Chapter Summaries

Yang Yang scored a hat-trick to lead Liverpool to a 4–1 European Super Cup victory over Sevilla, then came off the bench to score another hat-trick in Liverpool’s 6–0 win over Derby County. His extraordinary run of goals intensified worldwide speculation that he would win football’s major individual awards.

• Yang Yang scored late against Sevilla, then helped Liverpool take control after halftime as Crouch and Yang Yang extended the lead to 4–1.
• Yang Yang was substituted to a standing ovation after completing his hat-trick, and Liverpool won the European Super Cup.
• The British media praised Yang Yang’s form, while Catalan and Italian outlets questioned his performances and award credentials.
• Liverpool beat Derby County 3–0 before Yang Yang entered as a substitute and scored twice to make it 4–0.
• Yang Yang completed a second hat-trick in three days as Liverpool defeated Derby County 6–0 at Anfield.

During Argentina’s training camp, Mascherano described Yang Yang’s relentless training and discipline, prompting Messi and the others to admire his bid for football’s top awards. The chapter ended with Messi scoring the late winner against Australia and regaining his competitive drive.

• Aguero, Tevez, Messi, and Mascherano discussed Yang Yang’s remarkable start to the season during Argentina’s training camp in Melbourne.
• Mascherano detailed Yang Yang’s daily fitness routine, swimming, free-kick practice, and strict lifestyle, leaving the other players astonished.
• Mascherano said Zanetti and Basile had both chosen Yang Yang over Kaka for their votes, and Messi said Yang Yang deserved to win.
• A week later, Messi scored the decisive goal as Argentina defeated Australia at the death.

Yang Yang left financial decisions to Wei Zheng while focusing on football, as his growing earnings and investments became difficult to manage. Wei Zheng planned new property and film investments, while Su Ye prepared to audition for a major American production.

• Raiola and Nike promoted Yang Yang's bid for the World Footballer of the Year award while Raiola paused overseas sponsorship negotiations.
• Wei Zheng secured three Chinese endorsements for Yang Yang worth 120 million yuan annually, and Yang Yang traveled to Shanghai to sign the contracts and film advertisements.
• Yang Yang and Su Ye toured Hangzhou until Wei Zheng arrived and admitted he was struggling to invest Yang Yang's growing wealth.
• Wei Zheng described profits from Tencent, Apple, and A-shares, along with mixed results from his Zhongguancun venture investments, including a promising stake in Jingdong.
• Yang Yang approved Wei Zheng's plan to buy a luxury Shanghai apartment and invest in a film by Ning Hao.
• Wei Zheng explained that Su Ye would audition for a major American production after finishing The Forbidden Kingdom, and Yang Yang left the financial decisions to him.

Yang Yang returned from vacation to find Liverpool had swept the Premier League's monthly awards, then came off the bench to score the late winner against Portsmouth. Liverpool left Portsmouth with a 1–0 victory and six straight league wins as they prepared for their Champions League match against Porto.

• Yang Yang returned to England as Liverpool's four-match winning streak earned Benitez Manager of the Month and Yang Yang Player of the Month.
• After the international break, Liverpool traveled to face a defensively strong Portsmouth while resting Yang Yang, Gerrard, Mascherano, and Kuyt for much of the match.
• Portsmouth pressured Liverpool, and Reina saved Kanu's penalty after Arbeloa was penalized for a foul.
• Benitez brought on Gerrard and Yang Yang in the second half, but neither team created a clear chance until late in the match.
• In the eighty-third minute, Gerrard chipped the ball into the penalty area and Yang Yang headed it past Portsmouth's defenders for the winning goal.

Liverpool struggled away against Porto after Reina conceded an early penalty and Pennant was sent off, leaving Yang Yang isolated up front. Yang Yang created Kuyt’s equalizer and, late in the match, beat defenders into the box before sizing up goalkeeper Nuno.

• Reina fouled Sektiooui in the eighth minute, and Porto took the lead with a penalty.
• Yang Yang controlled Aurélio’s lofted pass and set up Kuyt to equalize in the thirty-seventh minute.
• Pennant was sent off early in the second half, prompting Benitez to replace Kuyt with Lucas Leiva and leave Yang Yang alone up front.
• Liverpool defended deep as Porto struggled to break through, while Benitez said he believed in Yang Yang.
• In the seventy-eighth minute, Yang Yang flicked Aurélio’s pass past Meireles, raced into the penalty area, and battled Bruno Alves as he focused on Nuno.

