#young paolo maldini

[ineedtopost]

Babygirl-ism

[footballandshit]

Paolo Maldini | Post-match Interview

⇨ AC Milan (1995/96 Season)

[halalspamhabibti]

An odd nightly encounter (Maldini vampire AU) (Drabble)

Description: Daniel Maldini starts doubting his normality

Notes: -I had this silly concept idea of Paolo Maldini being a vampire, even though I'm not a vampire fan at all, so I thought I'd Drabble with it using his son. -sorry if any one is OOC, I'm not that familiar with the players in this. -English is not my first language!! -just a Drabble! -mayyybe I'll write a part 2

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In the middle of the cold and pitch-black night, Olivier was frantically yet quietly running after he had somehow managed to successfully steal something from the AC Milan headquarters,the tall and muscular Frenchman was running as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast, not only due to his notorious pace but also because he could barely see anything, before he could reach the car waiting for him, he froze right in his tracks in front of nothing but a pair of big, inhumanly bright, crystal teal eyes that didn't exactly convey a certain emotion, they even looked somewhat confused and surprised, but still stared piercingly through him, as soon as he retained his senses, he hurriedly turned on his flashlight and aimed the white beam straight at the eyes to see who or "what" they belonged to, and to his relief he immediately heard a familiarly cute groan of pain, not only did those eyes belong to a human, and that human was his young teammate, Daniel.

"Dani!" Cried Olivier in confused relief, he began to feel a bit frustrated at this odd interruption of his plans, "wh-what are you doing out all alone at this hour?" Olivier asked quickly without much thought, "me?" Daniel questioned while he finished rubbing his eyes after they were hit with the light, "I'm just taking a nightly stroll not too far from home, what are YOU doing frantically running in the middle of the night? And straight from Casa Milan?" Olivier panicked internally as he took into thought who Daniel's father is, not only did he fear being directly reported to the sporting director, but having THE Paolo Maldini disappointed in you is something nobody would want, without much thought into his excuses, he immediately tried to clear things up and shift the focus to something else, "w-well I'm just taking advantage of the empty streets to take a jog, y'know? Besides, at least I brought a flashlight with me, how come you're walking around in the black darkness? You wouldn't be able to see anything! Seems pretty suspicious to me..." Dani looked around, Olivier almost seized the opportunity to say goodbye when Dani suddenly became nervously excited to say something

"look, this is supposed to be a secret, but I can't help but tell someone, I can actually see in the dark, isn't that amazing?"

"Makes sense when you have glowing eyes that scare the hell out of people trying to jog, now that I remember, this isn't the first time I've seen them glow" Olivier replied with a bit of forced laughter, he was now fully relieved that his case was off, but then it fully hit him, "but it doesn't make sense..." he wondered, "there is no condition on earth that gives people the ability to see in pitch-black...how is that possible?" "Well my parents told me I was blessed with strong eyes like my father, and that they fed me lots of carrots as a baby" Daniel explained, in an honest and confident voice, there was no sense of deception in his tone whatsoever, this is truly what he knows

"Dani...that's not..that's not a logical explanation" Daniel stared for a bit after a moment of realization then he "now that I think about it, it really isn't, but that's all I've known.."

"Have you ever been taken to a doctor?"

"Of course, but none of it was ever about my eyes" Olivier thought for a moment, though he was sleepy and exhausted at this point, so his brain wasn't really on it's full motors, and then it looked like he

had come to a conclusion, more important a conclusion that'll make Dani forget about Olivier's odd "jogging"

"Dani, have you ever thought about how sharp your teeth are? they're like fangs.."

"Yes? What does that have to do with it?"

"Well I'm just saying, sharp teeth, along with night vision and glowing eyes, these are all traits of a vampire,no? Maybe your parents haven't told you yet?"

"...Olivier..you're nearly forty..you can't be believing in folktales.."

"Not if there's one standing in front of me"

"Oh for God's sake Olivier, if I'm a vampire then how the hell can i stand in the sun completely unharmed?"

"Well you could only be HALF vampire"

"So you mean-"

"yes! It would explain so much about your father!"

"Like what exactly?" Daniel had no idea why someone technically old enough to be his parent was still suggesting that he and his father were vampires, and at this time of night as well, he had become frustrated but was too tired to be visibly angry,

"Well, it would certainly explain his graceful aging...and his-"

"Olivier...please...I'm too tired for this,if my father is a vampire, then how come he can use a mirror just fine?"

"Well there has to be an explanati-" Olivier couldn't finish his sentence before he had to yawn, now he realized how late he was, and he remembered that his partner in crime was waiting for him in the car, "why don't we both go home and discuss this later, I really need to sleep" suggested Dani, "yes,yes,that's exactly what I was going to say" Olivier blurted hurriedly

"Ciao"

"Ciao"

Each one of them parted ways, with Olivier making sure Daniel is out of sight before he started running back to the car.

[boltsports]

Kylian Mbappe on Thiago Silva: “I call him my captain. At PSG, he made his mark on the history of the club. One of the best I have seen and have played with.”

Wesley Fofana: "I used to play FIFA with Thiago Silva and now I play alongside him. I'm in the changing rooms with Thiago Silva just to my right, and I learn every day from him."

Paolo Maldini: “I can say that Thiago Silva has no rival in his position. He is by far the best defender in the world. It’s a compliment for me to be compared to him.”

John Terry: "Absolutely love him. To be playing so well at his age in the best league is unbelievable. Just wish I could have played alongside him."

An inspiration to both young and old! Respect Thiago Silva! A blue heart for the G.O.A.T🐐💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[mchiti]

Im curious 😜

Smash or pass: Capi Saiss, Sofyan Amrabat, Paolo Maldini

thank you hbiba! 💕

capi: SMASH. captain of my heart and my entire existence ofc that's a smash. I love his smile

sofyan amrabat: smash smash smash mash (x100000). prettiest lips in the universe of lips and white men could never

paolo maldini: maldini for instance the more he gets older the more his upper lip is disappearing. it used to be a bit more present when he was younger. but anyways young maldini (and current maldini) was definitely a beautiful man I suppose. I personally pass bc idk his looks really ain't my thing but I get the love

[calciopics]

FourFourTwo:  The best Italian players ever

1. Roberto Baggio

One of the most talented footballers of all time, Baggio’s creativity, vision, unpredictability, and technical skills made him the archetypal trequartista and arguably Italy’s most beloved player ever.

The ability of the Buddhist star nicknamed the ‘Divine Ponytail’ was such that there were riots in the streets of Florence following his move from Fiorentina to Juventus in 1990, but he went on to win the Ballon d’Or – as well as Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup titles – while in Turin.

