Etihad Rain Night Witnesses the Coronation of a New King! Cristiano Ronaldo: I Will Be the Last One Smiling in the Champions League Final!

For a professional athlete, what experience truly constitutes despair?

Perhaps in a crucial battle concerning life and death, the team fought with all their might but failed at the last hurdle, and could only watch helplessly as the opponents celebrated wildly, their cheers like sharp steel needles, piercing their own hearts again and again.

Or perhaps it was during a highly anticipated one-on-one moment, when the ball, seemingly destined to go in, flew towards the stands, and the boos from all directions, like a surging tide, overwhelmed him.

At that moment, it felt as if the whole world was denying me, and my former confidence and pride shattered amidst the boos.

Or perhaps they sit idly on the bench day after day, watching their teammates run freely on the green field, while they can only silently guard the water cooler, waving a towel.

Time slips away in waiting, dreams fade in loneliness—it's a kind of solitude and helplessness of being forgotten by the world.

Or perhaps the team unexpectedly lost the championship despite having a very favorable situation.

The thought of the overwhelming media criticism the next day, the disappointed looks from the fans, and the entire season's hard work going down the drain—it felt like falling into an endless abyss of darkness, utterly hopeless.

However, for Cristiano Ronaldo, these moments of despair that had once broken countless players never truly defeated him.

He is a legend in the football world and an idol admired by countless people. Throughout his illustrious career, he has weathered countless storms but has always remained steadfast.

But that night, in his own living room, Cristiano Ronaldo's world seemed to be completely turned upside down.

He remained in a squatting stance, leaning forward, his nose almost touching the television screen, less than 10 centimeters away.

The intense heat emanating from the LCD TV panel burned his skin, but it paled in comparison to the anxiety in his heart.

This night was destined to be a night filled with despair for Cristiano Ronaldo!

It was a defeat that seemed beyond repair, where all efforts vanished in an instant, and the fruits of victory were ruthlessly snatched away by others.

He believed that a five-goal lead was enough to secure him the European Golden Shoe Boot.

But now, he could only watch helplessly as Manchester City's Tang Long, like a ferocious beast, wreaked havoc on the pitch.

One, one, and another!

Tang Long's goal was like a heavy hammer, striking Cristiano Ronaldo's heart again and again.

With each goal he scored, Cristiano Ronaldo's heart sank a little further.

When Tang Long equalized his goal tally, Cristiano Ronaldo's pupils constricted sharply, his eyes filled with disbelief and resentment;

When Tang Long scored the go-ahead goal, snatching the European Golden Shoe from his grasp, the Portuguese's mind went blank, leaving only the booming sound of boiling water.

This sound took him back to his distant childhood.

He was born in a small town in the Madeira Islands of the Atlantic Ocean. His family was poor, and hardship was a constant companion in his life.

Every morning, my mother would boil a large pot of water because they couldn't afford milk. They could only use boiled and cooled water with a piece of coarse wheat bread for breakfast.

After staying up all night, Cristiano Ronaldo, with an empty stomach and unbearable hunger, was always awakened by the sound of boiling water.

That sound accompanied him throughout his childhood, bringing fear and hunger, becoming a haunting nightmare in his childhood memories.

Since he embarked on his professional football career, he has gradually achieved glory through his talent and hard work, and the sound of boiling water has been silent for more than 20 years.

However, at this moment, watching Tang Long celebrate on the TV, seeing the electronic fireworks flashing on the huge screen of the Etihad Stadium, and hearing the glaring words "Congratulations to Tang for winning the European Golden Shoe this season," that familiar yet terrifying voice rang in his mind once again.

"No, this can't be real!!!"

Cristiano Ronaldo roared angrily, his eyes blazing, and raised his fist to slam it down on Tang Long's head on the television screen.

But just as his fist was less than a centimeter from the screen, he suddenly stopped—on the sidelines, the substitution board slowly rose, and Tang Long was substituted.

At this point, the match had reached the 77th minute.

At the Etihad Stadium, Tang Long raised his hand to signal to Guardiola that he could leave the field.

Guardiola stood on the sidelines, his face full of doubt and confusion, and shouted loudly at Tang Long: "Hey, don't you want to score a few more goals?"

In Guardiola's view, Tang Long has already broken the European Golden Shoe record, is reshaping the record with every goal he scores. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and no striker would easily give up such a golden chance to score more goals with ease.

