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[Finally, the day everyone has been waiting for has arrived. The 2013 Ballon d’Or ceremony! Our proud South Korean football player Son Jinho is entering!]

└ Wow. What’s this? Unlike last year, they are showing people entering even before the ceremony?

└ They sent a separate filming crew from Korea just to capture Son Jinho lol

└ Damn lol Is it the World Cup? lol

└ Ah lol They’re saying a Korean player is the first in Asia to receive the Ballon d’Or. How can I contain this?

└ For real lol

[The reporter approaches and asks who Son Jinho thinks will win the Ballon d’Or besides himself.]

[Ah! When Son Jinho answers Lionel Messi, Ronaldo starts glaring from behind.]

└ Ronaldo’s expression lol

└ Seriously, give some respect since he’s right next to you lol

└ It’s because our hyung can’t tell a lie

└ ???: Are you talking about another woman besides me?

└ Hosoon is so jealous lol

└ What the heck is Hosoon lolololol

[As expected, the players, famous for their good relationship, are playfully teasing each other.]

[Yes. Before we get into the full swing of the ceremony, we will introduce the host. Once, he was part of the Orange Triumvirate in AC Milan, Ruud Gullit, and now the goddess of the World Cup draw, Fernanda Rama will be the host.]

└ Noona!!!!!

└ Wow lol she’s crazy pretty.

└ For real, I screamed ‘noona’ without realizing it.

└ Hmm…. It’s good that she’s pretty, but what is she saying?

└ Subtitle ㅇㄷ?

└ You can’t even understand that much English?

└ Then translate it, you jerk.

└ I asked for a translation because I didn’t understand either hehe

└ Just wait a little; the commentator will soon interpret.

[Before the ceremony kicks off, the final three male Ballon d’Or candidates and the three female candidates will be introduced.]

***

The atmosphere in the award hall was generally harmonious. Except for around me.

“Hey…. How have you been?”

Lionel Messi, who was waiting behind the stage, awkwardly greeted in Spanish with a smile.

“Jinho, they say to screw you?”

“Hey, I can understand at least some greetings.”

And then Ronaldo, suspicious of Messi.

“Lionel Messi, you must respect Ronaldo. The best football player is Cristiano Ronaldo.”

“Son Jinho, you must respect Ronaldo. The best football player is Cristiano Ronaldo, not me, Lionel Messi.”

Messi and I filtered Ronaldo’s self-assessment as we conversed.

The women nominated for the Ballon d’Or were watching us with curiosity.

Hmm.

Isn’t it usually the case that people in the same industry get along well?

Anyway, a little later.

[Cristiano Ronaldo, Nadine Angerer!]

As the names of the male and female Ballon d’Or candidates were called one by one, we moved up to the stage.

“Six players who had the best performances over the past year have gathered here.”

After briefly showing our faces on the screen, we stepped down.

***

The actual Ballon d’Or ceremony began with the World Best award.

As we sat down after leaving the podium, the three of us moved to the back of the stage under the guidance of the personnel.

Back in the backstage area, there were familiar faces.

“Jinho!”

Manuel Neuer, Franck Ribéry, and Philipp Lahm from Bayern Munich, whom I had clashed fiercely against during my time in the Bundesliga, were there.

And from FC Barcelona, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández.

Though it was slightly disappointing that I was the only one who didn’t produce any champions from the winning team.

Still, looking at the players on the list, I nodded in agreement.

Anyway, after a long time, we greeted each other warmly.

“Jinho, do you think you’re going to win the Ballon d’Or?”

“Of course, I’ve already bought a showcase for it.”

At my comment about buying a showcase, Franck Ribéry looked at me enviously.

As Fernanda Rama’s voice reached my ears.

“Franck Ribéry, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, and Son Jinho!”

We stopped talking and moved to the stage.

***

[Breaking News: Son Jinho selected as FIFA World Best for the second consecutive year.]

[FIFA WORLD BEST 11]

GK: Manuel Neuer

DF: Philipp Lahm, Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, Dani Alves.

MF: Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Son Jinho.

FW: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Franck Ribéry.

[(FIFA Ballon d’Or) Son Jinho chatting with a smile with Lionel Messi.]

[(FIFA Ballon d’Or hot scene) ‘Rugged thoughts and uneasy gazes watching Ronaldo….’]

[Is Son Jinho’s next destination Barcelona?]

[Ruud Gullit handing the microphone to Son Jinho.]

[As the first in Asia, he shares brief remarks on being selected as FIFA World Best for the second consecutive year.]

***

The 2013 FIFA Ballon d’Or ceremony progressed swiftly.

“Congratulations! Jürgen Klopp!”

The Male Coach of the Year award went to Jürgen Klopp.

