Super Wingstorm

After the referee awarded the penalty, Yang Yang quickly ran to the sideline.

His jersey was torn, and according to the rules, he had to change into an undamaged one before he could return to the pitch.

”Well done!” Ronald Koman said, laughing as he pulled Yang Yang into a hug.

This penalty was crucial. If they scored, Real Madrid’s hopes would be completely crushed.

”I just did my best,” Yang Yang chuckled.

The head coach said nothing, but his eyes were filled with admiration and approval.

’Doing your best. It’s easy to say, but how many people can actually do it, and consistently see it through?’

Luther Carroll, grinning from ear to ear, handed Yang Yang a brand-new replacement jersey.

Although Fred Arroyo had been the one to discover Yang Yang, Luther Carroll had personally handled bringing him on board. From the very beginning, he’d seen something special in Yang Yang; it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say he was the one who truly recognized his potential.

Now, Yang Yang’s performance for the team was only getting better. Luther Carroll could clearly see it coming: by the end of this season, Yang Yang would be one of the team’s most important players. If players like Van der Vaart and Ibrahimovic left during the summer, it was highly likely the team would build around Yang Yang in the new season, perhaps even making him their centerpiece.

And to think, he’s only seventeen. He’ll just be turning eighteen next year.

Ajax had always been famous for its willingness to promote young players, but it was incredibly rare for a seventeen or eighteen-year-old to be a starter, let alone the team’s core. Even the legendary Cruyff had come on as a substitute at age eighteen to score the winning goal in a Champions League final.

While Yang Yang changed his jersey on the sideline, the Ajax players on the pitch huddled together to talk.

It was mainly Sneijder, Wesley Sonck, and the on-pitch captain, Galasek, figuring out who should take the penalty.

Normally, Galasek was the designated taker, but he didn’t seem to want this one.

The three huddled together and discussed it for a moment, but they couldn’t seem to agree. They quickly ran over to the sideline to consult with head coach Ronald Koeman.

The head coach’s brow furrowed as he listened. Then, his gaze shifted to the sideline, where Yang Yang, having changed his jersey, was ready to re-enter the pitch. He nodded to Sneijder and Galasek, signaling for Yang Yang to take the penalty.

Sneijder walked back onto the pitch with Yang Yang and relayed the decision of the head coach and his two teammates.

”We all think you should take it.”

”Me?” Yang Yang was a little surprised. He’d only taken one penalty before, and that was because Van der Vaart had given him the chance.

”Everyone’s been playing for over ninety minutes; we’re all drained, physically and mentally. This is a high-pressure penalty, and you earned it all on your own. It has to be you,” Sneijder encouraged, patting Yang Yang on the shoulder.

With things put that way, what more could Yang Yang say?

After returning to the pitch, he walked past the other players and into the penalty area. He placed the ball on the spot, tamped down the turf around it with his foot, and then slowly backed away two steps.

...

”And it’s Yang Yang who’s stepping up to take this penalty for Ajax.”

”It looks like a unanimous decision from the players and the head coach.”

”Yang Yang is only seventeen, but he’s about to face one of the world’s top goalkeepers, Casillas.”

”According to our records, Yang Yang has taken one penalty before, during a Dutch Cup knockout match against Feyenoord. That time, he calmly slotted it down the middle. But can he do the same against a keeper like Casillas?”

”Right now, the eyes of the football world are on him. Over fifty thousand fans in the stadium, including the Real Madrid supporters, have their gazes fixed on him. The pressure of this penalty is far greater than his last one. Can Yang Yang withstand it?”

”I’m sure I’m not the only one; fans everywhere and everyone watching at home must be holding their breath.”

...

Yang Yang’s eyes were squeezed shut. He refused to look at Casillas pacing on the goal line.

He focused on steadying his breath, calming his heart, and used his God’s Vision to feel every subtle movement around him.

’Of course, he knew this penalty carried a completely different weight than the one in the Dutch Cup.’

’Ajax would advance whether he scored or not. But a goal would completely crush Real Madrid’s spirit. A miss, however, would leave three minutes of stoppage time, and Real Madrid could absolutely score again.’

’Casillas. A top-three goalkeeper in the world, second only to Juventus’s ”Gate God,” Buffon. A man destined to become a legend.’

’Which way will he dive?’

’Generally, with penalties, you either go for placement or power. If the angle is sharp enough and the shot is fast enough, the keeper can’t get to it. But the moment your technique breaks down, you’ll sky it over the bar.’

’Missed penalties are almost always caused by mental pressure.’

Yang Yang had always been mentally strong, and backing down in a crucial moment was never his style.

Opening his eyes, Yang Yang stared directly at Casillas. The Real Madrid ”Gate God” had been watching him intently. As their eyes locked, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Yang Yang’s lips.

