The Finale: All That Is Beautiful Will Be Sealed in Time's Amber!

With Tang Long's arrival, Inter Milan has been unstoppable in Serie A this season, defeating all opposition.

In the first half of the league season, they successively defeated Serie A powerhouses such as AC Milan, Juventus, Roma, Napoli, and Lazio.

They achieved a record of 15 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss in the first 19 rounds of the Serie A season, winning the Serie A mid-season championship and enjoying a pleasant Christmas.

The most outstanding performances came from the duo of Tang Long and Icardi.

Ten years later, the "Sugar-coated Cannonball" duo has reunited, and their power is even greater than the first generation!

Tang Long scored 8 goals and provided 13 assists, while Icardi alone scored 17 league goals.

In Inter Milan, where there are many talented forwards such as Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez, and Bonazzoli, Icardi has managed to secure a starting position.

Even Lautaro Martinez's position is becoming somewhat unstable.

Juventus are second in the league at the halfway point of the season.

They felt unprecedented pressure, and during the winter transfer window, the Agnelli family's strong financial resources led them to continuously recruit and strengthen their ranks, spending a staggering 90 million euros in just one winter transfer window.

Inter Milan's financial resources cannot compare with Juventus', and they didn't even make any signings during the entire winter transfer window.

Fortunately, Tang Long played with more experience after returning to Serie A, and his knee injury never recurred.

The 33-year-old Icardi is still going strong, scoring goals in the league one after another without stopping, which has led people to exclaim: This is not the 33-year-old Icardi, he is more vigorous than he was ten years ago!

Despite his ex-wife Wanda, this old and ugly woman, constantly dredging up his and Icardi's past in front of the media for publicity and fame, even deliberately revealing that she had a "one-night stand" with Tang Long, making everyone nauseous and causing them to pinch their noses and disinfect their phones with disinfectant.

However, both Icardi and Tang Long have become more mature and composed.

The two simply laughed it off, and even joined in mocking Wanda for being an illegitimate child.

With the European competitions to spare them and having given up on the Coppa Italia early on, Inter Milan, now focused solely on the league, have been making great strides in the league since the new year.

In the second half of the season, although the team struggled in many matches due to its aging squad, often securing points only after the 85th minute through sheer willpower and last-minute winners, they persevered despite the heavy burden.

Finally, the 38th round of the 2025-2026 Serie A season concluded, with Inter Milan once again delivering a resounding 5-0 victory over Palermo away from home!

Buffon didn't dare to play in this match at all; he had announced his retirement at the end of the season a month in advance—doing so deliberately to avoid the final match against Tang Long.

Nevertheless, Inter Milan showed no mercy to Palermo, who had already been relegated.

Before this match, they were only two points ahead of Juventus, and a slight misstep could have cost them a winning position in the final round, repeating the tragic moment of Ronaldo's tears in the 1998-1999 season.

All the Inter Milan legends were present at the match, including Vieri, Ronaldo, Milito, Baggio, Recoba, Adriano, Zanetti, Materazzi, Sneijder, and many others.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Icardi scored a hat trick!

Tang Long also scored a brilliant free kick with a beautiful curve!

Finally, veteran captain Ranocchia unleashed his signature header – receiving a cross from Tang Long on the wing, he overpowered two Palermo defenders, rising from a standstill with rock-solid composure to slam the ball powerfully into the goal.

As the referee blew the final whistle, the Inter Milan players paid no attention to the other derby between Juventus and Turin – because although Juventus had won, Inter Milan still secured the Serie A title this season with a two-point advantage, 93 points over Juventus ' 91 points!

"We won!"

Everyone raised their arms and cheered!

On this small island in Sicily, the glory of the city of Milan resounds!

Although failing to win the title at home was a major disappointment for Inter Milan fans – many fans were unable to celebrate the team's first Serie A title in 16 years since the 2009-2010 season in their own stadium.

But they ultimately succeeded. No matter where they were, no matter which city on Earth they were in, they proved that Inter Milan could still defeat Juventus and reclaim the glory that belonged to the Nerazzurri!

Of Icardi's three goals, two were assisted by Tang Long, and the other was actually a penalty won by Tang Long, who then gifted the penalty to Tang Long.

When the match ended, Icardi shed tears on the pitch.

The Mediterranean evening breeze was warm as jade. He held Tang Long's hand tightly, then buried his head in his shoulder and wept.

"Tang, I really can't believe what you told me ten years ago was true!"

Icardi, who scored a hat-trick, won the European Golden Shoe in the final round of the Top Five Leagues with 38 league goals, surpassing Kylian Mbappe's 37 goals!