Baggio’s list of honours doesn’t do credit to the quality of the player. He finished his career with just two Serie A titles to his name, while his international career is unfairly blemished in the memories of many by the decisive penalty he missed in the 1994 World Cup final – a game the Azzurri would never have made it to in the first place, were it not for Baggio's creative genius.

Still, Baggio remains Italy’s joint-fourth top scorer of all time and the Italian FA left no doubt about the regard he’s held in by making him the very first inductee to the Italian Hall of Fame in 2011.

2. Paolo Maldini

One of the greatest defenders of all time, Maldini is synonymous with a glorious era of success for AC Milan, where he spent his entire 25-year-long playing career.

A roaming, technically gifted left-back who later evolved into an intelligent and composed centre-back, the elegant Italian helped the Rossoneri win 25 trophies including five European Cup/Champions Leagues and seven Serie A crowns.

He also had remarkable longevity, playing until the age of 41, while he played at four World Cups – although he retired before the Azzurri’s 2006 triumph and never won a major honour with his country.

Maldini remains the outfield player with the most appearances in Serie A on 647, and his reliance on timing and reading of the game rather than aggression and physicality made him stand out.

As he famously once quipped: “If I have to make a tackle, then I’ve already made a mistake”.

3. Gianluigi Buffon

Buffon’s name will always come up in debates about who is the best goalkeeper of all time – and for good reason.

Since making a stunning breakthrough for Parma as an eye-bogglingly agile teenager in 1995, he won almost every major honour imaginable – with the notable exception of the Champions League.

Juventus made Buffon the most expensive goalkeeper ever by paying €52m for him in 2001, but that proved to be outstanding value; he won a record 12 Serie A goalkeeper of the year awards and 10 league crowns in Turin, and holds the league appearance record.

Buffon won the Golden Glove after keeping a record five clean sheets as Italy were crowned world champions in 2006, and his remarkable longevity – he’s now at Parma in Serie B – has been largely down to his ability to adapt his game, relying less on the explosive agility that used to mark him out, and more on world-class positioning and reading of the game.

4. Gianni Rivera

Nicknamed the ‘Golden Boy’, Rivera’s stardom started young. The playmaker’s first goal for Milan was a winner in a 4-3 victory over Juventus aged just 17, and the fleet-footed fantasista never looked back, becoming one of the most iconic players to ever pull on a number 10 shirt.

The outstanding natural ability of the attacking midfielder soon made him a key player at San Siro, as he led the Rossoneri to three Serie A titles and two European Cups, forming a close bond with coach Nereo Rocco, who described him as a “genius”, and winning the Ballon d’Or in 1969 after inspiring Milan to European glory with a virtuoso display in a 4-1 final victory over Johan Cruyff’s Ajax.

Rivera’s passing and vision are the stuff of calcio folklore, largely thanks to his success with the national team too.

He made his senior Azzurri debut aged 17 and went to four World Cups, scoring the winner in the famous 1970 epic semi-final against Germany, as well as winning the 1968 European Championship – although he heartbreakingly missed the final against Yugoslavia after picking up an injury in the semis.

5. Giuseppe Meazza

Meazza was so good, they named Italy’s most iconic stadium after him. It might be better known as San Siro, after the surrounding area, but the ground’s official moniker pays homage to a double World Cup-winning superstar who represented both of Milan’s big clubs.

That said, Meazza certainly achieved far more in the blue and black of Inter. Milan famously rejected Meazza when he was a child due to his slight frame, and it turned out to be a costly error.

The Nerazzurri snapped him up, and the boy who grew up playing with a rag ball on the Lombard city’s streets became one of the most prolific strikers in Serie A history, winning three titles and three capocannoniere crowns.

However, it was Meazza’s feat in Azzurri blue that earned him true legend status. The striker is one of just three players, along with Giovanni Ferrari and Eraldo Monzeglio, to win two World Cups, winning the Golden Ball at the 1934 victory on home turf and captaining his country to a successful defence four years later.

6. Francesco Totti

The Roma legend never earned the silverware that his talent deserved, but Totti’s decision to remain a one-club man made him a legend in the Eternal City.

Totti could do things with the ball that others wouldn’t even dream of, and his ability to create and score goals was unmatched in his heyday; the Roman ended his career in 2017 as the second-top scorer in Serie A history with 250 goals.

He was also crucial to Italy’s 2006 World Cup success, playing every match despite pre-tournament fitness concerns and scoring a crucial penalty to beat Australia in the last 16, before eventually finishing as the tournament’s joint-top assist provider on four, level with Argentina’s Juan Roman Riquelme.

7. Franco Baresi

Baresi made his Milan debut aged 17 and would stay at the club for the remainder of his 20-year long career, winning every major honour on offer.

The centre-back was an irreplaceable part of Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello's great sides of the 1990s, forming one of the greatest defences of all time alongside Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Mauro Tassotti.

Baresi was runner up for the Ballon d’Or in 1989, behind team-mate Marco van Basten, after captaining the Rossoneri to back-to-back European Cup successes, and he went on to win three straight Serie A crowns between 1991 and 1994 out of a career total six, with Milan's rock at the back helping them concede just 15 goals in 1993/94.

Although he failed to win any international honours, coming closest when he missed a spot kick in the 1994 World Cup final against Brazil, the Italian is remembered as one of the greatest centre-backs ever due to his combination of physical, technical and mental attributes, as well as his leadership and intelligence.

8. Andrea Pirlo

One of the best proponents of the deep-lying midfielder role that the game has ever seen. Pirlo oozed class and possessed a staggering coolness and composure in possession, not to mention the vision and technique to unlock defences or send dipping free-kicks over walls.

Pirlo started off as an attacking midfielder, playing alongside the great Roberto Baggio at Brescia in his younger years, but it was his spell at AC Milan that propelled him into Europe’s elite.

Two Champions League and two Serie A titles came at San Siro, and another four league crowns later at Juventus, as well as a 2006 World Cup winner’s medal.

The midfield maestro’s ability on the ball was perhaps best put by Juve great Zbigniew Boniek: “To pass the ball to Pirlo is like hiding it in a safe”, he said.

9. Dino Zoff

Like a fine wine, Zoff’s achievements got better with age. The Italian goalkeeping great won his first and only World Cup aged 40 in 1982, the oldest player ever to do so, earning the goalkeeper of the tournament award in the process.

It was his second major international honour of a remarkable career, after clinching the 1968 European Championship, and Zoff was no less successful at club level, winning six Scudetti, two Coppa Italias and the UEFA Cup at Juventus.

One of the finest keepers ever to pull on a pair of gloves, Zoff was only ranked behind Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks when the International Federation of Football History & Statistics named their greatest goalkeepers of the 21st century, while he was elected as Italy’s outstanding player of the past 50 years for UEFA’s Jubilee Awards in 2004.

