Chapter 367: Chapter 366: Who Takes the Portuguese Super Cup Prize
The second award is the Primeira Liga Assists Leader Award.
There was no doubt about this one, as the stats were clear for all to see, and everyone turned their eyes to Deng Kai.
On the Primeira Liga assists chart, third was Viana, who had adapted to the pace of Primeira Liga this season and contributed eight goals and fourteen assists to his team.
Second was Porto’s Deco, who with fifteen assists fed Jia De’er into becoming the Primeira Liga top scorer. In fact, those numbers didn’t even fully reflect Deco’s true role in the team.
First on the assists chart was, of course, Deng Kai, with a single-season tally of sixteen goals and twenty-one assists, making him one of the best performing players of the season.
After Deng Kai went on stage, he received his own trophy.
While delivering his acceptance speech, Deng Kai briefly expressed his gratitude.
His calm composure contrasted vividly with Ronaldo’s tears.
The third award was also a straightforward one, the Primeira Liga Golden Boot.
The silver boot for this Primeira Liga season went to the recently awarded Ronaldo, with thirty goals and three assists in a single season, terrifyingly strong for a newcomer.
But even so, his gap with the Primeira Liga Golden Boot was still huge.
Jia De’er’s forty-two goal season left no doubt in him claiming the Primeira Liga Golden Boot, and with that, he also took this year’s European Golden Shoe!
The fourth award was the Primeira Liga’s Best Goalkeeper.
Host: "He once wore the red, he is the Nordic goalkeeping deity! Joining the green and whites under the name of the Red Devils, he brought the treble-winning DNA to Alvalade!"
"For two years, people have questioned whether the old general still had what it takes. At this moment, with two Championship Trophies, he has given us an answer!"
"Let’s invite the Manchester United legend, Denmark’s national team starting goalkeeper, and Sporting Lisbon’s number one jersey holder, Schmeichel, to come up and receive the award!"
Whirlwinds of applause reverberated through the heavens.
You have to admit that stars and ordinary players really are treated differently.
Neither Ronaldo nor Deng Kai’s entrance to the stage could compare to the grandeur of Schmeichel’s.
Some older fans were even misty-eyed; in the ageless Schmeichel, they saw a reflection of themselves.
No one likes to admit they’re old, but everyone eventually has to accept it.
And for the older players, championships are the best rejuvenation!
As Schmeichel accepted the award, he pointed towards a certain direction.
There, a young man with the same blonde hair was extremely excited; he was wearing Schmeichel’s Sporting Lisbon jersey, looking almost identical to the young Schmeichel.
"Kasper Schmeichel, Peter Schmeichel’s son, also a goalkeeper. It’s said that Manchester City is very interested in him and he might join City’s academy in the coming years," Deng Kai whispered to Ronaldo beside him, "If his career goes smoothly, he will create a miracle for a football family, becoming like his father, a footballer of the year for their country!"
Ronaldo was immune to such high-spirited language; Deng Kai always liked to talk like that.
Who couldn’t spin fine words like these?
Ronaldo himself often told teammates, "If nothing goes wrong, you will become a world-class player."
But life is full of unexpected events, aren’t they?
Ronaldo didn’t believe for a second that Schmeichel’s son would also become Denmark’s Footballer of the Year. It’s more akin to cheating a fool, trying to deceive me, Ronaldo, falls a bit short.
After the heartwarming scene, the awardee for the next award was also full of stories.
Host: "A year ago, he was struggling in the lower leagues of Italy. After setting foot on Portuguese soil, he was enlightened by the air of Lisbon and has since become a rock on Sporting Lisbon’s defensive line."
"He never seeks attention, but his tackles and interceptions lead the Primeira Liga, and he’s second in successful aerial duels. He is the Primeira Liga Best Centre Back resurrected from the rejects, let’s give this young man the warmest applause... Andrea Barzagli!"
Whirlwinds of applause!
Barzagli was even more emotional than Ronaldo, crying on his way to the stage.
The barely twenty-year-old Barzagli cried like a child.
If you say that in European football, ninety-five percent of the academy players are eliminated.
And only five percent of these talented academy players successfully make it into professional matches.
Therefore, among that ninety-five percent who make it back to the professional field through the lower leagues, less than one percent succeed.
Barzagli’s uniqueness is hard to find another like him in Sporting Lisbon’s talented youth academy.
Drogba: ???
It’s hard to find a third one!
The next award, unexpectedly, was left unclaimed.
Because Deco wasn’t there.
He is the winner of the Best Midfielder in the Portuguese league.
When this award was announced, the audience burst into the biggest cheer of the night.
"We won!"
"We’ve won!"
"Deng Kai has won!"
"MVP!"
The camera found Deng Kai immediately.
Deng Kai’s lips curved slightly upwards, but he remained composed.
But from this moment on, everyone knew that this year’s grand prize in the Portuguese league belonged to the surname Kai.
Deng’s father: ???
Before the grand prize, it was the award for the Best Forward in the Portuguese league.
This is also a very significant award.
Because leagues outside the big four mainly supply top clubs with forward players.
The Best Forward is, in some sense, an award that can rival the grand prize itself.
Host: "I don’t need to say much about him. He’s the jewel of Sporting Lisbon’s youth academy, another spokesperson for this generation. Like Simon, he’s called the next Figo!"
"This season, with twenty goals and eleven assists, he has shown his versatility. He is the leading man for Sporting Lisbon, Ricardo..."
The fifty thousand in attendance cried out in unison: "Quaresma!"
At this, everyone was somewhat surprised.
Because, logically, this year’s Best Forward in the Portuguese league should have been Jia De’er.
Forty-two goals is a phenomenal record.
Even if Quaresma converted all his assists into goals, he wouldn’t catch up with Jia De’er, not to mention that assists are not as valuable as goals.
But that’s how the Portuguese league awarded it.
It’s difficult not to think of Jia De’er’s refusal to naturalize for the Portuguese Football Federation this season.
But it’s not that the Portuguese Football Federation is being petty, Deco also refused, but he still received the Best Midfielder in the Portuguese league award.
At the root of it, it’s mainly because Jia De’er has spoken disrespectfully and looked down on Portuguese football.
If you don’t respect me, why should I promote you?
Jia De’er really did dominate this season, but he didn’t win the championship, did he?
So giving his goals a thirty percent discount isn’t too hard, is it?
Once discounted, Ronaldo and Quaresma both become contenders for the Best Forward.
Sporting Lisbon prefers Quaresma to win the award, as winning it could increase his transfer value.
And indeed, Quaresma’s role on the front line is richer and more central than Ronaldo’s, so it makes perfect sense for him to win the award.
That’s how Quaresma also secured his first major individual award in the Portuguese league.