At this moment, Tang Long finally fulfilled the promise he made to Icardi ten years ago—back then, at the end of a training session at Inter Milan, the two were honest with each other, and while showering in the bathroom, Tang Long told Icardi, "Mauro, I can definitely help you win the European Golden Shoe!"

Over the past decade, Tang Long's professional career has been getting better and better.

After winning the UEFA Europa League and the Coppa Italia with Inter Milan, he went to Manchester City, where he won all the honors he deserved – the league title, the UEFA Champions League, Ballon d'Or, one after another.

Later at Real Madrid, on a larger platform and stage, he elevated his career to a whole new level.

Icardi, on the other hand, faced numerous obstacles and setbacks.

After a disappointing stint at Manchester United, Icardi drifted through various leagues before finally settling in Turkey.

At that time, the Argentina striker was completely disheartened, thinking of spending the rest of his life in Istanbul with his new girlfriend. However, Tang Long's invitation broke his peace. In the end, the two returned to where they started and, after a year of competition, led Inter Milan to win the Serie A title, breaking Juventus's more than ten-year monopoly.

And in the twilight of his career, Icardi finally realized his ultimate dream as a striker – the European Golden Shoe!

This season, Mauro Icardi has become the most prolific goalscorer in Europe football!

The image of the two embracing was captured by countless reporters, becoming a scene that people talked about with great interest many years later.

Their friendship, forged during their time at Inter Milan, was followed by their move to the Premier League to play against Manchester City and Manchester United, two fierce rivals. Their on-field clashes and conflicts led to numerous disagreements and estrangements between them.

Eventually, as time went by, the two reconciled, became teammates again, returned to where their dreams began, and spent an unforgettable journey in the twilight of their professional careers, achieving fruitful results.

As the saying goes, "Brothers who have survived countless tribulations remain, and a smile at our reunion can erase all enmity."

This perfectly encapsulates the professional careers of Tang Long and Icardi, two players born in the 1990s.

Many of Tang Long's former teammates and friends from his time at Manchester City were also present at the small stadium in Sicily.

Many people, though retired and far from the professional arena, still care about Tang Long's future in Milan —they must be involved on the night of the championship victory.

In 2021, Argentina striker Agüero retired early at the age of 34 due to heart problems. Seeing Tang Long on the podium, holding the Serie A championship trophy high amidst fireworks and dazzling glory, Agüero was filled with emotion.

"After all these years, he's still so outstanding. He's still that one-of-a-kind player who will always bring victory and glory to the team!"

The small Sicilian stadium has no VIP boxes. At this moment, sitting next to Agüero is his and Tang Long's former Manchester City teammate, veteran Kolarov.

The 40-year-old Serbia player, now the head coach of the national U21 team, also took time to come and watch the match.

"Sergio, tell me the truth, no joking around," Kolarov said, clapping and laughing. "Tell me, Lionel Messi or Dom, who was the best teammate of your career?"

Agüero quickly glanced around and, finding no reporters or cameras pointed at them, burst into laughter, exclaiming, "Of course it's Tang Long!"

Sitting behind the two is former Manchester City full -Zabaleta, who is also Argentina.

"I heard that. I'll text Lionel Messi right away and see what he says."

Zabaleta certainly knew that Agüero and Lionel Messi had a very good relationship, and they always shared a room when the national team went out to play matches or train.

So he said that on purpose to "stir up trouble" between the two of them.

Agüero a little nervous and quickly waved to Zabaleta behind him, but after a few waves, he suddenly smiled.

He looked up at the star-studded Sicilian sky, sighed, and remarked:

"The brothers are all getting old. Rio has been away from the Top Five Leagues for a long time and is now enjoying his life in the United States. As for us, we're retiring one by one, and many of us have even left the football world altogether."

"Over the years, people have been asking who is the best in the world, and the debate continues. Some say it's Cristiano Ronaldo, some say it's Lionel Messi, and some say it's Tang Long."

"But we're all this age now, and we don't play football anymore. To be honest, in my heart, Tang will always be the best in the world."

Even if Leo were standing right in front of me asking me this right now, I would still say the same thing.

Just as Agüero was filled with emotion, Zabaleta chuckled slyly and suddenly shoved his phone in front of Agüero — Agüero was startled and stared wide-eyed as he saw Lionel Messi rubbing his beard on the phone screen, looking at him with a half-smile.

"I heard everything, Sergio. You betrayed me, and I remember it!" Lionel Messi said sternly, feigning seriousness.

It turns out that Zabaleta had secretly connected to Lionel Messi's video call at some point, and Lionel Messi had clearly heard everything Agüero had just said.

Agüero glanced helplessly at Zabaleta, then laughed heartily—what could he say? He was speaking the truth.

