Chapter Summaries

Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund traded goals in the first half after Tang Ye helped create chances and Paul Pogba put Dortmund ahead. Manchester United equalized through Haller, and the teams began the second half level, with Tang Ye winning a free kick after Pogba fouled him.

• Tang Ye nutmegged Pogba and combined with Dembélé, whose shot was saved; Tang Ye then delivered a corner that Dortmund cleared.
• Thorgan Hazard and Achraf set up a Dortmund attack, and Pogba scored with a long-range outside-foot shot to make it 1-0.
• Ten Hag urged Manchester United to attack down the flanks and involve de Jong; Dembélé beat his marker and set up Tang Ye, whose pass let Haller equalize at 1-1.
• Tang Ye's direct free kick was saved, and the teams went into halftime level; Escribá told Dortmund to avoid United's midfield and assigned Pogba to mark Tang Ye.
• Ten Hag replaced Haller with Martial at halftime, and Pogba later fouled Tang Ye to concede an indirect free kick.

Tang Ye scored the winning goal as Manchester United came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 2–1, completing their third straight Champions League group-stage victory. Afterward, he told Escribá that he had no plans to leave Manchester United, leaving the coach to realize that prying him away would be difficult.

• Tang Ye and Rodri executed an indirect free-kick routine, allowing Tang Ye to score a left-footed long shot and put Manchester United ahead 2–1.
• Tang Ye helped Manchester United keep Dortmund at bay, and the match ended with Manchester United top of Group B on nine points.
• Tang Ye completed the first stage of his Champions League mission and received the match’s MVP rating.
• In the mixed zone, Tang Ye discussed his Ballon d’Or chances and said Manchester United should compete for both the league and Champions League titles.
• Over dinner, Escribá asked how long Tang Ye intended to stay, and Tang Ye said Manchester United suited him and he had no plans to leave.
• Tang Ye kicked the caps off the beer bottles for Escribá, who realized he would struggle to recruit him.

Tang Ye helped Manchester United crush Norwich City 4-0, extending their unbeaten league run and boosting his Ballon d'Or campaign with a record assist performance. The chapter ended with Chinese officials summoning Mengniu executives over the company’s decision to keep Messi advertisements alongside Tang Ye’s.

• Tang Ye learned that the Champions League quest had entered its three-straight-wins stage and that the Asian Football Confederation had reduced his punishment to a fine and two-match suspension.
• Boer told Tang Ye to stop using Cristiano Ronaldo’s Siuuu celebration because the two were competing for the Ballon d’Or.
• Tang Ye assisted Ousmane Dembélé and Marcus Rashford in the first half against Norwich City, then helped set up Frenkie de Jong’s goal after the break as Manchester United won 4-0.
• Tang Ye earned a 10.0 rating and became joint-top of the Premier League assist standings after playing only two league matches since his return.
• Erik ten Hag declared that Manchester United had already locked up the Premier League title and said the club was not bound by the rule that no team could dominate forever.
• Mengniu said it would keep Messi and Tang Ye advertisements at a 1:1 ratio, after which national sports officials summoned the company’s executives for talks.

Manchester United faced Chelsea in the EFL Cup Round of 16 with Tang Ye starting despite concerns over fatigue, while Chelsea lacked Hazard and Kanté and United missed Luke Shaw. Tang Ye scored early, and United held a 1–0 lead as Mateo Kovačić was booked after a clash involving Ousmane Dembélé and Haller.

• Manchester United announced that Luke Shaw would miss the Chelsea match after suffering leg cramps and discomfort in training.
• Tang Ye scored in the ninth minute with a disguised outside-of-the-foot shot into the upper-left corner, putting Manchester United ahead 1–0.
• David de Gea saved Pulisic's close-range shot after Chelsea built an attack through Batshuayi, Jorginho, and Reece James.
• Tang Ye won the ball from Pulisic and sent a long pass toward Marcus Rashford, who beat Reece James for pace but carried the ball out over the end line.
• Mateo Kovačić pulled Ousmane Dembélé down by his shirt, prompting Haller to confront him before Tang Ye and Rodri held their teammates back; Kovačić received a yellow card.

Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-0 in the EFL Cup, then continued their strong league form as Tang Ye struggled with free kicks and trained toward his second level-six skill. The chapter left Tang Ye close to mastering the Standard Long Pass, with Manchester United preparing for another Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund.

• Tang Ye scored Manchester United’s second goal against Chelsea after combining with Dembélé, sealing a 2-0 win and a place in the EFL Cup quarterfinals.
• Van der Gaag warned ten Hag that de Jong had run 8.2 kilometers by the 60th minute, but ten Hag believed the midfielder could handle the workload.
• Ten Hag backed Tang Ye as a Ballon d’Or contender, while Tang Ye and de Jong were named among the nominees for October’s Premier League Player of the Month.
• Tang Ye missed a direct free kick in Manchester United’s 3-1 away win over Bournemouth, extending his run without a free-kick goal.
• Manchester United remained top of the Premier League after eleven rounds and prepared to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
• Tang Ye’s Standard Long Pass replication proficiency rose to 4,872 out of 5,000, and he asked Van der Gaag to postpone free-kick training so he could keep practicing long passes.

Tang Ye unlocked the highest-level De Bruyne long-pass template as Manchester United traveled to face Borussia Dortmund. Before the match, the Chinese Football Association announced the Sun Project to subsidize players pursuing careers abroad, and Dortmund fans unveiled a tifo depicting a German worker hammering a pink pig as the teams prepared to play.

• Tang Ye advanced his De Bruyne Standard Long Pass template to level six, raising his set-piece rating and discussing Ousmane Dembélé's training with him.
• The Chinese Football Association announced that the Sun Project would provide incentive bonuses to Chinese players in overseas leagues, and Tang Ye explained the plan to Rodri.
• Tang Ye and Rodri joked about the potential bonuses and about Rodri and Dembélé joining China's national team.
• Manchester United arrived at Westfalenstadion, where Dortmund supporters displayed a tifo showing a German worker attacking a pink pig and a broadcast camera focused on Tang Ye's awkward reaction.
• The broadcast introduced Dortmund's 3-4-2-1 lineup, with Marco Reus starting at center-forward, as the match began.

Manchester United took a 2–0 lead over Borussia Dortmund through goals from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, but Thorgan Hazard pulled one back before halftime. The Westfalenstadion crowd’s rhythmic jumping made the West Stand appear to shake as the chapter ended.

• Marco Reus set up a dangerous early attack, but David de Gea saved Jadon Sancho’s shot and Manchester United cleared the ensuing corners.
• Marcus Rashford beat two defenders and scored after a Manchester United counterattack to put the visitors ahead 1–0.
• Tang Ye launched a long pass to Ousmane Dembélé, whose work helped Anthony Martial score Manchester United’s second goal.
• Escribá told Paul Pogba to focus on defending, and Pogba later fouled Tang Ye and received a yellow card.
• Marco Reus feinted past Matthijs de Ligt and set up Thorgan Hazard, who scored to make it 2–1.
• Borussia Dortmund’s supporters jumped together in the West Stand, which appeared to shake under the crowd’s movement.

Manchester United beat Borussia Dortmund 3–2 after Tang Ye scored a long-range lob, while Borussia Dortmund’s poor group-stage position left Escribá’s future uncertain. ten Hag’s staff discussed how to counter Dortmund’s midfield bypass but chose to focus on upcoming opponents rather than change Manchester United’s tactics.

