Shooting Trajectory is Visible - Chapter 221



Only Krnovel

Episode 221 Trophe Yasin

While I was leisurely watching the second half from the stands, I received a message from Sophie.

[Sophie: I heard you were injured. Are you okay?]

[Kim Min-woo: Yes. It’s okay~]

Sophie started off by saying this and that. I’m watching the Manchester game right now and I’m confused because the goal was scored so easily, I can really feel that Kim Min-woo is missing, Manchester United used to be invincible but it seems like a screw is missing… …etc.

They were all equally thankful stories.

As we were talking without realizing how much time had passed, I slyly brought up the topic of the Ballon d’Or.

[Kim Min-woo: I was also invited to the Ballon d’Or ceremony. I’m going to France soon.]

[Sophie: Huh?????! Wow! That’s so great!!!! Are you getting an award?]

[Kim Min-woo: It’s not confirmed, but I heard he was selected as a candidate]

[Sophie: Wow!!!!!!!!! Isn’t that a sure thing?! If there’s a goalkeeper better than Kim Min-woo last season, come and see for yourself! Even if Yashin came back alive, Hannover wouldn’t have won the championship?!]

[Kim Min-woo: It wasn’t like I won because I did well on my own.]

The message was sent, but my shoulder was already hanging from the ceiling of Old Trafford.

[Sophie: Hey! What a difference there was with and without Kim Min-woo! It was more than Manchester United right now, honestly]

[Sophie: Did you forget that the opposing teams played defensively against Hannover because of one player? I’ve been watching football since I was a kid, but it was the first time I’ve seen something like that.]

[Kim Min-woo: Oh, that’s right…]

Now that I think about it, that’s true.

The Bundesliga teams, who decided that they could not break through Hannover no matter what, ultimately decided not to play against Hannover.

Should we just change the strategy to one of getting just 1 point on friendly terms?

‘Wait a minute. So, will there come a day when the Premier League treats Man U like that?’

I thought about it seriously, but I don’t think that would happen in the EPL.

Okay, let’s just take one point. That strategy is possible because it’s Hannover. If you do that to a big club like Manchester United, you’ll definitely get a real education.

‘Well, when Manchester United are at their lowest, they can do just as well as Hannover, but that doesn’t happen very often.’

[Sophie: Anyway, congratulations, Kim Min-woo! Ballon d’Or, Trophy Copa, Yashin, triple crown winner De Gazzaaaaaaaaa~]

Sophie, who was happy as if it were her own business. I sent a message after thinking about it.

[Kim Min-woo: That’s what I’m saying, Sophie.]

[Sophie: Yes!]

[Kim Min-woo: Do ​​you want to go to the awards ceremony together?]

And then the replies suddenly stopped. The replies didn’t come back for a while, for quite some time.

I scratched my head and looked back and forth between my phone and the ground. It took six minutes for a reply to come.

[Sophie: No.]

… What? You’re rejecting this?

Before I could even ask why, Sophie explained.

[Sophie: If I go to the awards ceremony with Kim Min-woo, I will become a topic of conversation all over the world… I don’t like being in the spotlight like that. I have my own life… If I go like that, I might not be able to work in Hanover anymore… ]

Sophie is mumbling.

In short, I went there for no reason because I didn’t want to ‘get people’s attention’. Another big reason was that if I got attention, my daily life could fall apart.

… Certainly, it wasn’t wrong, so I agreed.

[Kim Min-woo: My thoughts were short-sighted.]

[Sophie: No~ I’m so happy that Kim Min-woo made that suggestion!]

I start to think a lot.

I naturally assumed that Sophie would get the offer. Most people would have gotten it.

But Sophie was no ordinary person.

Her own daily life was more important than the public attention she received as the lover of a superstar.

And that was what appealed to me.

‘He’s thoughtful and wise. Do you see anyone like that these days?’

If it were Kim Shin-a, she would have already chosen her clothes. On top of that, she would have gone on a fasting diet right away, saying that she had to look good.

She’s my younger sister, but she’s a bit of a nerd. If she weren’t there, I wouldn’t have done YouTube or a dance club.

