I AM the Football Star

”A stunning display of skill! That’s a monster elevator ball!”

”Hat-trick! And it’s a free-kick hat-trick!”

”Six–three, Lu Yang has completely killed off the game!”

”With this, Lu Yang becomes only the sixth player in football history, and the second active player, to pull off a free-kick hat-trick!”

”If we include all the matches from this year’s European Cup and the Italian Super Cup, then before the new season even begins, Lu Yang’s goal tally for the past campaign reaches a terrifying eighty-four!”

”He’s too strong! I have a feeling he might become another superstar of the game at a pace that will blow people’s minds!”

”Of course, just looking at this match alone, in this European Super Cup of the Chinese megastar, he already is one! Look around—every fan here is going crazy for him!”

In stoppage time, AC Milan won a corner. Andrés took it, Sogel glanced it on with a back header, and at the far post Praxedes nodded it in from a tight angle.

Four–six!

AC Milan didn’t suffer a humiliation; together they offered the fans a goalfest with both sides hitting double figures in total.

This also, to some extent, exposed the problems in San Remo’s back line—they still can’t really do without Bernulin at this stage.

After the match, led by Lu Yang, San Remo lifted the European Super Cup trophy, and everyone once again roared together, ”We are the champions!”

This opening triumph seemed to foreshadow another equally successful season ahead.

Chinese media began compiling San Remo’s honors from the past season, reciting them like treasured collectibles.

”Super Five Crowns! Unique in Serie A! From last season’s pre-season Italian Super Cup, the Serie B title, the Italian Cup, the UEFA Europa League, to now the European Super Cup before the new season even starts, San Remo have crazily swept up five championship trophies!”

Of course, the hype in this piece is bigger than the substance.

The Italian Super Cup being counted is the one San Remo won last year, and in the showdown earlier this year, they were on the losing side.

And last year, that trophy was actually counted as part of San Remo’s Italian Third Division season, under the banner of a ”treble.”

Strictly speaking, once a trophy has been assigned to last season, it shouldn’t be counted again for this season.

But in football, these trophies that sit between two seasons can theoretically be used to decorate both, and there are arguments either way.

The really over-the-top part is that this time the Chinese media are insisting on counting that Italian Super Cup again... I mean, the new Italian Super Cup has already been played, and you’re still adding the previous one—this is just...

But Chinese media don’t care. What’s wrong with being a bit exaggerated now and then?

If we’re learning from the traditional craft of the English media, what’s the big deal?

So the officials can set fires, but the common folk aren’t allowed to light lamps?

Bear in mind, England are famously the ”European Chinese Team,” so if they can use this traditional craft, then we, the genuine Chinese Team, can certainly use it too.

Besides, ”four crowns” sounds nice enough, but ”five crowns” carries a very special meaning in football.

Five Crowns has always been the label for the strongest team in the game.

It signifies how dominant that side has been over the past year!

A difference of just one number, yet the value and historical standing are worlds apart.

”Ten trophies in hand! Having lifted the European Super Cup, Lu Yang now holds ten championship trophies, surpassing ninety percent of players in the game!”

”Chinese Speed! Lu Yang becomes the under‑22 player with the most ’Player of the Tournament’ and Golden Boot awards!”

”King of Free Kicks! Lu Yang’s free-kick hat-trick stuns the stadium; another killer weapon added to his regular arsenal!”

”The fake King of Europe — Champions League winner, Son of God, Copa America champion — Izalelt!”

”The true King of Europe — Europa League champion, European Cup champion, European Super Cup champion — Lu Yang!”

”Luo Cheng: Lu Yang is still very young, his seniority is limited, but what he’s achieved this year is enough to put him on the Golden Ball Award shortlist! We’re very fortunate to have such a high‑level, patriotic Chinese player! He’s the pride of Chinese fans!”

”Tang Yuqin: This year’s Italian Super Cup and European Super Cup had an average viewership of as high as eight hundred million! Event revenues exceeded 250 million euros! Participating clubs can receive up to Ten Million euros each!”

”Raking in Ten Million euros from a single match! Just how good is San Remo at making money?!”

”Match revenues three to five times higher than past European Super Cup winners! The Chinese market’s potential is huge, and the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 are eager to break into the mainland market!”

Even European media praised it after this game, saying there have been very few ”warm‑up matches” this cost‑effective.

Remember, San Remo are not Real Madrid.

And even for Real Madrid, in a single friendly you’re not getting both a major honor and prize money north of Ten Million euros.

Things like this only happen in the deep‑pocketed Chinese market.

From this point on, the Chinese market drew increasing attention from all the big football clubs.

The Premier League and La Liga, because of their own status, haven’t yet sent out clear signals. It’s not that they look down on the revenue and fans here, but both are locked in a race to be the number one league, and at times they can’t afford too humble a posture.

The Bundesliga and Ligue 1, also part of the Five Major Leagues, don’t care that much.

They are aggressively promoting and pitching themselves, with a very friendly attitude.

Because she has been the driving force behind cooperation between mainland football and Italian Football, Tang Yuqin has effectively become the main window for outside–mainland collaboration.

On top of that, her family background is powerful enough to safeguard her personal and corporate interests, and she has suddenly become a rising star in European Football.