10. Alessandro Del Piero

Legendary inter-war striker Silvio Piola is the only Italian to have scored more goals than Del Piero’s 346, while the striker is the Juventus record holder for goals (290) and appearances (705).

But forget the numbers. It was Del Piero’s remarkable technical gifts, his eye for spectacular goals and his free-kick prowess that established him as one of his country’s greatest-ever attackers, not just his outstanding rate of return.

Del Piero was instrumental to Juve’s last Champions League win in 1996, scoring six goals on that run, and he also helped the Old Lady claim six league titles.

But perhaps the climax of his career came when he scored in Italy's second in a 2-0 semi-final win over Germany in the 2006 World Cup (above), before converting a spot-kick in the final shoot-out against France.

(Source: FourFourTwo Magazine)

[mileapokp1677]

Three Steps to Win You (CH 12)

Title: Three Steps to Win You

Rating: M

Pairing: DaddyChan/Tankhun, Kinn/Porsche, Vegas/Pete

Category: M/M, AU Nerd-Jock

Summary: Accidentally, scientist Tankhun Theerapanyakul embarrassed footballer Captain Chan "Daddy" Knight in front of his coach, teammates and fans. He had to fulfill three tasks from the captain before his apology was accepted.

Chapter 12

(Chan POV)

At first, of course, he was surprised that Kim slammed the door in his face, but then he imagined himself as a fanboy in front of Paolo Maldini, his absolute favorite footballer, the chances of him doing the same thing as Kim were very high or maybe even worse, that's why Chan just smiled amusingly.

As he faintly heard Porsche's words to Kim, followed by loud shouts of 'Holy Shit', Chan's smile grew wider. Without realizing he did so, Chan touched a large cloth bag containing his old jerseys, his old shoes, and a new BSFC original ball, all of which he had signed, as a gift to Kim. There was a hint of guilt in Chan's heart, for he felt these small gifts were like a bribe to soften Tankhun's heart, but Chan didn't know what else to do. That night, when he called Porsche to ask him for the Theerapanyakul family’s home address, he gave him a tip that being nice to Kim was the best way to get into Tankhun’s good side. However, considering this boy is his big fan, there was nothing wrong with pleasing his own fans, right?

Chan guessed he just had to wait and see. 

There was the sound of the door being opened for the second time, Kim's red face with embarrassment was clearly visible this time, his hair was still a little tousled and his eyes were still puffy as if he had just woken up. No wonder he was so shocked earlier. The Theerapanyakuls really had the heart to prank their youngest brother like this. Although Chan had to admit, it was fucking brilliant. Poor boy. 

“Cap… umh… I mean Mr. Knight… umn… I’m sorry about earlier… I…,” stammered Kim, who didn’t even dare to look him in the eyes. 

“Just call me Cap,” responded Chan, trying to calm this young footballer's nerves. “I heard you’re a Cap yourself.”

"Ah, yes. How do you know?" asked Kim who was surprised, yet, there was a hint of pride in his little smile, it seemed he could control his emotions quite well now.

“Your brothers told me,” answered Chan, then greeted said brothers that stood behind Kim, “Good morning, Tankhun, Kinn, Porsche.” 

The Theerapanyakul men had not yet had time to return his greeting, Kim was already shouting.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa~! You mean they know you… umn I mean… You know them!?” 

Ah… shit! 

Thankfully, Tankhun immediately showed up to save the day.

“Kim, sweetie, shouldn't you freshen up before we talk about this?”

Tankhun's words made Kim self-conscious about his situation in an instant. Chan could see from the expression on his face that Kim was weighing and thinking hard, before finally making a decision.

"Okay, but Cap... you're not going anywhere, are you?" pleaded Kim. 

"I'll be here," Chan promised.

Kim quickly ran, leaving the four of them in the foyer of the Theerapanyakul residence.

"I'll be quick, I promise!"

As soon as Kim was out of sight Tankhun yelled at him, "What the fuck, Chan!?"

“Tankhun…,” said Kinn in a warning tone. “Please, come in, P’Chan.” 

“Thank you,” Chan replied as he entered the big house.

"Have you had breakfast, P' Chan?" asked Porsche. "Before we came here, we bought P' favorite fried dough stick. There’s plenty for all of us."

"I think it's best if Pa doesn't know about this, let's just sit at the table in the side garden," Tankhun suggested, his face still sullen.

"I also think it's the best way," replied Kinn, agreeing to his brother's suggestion. "Porsche, darling, please ask auntie to prepare something for us."

"Just tea and sandwiches, Porsche," continued Tankhun. "Captain needs caramel in his coffee and we never do such things in this house."

Chan grimaced, but strangely, his heart felt happy and relieved when hearing Tankhun shade him viciously like that.

I really need to get my head checked. 

“I already had my breakfast, but tea would be great,” said Chan gleefully. 

The side garden of Theerapanyakul's residence was very beautiful. The semi-circular landscape was dominated by the grass and short bushes that surround the shape of the land as the edge. Hundreds of white and pink rosebuds brought color into that heavenly green space. Chan wondered if he could replicate this garden in his newly built home.

“Please, have a seat, P’,” asked Kinn, being the perfect host. 

“This garden is so beautiful,” said Chan as he sat down and feasted at the exquisiteness in front of him. 

“Thank you. This garden was designed by our late Mother. Thank God, we found a gardener who can take good care of it,” replied Tankhun in a gentler tone of voice. 

Now that the situation had begun to de-escalate, Chan finally got a chance to clearly see Tankhun's appearance this morning. And once again his breath hitched just like the first time he saw this beautiful garden. The bright yellow long sleeves oversized off-shoulder t-shirt framed Tankhun's slender right shoulder and his delicate neck and collarbones perfectly. His ratty short jeans revealed Tankhun's beautifully shaped long legs gloriously – did he ever say that he's a leggy man? – Chan felt a little dizzy. White Converse and multi-color striped short socks completed the outfit. He looked amazing and Chan was 100% sure that Tankhun was aware of that.

Luckily, Porsche and auntie, who pushed the tea trolley, arrived just in time, giving Chan a distraction, before his mind went wild.

Tankhun poured the tea for him, and asked in his signature tone that was on the borderline between mocking and teasing, "One lump of sugar or maybe five ?"

Chan couldn't help but let out another smile, this person in front of him affected him like no other, and the captain didn't know why he was acting like this. Porsche, who was sitting to his right, giggled softly, which was immediately stopped by Kinn, with a super low 'shhh'. These two seemed to know a lot more than Chan about what happened, maybe he should just ask them. 

“One is enough, thank you.”