“Brother. Why have you been on your phone all this time? Who are you? Is it Seungwoo hyung?”

And Kim Jun-young was pushing in from the side. I quickly put my phone in my pocket and shook my head.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s nothing?”

Kim Jun-young tilts his head as if he is puzzled. And mutters a word.

“You were smiling too brightly for that to be true….”

Meanwhile, the game was drawing to a close.

Giovanni’s Manchester United showed their own strength, coming back from 0-2 down to score two goals to make the score 2-2, and it seemed like the match would end in a draw.

‘I don’t think the undefeated streak will be broken, right?’

That’s when I thought so.

The referee awarded a penalty kick.

West Ham’s.

The problem was that while Baran was kicking the ball away, he also kicked the opponent’s toe.

The Manchester United players protested the referee’s decision, but it was of no use. Wasn’t he the famous EPL referee?

They didn’t even bother to look at VAR and the decision stood.

‘It’s extra time within extra time. If this works, the game will end like that.’

The desperate expressions of Manchester United fans. Their voices. Their slender hopes. And the West Ham kicker who comically shatters them.

Manchester United, who had almost caught up with the game with a thud, were once again frustrated by West Ham’s penalty kick that was slipping away.

Giovanni watched the scene and then, as the West Ham players celebrated, he turned around and stumbled off the pitch.

‘Huh? You’re acting like a Mancini… .’

Giovanni leaving work early. It was usually polite for managers to shake hands at the end of a game, but Giovanni, whose eyes were rolled back, did not do that.

After the ceremony, the kick-off began, and as soon as a Manchester United player touched the ball, the referee blew his whistle again. It was the final whistle.

The kickoff was a formality.

No matter what happened, the referee would have ended the game immediately.

‘It ended 2:3.’

Even when they trailed by two goals in the second half, people thought, ‘Wow, I really don’t know’, ‘Are we going to turn things around?’, but it ended up being a pipe dream for the Red Devils.

.

.

Later, Giovanni explained in an interview that he thought the game was over as soon as he conceded a goal. Even his excuses were exactly like Mancini’s. Is there something that Italians have in common?

* * *

There were many who were happy about Man U’s defeat. First of all, Manchester City. They couldn’t be unhappy when their rivals fell.

And Arsenal.

Arsenal are a title contender, but they seemed more pleased that their unbeaten streak was broken.

It seems that they were very anxious that Manchester United might break their ‘undefeated championship’ record. They must have been even more anxious because Manchester United has a goalkeeper who never lets a goal pass.

Because when the original achievements are updated, the ones that came before are forgotten in people’s memories.

Arsenal will probably want their unbeaten run to never be broken, and so their club will be on the table for eternity.

‘How long will that last…?’

Even though this season is over, there are still a lot of seasons left for Manchester United. If they win the league and gain new characteristics, then maybe Manchester United can win the championship without losing.

“Son. Let’s go!”

“huh.”

And I walked down the street with my mom.

The place I arrived was France.

The reason I came to France, a country I had no connection to, was, of course, for the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

There was already a crowd of people gathered near the venue where the awards ceremony was taking place, and I walked down the red carpet with my mom, waving to people taking pictures with their large cameras.

“Kim! Who is that person next to you!?”

“It’s not my mother!”

“Your mother is beautiful!”

“Haha, thank you.”

That’s a bit of an unpleasant compliment.

But let’s just let it go. Today is a good day.

He took pictures with fans, signed autographs, walked the carpet, and eventually posed in front of a panel, receiving a barrage of reporters’ cameras with his whole body.

‘Oh. So these are people you all know?’

I passed by several players.

First of all, Kylian Mbappe, who had a connection with the Olympics.

Erling Haaland, who is in the same league as me, although we haven’t played together yet.

And last year’s Ballon d’Or winner, Jude Bellingham.

In addition, many famous and skilled players passed through.

I greeted some of the players and entered the awards ceremony.

The interior was arranged like a theater.

As I was sitting in my assigned seat, killing time, a KakaoTalk message arrived.

[Kim Shin-ah: Hey Ballon d’Or (Jin)!]

