The final whistle blew.

Cristiano Ronaldo did not revel in the joy of victory. He strode onto the field and embraced the exhausted Kaka.

Messi seemed to have endless things to say to Ronaldinho. As they talked, smiles spread across both their faces.

The head referee, "Hawk Eye" Collina, reached out and stopped Li Kang, while the portly assistant referees quickly gathered around.

The aging fourth official raised his camera.

Click.

"Goodbye to the World Cup, Li."

Collina had retired years ago and was now an official with the FIFA Referees Committee.

Wembley Stadium.

One hundred thousand fans were reluctant to leave, still loudly chanting the names of their soccer idols.

A melodious tune played over the loudspeakers.

One by one, marine flares were thrown onto the pitch.

Thick smoke billowed.

Sparks flew.

The legendary veterans stopped to admire the splendor of the night.

Back on the bench.

Beckenbauer and Maradona each pulled out a jersey.

The players took the signing pens and took turns signing their names on them.

Then they returned to the pitch for a precious group photo.

All the proceeds from the match, including the two jerseys full of legendary signatures, would be donated to charity.

The subsequent charity ceremony was not redundant.

FIFA officials, several legendary captains, and heads of charitable organizations took to the stage to deliver speeches.

Post-match press conference.

Beckenbauer patiently explained the theme and significance of the charity match.

He also praised Li Kang.

"Li's mind is as sharp as mine. It's a pleasure to coach him."

Different personalities.

Beckenbauer had directly sidelined the coach in the World Cup that year, personally formulating tactics and directing the game.

Maradona scratched his head and helplessly added, "That kid's feel for the ball is special. If he doesn't get injured, his legendary status will rise again in the next World Cup."

Frustrated, the King of Football felt a strange anticipation rise in his heart: Could the "one-man World Cup" championship scenario be reborn?

Locker room.

Rooney gave Ronaldinho a suggestive wink.

A moment later, several legendary veterans went arm in arm to a London nightclub to exchange skills.

Are there men in the world who don't like women?

Yes, and there are many.

Indulging in a colorful nightlife for a long time is tiring.

It's better to listen to music and read a book at home.

Men like Rooney and Ronaldinho, who are naturally gifted and have strong desires, are relatively rare.

Neuer doesn't like women; he's very dedicated, always liking 19-year-old girls.

Zidane doesn't like women; he's even afraid of his wife. He wanted to chat with Li Kang but couldn't find him.

Li Kang went straight home. There would be plenty of opportunities to chat with the legendary veterans in the future.

The intensity of the match was low, and the playing time was short, so it had no impact on his physical fitness.

A mechanical, cold electronic voice sounded in his mind.

[Ding, mission complete: Wembley Miracle.]

[Mission introduction: The thrilling performance of chasing three goals in a row was a feast for the eyes! You deserve a better reward!]

[Mission reward upgrade: World Legend Bronze Treasure Chest → Mysterious Treasure Chest!]

The prize pool was shrouded in a cloud of black mist.

A treasure chest engraved with ancient patterns floated in the air.

Smoke filled the air.

[The treasure chest is opening]

[Congratulations on obtaining: Module Upgrade Tool!]

[Module Upgrade Tool: Can be used on any incomplete module!]

A small golden hammer appeared out of nowhere in Li Kang's hand.

Without much thought.

He pried out Maradona's incomplete "ball feel" module from the system panel.

Clang, clang, clang~

After a few taps, the small golden hammer disappeared.

[Module upgrade complete!]

[Congratulations on obtaining: Maradona "Ball Feel" Module (Legendary/Permanent Passive)]

[Wow! Golden Legend!]

[Man and ball as one!]

That night.

Various news about the legendary match topped the trending charts.

It was a highly successful charity event.

An attendance rate of 120%.

The viewership broke records.

The media keenly noticed the organizers' intention: not only to pay tribute to the legends and allow old fans to reminisce about their youth, but also to attract many new fans and neutral viewers with the appearance of Li Kang, Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, with the World Cup approaching, the focus of promotion should still be on the favorites to win the Hercules Trophy.

-

[If Li Kang wins the World Cup, can he be crowned King? He's only been playing for three seasons.]

-

[Hard to say, it depends on his individual performance in the World Cup.]

-

[I admit that Li Mingdeng is strong, but winning the World Cup is not easy. The French team, with its abundance of talented players, is the real favorite to win.]

-

[The French team's ancestral grave is smoking. Except for the goalkeeper, there are no weaknesses in any other position.]

-

[Chelsea even helped them train an all-around Kanté.]

-

[Without further ado, the upcoming Champions League quarter-final, Atlético Madrid vs. Chelsea, is a national team training match!]

-

[Hopefully, we can see Li Kang with the Big Ears Trophy in his left hand and the Hercules Trophy in his right, reaching the top of the world.]

The days passed by.

Li Kang returned to a peaceful and monotonous life.

Training and playing games every day.

Occasionally, he would go to school to attend classes. The students wouldn't bother him, but he couldn't stand the entanglement of fans from outside the school, which made the lecturers and professors doubt life while looking at the "overcrowded" lecture halls.

Li Kang couldn't bring a large group of bodyguards to school every day, so he mostly studied at home.

There was still a month before the Champions League quarter-finals.

Chelsea was singing triumphant songs in the league and the FA Cup, as for the League Cup, which was specifically for training purposes? They had already been eliminated.

The joy of victory was quickly dispelled.

Because many people in the club followed Buffon's investment in stocks and lost all their winning bonuses.

"I've got my eye on another stock."

"Forget it, investing with you is worse than going to a casino. At least you can have a good time and lose faster, so it's not so agonizing."

As soon as Buffon mentioned investing, his teammates, coaching staff, and cleaners quickly avoided him.

The team's real investment expert was Morata. Although this guy was ambidextrous, he was lucky in wealth, and he had achieved rich returns on any investment project.

Cobham Training Centre.

The fog was thick, and the grass was wet.

The sound of the ball being touched on the training ground was endless.

Dino held a small notebook and wrote and drew, his brow furrowed:

"Between the two legs of the Champions League quarter-finals, there is also a difficult league match."

"Boss, we may have to strategically abandon the Liverpool game."

Tuchel shook his head: "We can't give up. Manchester City has only lost one game this season."

Dino nodded.

Chelsea's upcoming schedule was hellish.

Liverpool was not the same team as last season's "attack-strong, defense-weak" powerhouse.

They now possessed a top-level attacking trio in Europe, and they had signed Van Dijk in the winter transfer window, perfectly strengthening their defense.

Goalkeeper Karius was even a hot candidate for the "Premier League Golden Glove."

Thanks to book friend "岚山forest" for the alliance leader reward and 30 monthly tickets.

(End of this chapter)