi. This is truly a dream season for you," Platini said, patting him on the shoulder before hanging the gold medal around Zhou Yi's neck.

"Thank you, sir," Zhou Yi responded with a smile.

Then he watched him take the gold medal, enter the team, lean on the railing, and wave his arms with them to the people below, enjoying the cheers and worship of the fans.

Borussia Dortmund's on-field captain Weidenfeller was the last to come to Platini. After receiving the gold medal, he took the Champions League trophy from Platini's hand.

Then he turned around and raised the trophy high!

Huge cheers rang out in Wembley Stadium.

"Champions! The 2012-2013 Champions League belongs to—Borussia Dortmund!!!" Marcel Reif shouted in a drawn-out voice.

Golden confetti fell from the sky, and the flag symbolizing Borussia Dortmund also hung down from the top. The electronic screen in front of the rostrum showed the words "King of Europe 2013".

The players jumped up, and the medals jumped up and down on their chests, shining with golden light.