After Leo Lin arrived at the venue, the organizers quickly called him over. He had been waiting at the entrance in the back the whole time, all for this moment.
Stepping out from the rear entrance, Leo Lin walked onto the magnificent red carpet and looked at the Ballon d'Or trophy ahead of him, as if it were waving him over. On both sides, soccer legends applauded him and smiled.
Leo Lin soon spotted Maria. Her face was filled with pride and emotion.
Firmino, Klopp, one close friend after another appeared before him, all applauding.
Leo Lin made sure he carried himself properly, then walked steadily onto the stage and lifted the Ballon d'Or trophy amid the applause of the entire venue.
Liverpool fans in the livestream instantly began flooding the chat with Ballon d'Or trophy emojis, while Liverpool FC posted a celebratory message at once.
"And now, we invite Leo Lin, the youngest winner in Ballon d'Or history, to give his acceptance speech!"
All the presenters left the stage. At that moment, the only thing keeping Leo Lin company up there was the Ballon d'Or trophy.
After placing the trophy on the display stand beside him, Leo Lin walked up to the microphone. The venue gradually quieted down, and everyone looked at him, waiting to hear his acceptance speech.
"I won't speak for too long, because I honestly didn't prepare much."
"Before my name was called, I still didn't know I would be the Ballon d'Or winner."
Laughter immediately rang through the venue. Leo Lin was always like this. He liked to open his acceptance speeches in a more amusing way.
"To win the Ballon d'Or as a young player, I want to thank every media reporter who voted for me!"
"I think this is a good trend. At the very least, it proves that outstanding young players are still emerging in soccer, and that's a good thing, because soccer will keep moving forward because of it."
"I come from Liverpool. At this club, a club full of warmth and humanity, I've enjoyed a soccer atmosphere like no other."
"Every day, whether it's in the cafeteria, the gym, or on the training ground, you can hear us laughing."
"And here, I have to mention Firmino, because his laugh is always the loudest and clearest."
The moment Firmino heard his name, he grew excited and restless. Vivian, sitting beside him, pressed down on his thigh to keep him calm.
"I have many teammates at this club. The fans once gave our group a nickname. They said we were the heavy weapons on the soccer field. That group includes Mané, Salah, and Firmino, all outstanding players who have devoted themselves completely to fighting for Liverpool."
"But what I want to say is that beyond them, we still have so many excellent players!"
"Wijnaldum, Arnold, Robertson…"
"All of us are working toward the same goal. Do you know what makes me happiest? We have friction, and we have conflicts. That's unavoidable. But in the end, we still step onto the field like a family."
"We solve our problems like men. That's the reason I love this team so much."
"I have to thank my parents. This isn't the first time I've thanked them while receiving an award. To me, they are the best parents in the world, without question."
"My manager Klopp, his excellent assistants, and our outstanding support staff. They are the reason we can succeed, and an important reason I personally can succeed."
When Leo Lin said this, applause broke out across the venue again.
"I think I should thank, and must thank, my agent, Barnett! And his wife, Delores. Delores definitely didn't expect me to include her too."
"Barnett is no longer simply my agent. We very quickly became best friends, and then far more than friends. We are family now. Barnett and Maria, they are both my family!"
The live broadcast camera immediately found Maria. She was covering her face as she cried, but her bright, watery eyes were still fixed on Leo Lin.
"What I love most about Maria is her upbringing, her personality, the way she conducts herself, and the way she treats me."
"She will always be one of the most important parts of my life!"
Leo Lin raised the Ballon d'Or trophy again and gave his final words.
"This is my first Ballon d'Or. Maybe it will be my last, but maybe it won't."
"I don't know what the future will look like. I can't predict what's going to happen, but I can promise every fan who supports me this."
"In countless moments, I will work hard to become the person you can trust the most. In countless moments, I will work hard to become Liverpool's final line of defense."
"My goals go far beyond this. My road has only just begun!"
Liverpool FC posted again, placing Leo Lin's World Cup trophy, World Cup Golden Boot, Champions League trophy, and Ballon d'Or trophy side by side, with the title:
"The 18-Year-Old King!"
...
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