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Chapter 276: Chasing the Golden Dream

Any inquiries about the match itself seemed dull now. In fact, Millwall's stunning 5-0 victory over Barcelona was already a shocking headline, with plenty to write about.

Time ticked by in silence. The Catalan journalists were hesitant to ask questions, knowing it would only backfire.

Seeing this, other reporters grew frustrated and began to stir the pot.

"Now that the match is over, Mr. Aldrich, do you have anything to say to Van Gaal?"

Aldrich took a sip of water to clear his throat and replied flatly, "No, I don't know him. Given his previous remarks, I don't want to discuss anything related to him."

...

Throughout the trip to Barcelona, Aldrich exuded an air of detachment that bordered on the surreal.

It seemed he didn't care at all about Van Gaal's disrespect towards Millwall or himself.

He felt there was no need to adopt the petty demeanor of someone who revels in their own success, celebrating a win to an obnoxious degree.

Those who are arrogant right now will eventually pay for it.

He wasn't like Mourinho, who had a history of issues with Barcelona, facing them two or three times a year only when luck was against him.

After securing three points from the win over Barcelona, Aldrich chose to put the Catalan club out of his mind for the next two weeks until their next clash.

Upon returning to London, Aldrich immediately took a car to a high-end restaurant, where he met several people already waiting for him in a private booth.

Andrew was there with two assistants, Yvonne and Adam, along with a representative from Puma, discussing important matters.

With just half a month until the Ballon d'Or voting deadline, the club, agents, and sponsors knew they had to work together to help their players clinch the award.

Millwall was certain of having two nominees: Larsson and Nedved.

Nedved had actually made the shortlist last year but ended up with a single-digit score. Finishing second in the Premier League and as a runner-up in the European Championship only allowed him to get a brief mention, while his fellow countryman Poborsky made it into the top ten.

This year was different; without any major tournaments, the Confederations Cup served as a training ground with minimal impact.

However, competition was still fierce.

The biggest rival was undoubtedly last season's standout from Barcelona, the alien Ronaldo, who only had the Spanish Cup to his name and a Copa América title from the summer of '97.

The silver lining was that the Copa América was an event from another continent.

Who should Aldrich back, Larsson or Nedved?

He initially didn't want to get involved, but if he didn't push for any attention, it was possible neither player would have a shot at the top.

Last year's European Golden Boot winner was a significant advantage for Larsson.

In this impending promotional campaign, Larsson's seasonal stats and honors would be powerful weapons in swaying voters' judgments.

After six hours of negotiations, representatives from all sides began to leave the restaurant, each ready to start coordinated efforts.

Puma, not only a partner of Millwall, sought to maintain a long-term relationship, with several Millwall stars as their brand ambassadors.

Larsson's shoe line, Phantom, was launched, with advertisements airing across European television stations.

Millwall's partnership with Armani featured ads on billboards in major European landmarks, sparking a wave of fashion with the young, fit Millwall "model" team.

The club's marketing team, led by Yvonne, shared meticulously crafted highlight reels of Larsson's performances online, ensuring these videos occupied trending spaces on all football-related platforms across Europe.

Having played for Millwall for three and a half years, Larsson's total goal count had already become the club's highest in history.

Sometimes, when observing a single goal or two, one might not realize the greatness of a forward.

Yet, a highlight reel can deliver the most stunning visual impact.

Yvonne invested a significant budget to have a team create the best video compilation, producing four in total.

The first was a complete goals highlight reel, documenting over 150 goals Larsson scored for both club and country in that time frame.

The second focused on assists, showcasing his playmaking abilities as a forward, emphasizing his all-around skill set.

The third compiled key moments, highlighting Larsson's crucial goals in the Premier League title race last season, helping Millwall ascend to the summit with an unstoppable force. He scored in the FA Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup final, showing considerable improvement in his performance during pivotal matches, especially with Ronaldo overshadowing him in the final.

The fourth was almost like a textbook, illustrating the many ways Larsson could score.

Taps, long shots, headers, left foot, right foot, volleys, chips—every style he had used to find the back of the net was showcased, resembling a manual for finishing techniques.

As Aldrich's agent, Andrew became active, meeting with higher-ups in mainstream newspapers as well as private discussions with television station leaders. He made sure these highlight reels were promoted on TV and began building hype for Larsson through newspapers and football programs.

