Free Web NovelChapter 512: Chapter 103: Bayern’s Infighting! Surpassing Ronaldo! Dortmund’s Strategic Opportunity! The Greatest Sponsorship Contract in History
However, starting from the 96/97 season, a points system was introduced, assigning different point values based on a league’s competitiveness.
For example, goals in the top four leagues are worth two points each.
Therefore, Wang Shuo’s 36 goals were worth a total of 72 points.
And Wang Shuo had only just turned 20.
He surpassed Ronaldo, making him the youngest European Golden Boot Award winner in history!
"Here, I want to thank the coaches at Dortmund and all of my teammates."
"Every goal I scored was thanks to the support of the teammates around me, and I want to share this award with them."
"I don’t compete for individual awards. My goal is to help Dortmund and my teammates win more championships!"
As soon as Wang Shuo finished speaking, the press conference hall erupted in thunderous applause.
...
Overnight, the news of Wang Shuo winning the European Golden Boot Award spread rapidly across the globe.
Countless media outlets were full of praise for Wang Shuo’s victory.
Online, even though everyone already knew Wang Shuo would win the Golden Boot Award, fans and netizens were still thrilled.
This was especially true given that over the past month, while the hype around the "King of Football" wager had cooled slightly, it still garnered attention from all circles.
After every round and every match, the media and public opinion would seize upon it to generate another wave of hype.
Such is the unique influence of football.
Wang Shuo’s Golden Boot Award win naturally sparked heated discussions online.
His supporters and the vast majority of casual fans were, of course, delighted, believing that by breaking Ronaldo’s record, Wang Shuo was undeniably forging his own, entirely new, path in history.
However, some detractors, particularly those from Spain, largely considered Wang Shuo’s Golden Boot Award to be a cheap victory.
They claimed it was too easy to score goals in the Bundesliga, so the achievement lacked substance.
What was truly interesting was that on the day Wang Shuo won the European Golden Boot Award, Ronaldo first sent him a congratulatory text. It was just a single word: "Congrats."
But not long after, he posted a tweet.
"While some are busy counting their trophies, the real hunter has already set his sights. Remember, the final Chapter of this season is far from over."
Now *that* was a cleverly worded statement.
It perfectly showcased Ronaldo’s passive-aggressive style.
And just like that, the hype surrounding the "King of Football" wager flared up again.
On one hand, Wang Shuo was celebrating his Golden Boot Award; on the other, Ronaldo was posting cryptic tweets...
And Messi?
Oh, it was complete radio silence from Messi’s camp!
Messi’s fans lamented, ’Our idol won’t give us any ammunition to fight with, so how are we supposed to charge into battle?’
Wang Shuo, meanwhile, was busy sharing the official news from European Sports Media, along with the highlight videos they had edited.
They had carefully produced all this for him, so of course he had to share it.
This gave Wang Shuo’s supporters plenty of ammunition. When they went to war online, their arguments were rapid-fire and devastatingly effective.
...
Three days after receiving the European Golden Boot Award, Wang Shuo left Dortmund. Accompanied by Shen Qinghe and Thomas Essien, he traveled south to Heizogen Orlach to visit the Adidas Headquarters once again.
Wang Shuo and his party were personally welcomed by Adidas Chairman Herbert Hainer upon their arrival.
Adidas placed immense importance on this visit, even inviting numerous members of the press to be there.
Wang Shuo had come south for one reason.
To renew his contract!
Although Wang Shuo’s contract with Adidas still had two years remaining, Adidas was eager to renew it and draft an entirely new partnership agreement.
Herbert Hainer stated that Wang Shuo’s influence was growing worldwide, especially in Asia.
This was precisely the potential market that Adidas was prioritizing for the next few years.
Therefore, Adidas had made renewing Wang Shuo’s contract their top priority.
After a long period of discussions and negotiations, the two parties finally drafted a brand-new sponsorship contract, extending the term from 2012 to 2016.
In addition to extending the duration of their partnership, the two parties would also be expanding their collaboration into more Domains.
For example, Adidas was officially launching the first generation of Wang Shuo’s signature cleats today!
This was a cleat custom-designed for Wang Shuo, utilizing Adidas’s most advanced upper and sole technology. It focused on comfort and protection, was incredibly light yet durable, and also enhanced the wearer’s delicate feel for the ball.
More importantly, it was also waterproof.
"We believe that this cleat, representing the pinnacle of Adidas’s cutting-edge technology, will help Wang Shuo deliver even more exceptional performances on the pitch and score more goals!"
Wang Shuo also took the stage to endorse his new signature cleats.
The cleats had a fresh, stylish look, with a primary color scheme of black, white, and red.
The most striking feature on the cleat was, of course, the Adidas trefoil logo, which had been redesigned and simplified to better complement the overall look of the shoe.
Wang Shuo was also extremely satisfied with the cleats.
After putting them on, he even did a bit of on-the-spot ball juggling.
With his current World-level [Ball Sense], juggling a ball was truly a piece of cake for him.
In addition to the signature cleats, Adidas announced that over the next two years, they planned to develop Wang Shuo into his own sub-brand. Besides soccer cleats, they would also design more products for it.
This would include casual sneakers, athletic apparel, various accessories, and more.
Furthermore, they would invite renowned designers to spearhead the creation of these meticulously crafted product lines.
"We are confident that this sub-brand will be beloved by countless fans and sports enthusiasts all over the world!"
