The Golden Boy Award ceremony that Jin Hayes had imagined was a scene similar to the Ballon d'Or.
Famous figures in international football would all be present, with world‑class top stars clapping and cheering in the audience. Plus, his competitors would be standing on the podium: Manchester United's Anderson, Atlético Madrid's Sergio Agüero, and Arsenal's Theo Walcott.
Then, a football legend would appear as a guest—someone like Zinedine Zidane, Luís Figo, or Franz Beckenbauer—to take the stage, hold an envelope, and announce the winner of the Golden Boy Award.
"Jin Hayes!"
Amidst thunderous applause and under the witness of renowned figures in the global football community, Jin Hayes would be the center of attention in the spotlight, holding the trophy presented by Zidane to deliver his acceptance speech. Camera flashes would be continuous, marking a high point in his entire playing career.
"Click, click. Click, click."
"Hey! Jin, what's wrong?"
"Oh, oh, nothing, just thinking about something."
"Let's go. The media photos are about done, we can head to the award ceremony now," his agent's assistant, Michael Carter, reminded him from the side.
...
"Is that it?"
Jin Hayes looked ahead. It wasn't a magnificent golden hall, nor was it the UEFA headquarters. It was a banquet hall in a five‑star hotel next to the headquarters of Tuttosport.
The newspaper had rented the venue and temporarily set up a simple stage. The layout was relatively minimalist, but it looked decent enough for the moment. On the background screen made of several LED panels in the center of the stage, his highlight reel for the year was playing.
The area below the stage wasn't packed with people; there were at most fewer than one hundred seats. And those in the seats weren't various football stars or celebrities and legends, just media reporters from various countries.
Jin Hayes even saw a few Asian faces among them; reporters from China, Japan, and South Korea had all come. The award presenter wasn't Zidane, Platini, or Beckenbauer, but the editor‑in‑chief of the football section of Tuttosport, who was also a member of the Ballon d'Or jury.
After all, this award was only spearheaded by Tuttosport; it had some influence, but not as much as the grand ceremonies Jin Hayes had envisioned. Since the award was created in 2003, some Golden Boy Award winners had soared to great heights, while others had struggled to maintain their early promise.
The 2003 winner, Rafael van der Vaart, was currently warming the bench at Real Madrid and was about to be moved on. The subsequent winners—Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Cesc Fàbregas, and Agüero—could all be considered world‑class stars who had become pillars in their respective teams.
In the original timeline, the 2008 Golden Boy Award winner should have been the Brazilian midfielder Anderson, the "Ferguson‑approved" talent. Later, Anderson's career followed a disappointing trajectory, which unfortunately lowered the prestige of the award somewhat.
Other winners in later years, such as Alexandre Pato, Mario Balotelli, Mario Götze, Isco, and Paul Pogba, had careers that were a mix of brilliance and inconsistency, making it hard to find another player with the sustained dominance of a Messi or a Ronaldo. But for now, Jin Hayes was determined to change that narrative.
Jin Hayes, wearing a bespoke Armani suit, stood in front of the brand's background wall to pose for photos, with camera flashes going off continuously. He suddenly had the feeling of walking the red carpet at the Oscars.
It had to be said that this formal look made everyone at the scene light up.
When the photos from the award ceremony were posted online, they would ignite a massive discussion across the internet regarding the ranking of football stars' looks. Jin Hayes, David Beckham, Kaká—fans of each argued endlessly, but Jin Hayes's top‑three status in football for looks was undisputed.
These were stories for another time.
...
At this moment, Jin Hayes was still at the award ceremony, waiting for the host to finish reading a long speech in Italian and English, after which the large background screen changed to the words "2008 European Golden Boy Award Winner."
[EuropeGoldenBoy — — 2008]
[AbsolutebestGoldenBoy]
[Jin Hayes]
"Ladies and gentlemen, let us welcome the 2008 European Golden Boy Award winner—Jin Hayes!"
Amidst the enthusiastic applause, Jin Hayes walked up his stairway to godhood under the spotlight. The ones who were most envious weren't the scouts and coaches in the football circle, but the fashion people in Milan.
Jin Hayes's physique and his long legs were simply mouth‑watering—he was a natural top male model. It was a pity he played football.
Under the gaze of everyone, Jin Hayes arrived at the podium to have a brief interaction with the editor‑in‑chief of Tuttosport, the jury chairman, and other guests. The guests on stage were all speaking Italian.