“I want to express my gratitude to the coaching staff who silently worked behind the scenes and to the players who never gave up and did their best until the end.”

Next was the Female Coach of the Year award. Passing by Fair Play and Puskas.

[2013 Puskas winner Zlatan Ibrahimović.]

└ Wow;; Puskas went to Zlatan.

└ That overhead kick was pretty cool, huh?

└ Wow. But still, 50M is out of reach, right?

└ Didn’t I say, that Jeff Blatter guy is a racist?

└ Maybe it’s part of a bigger plan to give him the Ballon d’Or.

The king of Brazilian football, Pelé, received the FIFA Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur.

And now only the long-awaited announcement of the Ballon d’Or winner was left.

The screen showed highlights from the last season featuring Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Son Jinho.

During Son Jinho’s goal in the Champions League final, a small cheer could be heard.

[(2013 Ballon d’Or ceremony Live)]

– Son Jinho’s performance.

└ Haha lol Watching it again, it’s amazing.

└ Why isn’t this the Puskas?

└ For real, it’s impressive to see again.

└ But why doesn’t my hyung dribble much since going to Man U? He seems good at dribbling.

└ My hyung’s play style isn’t really about excessive dribbling, he usually plays through passes.

└ Still, it’s too disappointing not to see that play.

└ He already mentioned in the interview that he wouldn’t be able to do it again, lol.

└ He said he came to his senses right in front of the goal.

└ Hmm. Did he enter the zone?

└ Stop talking about the zone, you otaku, and quit watching cartoons lol.

└ ??? Is it really a thing?

└…?

└ Look up ‘Michael Jordan Zone’.

└ No;; why is this real?

– The Ballon d’Or presenter, Pelé, enters.

└ Ugh…. Please, Son Jinho.

└ Wow, damn, even though I’m not the one receiving it, I’m so nervous lol.

└ Tension builds with the background music.

└ Thump thump thump

– Son Jinho, Ballon d’Or winner!

└ Ssssssssssssssss

└ Hoouuuuuuuuuuuu─!

└ Damn lol I’ve never seen the Ballon d’Or announcement done with so little tension.

└ For real lol I think I need to watch some Korean variety shows.

└ Shouldn’t we rewind this about five times? lol

└ It’s live, you idiots.

└ Hey! My hyung is giving his acceptance speech, so be quiet and focus.

***

As soon as Fernanda Rama called my name, Lionel Messi quietly congratulated me, and Cristiano Ronaldo gave a self-reflective comment.

“Jinho, congratulations.”

“Winning the Ballon d’Or doesn’t mean you’re the best. You should always stay humble and do your best for your fans who support you.”

Listening to Ronaldo’s words with one ear and letting it go with the other, I received congratulations from people around me as I got on stage.

And as I stood in front of the microphone with a dazed expression, I realized that all the acceptance speech I had prepared in my head had completely flown away.

It might be a bit disorganized, but I decided to let the words from my heart out.

“Um….”

As I grabbed the microphone, the applause quickly calmed down, and a silence began in the ceremony hall as everyone awaited my speech.

“First, I want to thank my wife Gyeouri who came to Germany with me at a young age, and I love her.”

I started with Gyeouri, the one who came to my mind first.

“Mom, Dad, I’m doing well, so please don’t worry.”

To my parents who passed away during my childhood, and to my mother-in-law and father-in-law who became my parents afterward.

I conveyed my gratitude in Korean to Chairman Hwang Geum-soon, who became my guardian, and to Gi-hyun Choi, who supported me as best he could during my studying abroad.

“Oh! And thank you so much to Borussia Dortmund and to Director Michael Zorc and Jürgen Klopp for welcoming me.”

And I expressed my gratitude in German to Borussia Dortmund and the connections I made there.

“Um…. There are still many people I need to thank. Let me try to say it as quickly as possible. Thomas, who ran a grocery store, Michael, who ran a butcher shop, Hebame Anna, who helped when Haeun was born, Erwin who always passionately cheered from the same spot on home game days, and Schmidt from the material management team….”

After delivering my gratitude to the fans, I concluded with my special ceremony.

“I hope you’ll keep watching my challenges until the day I declare my retirement. Thank you. Hoouuuuuuuuuuu─!”

As my thank-you speech ended, Fernanda Rama quickly intervened to make sure I wouldn’t continue.

“That was the 2013 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Thank you. Good night.”

After the ceremony concluded, I exchanged greetings with Michel Platini, Jeff Blatter, and Pelé, and as I stepped down with the Ballon d’Or in hand.

I felt a gaze that seemed to glare at me.

It was then that I realized I had forgotten to mention Ronaldo in my acceptance speech.

‘…Wait a second. Thinking calmly, that bastard Ronaldo didn’t help me at all in winning the Ballon d’Or.’

 

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