Chapter 633: A Moment of Celebration
Bruno wanted to celebrate the victory with his teammates, but as soon as the match ended, he was surrounded by a throng of reporters swarming onto the pitch.
His teammates understood that Bruno was the man of the match and the center of media attention, so they didn't interrupt, leaving him to bask in the spotlight and answer the barrage of questions.
"The World Cup has ended, and you've won the ultimate championship. Would you say this was a successful tournament for you, Bruno?" asked a journalist from Record.
Bruno nodded enthusiastically, still glowing from the euphoria of victory. "Yes! It was a hugely successful World Cup for us! We've won Portugal's first-ever World Cup—absolutely successful!"
"Is there anything you'd like to say now?"
"I'd like to thank my teammates, our coach, my parents, my supporters… and myself!" Bruno said loudly into the microphone, grinning at the camera.
"That's quite a list of thank-yous. You scored two goals in the final and are likely to be named Man of the Match. What do you think led to your success?"
"The trust and support of my teammates, and our coach, Mr. Santos. He gave me his full trust and patience. I'm incredibly grateful to him for believing in me. Thank you, coach!"
Bruno expressed his gratitude twice for Fernando Santos, truly appreciative of the man who had given him the chance to shine on the national team. Before Santos' tenure, Bruno had struggled to secure a spot in the squad. Santos' confidence in him had helped transform him into Portugal's midfield lynchpin.
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"Alright, Bruno. Let's talk about your two goals in the match. The first header was a big surprise. Was that a planned move by Santos?"
"No, it wasn't," Bruno said, shaking his head. "That was my idea. Usually, I'd take free kicks from that kind of position, but this time, I wanted to surprise the French defense."
Bruno chuckled before adding, "And we did!"
"The first goal was brilliant, but many believe your second was even better. What made you decide to make that decisive run into the box for the shot?"
"Instinct," Bruno said, pointing to his head.
He didn't want to linger for more questions. Bruno gestured to signal he was done with interviews and turned toward his teammates. The journalists let him go, but photographers kept snapping photos, tracking his every move.
Breaking free from the media crowd, Bruno sprinted toward Cristiano Ronaldo, his arms wide open even from a distance.
Ronaldo, also surrounded by reporters, ended his interviews upon seeing Bruno approach. The two embraced tightly, an emotional moment that symbolized the unity of Portugal's two superstars.
The fans in the stands cheered wildly, waving a sea of red as they watched the two icons celebrate together.
...
After a brief celebration, Ronaldo led the Portuguese team to shake hands with their French opponents.
Though fierce rivals during the match, many players from both teams were friends off the pitch.
Bruno took time to console his club teammates, Kanté and Mbappé, both visibly emotional after the loss. He also exchanged words of encouragement with other French players.
Meanwhile, preparations for the award ceremony were underway at the center of the pitch.
...
During the ceremony, the individual awards were presented first: Best Player, Best Young Player, Best Goalkeeper, and Top Scorer.
Unsurprisingly, Bruno was the standout star of the tournament. He not only won the Golden Boot with seven goals but also topped the assists chart with three. His all-around brilliance made him the obvious choice for the tournament's Best Player award.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane, both with six goals, received the Silver and Bronze Boots, respectively. Ronaldo was also awarded the Silver Ball as the tournament's second-best player, while Belgium's Eden Hazard received the Bronze Ball.
The Best Goalkeeper award went to Belgium's Thibaut Courtois, who conceded just six goals across seven matches, delivering consistently outstanding performances.
France's Kylian Mbappé won Best Young Player, having scored four goals in the tournament. The Fair Play Award was given to Spain for their sportsmanship throughout the competition, though Spain and Belgium were absent from the final and did not collect their prizes in person.
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When Bruno climbed onto the podium, holding the Best Player trophy in one hand and the Golden Boot in the other, the entire Luzhniki Stadium erupted into cheers.
Even the French fans couldn't help but applaud Bruno's performance. Despite their disappointment, they respected the Portuguese star who had tormented their defense with two goals and an assist.
After the individual awards, the referees were honored. Led by Argentine referee Néstor Pitana, the officiating team received their medals from a distinguished panel, including FIFA's president, Russia's president, the leaders of both finalist nations, and UEFA's president.
While the referees had made decisions that neither team fully agreed with, their overall performance was deemed competent, with no major controversies.
Next came the turn of the French team, who stepped up to collect their silver medals.
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The French players, collecting their silver medals, appeared dejected. Not only had they lost the final, but they had also squandered their chance for revenge against Portugal.
The runners-up quickly stepped onto the stage, received their medals, and stepped down.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese players were singing and dancing by the stage, eagerly anticipating their turn to ascend the podium.
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When the announcer declared, "Now, let's welcome Portugal to receive their medals!" the cheers from the Portuguese fans grew louder. Amidst this wave of jubilation, the Portuguese players lined up and began their climb up the long steps from the pitch to the podium at the top of the stands.