However, Tang Long's eyes revealed determination, and he insisted on being substituted.

"That's enough. One more goal from Cristiano Ronaldo is enough. Why score so many? Save your energy." His words were concise and powerful, as if everything was under his control.

Tang Long was substituted, and everything proceeded smoothly according to his plan.

He never intended to play the full match from the start, but he had a firm belief in his heart: as long as he played seriously for every minute, he would definitely be able to achieve a comeback against Cristiano Ronaldo in the last round.

Amidst thunderous cheers from the fans, Tang Long strode confidently down the Etihad Stadium.

This is his last appearance on this stadium, a place of glory and passion, this season.

Seeing this, Cristiano Ronaldo stopped waving his fist in anger.

The irritating sound of boiling water deep in his mind suddenly subsided, and he instantly calmed down as if he had been doused with cold water.

He took a few steps back, sat on the sofa, and rubbed his temples vigorously with both hands, trying to calm his chaotic thoughts.

"Yes, he was indeed substituted. Guardiola did substitute him. It seems he wants to conserve his energy for the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League matches, especially the UEFA Champions League final against us!"

Cristiano Ronaldo muttered to himself, his eyes rekindling with fighting spirit.

After all, he is Cristiano Ronaldo, a legendary figure who has dominated the football world for over a decade in the rivalry with Lionel Messi. His mentality is far beyond that of ordinary people.

Those who try to defeat him will only become stepping stones on his path, making him stronger and enabling him to constantly surpass himself.

Although the race for the European Golden Shoe has come to an end, with Tang Long winning the title with 57 goals compared to Cristiano Ronaldo's 56, Cristiano Ronaldo knows very well that the competition between the two is far from over!

The UEFA Champions League final in June will be their direct confrontation, and it will also be the first time that Cristiano Ronaldo will face Tang Long head-on on the field!

An even fiercer battle is about to unfold in the race for the UEFA Champions League title and the UEFA Champions League Golden Boot.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains confident about this.

"We can't meet in the league, but you won't stand a chance in the UEFA Champions League final!"

He slammed his fist into his massive pectoral muscles, making a loud "bang."

The force of the punch was so great that even he himself hadn't expected it. It instantly sent his body flying backward, slamming him heavily against the back of the sofa.

A sense of power.

A powerful sense of energy surged through Cristiano Ronaldo's body.

It was an indescribable spirit and will, and also a unique personal temperament.

This sense of power has accompanied him since the beginning of the season, and it has not only not diminished at all until the end of the season, but has become even stronger recently.

With the UEFA Champions League final approaching, this sense of power surged through every vein in his body, like volcanic lava about to erupt!

In the race for the UEFA Champions League Golden Boot, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 21 UEFA Champions League goals, while Tang Long has scored 20, with Cristiano Ronaldo currently leading by one goal.

In the race for the UEFA Champions League title, Manchester City and Real Madrid are simply not on the same level!

Real Madrid is a prestigious club that has won the UEFA Champions League 11 times, ranking first in the world in the number of UEFA Champions League titles, with a rich history and glorious achievements;

Manchester City, despite their rapid rise in recent years, is a rookie team that has never won UEFA Champions League and only reached the UEFA Champions League for the first time this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo firmly believes that he will completely dominate Tang Long in the UEFA Champions League!

"What are you still sitting there for?" Cristiano Ronaldo chuckled to himself, a determined glint in his eyes. "Go to the gym for some extra training, Cristiano, you'll always be number one in the world!"

After saying that, he stood up and strode towards the gym, as if he couldn't wait to prepare for the upcoming UEFA Champions League final.

Back at the Etihad Stadium.

Tang Long's departure turned the remaining match into a complete waste of time.

Manchester City's players also seemed to have lost the desire to continue attacking. Even Sane, who replaced Tang Long, was no longer making active breakthroughs on the wing as usual.

The players were just mechanically passing the ball around, making the scene quite dull.

Finally, the referee blew the final whistle.

That whistle was like a spark igniting a fuse, instantly setting off the powder keg that was Etihad!

"Tang!!!!"

Deafening cheers rose and fell, Tang Long's name, like a resounding battle song, broke through the Etihad Stadium and echoed throughout the Manchester night sky!

At this moment, Manchester, a traditional city steeped in industrial history, is abuzz with excitement for Tang Long and cheers for his brilliant achievements!

