Congratulations!

As the World Footballer of the Year and the winner of the European Golden Ball Award, Yang Yang quickly became the center of attention the moment he appeared at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Whether they knew him or not, people came over to greet him.

Liverpool general manager Rick Parry was there as the club's representative for the draw, while Yang Yang, Gerrard, and the others had been invited by UEFA to attend the awards ceremony. The two events were held alongside each other, but the guests were seated separately.

With Ronaldinho's form declining, Yang Yang had begun to take his place after his performances last season, becoming the undisputed top star in European football. This was evident from the seat UEFA had arranged for him.

Even though Liverpool had failed to go all the way in last season's Champions League, Yang Yang had still been placed in the most prominent front-row seat, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Lampard, and the others.

Barcelona star Messi had not come to the event.

Kaka of AC Milan, who had sat here last season and competed with Yang Yang for the Best Player award, had suffered a major decline after maintaining top form for an entire season. Injuries were one factor, while his own adjustments as a player had also played a part. As a result, he had not been nominated for any of the awards.

Quite a few people even speculated that Kaka might suffer a major slide in this year's awards.

Yang Yang did not particularly care. It was perfectly normal for professional players' performances to rise and fall. What mattered was whether Kaka could return to his peak as quickly as possible.

Although they were direct competitors, Yang Yang and Cristiano Ronaldo still chatted and laughed when they met, creating