Waiting for them there was a distinguished panel of presenters, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the host nation's leader, the presidents of the two finalist nations, and UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.
The officials handed out medals to each player. Bruno received his gold medal from FIFA President Infantino, who embraced him and said, "You were fantastic, young man. You've made history again."
"Thank you, Mr. Infantino," Bruno replied, much calmer now.
Infantino joked, "It's a shame you're not Swiss; maybe Switzerland could have won the World Cup too." Then, holding the medal high, he added, "Here you go!"
Bruno bowed his head, allowing Infantino to drape the medal around his neck.
"Congratulations, Bruno."
"Thank you, Mr. Infantino," Bruno replied, hugging him a second time.
He continued to exchange handshakes and hugs with the rest of the presenters, each warmly congratulating him. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa held onto Bruno's hand, chatting with him enthusiastically.
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The last to receive the trophy from Infantino was the team captain, Cristiano Ronaldo.
When Ronaldo finally held the trophy aloft, the announcer shouted, "And now, the champions are—"
"PORTUGAL!!!" the tens of thousands of Portuguese fans roared in unison.
Amid the deafening cheers, Ronaldo hoisted the gleaming trophy high above his head.
Scarlet streamers rained down from the stadium roof, and the iconic anthem We Are the Champions by Queen reverberated throughout the venue.
The players crowded around their captain, each reaching out to touch the World Cup trophy—the ultimate symbol of their month-long journey and lifelong dreams.
Seeing Bruno nearby, Ronaldo handed him the trophy with a reluctant yet proud grin. "Here, take it!"
Bruno took it with both hands, turned to Ronaldo, and exclaimed, "It's warm!"
As the music continued and the streamers danced in the air, the Portuguese fans chanted in unison, "Portugal! Champions! Champions! Portugal!"
Feeling the warmth of the trophy in his hands, Bruno raised it high once more.
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After the ceremony, Ronaldo cradled the World Cup trophy like a precious treasure and jogged into the locker room, as though afraid someone might snatch it away.
This was the trophy he had dreamed of his entire career. From Germany in 2006 to this moment in Russia, Ronaldo had pursued this dream for 12 years. Once a young prodigy, he had grown into the leader and soul of the Portuguese team, finally achieving his ultimate goal.
His teammates followed him into the locker room, where the staff had thoughtfully set out bottles of champagne for their celebration.
Placing the trophy carefully on a table, Ronaldo grabbed the first bottle of champagne, popped the cork, and covered the opening with his thumb. Shaking the bottle vigorously, he aimed it at the door and sprayed champagne everywhere.
"Ahaha! Woohoo! Celebration time, boys!" Ronaldo yelled as his teammates entered.
Each player dodged the spray with hands shielding their faces, only to retaliate once inside. Their primary target was, of course, Ronaldo.
The Portuguese captain, who had started the champagne battle, ended up soaked from head to toe as his teammates gleefully drenched him.
After spraying nearly half the champagne, Ronaldo poured the remaining liquid into the trophy and drank straight from it, prompting his teammates to do the same.
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When it was Bruno's turn, Ronaldo filled the trophy nearly to the brim and handed it to him.
As Bruno lifted it to drink, Ronaldo grabbed the base and tipped it upward, soaking Bruno's face, eyes, nose, mouth, and ears with champagne. Bruno bent over, coughing and spluttering, as Ronaldo and the others burst into laughter.
"Damn it, Cristiano!" Bruno cursed, wiping his eyes.
"Haha! That's your special reward for being the Man of the Match!" Ronaldo teased before grabbing another bottle and pouring it over Bruno's head.
Drenched yet again, Bruno closed his eyes, hunched his shoulders, and let his teammates pour champagne over him without resistance.
Soon, the rest of the team followed Ronaldo's lead, emptying their bottles onto Bruno.
A television crew from Portugal entered to capture the celebration, only to become the next victims of the champagne spray.
After Bruno, Ronaldo led the team in targeting the reporters, spraying champagne until the camera lenses were completely fogged over.
Head coach Fernando Santos, returning from the press conference, wasn't spared either. As he stepped into the room, Ronaldo and Bruno doused him with champagne from both sides, soaking him thoroughly.
The revelry continued for half an hour before players began heading to the showers. Their excitement finally waned—not because they wanted to stop celebrating, but because they had run out of champagne.
Empty bottles littered the locker room, and the trophy itself was sticky with spilled champagne.
Carrying the trophy into the shower, Ronaldo declared, "I'm giving this baby a bath!"
Bruno, meanwhile, cleaned himself off, washing away the sticky residue from his hair and body. Once refreshed, he gathered the empty bottles into a pile on the central table to prevent any accidents.
After all, the last thing they needed was someone slipping and getting injured during their well-earned celebration.
(END CHAPTER)
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