Tankhun handed Chan his teacup while glancing at the big cloth bag he had placed on the floor, close to his left leg. Looks like Tankhun saw a soccer ball that was slightly poking out.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, this is a gift for Kim. My old jerseys, old football boots, and BSFC original ball, all signed by me,” explained Chan. 

“Oh, thank God, you are not just a pretty head,” replied Tankhun, taking the cloth bag from him to check the content. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kinn and Porsche turning their faces to their right, and judging by their shaking bodies, they must have been holding back their giggles. 

"I don't know whether to be flattered or offended," Chan said. "But I'll take it as a compliment."

"It's really not." 

Kinn's and Porsche's bodies shook even harder, Chan could only chuckle while shaking his head. 

“I’m back~~!” screamed Kim as he ran towards them from inside the house. 

“You look nice,” said Tankhun sweetly to Kim, it is shown clearly in his face how he adores his youngest brother. 

“P’, move!” demanded Kim out of the blue. The boy is being a brat if he might say. 

“Kim,” warned Kinn. “Behaved, please.” 

Kim blushed in an instant and then pleaded with Tankhun in a much nicer tone, “P’, may I have your seat so I can sit next to Cap, please?”

“Sure,” replied Tankhun who immediately got up from his seat. 

Kim sat down on the empty chair promptly and started talking right away at such a high speed that he was out of breath.

"Cap, I don't know where to start, but I've been your biggest fan for over 12 years. I play football because of you. I wish I could be a professional footballer like you, but just playing football at university level already makes me very happy. I watched your every match on TV, I also watched you at the BOC Stadium many many times, but I never thought I could see you this close... I… it’s like a dream…."

Kim took a deep breath, before continuing, "I watched all your videos, followed all your tips on proper exercise and diet..."

Did he just hear Tankhun's snort? But Chan continued to focus his attention on Kim because apart from appreciating all the words of praise these young fans had said to him, he was pretty sure this was what Tankhun wanted.

"... hopefully Cap will be willing to sign some of my BSFC jerseys."

“Are you done, bro? That’s quite a speech,” asked Porsche. “Here…  drink some water.”

Kim took the glass of water from Porsche and drank it all in three gulps.

“I have something for you,” said Chan as he gave Kim the gift he had prepared.

Kim's loud screams when he saw the content inside the cloth bag, didn't surprise Chan at all, he had seen and felt reactions that were crazier than this.

"Th-this... this is the jersey you've worn before in a match, isn't it, Cap?"

"Yes."

"Oh my God! And you gave me the home and away uniform. Aaaah~ even the Cap armband!"

"From one Cap to another. You can use it for all your matches this season."

"I can't believe this~ your custom-made boots, and holy shit! This is the newest BSFC original ball! Isn't it not available yet?”

"I know some people," Chan said with a wink.

"Duh~ silly me,” stated Kim. “And all signed by you~ THANK YOU!!!” 

While Kim was busy with the gifts he received, Chan stole glances at Tankhun. What Porsche had said to him that night was by no means an exaggeration, for the look Tankhun gave him at that moment was very gentle and warm. Unfortunately, it won’t last long. 

“So, what’s the plan for today, Chan?” 

“The team of architects and contractors who built my house, last Sunday informed me that the construction of my house had been completed,” explained Chan. 

"Oh, so happy for you, P'. Congratulations!" said Kinn excitedly. "Finally!"

“Thank you, Kinn.”

"What does that have to do with me?" asked Tankhun again, his face getting suspicious.

"You're going to help me move things from the penthouse to my new house today... as your second task," Chan replied with a big smile.

"Excuse me, you want me to do what !?" yelled Tankhun. 

Ah~ there he is… the feisty Tankhun... 

"I told you, there will be a lot of physical activity," affirmed Chan to Tankhun, whose face was red with anger.

"You really expect me to pack your things and do the heavy lifting? ME!?" 

"Yes."

"You must be out of your mind, mister!" wailed Tankhun as he got up from his chair. 

"You gave me your words, remember? Three tasks of my choice” stated Chan calmly. 

Tankhun was so angry he actually stomped his foot on the floor like a kid. It was the cutest thing.

"Don't tell me it's just the two of us!? I swear to God, I'll kill you." 

Porsche, who had been holding back his laughter for a long time, finally couldn't take it anymore, he burst out laughing.

"You better stop laughing now before I smack your pretty face!" Tankhun warned Porsche, which only made him laugh even more.

"Tankhun, all this yelling, is this really necessary? A promise is a promise," stated Kinn.

"YOU, stop acting like Pa, I'm older than you!"

"Then act like one!"

Kinn also got up from his chair and the two brothers were intensely staring at each other. 

"Why, you little..." 

"P'... P'Kinn, please behave, we have a guest here," Kim suddenly interrupted the fight between his two older brothers.

"SHUT UP!" 

Instead of two, now there were three Theerapanyakuls arguing in front of him. As an only child, Chan had never felt or understood the relationship between siblings, but he liked what he saw. Of course, Chan realized that he wasn't a part of any of this, but being in their midst like this made Chan feel like he was. Without a warning, a warm feeling slipped into his heart.

"Welcome to the Theerapanyakul residence, P'Chan," said Porsche jokingly at him. 

Chan smiled.

TBC

[kowledgebankdh]

The Best Goals From the World Cup

The 2014 World Cup saw 172 goals in 64 matches, the highest ever recorded in the history of the tournament. Some teams scored incredible goals and it was enjoyable to see. Additionally, the number of shootouts is an all-time level. Playing in teams is the best method of scoring goals. A counterattack can produce goals when there is space between the players. It is also possible to happen when there is a prolonged period of possession. But, individual brilliance is just as much a part of a goal that is a success for the team. For example Richarlison's kick with a scissor against Serbia was an amazing technique, but it would have been more spectacular when he actually scored the goal. As Spain was in a good position against Morocco however, the Atlas Lions were searching for an equaliser. The game entered as a tiebreaker when Kolo Muani scored his first international goal in the 79th minutes. Both teams had a ten minute window to qualify for the knockout stage. There were four combinations of teams that could qualify during the time. All teams had to be successful, regardless of which team it was Argentina or Spain, Germany, or Morocco. Another huge upset was the World Cup final. England had a good performance, fell 1-0 to Qatar who had already defeated Mexico and Poland in order to reach the last eight. England did not recover in the final. But, their race against the clock gave them the confidence to defeat Senegal. Another team that had an impressive performance was Brazil. Ronaldo's hat trick against Switzerland in the final 16 helped them to a 6-1 win. His final goal was the one that sealed the deal. Though he hadn't scored in almost three years, he finally added an additional goal to his arsenal.