Jin Hayes only knew German, English, and simple Spanish for now; his only Italian consisted of basic tourist vocabulary and a few inappropriate phrases he'd picked up from his teammates. The entire interview had to be handled by the organizing committee's translator.
"Thank you to Tuttosport, thank you to the jury for granting me this award. I am very happy to receive recognition from the media and the fans, and I am very happy to come to this beautiful city of Turin to attend today's grand event."
Jin Hayes thought that a polite acceptance speech would end it. He didn't expect the host and the organizing committee to have no intention of letting him off the hook.
"This is your second season at Borussia Dortmund, and your second year in your professional career, but you have already performed like a team leader. What is the secret to maintaining calmness, control, and leadership in big matches?"
Compared to many other players, Jin Hayes's speech was more confident and fluent. His English pronunciation carried a charming, proper British accent, which added a touch of noble temperament to him.
"It's mainly because the football environment at Borussia Dortmund is relatively pure. We are all a group of young people with dreams, working hard for a common goal. Everyone works together to strive for every victory, so naturally, I will be full of confidence in matches and dare to make any decision. I believe that my brothers will help cover for me. Likewise, I will also do my best to help everyone."
Jin Hayes's answer sparked cheers from the audience once again.
It was hard to imagine a 16‑year‑old boy being so mature and steady on such a big occasion. Originally, because of his flashy and sometimes extravagant playing style, many outside media and fans didn't have much affection for Jin Hayes.
The more the fans loved him, the more the detractors hated him.
Being too sharp and prominent on the pitch naturally led to polarized opinions. But the speech and temperament Jin Hayes displayed on the podium refreshed the outside world's perception of him. If one had to use a word to describe it, it could only be elegant—so elegant.
"What are your expectations for this season at Borussia Dortmund?"
"I can't guarantee anything right now, but I will give 120% of my effort to help Borussia Dortmund lift the championship trophy."
At the end of the award interview, Jin Hayes couldn't help but show his edge, and the cheers from the media section became even more enthusiastic. Jin Hayes emphasized his goal of winning the championship to the outside world again; regardless of whether Borussia Dortmund won the championship or not, there would be news to write.
Finally, after a short five‑minute acceptance interview, the chairman of the European Golden Boy Award organizing committee announced again: "Let us congratulate the 2008 European Golden Boy Award winner—Jin Hayes!!"
Jin Hayes smiled and took the glittering trophy from the guest. He had anticipated that the trophy would be heavy, but he didn't expect it to be even heavier than he imagined.
Fortunately, his arm strength had increased quite a bit over the last two seasons; otherwise, it would have been embarrassing if he hadn't held it steady and dropped it. Holding up the Golden Boy trophy, Jin Hayes became the only protagonist of the night amidst a flurry of camera flashes.
...
"Let me take a look!"
"Don't grab it, I reserved it first."
"This isn't ordering at a restaurant, first come first served, understand?"
When Jin Hayes returned to the club holding the European Golden Boy trophy, teammates like Mats Hummels, Nuri Şahin, and Marco Reus sniffed it out and crowded over. They completely left the Golden Boy winner Jin Hayes aside, grabbing the trophy from his hands to observe it carefully.
"Damn, it's quite heavy."
"The design feels very beautiful."
"Is the Ballon d'Or trophy like this? It feels about the same."
"It seems quite similar, both are golden football designs."
"Rounding it up, Jin can be considered someone who has lifted a Ballon d'Or."
"Wow, now that you say that, I'm even more envious, damn it."
It was as if the trophy was the protagonist, and Jin Hayes was ignored. Fortunately, Reus was a good kid; he came over and patted Jin Hayes on the shoulder.
"Congratulations, Jin, this trophy is well‑deserved."
"Thanks, I believe you will have a chance too."
Reus was only nineteen; he still had hopes of lifting the trophy next year. He had already deviated from his original trajectory—he wouldn't be languishing in a 3. Liga team but had become a starter for a Champions League club.
He believed Reus's talent would be noticed by the public soon. Who was in contention next year? Alexandre Pato, Stevan Jovetić, Bojan Krkić… he felt Reus had a great chance. As long as they could go further in the Champions League this season and strive for good results in the league.