Yang Yang scored a decisive late goal to lead ten-man Liverpool to a comeback win over Porto, then scored again as Liverpool beat Birmingham and set the best league start in club history. The chapter ended with Liverpool atop the Premier League and the media praising Yang Yang, while Mourinho was dismissed by Chelsea.

• Yang Yang scored in the 78th minute to give Liverpool a two-one away victory over Porto after Pennant's red card left the team short-handed.
• Benitez criticized Pennant's reckless sending-off and praised Yang Yang, while Ferreira and Liverpool's players credited Yang Yang with deciding the match.
• Chelsea accepted Mourinho's resignation after a one-one draw with Rosenborg, and Mourinho replied to Yang Yang's brief message that he was fine.
• Chelsea lost two-nil to Manchester United, while Arsenal beat Derby County five-nil in the seventh round of the Premier League.
• Yang Yang scored in the third minute against Birmingham, and Liverpool held on to win one-nil and secure a seventh straight league victory.
• Liverpool reached twenty-one points at the top of the table, while Yang Yang's eleven goals led the Premier League and drew widespread praise.

Liverpool struggled to replace the injured Xabi Alonso, while Yang Yang repeatedly rescued the team with goals. After consecutive home draws against Marseille and Tottenham Hotspur, Benitez defended his rotation policy and ordered closer monitoring of Yang Yang’s fitness.

• Liverpool beat Wigan Athletic 1–0 after Yang Yang scored the only goal with a left-footed shot in the seventy-fifth minute.
• Yang Yang scored against Marseille, but Liverpool conceded an equalizer and drew 1–1 at Anfield.
• Benitez criticized Liverpool’s failure to keep possession and create chances, while Yang Yang publicly defended his teammates.
• Gerrard scored after Robinson parried Yang Yang’s free kick, but Tottenham Hotspur scored twice early in the second half to take the lead.
• Yang Yang equalized in stoppage time to secure a 2–2 draw, and Benitez said he would continue rotating the squad while tracking Yang Yang’s physical condition.

Yang Yang extended his scoring streak as Liverpool beat Everton, but Liverpool then drew with Besiktas and struggled under pressure from Arsenal. The chapter ended with Arsenal pressing for a winner at Anfield as Liverpool’s exhausted players and supporters waited to see who could step up.

• Yang Yang won the Premier League’s September Player of the Month award after scoring in four straight matches, while Liverpool prepared for the next league round.
• Yang Yang scored a late winner to give Liverpool a 2–1 comeback victory over Everton and extend his league scoring streak to nine matches.
• Hyypiä scored an own goal against Besiktas, and Yang Yang scored twice, but another Hyypiä error led to a 2–2 draw.
• Liverpool faced criticism after collecting only one win and two draws in the Champions League group stage, while Benitez tried to keep Sissoko from joining Juventus.
• Arsenal controlled much of the match at Anfield, Gerrard gave Liverpool the lead, and Fabregas equalized before Reina made two saves to keep the score level.

Exhausted Liverpool struggled to hold off Arsenal, but Yang Yang refused to be substituted and kept searching for a chance. He drove into the penalty area past several defenders, leaving the outcome of his attack unresolved.

• Liverpool returned from a draining away match against Besiktas to face Arsenal, while injuries and poor form left the team under pressure.
• Benitez prepared to substitute Yang Yang, but Yang Yang signaled that he could keep playing, and Benitez canceled the change.
• Yang Yang’s presence kept Arsenal from pushing its defensive line forward as Liverpool held on and waited for an opening.
• After Aurélio advanced down the left, Yang Yang called for the ball and received it near the corner of Arsenal’s penalty area.
• Yang Yang cut into the box past Flamini, Sagna, and Kolo Toure as Gallas and Gilberto Silva rushed to stop him.

Yang Yang scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Liverpool beat Arsenal 2-1 and moved five points clear at the top of the league. The Times hailed him as the King of Anfield, while his goal brought him level with Van Nistelrooy’s record of scoring in ten consecutive league rounds.

• Yang Yang dribbled past Arsenal defenders and scored the late winner, then celebrated with Liverpool’s fans and teammates.
• Wenger lamented Arsenal’s failure to stop Yang Yang and recalled missing the chance to sign him when he was young.
• Liverpool’s victory extended their lead to five points, while Arsenal and Manchester United remained tied on 26 points.
• Yang Yang’s goal brought him level with Van Nistelrooy’s consecutive-scoring record, and The Times praised him as the King of Anfield.
• The Sun taunted the Catalonian media by calling Yang Yang’s goal the five-man dribble they had wanted to see.