Argentina was expected to perform excellently at the World Cup with Messi shining. The Argentines weren't able to take on the English. Even though the World Cup is the biggest event of the year, the pressure was on the Argentines to beat England. However, Argentina ended up winning the match 2-1. Kylian Mbappe was among the other players to break out during the tournament. He scored eight goals in the tournament. He is the only player in history to achieve more than eight goals in an World Cup. He's now scored 12 goals in two tournaments. He ranks sixth among World Cup goal scorer. Other noteworthy players from this year's tournament included Lucas Mathieu of France, who became the youngest player to participate in the knockout stages of the World Cup to score five goals since 1958. Portugal's Goncalo Ramos who scored a hat-trick against Switzerland in the final 16th minute, was impressive. Francesco Totti, Portugal's captain returned to the field after a broken leg. Brazil's Neymar scored another great goal. His goal of winning the World Cup for Brazil was not realized, but Neymar was able to surpass Pele's record of eight goals that he scored during one tournament. Gabriel Batistuta, Paolo Maldini and many others might not be back in time for the next World Cup. But, the 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar. That means that the fans in Qatar will be able to see the young core of the nation in action. Go to YouTube

[thefalse9]

2022 Serie A Preview: Spezia

Last Year's Finish: 16th

Predicted Finish: 15th

Odds To Win Serie A: 3500 to 1 via OddsChecker

Prospects:

Despite being among the favorites to get relegated last term, Spezia avoided the drop for a second year in a row, as the Ligurians now prepare for their third straight season in Italy’s top flight.

Yet, Spezia decided to part ways with Thiago Motta, who left in June and Luca Gotti, who had just had a positive season at Udinese, took over. Bizarrely, one of Gotti’s first actions was to take away the captain’s armband form Giulio Maggiore, who now seems set to leave the club after six seasons in Liguria. Because why wouldn't you get rid of a fan favorite and loyal servant as your first act. That's normal, right?

This was a clear sign of the changing times. Gotti picked Emmanuel Gyasi as the team’s new captain, despite reports that last season the Ghanaian had physical confrontations with Maggiore, creating a locker-room crisis before a ball was kicked. Again, because Gotti is making nothing but good decisions and endearing himself to the fanbase.

As if that wasn’t enough, Ivan Provedel, who played a huge role between the sticks for last term, was allowed to leave and replaced by Dragowski from Fiorentina who has history of being lazy, not training hard and quitting on his teammates. Because again, Gotti loves chaos or some shit.

Rej Manaj, who netted five times last term was another important figure that left Liguria, after his loan from Barcelona expired. Daniel Maldini came from Milan as a replacement and while Paolo’s son has the potential, he is yet to feature regularly in Serie A. Kevin Agudelo has been brought on, as has Albin Ekdal, but at 32 it’s hard to expect wonders from the Swedish midfielder.

Transfers:

There's somewhat good news here. Provedel is gone and so is Eddie Salcedo. Maggliore is going to force his way or kill Gyasi in the process. That said? You added Agudelo who is a solid piece on the flanks and can take the load off your new captain while adding Maldini, who while raw, still showcases a bunch of potential. This is a young, raw team without leadership and a whooole load of drama, but maybe they pull a rabbit out of their hat for a 3rd straight year.

One To Watch:

It's Gyasi, but it's not for anything good. The 28-year-old who scored six goals last season, is expected to be Spezia’s new captain and while his technical quality can’t be put into doubt, there are some question marks over his ability to set an example and lead. Gyasi failed to provide a single assist last term – a stat highlighting his, at times, centered style, and if the Ghanaian is about to lead his side to yet another salvation, he’ll need to be more of a team player. He can't do it alone, and the hope is he realizes that, but the betting money is that he won't and Spezia will stay up (barely) in spite of him.

Outlook:

Relegaaaaation Zoooone. We've hit that point, folks! Where fun goes to die and the team start to suck because of mismanagement, giving one player too much power, a lack of talent or sometimes, beautifully enough? A combination of all three! Spezia has talent, so they'll survive, just barely, but Gyasi is a cancer and Gotti is the moron who enables him. Maggliore deserved better; he won't get it, but the hope is he finds a soft landing spot while Spezia struggles to finish 15th.

[chasingpegasus]

[ineedtopost]

Pink

[stephspurs]

A Family Affair | Euro 2020 Football Fanfiction - BONUS MOMENTS

PSA: To all new readers, you don't have to read the series (link below) to understand this, however it would help so that you can understand the preconceived emotions behind the chapter!

The Proposal | la proposta

warnings; none word count; 1703 writing tools; third person until dashed line, first person thereafter. link to fic masterlist here

13th July 2024, Germany

Amelia and Ben had found themselves experiencing a slight bit of deja vu. The night before the final match of the UEFA European Championship, Amelia was sat in her hotel suite, finalising her preparations for the following evening. A rematch between the Three Lions and The Azzurri. Who would have thought that three years after the last final, the same two teams (give or take a few players) would be in the exact same position.

The difference this time, Amelia had more to think about than just her brother’s feelings. Her relationship with Ben had grown throughout the 3 years that they had been officially together. Countless family holidays shared together, and with each other's respective families had since become a thing of the past as they had successfully managed to merge both the White’s and the Chilwell’s together to create one big happy family. Ben had asked Amelia to move in with him only a year into their relationship, and although outsiders might think it was fast the couple could only disagree with them. They took each stage of their relationship as it came and when it came, just the two of them how it should be.

6 months after moving in together they had adopted a dog together from the local animal rescue centre, a black Labrador called Maverick who was bi-lingual and responded to both English and Italian, much to Ben’s dismay. Amelia began teaching both of her boys (Mav & Benj) simple words in the language of love  and Ben had a harder time retaining it than the pup. Nevertheless, he loved hearing Amelia’s voice when she spoke to him in Italian and it was something he hoped he could hear every day for the rest of his life.

Amelia had continued her role at Chelsea FC as a tactical analyst for the first team, and Chelsea had honored their promise to the girl to allow her to work in depth with the academy talent which is something she found very rewarding and the part she loved most about her job. Of course she loved being around her friends and helping them achieve their dreams but there was something about fostering youth talent that made Amelia really proud to be in the position that she was, to help these young kids from all walks of life make it in the big scary world of professional football. The smile on their faces when they get a call up to an older division, the tears shed by their parents as they wave them off to go and live with their host family nearby Cobham facility, the same eyes that leak a whole different set of tears as they sign their first professional contract with the club - it makes it all worth it.