[Kim Min-woo: Why Jae-soo (Jin)]

[Kim Shin-ah: Haha, what kind of unlucky luck are you? I plan on enrolling as an active student.]

[Kim Min-woo: I see]

When I answered dryly, Kim Shin-ah sent me a horned emoticon. And,

[Kim Shin-ah: I don’t know if I’ll get the Ballon d’Or or not, but I’ll probably get an award. Congratulations in advance.]

[Kim Shin-ah: And don’t just go and receive awards like a loner, but also do some socializing. The Ballon d’Or ceremony is a place where all the top players in the world gather.]

… I was just going to accept the award and go back, but how did you know?

But do you think that family knows each other well?

[Kim Shin-ah: Don’t hesitate or wait for the other person to come to you. Just go first and start a conversation. You’re good at English and German now.]

[Kim Min-woo: I’ll figure it out]

[Kim Shin-ah: Hahaha]

[Kim Shin-ah: No, I feel bad for you because you don’t seem to have any friends…]

[Kim Min-woo: You come and be my friend lol]

[Kim Shin-ah: Ah… okay, there’s some substance to your words]

[Kim Shin-ah: I missed you so much… I was so lonely…]

Just then, the host appeared and the awards ceremony began. I put my phone in my pocket and focused.

The host was a once-popular but now-retired legend who lightened the mood by throwing in a few jokes.

How long has this boring meal been going on?

Finally, the real awards ceremony began.

At first it was a team award.

“… …Women’s Team of the Year!”

This is FC Barcelona Femeni. Congratulations!

The voice of the presenter.

I gave them a hearty round of applause. Several female players went up to the stage and said various things. In short, they said thank you.

“… …Men’s Team of the Year!”

Manchester City took it.

It was worth it.

You won the Champions League, so you should take it.

This time too, several players came up and shared their thoughts.

I listened a little more intently than before.

“… … The statue of Socrates!”

Contrary to its name, it was an award based on social contribution. The award was given to Marcelo, who played for Real Madrid until 2022.

Now he is in the twilight of his football career playing in the Brazilian league, and I gave the legend a round of applause.

Marcelo concluded his acceptance speech by saying he was honored to receive the award and thanked everyone who shared his moral values ​​and sense of social responsibility.

‘He’s a good person?’

At such a big awards ceremony, he spoke so briefly and left. Wow…

“Let me tell you about the candidate for the Trophy, Gerd Müller.”

And from now on, it was real.

Up until this point, it was just side dishes, but from here on out, it’s the main dish.

The Gerd Müller Trophy is awarded to the player with the most goals in a calendar year, and the presenter named the candidates.

“The candidates are Erling Haaland! Kylian Mbappe! Lionel Messi (still?)! Mohamed Salah! And… … .”

There were several other candidates, but the four candidates named above were the strong candidates. And I was still amazed that Lionel Messi was even mentioned as a candidate.

‘He is truly the god of football. How old is he and yet he is still nominated for the Ballon d’Or?’

In 2025, even legendary players like Lewandowski and Christian Ronaldo, who were treated as legends at a similar age to Messi, have disappeared, but the GOAT is definitely different.

“The winner is! Erling Holland! Congratulations!”

Among the strong candidates, the one who won the award was Erling Haaland. He looks like he punched clay, but his soccer skills are amazing compared to his looks.

Holland took the stage with ease.

Perhaps because he had already received the award once, he gave his acceptance speech without any emotion.

I thought about Holland’s acceptance speech.

‘Ah. I’m nervous. I’m definitely going to receive the Yasin Award. But that means I have to go up there and give my acceptance speech in front of countless Europeans.’

I can’t even give a proper presentation in class, let alone a public speaking contest. Can I do well?

… I’m glad my voice doesn’t shake like a cultivator.

If you really start shivering, you might get stuffed for life.

Because. I have been interviewing Kang Min-woo, not Kim Min-woo, only in the EPL.

How many people would find it funny if I, like that, showed up looking scared or nervous during my acceptance speech? It was terrifying to even imagine.

“… Thank you.”