After Yang Yang’s spectacular goal against Arsenal sparked a dispute between the British and Catalonian media over whether it counted as dribbling past five players, Liverpool rallied behind him as a favorite for World Footballer of the Year. At a dinner hosted by The Times and Canal+, Liverpool’s current stars and Club Legends celebrated Yang Yang and shared advice about the club and the demands of football.

• The British and Catalonian media argued over whether Yang Yang’s goal against Arsenal counted as dribbling past five players.
• FIFA announced the ten World Footballer of the Year nominees, and Yang Yang emerged as a leading favorite alongside Kaka as Liverpool players and staff voiced their support.
• Benitez gave Yang Yang two days off before a League Cup fixture, and Yang Yang attended a dinner organized by The Times and Canal+ with Liverpool players and Club Legends.
• Dalglish presented Yang Yang with a DVD of Liverpool match footage and a book on the club’s history, whose latest edition ended with Liverpool’s championship victory that summer.
• Souness criticized Benitez’s extensive rotation and discussed match fatigue with Yang Yang, while Dalglish urged players to believe they could keep going.
• Yang Yang thanked the Club Legends and organizers for their support, and the dinner ended on a warm, harmonious note.

Yang Yang reflected on Liverpool’s history and traditions, then discussed football awards, Apple investments, and gifts with Raiola. Liverpool beat Cardiff 2–1 in the League Cup, and Yang Yang brushed off doubts about his goal against Arsenal.

• Yang Yang finished a book about Liverpool’s history and gained a deeper appreciation of the club’s struggles, traditions, and legacy.
• Raiola told Yang Yang that Manchester United was promoting Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona was backing Messi for the World Footballer of the Year rankings.
• Yang Yang asked Raiola to buy more Apple stock and arrange a hundred iPhones as Christmas gifts for Liverpool’s players and staff.
• Liverpool fielded a rotated lineup against Cardiff, and Benayoun scored twice in a 2–1 League Cup victory.
• Yang Yang told reporters he would score another goal after they questioned whether his Arsenal goal counted as dribbling past five players.

Yang Yang ignored a fabricated boast in the British press and focused on Liverpool’s difficult away match against Blackburn. He scored the only goal to secure a 1–0 victory, then said Liverpool needed an explosion as their form began to recover.

• Yang Yang found a report falsely claiming he had promised to dribble past five players and score, while Gerrard joked that the media would eventually publish damaging stories about him.
• Yang Yang, Liverpool’s press officer, and Raiola chose to stay out of the media dispute as the team prepared to face Blackburn.
• Benitez benched the returning Xabi Alonso and started Benayoun against Mark Hughes’s well-organized Blackburn side.
• In the forty-second minute, Gerrard passed to Yang Yang, who dribbled past Warnock and scored from the left side of the penalty area.
• Yang Yang’s goal gave Liverpool a 1–0 win, extended his scoring streak to eleven league rounds, and kept Liverpool at the top of the league.
• After the match, Yang Yang praised the team’s recovering form and said Liverpool needed an explosion.

Liverpool overwhelmed Besiktas at Anfield, with Yang Yang scoring a hat-trick and setting up two goals before halftime. After the break, he assisted Aurélio to make it 6–0 as Liverpool’s restored midfield control continued to create chances.

• Liverpool opened cautiously, but Reina’s long goal kick found Crouch, whose header sent Yang Yang through to score in the third minute.
• Benitez identified Besiktas’s exposed wings, and Yang Yang crossed for Crouch to make it 2–0 before heading in Aurélio’s corner for his second goal.
• Yang Yang crossed for Benayoun to score Liverpool’s fourth, then volleyed in Crouch’s headed pass just before halftime to complete his hat-trick and make it 5–0.
• After halftime, Yang Yang drew defenders inward and passed to the overlapping Aurélio, who scored Liverpool’s sixth goal.

Liverpool crushed Besiktas 9–0 as Yang Yang recorded three goals and three assists, then struggled to score against Fulham while he was rested. Yang Yang came off the bench and helped Liverpool take a 3–0 lead in five minutes.

• Gerrard scored from a free kick, and Liverpool went on to beat Besiktas 9–0 after Yang Yang’s hat-trick of goals and assists.
• European media praised Yang Yang’s performance and called him a leading contender for World Footballer of the Year.
• Benitez rested Yang Yang against Fulham, but Liverpool failed to convert their chances and the fans repeatedly called for him.
• Benitez brought Yang Yang on in the seventieth minute, and he scored with a solo effort to give Liverpool the lead.
• Yang Yang headed Benayoun’s cross across goal for Crouch to score, then won a penalty that Gerrard converted, making it 3–0.