Something that was eerily similar to the last time Amelia was sat in her hotel room the night before the European Championship Final is that she was, once again, the tactical analyst for the Italian National Team. This time, however, there was no knock on her door with Federico Bernardeschi on the other side waiting to bring her to the English National Team’s base so she could have it out with her brother and Kyle Walker. Thankfully, her relationships with all of the England team had remained intact but that was largely due to another no-contact ban being enforced between her and the Three Lions. This meant that she hadn’t had a chance to talk to any of her friends, let alone her boyfriend Ben, in three weeks. It was painful for both parties, but necessary to ensure that there was no untowards activity or information being shared.

When Amelia was first offered the job she had sat on it for days before making a decision to rejoin the national team. Ben had actually been the one to push her to accept it, it was only something that would make her life better and he didn’t want her to miss out on any opportunity that came her way - even if it meant that the two of them had to be apart both physically and digitally for 3 weeks. That was the thing that held Amelia back from accepting the position on the spot, she would miss the person that became her right hand man. But Ben’s encouragement made the last few weeks easier, and also made Amelia realise just how ready she was to give herself to him...officially.

Marriage had been something that they had both discussed prior as a natural conversation between two people in a relationship that they could see was obviously heading in that direction already, so it was something that was always in Amelia’s mind. She had found herself at florists buying flowers for their dining room table and absent-mindedly thinking about the perfect wedding flowers for her bridal bouquet. However much to Amelia’s dismay, Ben was yet to ask her the most important question of her life and these three weeks apart have made her more desperate than ever to become Mrs Chilwell.

14th July 2024, Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund Germany

A torturous 90-minute match of football later and the Azzurri had done it, back-to-back UEFA European Champions. The only goal of the match coming from her midfield-maestro Jorgi, which was the direct result of a misplay from Declan Rice meaning the ball fell at the feet of Jorginho as he was directly in front of the goal, Jordan Pickford was no match for the beautifully crafted strike which isn’t anything towards Pickford, no keeper was stopping that ball from going in - it was just that good.

This time however, she was the one being consoled by her brother. The pressure of the situation getting on top of her, 3 weeks of no contact with Ben & seeing him for the first time out on this pitch but not being able to kiss him was getting to her, the knowledge that she was again partly to blame for their heartache. Her brother had seen the look in Amelia’s eyes when the whistle blew and the entire bench of the Italian team ran onto the pitch to congratulate the players, she had remained behind. Wrapping his arms around his little sister as she sobbed into his jersey because she was too empathetic for her own good was not how he predicted the outcome of the evening at all, but he was glad he was there for her. Pulling away from her, he tidied up her face and sent her on her way out to the pitch to wrap her Italian friends up in the hugs that they so well deserved, fully aware of the events to follow the wrap up awards ceremony that same night.

______________________________________________________________

I found myself standing in the centre circle at the Borussia Dortmund home ground, with an Italian flag wrapped around my shoulders and confetti all over the floor at my feet. Looking around at the fans who had stayed behind so they could meet their idols, I could not believe my luck in this world.

“I hope you’re not considering a job out here in Dortmund, Mils? I possibly couldn’t be away from you any longer” Ben spoke from behind me, pulling me out of my trance. I whipped my body around at lightning speed and launched myself at my boyfriend, my soul mate.

“Ben” I whispered into his ear as he lifted me from the ground, feet dangling at his mid shin and my arms wrapped around his shoulders so tightly as if to convey all of the hugs we had missed out over the last few weeks apart.

“Mils, I’ve missed you so much.” He said back to me, expressing the exact same sentiments as I possessed. He put me back on the floor and began to push me away from him, in my desperate attempt at a longer hug I wrapped my arms around his torso and pulled myself back in.

“No Mils, I need to see your face as I do this.” He laughed, pushing me off him again and taking a step back from me.

“Benj, what are you doing?” I questioned him, not really believing my own thoughts as to what was about to happen.

“Amelia, my brilliant Amelia. The past three weeks have done nothing but made me realise I never want to spend a day without you again. There are many ways to be happy in life, but all I need is you.  You are my sunshine, you make me unbelievably happy, you make my good days great and my hard day's worth it just to see your smile in our kitchen at the end of it. Your brain is the most beautiful thing I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I hope our future daughter turns out exactly like you so that I have another you to love.”

Ben had descended to one knee as I stood before him, both hands raised to my face to cover my shocked by bright smile and both eyes stuck directly on his own. I hadn’t noticed the crowd of our closest people begin to gather around us to watch the show.

“So in front of God…” Ben nodded his head slightly, I turned my head to see he was referring to Paolo Maldini and shook my head with a little giggle which was copied by everyone else around us.

“...our family and closest friends I want to ask you the question that I know you’ve been patiently waiting for - will you marry me?” Ben pulled out the most perfect ring from a box that I hadn’t even noticed in his hands.

Dropping myself so that I was crouched and on both knees in front of him, I grabbed his face with both of my own hands and pressed the firmest kiss to his lips. My tears ran down my face and probably all over his, he kissed me back. They say a picture says a thousand words, and while I hoped that at least one of our friends had managed to snap a few of this moment, my kiss said only one word...Yes.

[somedaytakethetime]

No I don't have one (yet) but i would looove to have more of those lists from players maybe about bodycount OR their links 😩

Yeah I am German sorry for the "und"

I'll go with body count first because it's "easier" than kinks (I'll take 30 years to write all the kinks down... bear with me on that one soon xD) Please don't apologise I loved that und there because it's one of the few German words I actually understand!!

Okay, *cracks knucles* here we go: Players and... "how much of a hoe are these man" edition!