• At halftime, Escribá urged Pogba to contribute more to attacks, while Pogba and Brandt questioned the demands on the midfield.
• Tang Ye set up attacks down the left, then dribbled past Pogba and scored with an outside-of-the-foot lob to put Manchester United ahead.
• Amrabat replaced Tang Ye in the 67th minute, and Sancho scored late as Manchester United won 3–2.
• After the match, Tang Ye comforted Escribá and worried that Borussia Dortmund might fail to qualify from their group.
• Tang Ye noticed Borussia Dortmund had only four points, while Manchester United had won all four group matches and remained top.
• ten Hag and Mitchell van der Gaag discussed Dortmund’s midfield bypass and decided against changing tactics, choosing instead to focus on upcoming opponents.

Tang Ye scored a hat trick as Manchester United beat Sheffield United 4–1 away, then joined the fans’ celebrations as they chanted for him to win the Ballon d’Or. The chapter ended with Manchester United atop the Premier League standings and Tang Ye leading the Ballon d’Or odds less than ten days before the rankings were announced.

• Tang Ye scored his second goal of the match, and Manchester United took a 3–1 lead over Sheffield United.
• After Anthony Martial was fouled in the penalty area, Tang Ye followed Rodri’s advice, scored the penalty, and completed his hat trick.
• Tang Ye restrained himself after a bottle struck him, then left the pitch in the 75th minute as Manchester United prepared for their match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
• Tang Ye gave his shirt to a fan and held the fan’s young child while Manchester United supporters chanted for him to win the Ballon d’Or.
• Manchester United finished their November domestic matches with a 4–1 victory and moved to the top of the Premier League standings with 37 points.
• Dongqiudi reported that Tang Ye led the Ballon d’Or odds with 29 goals and 52 assists, ahead of Virgil van Dijk and Lionel Messi.

As the Ballon d'Or debate intensified, Tang Ye worried about the pressure and a leaked ranking that placed him second behind Cristiano Ronaldo. Just before Manchester United's match against Shakhtar Donetsk, France Football called him.

• The Premier League and La Liga released highlight videos for Tang Ye, Virgil van Dijk, and Messi as pundits and fans argued over the Ballon d'Or rankings.
• At Carrington, Tang Ye and Rodri discussed how Manchester United's Champions League results could affect Borussia Dortmund's chances, and Erik ten Hag named Tang Ye and Ousmane Dembélé among the players resting against Shakhtar Donetsk.
• A temporary mission appeared for Tang Ye to win the 2040 European Ballon d'Or, and he admitted to Dembélé, Rodri, and the others that public expectations made him anxious about losing.
• An England supporters' group challenged Messi's Copa América statistics, then a netizen posted a supposed leaked Ballon d'Or ranking that placed Cristiano Ronaldo first, Tang Ye second, and Messi third.
• Tang Ye grew distressed over the leaked ranking while Rodri tried to reassure him, and France Football called Tang Ye from an unfamiliar French number.

Manchester United drew 2-2 with Shakhtar Donetsk while Tang Ye remained on the bench, as fans and reporters focused on his Ballon d'Or chances. After a report claimed Lionel Messi had won, Tang Ye revealed that he had been contacted and said the award was his.

• France Football denied the leaked 2019 Ballon d'Or results, while Lippi and Feng Xiaoting backed Tang Ye as a deserving candidate.
• Manchester United fans marched outside Old Trafford to support Tang Ye, and Shakhtar Donetsk took a 2-0 lead while he watched from the bench.
• Rodri scored a penalty and Matthijs de Ligt headed in an equalizer as Manchester United drew 2-2, with Tang Ye never entering the match.
• At the press conference, Erik ten Hag said the players would attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony, and Tang Ye said he had received no advance news.
• In the locker room, Mitchell van der Gaag read a report claiming Lionel Messi had won the award, and Tang Ye revealed that he had been called and declared the Ballon d'Or was his.

Manchester United celebrated after Tang Ye revealed that he had won the Ballon d'Or, though rumors that Messi would win caused unrest among fans and uncertainty across football. As the shortlisted players headed to Paris for the ceremony, Tang Ye hinted to De Bruyne that he knew the result, while Zhou Ye arranged to leave her film shoot to accompany him.