Once the referee had the other players in position, he blew the whistle.

After taking a deep breath, Yang Yang started his run-up. He incorporated a clear, deliberately misleading hesitation before striking the ball with his right foot.

...

”IT’S IN!!!!!!”

”GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!”

”Yang Yang scores the penalty! A shot straight down the middle, exactly like his last one!”

”The audacity! To go down the middle on both penalties!”

”But looking at the slow-motion replay, you can see that very distinct hesitation in his run-up. He completely fooled Casillas, but Casillas never expected him to then shoot right down the middle.”

”You have to say, it was an incredibly audacious penalty, but one that perfectly showcased Yang Yang’s mental strength.”

”Four to one! It’s all over for Real Madrid!”

”Yang Yang’s penalty knocks out Real Madrid!”

...

The moment Yang Yang scored the penalty, the entire Amsterdam Arena erupted.

Fifty thousand fans leaped from their seats, shouting Yang Yang’s name in unison.

After scoring, Yang Yang dropped to his knees inside the penalty box, his head tilted back as he bathed in the cheers of the entire stadium.

’This feeling is so exhilarating!’

’He was really starting to love this, to become addicted to this feeling!’

His teammates mobbed him from behind, swarming around him. Everyone was roaring in his ears, the shouts all blending into one, so much so that Yang Yang couldn’t make out what any of them were saying.

The only thing he knew for certain was that not a single person was calm or rational. Everyone had gone wild.

...

...

Sitting in the director’s box, Van Gaal watched with his own eyes as Yang Yang scored the penalty. He heard the Ajax fans chant Yang Yang’s name, and he suddenly felt a sting in his nose, fighting back tears.

In that moment, an image surfaced in his mind: the boy in the Almere Skate Park, tirelessly practicing his fundamentals against a graffiti-covered wall. Back then, he was a nobody, insignificant, on the verge of being cut from the Almere youth academy.

But who could have imagined that, through sheer stubbornness and relentless hard work, he would make it this far, one step at a time.

Yang Yang had become an Ajax hero, a fan favorite. And it was easy to foresee that after Van der Vaart’s departure, Yang Yang would become the team’s next icon.

A year ago, Van Gaal could never have imagined any of this.

But he felt truly honored, because he had witnessed the entire journey and had even been a part of it.

Given Yang Yang’s current trajectory and his relentless determination, Van Gaal had no doubt he would become a star. What he truly couldn’t imagine, however, was just how high his ceiling was.

”Louis, it looks like forget five thousand... even 10 thousand euros might not be enough to satisfy Raiola now,” Van Pragg sighed.

Van Gaal wore a wry smile. What could he say?

Originally, Raiola himself had proposed the 3000 euro salary, only for Van Gaal to flatly reject it. But now, times had changed. Renewing Yang Yang’s contract for that kind of money? Not a chance.

It wasn’t just that Raiola would refuse; Ajax wouldn’t even dare make such an offer.

Why?

Bad faith!

...

...

The moment Yang Yang scored the penalty, the match was effectively over.

After the kickoff, Real Madrid tried to mount an attack, but their superstars were clearly exhausted. Furthermore, the team’s morale was at rock bottom, and they failed to create another threatening chance.

The referee extended stoppage time to four minutes to account for the penalty delay, but it was a mere formality.

As soon as the time was up, the referee blew the final whistle.

In the end, with a 4-1 victory at home, Ajax miraculously overturned Real Madrid with a 6-5 aggregate score, advancing to the Champions League semifinals.

This was the first time the team had reached the Champions League semifinals since the ’95-’96 season.

The entire Amsterdam Arena was plunged into a frenzy of celebration.

After the golden generation of players cultivated by Van Gaal gradually left, Ajax fell into a slump. The former European giant slowly declined into what is now a second- or third-tier European club, a painful reality for every Ajax fan to witness.

But such is the nature of professional football; no one can change the tide.

But now, after several years of rebuilding and accumulating talent, Ajax was on the cusp of another golden era.

Ibrahimovic, Van der Vaart, Sneijder, Trabelsi, Maxwell, Heitinga, Escude, De Jong, Wesley Sonck, and the seventeen-year-old Yang Yang...

This group of players was once again carrying the banner for Ajax in European football. They were making everyone take notice of the Eredivisie giants once more, allowing the traditional European powerhouse to shine again.

More importantly, Ligue 1’s Monaco had drawn 2-2 away at Chelsea tonight, advancing smoothly with a 5-3 aggregate score. They would face Ajax in the semifinals.

The other semifinal would be a showdown between Porto and Deportivo La Coruña.

This shocked football fans worldwide. Aside from Deportivo La Coruña, not a single team from the ”Four Major Leagues” had made it to the semifinals. This year’s Champions League was destined to be won by a dark horse.