"It's very difficult." Reus had been filled with self‑doubt over the previous years and had lost his initial confidence. He smiled bitterly and shook his head; he had long since stopped holding any extravagant hopes for the award.
"Trust me, I will help you."
"Thanks."
Reus just thought Jin Hayes was comforting him, not knowing that Jin Hayes was incredibly serious.
…
"Wow! Our Golden Boy winner is back!!"
"Aunt Maria, look, Jin is really so handsome."
"That's right! As expected of my dear Jin!"
Due to special circumstances, Jin Hayes had just returned to Borussia Dortmund from Turin, Italy, and he could take half a day off.
After showing off at the training base for a while, he carried the trophy back to the Heinrich house. As soon as he entered the door, the whole family was warmly welcoming Jin Hayes back. Uncle Hans and Aunt Maria hugged him one after another, almost suffocating Jin Hayes. If they had used any more force, his ribs might have broken.
Unlike that bunch of unlucky guys at the club, the Heinrich family didn't care about the trophy; their attention was all on Jin Hayes.
Looking at the couple's eyes, it was just like a child bringing home a certificate from school. The certificate itself wasn't important; they only cared about whether Jin Hayes was happy.
"That's great! We probably need to custom‑make a larger display cabinet." Uncle Hans picked up the Golden Boy trophy to observe it carefully, wondering where it would be more suitable to place it.
There was a side room next to the first‑floor living room, which was originally a place for potted plants. Later, Aunt Maria moved all the plants to the backyard and specifically hired someone to custom‑make a glass display cabinet, inside which were all of Jin Hayes's personal honours.
Including the Bundesliga assist leader trophy from last season, the Bundesliga Player of the Season award, the 2007/08 Bundesliga Team of the Season trophy, the Champions League Man of the Match trophy… various honours almost filled the display cabinet, and the current Golden Boy trophy could only be placed in the most conspicuous position on top of the cabinet.
Jin Hayes was usually busy with training and tutoring, and he hadn't even noticed this "honour wall" that belonged exclusively to him. The trophies inside the display cabinet were obviously well cared for, shining brightly and spotless.
On the wall behind it, there was also a huge bulletin board pinned with all kinds of clippings, full of Jin Hayes's shining moments on the pitch.
"This…"
"Hehehe, not bad, right? It's a pity the space is too small. If you win more honours, this area definitely won't be enough to hold them." Uncle Hans puffed out his big belly and smiled happily. Jin Hayes's honours were like his own child's achievements; his eyes were full of pride.
Emotions surged in Jin Hayes's heart. At sixteen, he had packed his bags and travelled to a foreign country, but Jin Hayes never felt lonely for a moment. Whether it was his family back home or his family here in Germany, they were with him every moment.
When chatting with Uncle Hans, Anna was standing at the stairs, quietly looking at Jin Hayes. After the awkward incident last time, she hadn't figured out how to face him. Every time she thought of that moment, Anna wished she could sink into the ground from embarrassment. It was too mortifying.
Uncle Hans turned his head and inadvertently discovered his daughter's figure. He deliberately stretched and yawned: "Jin, I ate too much at noon, I'll go take a nap for a while. Anna was looking for you just now—"
"Eh?"
"Ah?"
Being suddenly called out by her father, Anna subconsciously wanted to flee the scene. But seeing Jin Hayes in his crisp suit looking at her downstairs, Anna couldn't help but want to get closer.
"It's just talking to him, it's nothing—he probably forgot about that day. It was just an accident."
The young girl had a calm expression and pretended to be composed as she came to Jin Hayes's side.
"I hadn't had the chance to congratulate you before."
"It doesn't matter, it's not an important award anyway."
Jin Hayes recalled the embarrassment of that day and couldn't help but feel nervous; he hadn't been this nervous even when facing Real Madrid stars on the pitch. He was afraid Anna would suddenly bring up that day and accuse him. Jin Hayes didn't want that either; he could control the football and his actions on the pitch, but he couldn't control certain involuntary reactions.
"Pfft."
Unexpectedly, Anna beside him suddenly laughed out loud.
For some reason, Jin Hayes's back was straight and his nerves were tense, which was actually quite cute. This made Anna unable to hold back a smile. The forest‑style girl with a smile like a flower left Jin Hayes stunned; he really wanted to take a camera to capture this moment.
"You are becoming more and more excellent, and I have to work hard too."
"Then let's—work hard together."
"Mm, let's work hard together."