Chapter 313 - 75: Golden Ball Award Ranking! The 4th Superstar of World Football! The Making of a Legend! The Shock from China

"My job is to always be prepared. Every opportunity I get is created through the hard work of my teammates, and I have to do everything in my power to seize it."

"In that situation, if I hadn’t slowed down, there was a high chance I would have been offside. But once Marco won the ball, I didn’t have to worry about that anymore, so naturally, I went into a full sprint."

"So you’re saying that in that moment, you were actually very calm and thinking clearly."

"Of course. That’s a necessary skill for any forward."

...

"Joseph, his on-camera presence is fantastic. He’s logical, articulate, and most importantly, he has high emotional intelligence."

"Combine that with how well he plays, and you’ve got a really great public image. You guys have to seize this opportunity!"

While the interview was being filmed, Kuhn whispered to Schneck from behind the camera.

"I wish they would, but the problem is, for one, they don’t have his image rights, and two, the club’s resources are very limited."

"If this were Bayern, I’m telling you, he’d already be the hottest young star in Europe. The next Messi, the next Ronaldo."

Kuhn smiled and nodded.

Publicity and promotion both require resources.

These resources aren’t just financial, but more importantly, connections and networks.

Take the European Golden Ball Award, for example.

Everyone knows it isn’t decided on purely athletic merit. Many off-the-field factors can influence the outcome.

For example, using the media to build momentum.

But the question is, who can mobilize so many influential media outlets at the same time?

To be blunt, media relations, personal connections, and networks are all things that have to be built up over time.

If you don’t have them established, you can’t just throw money at the problem when it counts. You won’t even find an open door.

Are you supposed to just show up at their door, slap a check on the table, and say you want to buy ad space?

Come on, what era are we living in?

How much money do you have? How many outlets can you buy off?

Even if you had enough money to pay them all off and they all accepted, your rivals wouldn’t have to lift a finger. They’d just wait for the right moment to expose the whole thing, and you’d be finished instantly.

A scandal always travels faster and further than good news!

So, these things have to be built and maintained over time.

Just like in Manchester.

Ferguson always knew what scandals the media had on his Manchester United stars before they did.

He even knew what the players had been up to.

And only the powerhouse clubs can afford to maintain such a vast network of relationships and channels.

Because powerhouse clubs generate their own buzz, they can maintain good relationships with all sorts of media outlets without spending much money.

When it matters, they just need to make a call, and the momentum builds on its own.

A team like Dortmund simply can’t do these things.

Look at Bayern. From the moment Thomas Müller started rising through the youth academy, Bayern decided they were going to back him. They’ve been pouring resources into marketing him as the next Müller ever since.

This summer, Thomas Müller made it to the first team. How much do you think Bayern has invested in him?

Never mind anything else, just think of how many promotional events were held specifically for him.

He’s even on the verge of a national team call-up.

Dortmund simply doesn’t have the resources that Bayern has.

That’s the advantage of a powerhouse club!

Of course, if Wang Shuo were at Bayern instead, there’s no guarantee they’d be willing to promote him this heavily.

At the end of the day, Bayern wouldn’t consider Wang Shuo one of their own.

It’s the same principle behind Barça wanting to heavily promote Boyan to eventually replace Messi.

The interview wasn’t long, and the content held no major surprises. It mostly revolved around the goal, Wang Shuo himself, and Dortmund’s run in the UEFA Europa League.

Wang Shuo answered them all one by one.

The final question was, "You’ve set the record for the fastest goal in the history of European club competition. What does that mean to you? And what are your goals moving forward?"

Wang Shuo was prepared for this and answered just as fluently as before.

"It’s a wonderful start, but I believe that in the future, more outstanding players will emerge on the European stage to break this record. That’s the spirit of competition!"

"For me, I’m very happy with this achievement, but I’m more focused on how I can help the team win our next match and keep moving forward. That’s what’s most important!"

Hearing Wang Shuo’s answer, Joseph Schneck felt an urge to applaud.

He could already imagine how Dortmund fans, and even neutral fans, would form an even better impression of Wang Shuo after hearing or seeing this interview.

From start to finish—from his attire and appearance to his manner of speaking and his conduct—he was practically flawless.

He wasn’t shy and reserved like Messi, nor was he defiant and fiercely competitive like Ronaldo.

Wang Shuo’s image was somewhat like Kaka’s, but he seemed more ambitious.

This prompted a rather interesting thought in Joseph Schneck’s mind.

’If what Beckenbauer said comes true, and Wang Shuo becomes the fourth megastar in world football in the near future, how would he contend with the big three: Ronaldo, Messi, and Kaka?’

’In terms of their "niche," he would seem to clash with Kaka.’

’But the key is, Kaka’s Brazilian!’

Joseph Schneck shook his head and chuckled at his own thoughts.

’I’m getting way ahead of myself!’

’Wang Shuo is only just getting started!’

...

Just two days after the interview was completed, UEFA began promoting it on its official website and television channel.