• Tang Ye told his Manchester United teammates that he had won the Ballon d'Or, and they celebrated with him after their 2-2 draw.
• Ten Hag learned the news, embraced Tang Ye, and joined the players' celebration in the locker room.
• Manchester United fans surrounded the team bus, and some burned Messi shirts amid rumors that Messi had beaten Tang Ye for the award.
• Media reports and commentators debated whether Messi or Tang Ye would win, while several players prepared to miss upcoming matches for the ceremony.
• Zhou Ye persuaded her director to let her leave filming for a week so she could attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony with Tang Ye.
• Tang Ye traveled toward Paris with the players and avoided confirming the result when De Bruyne asked what he knew.

Tang Ye attended the 2019 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, where Manchester United teammates collected several awards and rankings. The ceremony ended with Tang Ye being announced as the 2019 Ballon d'Or winner, ahead of Lionel Messi.

• Tang Ye and his Manchester United teammates strolled through Paris, and Tang Ye bought Coca-Cola despite his Pepsi sponsorship before buying all the Manchester United and Villarreal jerseys at a shop for fans to sign.
• Tang Ye arrived at the ceremony with Zhou Ye, greeted Cristiano Ronaldo, and heard Ronaldo say that he thought he should have won the previous year's Ballon d'Or.
• Matthijs de Ligt won the Kopa Trophy, and Tang Ye presented it to him as the previous year's winner.
• Manchester United players filled the rankings, with de Jong finishing eighth, Rodri fifth, and Tang Ye reaching the final two alongside Lionel Messi.
• Lionel Messi was announced as the runner-up, and Tang Ye was named the 2019 FIFA Ballon d'Or winner.

Tang Ye won the 2019 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Asian player to receive the award, then returned to Manchester United with the trophy. At home, he completed a system mission tied to winning the award at age 41 and chose an extraordinary attribute-boosting reward.

• Tang Ye accepted the 2019 Ballon d'Or from Luka Modrić and thanked his teammates and coaches during an improvised speech.
• Tang Ye said he considered himself the world's best active player that year and discussed how talent, teammates, and a player's environment shaped success.
• Tang Ye spoke with France Football about young talents and named several players who could win future Ballon d'Or awards.
• Tang Ye showed the trophy to fans at Charles de Gaulle Airport before departing Paris with the Manchester United players.
• After returning home, Tang Ye completed his mission to win the 2040 European Ballon d'Or and chose the infusion reward to raise an eligible attribute to 90.

Tang Ye’s infused set-piece ability rose to 90, pushing his overall rating past 90, and Manchester United celebrated his Ballon d’Or before facing Tottenham Hotspur. After Tang Ye helped create several chances, Martial scored to put Manchester United ahead.

• Tang Ye chose set pieces for his attribute infusion, raising the rating from 84 to 90 and his overall rating to 90.
• Tang Ye brought the Ballon d’Or trophy to Manchester United’s training ground, where his teammates and coaches celebrated with him.
• Erik ten Hag told the players Manchester United would pursue every trophy, and Tang Ye encouraged Ousmane Dembélé to believe he could win the Ballon d’Or too.
• Manchester United supporters marched to celebrate Tang Ye’s award and protest the Glazer family’s ticket price increases.
• Tang Ye presented the Ballon d’Or to the Old Trafford crowd before starting against José Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur.
• Tang Ye and Dembélé combined to threaten Tottenham, then Tang Ye crossed for Martial, who scored after controlling the ball and feinting past the defenders.

Manchester United beat Tottenham 2–0 after Martial and Dembélé scored, while Ten Hag and Mourinho clashed on the touchline and Mourinho argued with Dele Alli over his defensive effort. United extended their strong league run as they turned their attention to the upcoming Manchester Derby.