Lionel Messi laughed and said, "Sergio, you're right. There's endless debate about who's the best in the world; everyone has their own opinion. Let me tell you, in my opinion, the best in the world is you, Sergio Agüero. You'll always be my best teammate and my best brother. May God bless you forever!"

Agüero said, "My playing career has been so lucky. I met you, I met Tang, and I have all my Manchester City teammates around me. Rio, I've been retired for five years, but I feel that all the good times will be preserved in the amber of time and will forever remain in my memory!"

Lionel Messi laughed heartily on the screen after hearing this.

"Bullshit! Where did you learn that kind of slang? It sounds so artistic. I'm not used to it, I really am not used to it. I still prefer the way you used to snor and curse in the middle of the night when we shared a room!"

That evening, Inter Milan's players returned to Milan from Sicily on a chartered plane owned by their former president Moratti.

Due to health reasons, 81-year-old former president Moratti was unable to travel with the team to Sicily to oversee the crucial championship match.

But his heart is always with the team, and he has already booked a private jet for them.

On the plane, the Inter Milan players sang and danced, and Tang Long laughed heartily. After returning to Milan, no one slept. Led by their old captain Ranocchia, they partied all night and got completely drunk. At that moment, they were not bound by any professional player discipline. Berni was busy handing cigarettes to all the players.

However, Tang Long alone stayed away from the hustle and bustle, and immediately went home after landing in Milan.

It wasn't that he didn't want to celebrate Inter Milan's first league title in 16 years with his teammates; rather, he had more important things to deal with.

Tang Long and Gracie's child was finally born – on this night of Inter Milan's championship victory, his wife Gracie also gave birth to the fruit of their love at the Milan Central Hospital.

When a healthy baby boy weighing 8 pounds was born, Tang Long finally became a father at the age of 30, transforming from a boy into a real man.

At the hospital, Tang Long was in a complete mess: he wanted to kiss his beloved son, but he was afraid that he might hold the newborn baby in the wrong way and hurt him;

I wanted to make some formula for my baby, but I could never get the ratio of formula to water right, and I frowned as I looked at the nurse next to me.

At this moment, Tang Long didn't resemble a four-time Ballon d'Or winner at all; instead, he looked like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old rookie just starting out on the field, completely at a loss.

"Oh, my dear child, your father still has a long way to go," Gracie smiled gently as she lay in bed.

After a flurry of activity, dawn broke.

When Tang Long walked out of the hospital, it was already 5:30 in the morning, and the warm sunshine of the Apennine Peninsula shone on him.

At this moment, Tang Long felt an unprecedented sense of exhaustion surge into his heart. After taking two more steps forward, he felt an unprecedented sense of ease—exhaustion and ease, one as fiery as magma and the other as refreshing as a clear spring, blended together in his body.

"Ah, we won..."

Tang Long looked up at the rising sun and strolled along, reflecting on his journey in Italy over the past year. Before he knew it, he had arrived at a park on the outskirts of the city.

The area is lush with greenery, with winding paths leading to secluded spots, and the occasional chirping of early-rising birds is a delightful sight.

He took out his phone again, scrolling through videos of his teammates drinking and dancing wildly in the group chat, while also looking at photos he had just taken of his sleeping child. Two feelings of happiness intertwined, and at that moment he truly felt like the happiest person in the world!

Unknowingly, he arrived at the edge of a lake again. Tang Long prepared to sit down on a deck chair and take a nap, but when he got closer, he found that someone was already sitting in the chair.

The appearance seemed somewhat familiar, but upon closer inspection, I was startled.

"Toure!"

Tang Long instinctively cried out, startled: What's Toure doing here?

Toure, who was sitting in a chair, also recognized Tang Long in front of him. He stood up, his expression showing some joy. Clearly, Aya Toure had not expected to meet Tang Long by chance in a park on the outskirts of Milan at this time of morning.

Having not seen each other for many years, the two had some estrangement from their time in Manchester City – the French-speaking Faction led by Toure had openly clashed with the Italian-speaking Faction led by Tang Long, which also sparked internal disputes among various factions such as the Spanish-speaking Faction, the English-speaking Faction, and the Portuguese-speaking Faction.

Therefore, the two were a little reserved when they met again after many years. After shaking hands, they sat at opposite ends of the chairs.

However, at this time, 43-year-old Toure had already retired for many years, and Tang Long was already in his thirties. The two veteran players clearly no longer had the same arrogance they had in their youth.

The two began reminiscing about their time at Manchester City and football, but they didn't talk much about it. Instead, they talked more about life, their children, and their daily routines, and also discussed their lives after retirement.

Toure said that he, like Ronaldo, has obtained an agent's license. The player Toure is gone, but the future will be represented by the agent Toure, who will remain active in the football world.

