I AM the Football Star

Next, the two engaged in some insincere discussions again.

The Golden Ball Award may not yet know that while its patron is helping it through difficulty, it has already pulled its lifetime enemy up from the mud and placed them on the track.

Perhaps people also don’t know that the World Footballer, always pressed below the Golden Ball Award, might very well take over from the Golden Ball in two or three years!

...

On November 21st, a piece of news usually unnoticed suddenly dominated the headlines of major football media.

World Footballer voting season begins!

For other awards, the World Footballer and Golden Ball Award are one of the two highest honors in the football world.

But the status of the Golden Ball Award and World Footballer is not actually so close.

Perhaps both have had their peaks.

But in the past decade, the Golden Ball Award has reigned supreme, completely embodying the word "authoritative".

While the World Footballer, most of the time, can only refer to the Golden Ball Award for the name of the best player.

Otherwise, it means there’s a problem with the World Footballer selection!

Industry standards can only ever be one.

The Golden Ball Award and World Footballer shouldn’t coexist to begin with.

Thus, on this side, those who truly understand football know that the Golden Ball Award has a much higher prestige than the World Footballer.

The World Footballer has attempted to resist; they ignored the Golden Ball list in previous years, but the result was criticism of their selections as utter garbage.

And... internal manipulation issues erupted several times, directly ousting the reform leader insisting the World Footballer should not bow to the Golden Ball Award.

Who isn’t aware of award manipulations?

Which selection lacked them?

Yet why were those few instances selectively exposed?

Some issues, when thought about, are terrifying.

Because at that time the Golden Ball Award could already facilitate some individuals’ aims, there was no need for another Golden Ball Award to appear.

But now, the World Footballer suddenly gets a breather.

Those unaware will just wonder why this year the World Footballer suddenly made noise?

The informed will understand it’s because a butterfly flapped its wings in Italy, initiating a fissure in the entire football honor system, potentially causing a game-changing storm in the future!

Unfortunately, few are aware.

Because it’s still too early.

Even "French Football" as a stakeholder hasn’t felt the disappearing paternal love. Because indeed, the patron’s love hasn’t disappeared, just... they are too unaware of the extent of their patron’s love.

They thought they got it all, not realizing they received only a fraction of their patron’s affection.

Unlike the Golden Ball Award, the World Footballer isn’t so stringent on player lists.

They’ll start voting directly, then announce the fifty nominees before the award ceremony, inviting them to the celebration.

Fifty is for a reason.

Otherwise, numbers are insufficient.

Few would miss the Golden Ball ceremony, but for the World Footballer... attendance is casual.

That’s the current status of the World Footballer’s place.

Yet starting this year, it’s all slowly changing.

To emphasize "we’re different from the Golden Ball Award, we’re fair," the World Footballer even put Lu Yang’s name in the first row.

What’s the rationale?

Using the "recent outstanding player" recommendation section to achieve this purpose.

This section, a nine-square grid super banner at the top of the homepage, completely differs from other candidates’ avatar positions.

Without a doubt, this is special treatment.

But essentially, this setup benefits fans too.

Fans are likely to find their favorite players within the grid.

Or be drawn by these nine players to participate in voting.

Besides the recently explosive Lu Yang, who else is among these nine players?

Izalelt!

Robben!

Zidane!

Lima!

Moreira!

Ancelotti!

Gutierrez!

Mike Loring!

These are the ones!

In this lineup, Lu Yang is remarkably conspicuous.

It undoubtedly favors his voting increase.

Unlike the Golden Ball’s arrogance, the World Footballer knows not to fight against the public.

The most obvious example is actually before us, in Italy.

On November 22nd, the Golden Boy Award announced its final winner.

Statistics indicate this year’s Golden Boy Award attention rivals two-three years ago.

Influence may have... multiplied tenfold?

Yes!

Tenfold!

This year’s Golden Boy Award, its grandeur even makes people think the winner received a Golden Ball Award!

Why is it like this?

It all began with last year’s Golden Boy Award giving the prize to Lu Yang under immense pressure.

Lu Yang settled with one move, leading the Italy Team into the European Cup.

Coupled with his superb youth championship and league performances, the Golden Boy Award couldn’t possibly ignore him.

So in the end, Torino Sports Paper compromised.

Is giving it to Brother Lu good!

Then the Golden Boy Award’s reputation, fairness, regularity, and professionalism were highly praised.

So starting this year, it quickly ascended to become the third most impressive regular award in European Football.

If not for age limitations, they could have leveraged it to reach near the World Footballer level of past years.

This is an absolute takeoff, straight to heaven, right!