• Tang Ye assisted Martial’s opening goal from a set piece, giving Manchester United a 1–0 lead.
• Wan-Bissaka made a clean tackle on Kane during a breakaway, and Tang Ye and Alli argued before Ten Hag and Mourinho exchanged insults on the touchline.
• At halftime, Mourinho criticized Alli for neglecting his defensive duties and warned that he would substitute him if he failed to defend in the second half.
• Tang Ye’s corner led to Dembélé scoring a headed goal in the 64th minute, putting Manchester United 2–0 ahead.
• Ten Hag substituted Tang Ye in the 75th minute, and Mourinho later protested after the referee denied Tottenham a penalty.
• Manchester United won 2–0, recording thirteen wins and two draws after fifteen Premier League rounds.

After winning the Ballon d'Or, Tang Ye discussed the award and Manchester United's ambitions as the club beat Tottenham and prepared for the Manchester derby. As journalists' voting details emerged, controversy grew over Lionel Messi finishing ahead of Virgil van Dijk, while Tang Ye focused on training for Manchester City.

• Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0, and José Mourinho complained about refereeing before saying he would have voted for Tang Ye for the Ballon d'Or.
• Tang Ye told reporters he had learned of his Ballon d'Or win a week earlier and said Manchester United planned to keep trying to win every match.
• Betway's Asian Ballon d'Or odds made Tang Ye an overwhelming favorite, while a betting fan told The Sun about his losses and dwindling funds.
• Reports said the Football Association and sponsors had prepared to celebrate Tang Ye's expected Asian Ballon d'Or win.
• Journalists' Ballon d'Or votes showed Tang Ye leading in Europe, Africa, and Asia, while all South American voters chose Lionel Messi first; the rankings sparked arguments among fans and reporters.
• Tang Ye began training with Manchester United for the upcoming derby against Manchester City.

Tang Ye coached Dembélé on his crossing and helped Manchester United prepare for the derby, but Manchester City took an early lead through Sterling. Dembélé equalized before halftime, leaving the match level at 1:1 as both teams returned to their dressing rooms.

• During practice, Tang Ye showed Dembélé how to scan for passing options earlier and steady himself before crossing from the byline.
• Manchester United players celebrated Tang Ye's Ballon d'Or with a barbecue and dancing before facing Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.
• Sterling scored in the seventh minute after Gabriel Jesus set up his finish, putting Manchester City ahead 1:0.
• Tang Ye sent a long pass to Dembélé, who nutmegged a defender and scored to equalize for Manchester United.
• Tang Ye's direct free kick was saved by Ederson, and the teams went into halftime tied 1:1.

Tang Ye completed the infusion that made his Free Kicks rating a genuine 90, then helped Manchester United turn a 1-1 draw into a 2-1 lead over Manchester City with a penalty. City equalized, and the chapter ended with Tang Ye preparing a free-kick routine after Kyle Walker fouled Ziyech.

• Tang Ye discovered that his infusion had finished, leaving him with Free Kicks at 90 and an Overall Rating of 91.
• Dembélé won a controversial penalty, and Tang Ye scored it to give Manchester United a 2-1 lead.
• Ashley Young handled Sterling's cross, and Nicolás Otamendi converted the resulting penalty to make it 2-2.
• Ziyech replaced Rashford, and Tang Ye told him to exploit Walker's fading stamina on the left.
• Walker fouled Ziyech during a counterattack and received a yellow card; Tang Ye then instructed Ziyech to run toward the six-yard box during the free kick.

Manchester United beat Manchester City 3-2, then moved top of the Premier League after Liverpool dropped points against Brighton. After Luke Shaw returned from injury, the Champions League knockout draw paired Manchester United with Real Madrid.

• Tang Ye set up Ziyech's late winner with a low free-kick routine as Manchester United beat Manchester City 3-2 away.
• Tang Ye learned that De Bruyne had overheard his free-kick conversation and tipped Ederson off about his shot.
• Liverpool drew with Brighton, leaving Manchester United top of the Premier League after 16 rounds.
• Luke Shaw returned to training, while Tang Ye and Van der Gaag discussed the strain of Manchester United's packed schedule and their four-cup campaign.
• At the Champions League knockout draw, Manchester United were paired with Real Madrid.