The purpose of my trip to Milan is to first develop my business in Italy and, incidentally, visit my relatives here.

As they talked, the two sat closer together, eventually engaging in a long, intimate conversation about everything under the sun.

Suddenly, Toure changed the subject, his tone turning somber and full of apology.

"Tang, all these years, I've never apologized to you."

He began to apologize for what he had done to Tang Long at Manchester City.

He explained to Tang Long that as the leader of the French-speaking Faction, he had a group of underlings under him. Because of Tang Long's arrival, Nasri, an important member of the French-speaking Faction and known as one of the "Four Little Swans of France," lost his position. Tang Long was a complete all-rounder at Manchester City, playing as a defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, and striker. Therefore, Toure, who only had one year left on his contract with Manchester City and was eager to renew it, also felt that his position was threatened.

For many reasons, they had no choice but to join forces with their brothers to resist Tang Long.

Tang Long waved his hand dismissively, saying, "That's all ancient history. Why bring it up now? The only question I want to ask is, has your Ivory Coast airbase actually been built yet?"

Toure was amused by this, though his mood was a mixture of anger and amusement.

"Haha, it seems you know some of our country's dirty laundry. Sigh, the mayor of my city is insatiable. He really treats me, a football player, like an ATM. I've donated countless amounts of money to my hometown, and today he asks me for 1 million to build roads, tomorrow he asks to borrow 500,000 to build a factory, and the most ridiculous one is that he directly asks me for 3 million to build an aviation base—I spit on him! With Ivory Coast's industrial level, they can't even make a bicycle, let alone a spaceship? Dream on!"

Tang Long was amused, and the two continued their conversation.

At this moment Toure suddenly paused, as if he had remembered something, and stared at Tang Long.

"There's something else I've been wanting to tell you for a long time, and since I've run into you here, I really have to."

"You say."

"Do you remember when you were playing for Manchester City, the Sun smeared you twice, remember?"

Tang Long nodded and said, "Of course I remember."

At that time, Nasri, French-speaking Faction, caused trouble for Tang Long after losing his position. He deliberately filmed Diletta and Gracie entering Tang Long's home together and sent the video to the Sun, which caused a major scandal and forced Tang Long to be internally suspended by then-manager Pellegrini.

Toure smiled and continued:

"That's right, the first time was definitely caused by the Sun, but there was a second time—it was when a few of us from the gang were having a meeting at Captain Kompany's house to discuss how to deal with Nasri, who had hurt you. That's what happened that night."

Tang Long nodded and said, "Yes, I've discussed it with Ranocchia many times since then, and we still don't understand who among those who participated in the gathering at Captain Kompany's house that day leaked the information to the Sun, thus adding to the trouble."

Toure slapped his thigh and gave a wry smile.

Tang Long asked, "Did you leak it?"

Toure waved his hand and laughed, "It wasn't me, but I know who it was—I only found out after the season ended. Besides, although I didn't like you back then, who am I, Toure? I would never do such a despicable thing as selling information to the media."

Many names flashed through Tang Long's mind.

Memories flooded back like a tidal wave.

He remembered that the meeting that night at Captain Kompany's house included Toure, Sagna, and Bony from the French-speaking Faction; Joe Hart and Sterling from the English-speaking Faction; Fernando from the Portuguese-speaking Faction; Agüero, Silva, and Navas from the Spanish-speaking Faction; and Ranocchia from the Italian-speaking Faction, as well as himself.

"Was it Nasri himself?" Tang Long asked.

Toure shook his head and said, "No, Nasri signed a confidentiality agreement with Manchester City's then-commercial director Berrada. He would have to pay a huge sum of millions of euros to leak any information, which he couldn't afford. Besides, he wasn't there that night; he didn't know what we talked about."

Tang Long said he didn't want to guess anymore and told him to just say it.

Toure turned his head to the side, covered his mouth, and chuckled as he uttered a name.

Tang Long was taken aback, thinking he had misheard.

He stared into Toure's eyes, Toure nodded solemnly, not at all like he was joking.

Then the two of them burst into loud laughter at the same time.

The laughter was so loud that it made the tall, canopy-like sycamore trees above them rustle, and the sparrows were startled and scattered.

"Well, I really didn't expect it to be this guy. He's really something!"

"Don't even mention you, even I didn't believe it when I first found out. This guy is actually that kind of person. I misjudged him."

Tang Long and Toure strolled along the lake, chatting as they walked.

The golden dawn light filled the air, and the lake surface shimmered with golden light.

The rising sun outside Milan cast long, long shadows of the two of them.

(The end. I'll finish writing this author's note tomorrow.)