Manuel Neuer - I have a feeling his body count is both higher and lower than I'm thinking.... which around 20 in my head Kasper Schmeichel - like 2 or 3, *maybe* 5... possibly even less, I just can't imagine him with anyone other than Stine xD Simon Kjær - for some reason I have a feeling he got around a bit? He was BEAUTIFUL when he was a bit younger (he's still BEAUTIFUL now but we're talking model good looks without the beard and the longer hair in like I think 2000-something) so I'd guess a bit less than Manuel but higher than Kasper so: 8? 10? more? Łukasz Piszczek - oh man... he's so pretty but for some reason I feel like people aren't as into him as they should be, I'd say 20-28 possibly a bit more. Mats Hummels - oh man... *snickers*... hum-hum he's HOT but also I feel like women pass him over a lot? But I'd say 25+ but less than 35, but who knows... he's probably gotten around a bit. Gregor Kobel - I have a feeling around like 10?... once again, I feel like he isn't as looked at as he should be. Marco Reus - why do I feel like he's a hoe?..... I don't know but I just do... 50+ (women and men) Leon Goretzka - I... can't see this dude being a ladies' man? I just can't?? I think it's the Twinkeon phase... I'll say around 12, sounds like a good number Federico Chiesa - he didn't have that many before, but starting now? Oh... he's about to get those numbers UP... so far though? like 5 Leonardo Bonucci - I can see this man crushing puss but at the same time I CAN'T see this man crushing puss.... about 28-30 Nicolò Zaniolo - *snickers**chokes*.... hum-hum.... 3 or 4.... *looks at camera like in the Office**snickers* (that's sarcasm by the way, he's a hoe) Alessio Romagnoli - I CAN'T SEE HIM BE A LADIES' MAN!! I JUST CAN'T HE SEEMS WAY TO SHY AND SWEET!! I'll say like 3. Ciro Immobile - HOE!! this man as had all the experiences in his youth! I'll go with a 30+ but less that 55. Davide Calabria - he's still young, he hasn't gotten around all that much... 8? 9? Matteo Pessina - I don't think he's gotten around much, probably only like 5 or so... Manuel Locatelli - WHORE!! WHO *HASN'T* THIS MAN HAD?? DID YOU SEE HIM ON THAT PITCH THAT ONE TIME?? HE'S HAD *ALL* OF THEM! Eric Dier - I feel like he's a way bigger whore than people give him credit for, he seems all low-key and nice... he's crushing puss when no one notices... especially during his years in Portugal? I'm sure Portuguese women threw themselves at him and back when he had the Prince Eric Hair? SO MUCH PUSS RAINING DOWN! I'll give like 35+ up to 45 Hugo Lloris - not that many, but he is French and the French are charming.... around 20 Rúben Dias - *snickers*.... a lot of them.... have you seen how naked he is all the time? around 25-35 Ben Chilwell - if we're going by the rumours? He's had all of England going twice around.... xD Andriy Shevchenko - this man crush puss like crazy! I can feel it! Around 35+ Paolo Maldini - another one!! IT WAS THE EYES!! HE GOT THEM ALL WITH THE EYES!! 38-40 Peter Schmeichel - 👀👀👀 Scorpio..... Tall Blonde Dane..... I'll let you guess... Jürgen Klopp - THIS IS A LADIES' MAN!! THIS MAN CAN GET THEM ALL!! HE'S JUST KIND ENOUGH TO LEAVE SOME FOR THE REST OF THEM!! 55+ Giovanni Di Lorenzo - he's cute and he seems like a naughty bastard.... around 20 Patrick Cutrone - he's young, he's precious, he's adorable, I love him, he's my cinnamon roll AND PEOPLE DON'T LOVE HIM LIKE THEY SHOULD!! 10 Roman Bürki - WHORE!! but he was a shy whore... I still remember the time.... I'll say around 30 John Stones - *snickers*.... a saint..... definitely has never gotten around... ever..... *cackling* Thomas Müller - Lisa and Lisa *only*, he's never wanted anyone else. he's like Kasper I just can't even see them with anyone else but their wives. maybe made out with like 3 girls before Lisa Marco Rose - DILF could always get it, and he probably still does. 30+ Pepe Guardiola - I think this man is so sexy... DON'T JUDGE ME! I think he's crushed some before he got married... around 23 Benjamin Pavard - he's French, he's a Himbo, he's got abs, and he

can sweet talk the skin off a snake... he also likes MILFs... and he's also young though.... around 17 Adrien Rabiot - none of them. have you met his mother? women are terrified of going near him (NOT ME ADRI I CAN MATCH YOUR DEMON MOTHER PLEASE!!) Jan Vertonghen - ALL.OF.THEM.!!! ALL!!! there's rumours about this dude but I won't touch of them because I think they are super disrespectful... but.... he looks like a total magnet that's all I'll say.... Matty Cash - I barely know anything about him, he seems young and sweet.... 5? Kevin Trapp - OOF!! not as many as people think, I think a lot of women would be intimidated by how pretty he is. around 10-20? Thomas Delaney - I've heard the song they made about him back when he played in Denmark... he could still get it but he's a loving husband now. I'll say he also is shy and sweet and he probably didn't even realise women were hitting on him before his wife. xD Nicolò Barella - a baby... that also has a baby... I'll say his girlfriend and maybe like 3 others? Oliver Giroud - in his youth? oh boy!! also... the rumours.... he's gotten around... he's French and smexy after all....

[souradeep85]

A look at all the hype behind Romagnoli

[jasminelyoko57]

Rossoneri (Legends) = Holy Quintet (PMMM)

Why the frick I found some similarities in Rossoneri (AC Milan) legend squad to Holy Quintet, like I see:

Paolo Maldini = Mami Tomoe

Because she seems like the leader and mature of the group, so does Maldini because I found him like... experienced (to taste the World Cup and captaincy at such a young age).

Andrea Pirlo = Sayaka Miki

Both are dang carefree, Pirlo’s case is milder because he always sport a ‘I’m-not-impressed’ look, but he always take his time to prank Gattuso lol XD.

Filippo ‘Pippo’ Inzaghi - Gennaro ‘Rino’ Gattuso = Kyoko Sakura

I don’t know but... I just get the feeling that Pippo and Rino matched to Kyoko because of their carefree (Pippo), hot-headed (Gattuso), and ‘get-into-action’ nature.

Alessandro Nesta = Homura Akemi

Because our lovely defender is elegant and goes into his pace like Homura does, isn’t he? :3

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite - Kaka = Madoka Kaname

I found Madoka and Kaka are both innocent and (for Kaka, religiously) uwu

Thank you for your time to read this absolutely absurd post XD

[calciopics]

When Ronaldo joined Inter from Barcelona and tore Serie A to shreds

Ronaldo was outstanding in La Liga but his peak came when he moved to Italy and embarrassed the world’s best defenders

It’s 8 June 1997 in Lyon, where Italy and Brazil are preparing to square off in Le Tournoi for their first meeting since the World Cup final three years earlier. Italy coach Cesare Maldini walks over to Fabio Cannavaro and says: “Fabio, we’ll see if this Ronaldo truly is a phenomenon.” By the end of a pulsating 3-3 draw, Ronaldo has scored and tormented both Cannavaro and Paolo Maldini. Cannavaro returns to his manager and tells him that the young Brazilian is indeed the real deal, to which Maldini replies: “Yes Fabio, you are right.”

Ronaldo joined Inter six weeks later. According to former Inter president Massimo Moratti, the idea of signing Ronaldo occurred after a drab, goalless draw at Fiorentina three months earlier. Moratti supposedly concocted the plan in the back of a Florentine taxi. And true to his word, he delivered, exploiting rising tensions between Ronaldo and Barcelona to activate the Brazilian’s buyout clause. The transfer sent a wave of excitement through Italian football not seen since the summer Diego Maradona joined Napoli 13 years earlier.