Diletta had already changed into high heels and rushed to the advertising board area off the field as fast as she could.

In front of the camera, her face was flushed, and her eyes sparkled with excitement, making her look more radiant than ever before.

"Congratulations to Manchester City on their resounding 7-0 victory, congratulating the lads on ending their England Premier League season!"

Diletta's voice was filled with joy and excitement.

"There's only one protagonist tonight, and that's Manchester City's number 9, Tang!"

At this moment, Diletta was filled with tears. Despite her years of professional experience in front of the camera, her voice still choked with emotion.

"Tang has scored 57 goals in the Premier League this season, and he won the European Golden Shoe!" she exclaimed excitedly. "You know, before this round of league matches, he was a full 5 goals behind Real Madrid's Portugal player Cristiano Ronaldo. But with his 6 goals against Sunderland in a single match, this China player has achieved a stunning comeback!"

"This is the second European Golden Shoe winner from Manchester since the 2007-2008 season."

"Coincidentally, the last person to receive this honor was none other than his rival Cristiano Ronaldo this season!"

"It's like a cycle, a cycle that spans a full nine years, with Manchester producing two European Golden Shoe." Diletta's voice was filled with amazement and emotion.

"For Manchester City, this is the first time in the club's more than 100-year history that a player has received this honor."

"And for Tang, he also broke Lionel Messi's European Golden Shoe record of 50 league goals held in the 2011-2012 season, improving that record by a full 7 goals. It's truly a remarkable achievement!"

Diletta waved for Tang Long to come over quickly, and facing the camera, she asked, "Tang, at this moment, is there anything you want to say?"

The rain was still pouring down, soaking Tang Long completely. His hair clung to his face, and his clothes were completely drenched.

But the moment the referee blew the whistle, he rushed onto the field without hesitation, embracing his teammates who remained on the field to celebrate the perfect end to the season.

Tang Long strode to the interview area and teasingly said one sentence to Diletta:

"Remember our bet? I kept it, wasn't that good?"

There was more than one reporter, Diletta, at the scene; more than a dozen other reporters wearing raincoats were already lined up, waiting to interview Tang Long.

Upon hearing that Tang Long and Diletta were discussing their bet, everyone became interested, their eyes widening with curiosity as they wondered what exactly they had bet on.

Even the photographer standing nearby couldn't help but lean over, looking at Tang Long with a face full of curiosity.

Diletta naturally knew about the bet Tang Long mentioned. It was the promise Tang Long made to her last night after he shot at her six times, that they would score six goals in this match.

However, such matters are not easy to discuss publicly in front of the media. Even as a seasoned and knowledgeable veteran reporter, Diletta's cheeks suddenly flushed and her heart involuntarily raced.

She frantically tried to change the subject, but Tang Long gave her a sly smile before quickly walking into the dressing room.

"Don't go, Tang, say a few words to us!"

"I'm a reporter for the Manchester Evening News, Don. Did you expect to beat Cristiano Ronaldo and win the European Golden Shoe before this match?"

"Six goals in a single game has already set a new Premier League record for goals in a single match. Were you prepared?"

What are your thoughts on the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid?

Seeing this, the reporters swarmed forward, trying to catch up with Tang Long and ask the questions that had been on their minds.

However, how could they possibly keep up with Tang Long's speed?

Although it seemed like Tang Long wasn't walking very fast, in the blink of an eye, his handsome figure disappeared at the end of the players' tunnel.

Security guards immediately stepped forward and stopped the reporters, preventing them from entering.

The reporters looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

The rain kept pouring down.

When everyone turned their heads, they saw that Diletta was still standing blankly in front of the billboard, staring blankly in the direction Tang Long had gone, as if she was still immersed in the conversation just now.

These quick-thinking reporters immediately shifted their focus and surrounded Diletta again.

"Diletta, can you tell us what the bet Tang just mentioned was?"

"Is your bet related to the European Golden Shoe?"

"What exactly is your relationship? Why does he only agree to your interview and ignore us?"

A barrage of questions came crashing down on Diletta.

After Tang Long left, Diletta gradually regained her composure.

Surrounded by reporters, the top female anchor of Sky Sport displayed her commanding presence.

"Why are you all surrounding me? You're sick."

She quickly tied her rain-soaked hair into a ponytail, then waved her hand, and the reporters instinctively made way for her, watching her leave.