Yang Yang led Liverpool to a 4–0 win over Newcastle and a crucial 4–1 Champions League victory over Porto, strengthening their league and European campaigns. After Gérard Ernault visited Liverpool, the British press reported that Yang Yang would receive France Football Magazine’s European Golden Ball Award.

• Yang Yang scored twice and assisted Gerrard’s goal in Liverpool’s 4–0 victory over Newcastle, while Kuyt and Crouch also scored.
• Liverpool’s transfer plans drew attention as reports linked the club with James Milner, Gareth Barry, Robbie Keane, and Gareth Bale.
• Yang Yang scored twice and assisted Gerrard in Liverpool’s 4–1 Champions League win over Porto, securing a vital group-stage victory.
• Gérard Ernault visited Liverpool and photographed Yang Yang, prompting British newspapers to report that he would win France Football Magazine’s European Golden Ball Award.
• Yang Yang celebrated the reported award by inviting his teammates and coaches to a gathering and giving everyone at the club an iPhone.

Yang Yang received widespread congratulations after winning the European Golden Ball Award, then continued his remarkable scoring form as Liverpool beat Bolton and Everton. He left for Paris to accept the award while Liverpool prepared to celebrate.

• Yang Yang thanked former coaches, teammates, and friends who called to congratulate him on winning the European Golden Ball Award.
• Yang Yang comforted Vermaelen about his transfer prospects and reflected on how his Ajax friendships had changed since he moved to Liverpool.
• Yang Yang scored once and helped Liverpool defeat Bolton 4–0, reaching twenty league goals in fifteen rounds and extending his scoring streak to fourteen consecutive rounds.
• Liverpool came from behind to beat Everton 2–1 in the League Cup quarterfinal, with Yang Yang and Kuyt scoring in the second half.
• Yang Yang rented a private plane and flew to Paris the day after the Everton match as Liverpool fans and the club prepared to celebrate his award.

Yang Yang arrived in Paris to receive the European Golden Ball Award and prepared for the live ceremony amid intense media attention and growing fan interest. As the ceremony approached, he still did not know what surprise Raiola and the organizers had arranged for him.

• Yang Yang arrived in Paris, where reporters and Canal+ filmed him and Denis Chaumier arranged two bodyguards to protect him.
• Chaumier explained Yang Yang’s schedule, including the televised welcoming ceremony, award presentation, cocktail party, and fan meeting.
• Parisian fans surrounded Yang Yang at his hotel, and Raiola hinted that he knew the organizers’ surprise but refused to reveal it.
• Yang Yang met stylist Monica, chose a black suit and white shirt, and listened as Raiola discussed upcoming sponsorship deals.
• Yang Yang arrived at Canal+’s live-broadcast building, where staff briefed him before the welcoming ceremony.

Yang Yang received the 2007 European Golden Ball Award during a live Canal+ broadcast and reflected on the people who had helped him reach the top. The ceremony ended with the studio lights suddenly going dark after he said he most wanted to share the award with his family.

• Yang Yang entered the live studio, where France Football editor-in-chief Gérard Ernault introduced him and Miss France Valérie Bègue.
• Ernault presented Yang Yang with the Golden Ball Award, making him the first Chinese and Asian player to win it.
• A video of Yang Yang’s career and childhood played before he spoke about his hard work and the people who had supported him.
• Van Gaal called the broadcast to congratulate Yang Yang, praise him as a role model, and express pride in their friendship.
• Yang Yang said he hoped to play for Van Gaal someday and wanted to share the award with his parents and girlfriend.
• The live studio lights suddenly went dark.

Yang Yang received the European Golden Ball Award in Paris, where the organizers surprised him by bringing Su Ye to join him onstage. France Football Magazine’s next-day coverage framed his victory as the first win of the award’s new global era and said his selection was decisive.

• The organizers dimmed the venue and revealed Su Ye as Yang Yang’s surprise guest, and he walked with her to the award stage.
• Yang Yang thanked the organizers and said he was glad Su Ye could share the award with him, then answered questions before attending a reception.
• Yang Yang left the reception early, joked with Su Ye in the car, and prepared to attend a fan event before returning to Liverpool.
• France Football Magazine published a cover photograph of Yang Yang kissing the award and Gérard Ernault described the award’s three eras of eligibility and judging reforms.
• Gérard Ernault called Yang Yang the first Asian and Chinese winner of the global-era award and said his performance made his victory beyond dispute.