The revisionist narrative surrounding Ronaldo’s career is that the year in Barcelona was the pinnacle of his career. According to the statistics, this is true. The fact he rifled in 47 goals in 49 games in all competitions, including the wonder goal against Compostela in October 1996, where he swatted away defenders with such outrageous ease, reinforces the narrative.

Yet his true peak came in his first season at Inter, where this perfectly assembled force of nature destroyed everything in his path. Rampaging through La Liga was one thing, but doing it in Serie A – by far and away the greatest league in the world (and with 1997-98 perhaps the strongest single season the sport has ever seen) – was quite another.

Serie A had been home to the world’s best players and the game’s most feared strikers for years. Italy’s grizzled defenders were used to locking horns with great foreign players, but they weren’t quite ready for Ronaldo. If Maradona possessed dribbling genius, Zinedine Zidane the ethereal technique and Marco van Basten, Gabriel Batistuta and George Weah raw physicality and pace sprinkled with a dash of elegance, Ronaldo was an intoxicating cocktail of them all. A PlayStation footballer come to life.

Ronaldo’s highly anticipated debut was upended by Álvaro Recoba, who scored two howitzers in the space of five minutes to overcome Brescia. The second match of the season saw Inter travel to face Bologna in a game billed as “Ronaldo v Baggio”, a battle between the game’s two premier players for a large stretch of the decade. The game at the rain-drenched Stadio Dall’ara was an instant classic, with Baggio scoring two and Inter scoring four. Ronaldo got off the mark, twisting Bologna defender Massimo Paganin like a pretzel on the edge of the box with a right foot shimmy before planting the ball into the bottom corner with his left.

“Ronaldo? Mamma mia! What a player,” reflected Baggio in 2021. “He came from the future. He played football with technique and speed ahead of his time. I saw him do things that were unthinkable, which no one had done or thought of until then. He was unique.”

Ronaldo scored six in his next seven games, including a mesmeric performance against Parma in October. He danced and glided his way past players at will, even crashing a free-kick past Gianluigi Buffon from 25 yards out that clipped the underside of the crossbar. By Christmas, he had nine goals in 13 games.

“He was an alien among humans,” said Buffon. “It seemed like he was created in a lab. He was the perfect player, as he had power, speed, intuition, technical skills and quickness.” That was the beauty of the first Ronaldo. He could do everything: he took penalties, free-kicks and even corners in his first season at Inter; he would pick up the ball near the halfway line and dribble past as many players dared stand in his way.

Ronaldo and Inter suffered a bit of a dip following the 1-0 win against Juventus in early 1998, dropping 10 points in January and February. His one and only league hat-trick came in the 5-0 demolition of Lecce in the middle of this sticky patch.

If you want a snapshot of just how good Ronaldo was during his golden period at Inter, his performance against Spartak Moscow in the second leg of their Uefa Cup semi-final is the perfect distillation of a player operating in a different orbit. Describing the pitch at the old Dynamo Stadium as a potato field would be an affront to potato fields the world over. Even though the surface was laced with ice and snow, the game was inexplicably allowed to go ahead. It made little difference to Ronaldo.

He scored twice and his second was spectacular. Like his goals against Sampdoria, Lecce and Schalke, Ronaldo collected the ball from deep. He spun on a dime, ran deep into the heart of the defence and passed to Iván Zamorano, who squeezed the ball back to Ronaldo, who danced through two defenders with a single touch, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted the ball home, while effectively playing on an ice rink. “Straordinario” shouted legendary Rai commentator Bruno Pizzul.

The season had been building to the titanic clash between Inter and Juventus at the end of April. The most important Derby d’Italia in years, with only a point separating them, was essentially stripped down to a battle between Ronaldo and Alessandro Del Piero, the two best players in the world. They had been upstaging one another all season, forcing the other to raise the stakes even higher. “When you arrived at Inter you were already in my head, and you inspired me to become better,” said Del Piero to Ronaldo in 2020.  Ronaldo had scored 22 in 28 Serie A games and had dominated the Uefa Cup; Del Piero had 20 in 30 games and had dominated the Champions League. Whoever won the game would win the title.

The game now lives in infamy, a tale of two penalties: one denied to Inter and one given to Juventus just 15 seconds later. The controversy went right to the top, with Italian politicians even debating the decision – and fighting over it in parliament. But the truth is that Ronaldo had missed several chances before Mark Iuliano sent him tumbling in the box. The story of the game was of missed chances rather than a penalty not given. The 1-0 defeat took the wind out of Inter’s sails and, with the league mathematically gone following a surprise defeat to Bari in early May, the focus now became the Uefa Cup final against Lazio in Paris.

Ronaldo stole the show. “I have watched that game on video so many times since then, trying to work out what I did wrong,” recalled Alessandro Nesta. “We lost 3-0, but I don’t think it was my fault. Ronaldo was simply unstoppable. He is so quick he makes everyone else look as if they are standing still.” Nesta, one of the most elegant defenders Italy ever produced and a player who shackled Lionel Messi at the age of 36, could do little to stop Ronaldo at 22.

The Brazilian produced the most complete performance of his career, toying with Lazio for 90 minutes. Javier Zanetti and Zamorano had already scored before Ronaldo sprung Lazio’s offside trap in the 69th minute to utterly bamboozle the hapless Luca Marchegiani, putting the goalkeeper on the floor without so much as touching the ball before stroking it into the empty net.

“It was incredible, but he did tricks like that in every training session,” recalled Youri Djorkaeff. “We were used to it. Ronaldo was phenomenal. He proved that he was a cut above the rest that season.” It became one of the defining goals of the 1990s, confirmation that Ronaldo was a 21st-century footballer playing in the dying embers of the 20th.

Ronaldo would end the 1997-98 season with 34 goals in all competitions, 25 in Serie A. He had torn the most unrelenting league the world has ever seen to shreds. “My toughest opponents would be Maradona, Ronaldo, who was phenomenal in his two years at Inter, and Zidane,” said Maldini when asked by La Gazzetta dello Sport to name the players who gave him the hardest time in his 24-year career. “Ronaldo was the only player who really stirred fear in me. Just walking on the same pitch as he did was terrifying for me,” wrote Cannavaro in 2018.

Inter did not win the Scudetto, but going into France 98 there was no doubting Ronaldo was the finest footballer on planet Earth. Everything seemed to be there for the taking and most assumed that he would only get better. Yet, just two months after his Uefa Cup zenith in Paris, the same city bore witness to the beginning of the end of peak Ronaldo, and he was never the same. The human knee simply wasn’t built for that level of contorting, pulling and pushing – not on a frame as muscular as Ronaldo’s and at such devastating speed.

But, if you were fortunate enough to witness it, Ronaldo was special in 1997-98. The ultimate cheat code player. Il Fenomeno.

By Emmet Gates for The Gentleman Ultra