He didn't require them to sing Larsson's praises; just a discussion about his performances would boost his visibility, which was a significant advantage.

The atmosphere at Millwall was calm; when Aldrich faced the press, he easily stated, "Larsson, Nedved, Makelele, Shevchenko, Trezeguet, Southgate... uh, sorry, but I believe my players all deserve to be considered for the Ballon d'Or. Who will win? Who will make the top ten? To be fair, being able to help a club like Millwall rise from the second-tier league to the top league in just three years, while achieving recognition on the European stage, my players are all remarkable. Their names might not be widely known, but considering their achievements, I think many of them deserve a spot in the top ten."

It was inevitable that the British media focused on the Ballon d'Or. Last year, Shearer was third in the awards, and this year there weren't any standout English players competing, so they naturally hoped for someone from an English club to receive the honor.

Millwall players quickly emerged as favorites.

Larsson became the most celebrated star.

With the Premier League title, FA Cup title, Cup Winners' Cup title, Premier League top scorer, and European top scorer under his belt, Larsson's name shone brightly.

In mid-November, just before the Ballon d'Or voting deadline, Millwall had a Champions League group stage match against Barcelona, who they had faced two weeks earlier.

During this sensitive time for the Ballon d'Or, Barcelona was feeling the heat.

They only had two players who could contend for the award: Figo and Enrique.

Another hot candidate from Barcelona was now with Inter Milan.

Moreover, given the current situation in their group, they hardly had the bandwidth to concern themselves with the Ballon d'Or.

With two losses and a draw in their group stage, did they still have a chance to advance?

There might be a glimmer of hope.

Ahead of this match, Van Gaal found himself in London, experiencing the formidable atmosphere of Fleet Street.

During the pre-match press conference, despite stating that Barcelona still had hopes of advancing, he claimed that as long as they beat Millwall, he couldn't predict what would happen in the last two matches.

Meanwhile, Fleet Street ridiculed him, resurfacing comments Van Gaal had made two weeks prior.

"Mr. Van Gaal, perhaps English football doesn't seem strong in your mind, and the teams succeeding in the Premier League have nothing to brag about, but under your leadership, Barcelona set a rather embarrassing record for losses at the Camp Nou. Do you still stand by your earlier comments?"

"I don't want to discuss unrelated topics."

"Oh, how funny! Two weeks ago, you made plenty of irrelevant remarks, and now you've changed your stance?"

"Millwall's victory was ugly; they only cowered in their half to defend. All they did was counter-attack, and they simply got lucky with a big win; that's all!"

Van Gaal remained the arrogant man he was, refusing to admit defeat even when his face was in the dirt.

When the two teams met at Wembley, Aldrich's demeanor echoed what it had been two weeks earlier.

He didn't reach out for a handshake, opting to stand on the sidelines and direct his team.

His mood was hard to decipher; across the past month, Millwall had recorded a win and a draw in the Premier League, maintaining solid form, while Manchester United also had a win and a loss, which narrowed the points gap.

Last year at this time, Millwall had a lead of over ten points; now they trailed United by just one.

Still, the outside world praised Millwall highly.

Comparisons between team records were often unkind.

Last year, Millwall focused solely on the league and, with a massive advantage in the second half of the season, could afford to divert some energy into the FA Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup, eventually winning both.

Despite being the defending champions in the Premier League last season, the young talent at Manchester United had many players participating in the Champions League as first-team players for the very first time, since they had not qualified in prior years.

Faced with the dual challenge of European and league matches, United almost came undone, struggling through their Champions League group and enduring a series of league defeats. Numerous records fell, and chatter about the erosion of the United dynasty filled the air.

However, Millwall was not only making its Champions League debut but also performing well, showcasing a promising route to advancement in the group stage without falling behind in the league.

Having reached this point was enough to elevate Millwall's standing further in the public eye.

Wembley Stadium was packed to capacity.

The Millwall vs. Barcelona match was a rare treat for fans.

The Lions' supporters arrived at Wembley with a relaxed mindset, as their beloved team was expected to advance from the group. They were eager to see what a powerhouse like Barcelona could really do.

After all, having conceded five goals at home, how could they not submit in Wembley?