And that concludes Holland’s acceptance speech.

Next up was Trophee Yasin.

A prize that is virtually the same as giving it to someone.

As the name suggests, this award is given to the goalkeeper who has performed the best throughout the year.

As with all awards given out at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, it is based on the previous season.

Although I never played in an international tournament with Hannover, I had no doubts about the award because I led Hannover to the Bundesliga title without conceding a single goal.

‘If another goalkeeper receives it here, it’s just nonsense.’

I was anxious while thinking that way. Because I had a feeling that maybe.

and…….

“The winner is! Kim Min Woo! Congratulations!”

And there was no change.

After a long time, I was called by my full name and stood up to the applause of the people.

He appeared calm on the outside, but his tuxedo was soaked with sweat… .

I walked up to the stage with a leisurely gait. I received the award from the host, and as I held it up to the people as if it was nothing, applause and cheers rang out once again.

‘Fuck. I’m going to take a shit.’

The view from the stage was beyond imagination. How did Holland not tremble? It doesn’t make sense.

There were so many, so many people watching just me.

I froze for a moment, then cleared my throat. I had thought about my acceptance speech in advance for this moment, and even memorized it (since it’s too cool to read it from a piece of paper in my arms), but when I got up here, my mind went blank and I couldn’t think of anything. It was as if time had stopped. What should I say?

“ego….”

One second before the verbal feast begins, I take a deep breath. Calm down. And don’t be cocky. There are still more awards to be won. So don’t be nervous.

“first of all….”

I forced my mouth open, which wouldn’t open.

That’s how the one word came out.

“There are so many people I need to thank, I don’t know who to start with.”

It wasn’t meant as a joke, but people took it as a joke and laughter broke out everywhere.

Feeling confident, I started talking half-jokingly and half-seriously.

“First of all, I would like to thank my mother for coming here with me. I don’t have a driver’s license yet, so if she wasn’t here, I would have taken an Uber.”

Hahahahaha―

Phew. What next? I don’t know. Just spit it out.

“I would also like to thank Coach Yoo in Korea. Most of you may not know Coach Yoo, but he is the mentor who brought me to this world when I hated soccer and even stepping on grass just a few years ago… .”

And it was solved smoothly.

Along with Eugene Ho, my Suyang High School teammates, the scouts from Hannover who recognized me, and then my Hannover teammates, coach, and coaching staff.

I guess my phone won’t light up after the awards ceremony today.

Sophie was checked off the list of things to be thankful for.

Because I didn’t want to ruin the daily life she wanted by mentioning it for no reason.

Instead I.

“… I would also like to thank my family. My father and my sister, who gave me courage when I was unsure and helped me receive this award.”

Kim Shin-ah had been singing a song asking people to mention her whenever they received an award, and I just remembered that and mentioned her. It was somewhat plausible.

Also, I cut it off appropriately because if the speech is too long, it becomes boring. I still have more awards to receive.

“I have a lot to say, but I can’t think of anything, so I’ll stop here. And I’ll keep working hard until the day when the Ballon d’Or is named after me! Thank you.”

Clap clap clap clap clap!

Thunderous applause. Some people even stood up and applauded. I waved and returned to my original position, and the host said a few words.

“That was a really touching speech. Now, let’s move on. Let me tell you about the Trophy Copa candidates!”

There were many strong candidates for the Trophy Copa. And my name was among them. The host opened the paper with the winners written on it and paused for a moment, trying to suppress his laughter.

“This is so funny. The winner of the Trophy Copa is Kim min woo!”

Applause again.

As soon as I sat down, I had to stand up again.

I knew it, but the moment when conviction becomes fact is still overwhelming.

“You must have something to think about when you accepted the award. Haha.”

The host cracks a dry joke. I go up to the stage again and this time I receive the Trophy Coppa award.

People were already laughing. I lifted the award with a bashful expression, just like before. Then people applauded and cheered again, just like before.

‘I’m at a loss for words.’

But I have to do it anyway. Because I got it.

And if I win the Ballon d’Or like this… … .

‘Let’s focus here for now.’

I waited until the applause and cheering died down.