I AM the Football Star

Chapter 359 - 106: Endgame—Who Is the True Hero?

"Refusing the Sports Giant Nike! What Is Lu Yang Thinking?"

"Ah Ke’s Head: Just a joke, maybe he thinks he’s worth more than fifty thousand! Even though his annual salary is only three to four hundred thousand!"

"Eliminated Early! Lu Yang, Who Refuses the Two Giants, Is Destined to Have Nothing to Do with the Golden Boy Award at the End of This Year!"

"Arrogant! Fifty thousand was given because of Sofia’s sake, who does he think he is?"

"The young football player’s heart is higher than the sky, does he want a million-dollar contract?"

News of this information quickly spread through the media.

On one hand, they were surprised by Lu Yang’s refusal of the two giants.

Lu Yang might not understand the influence of the two giants in football.

A reporter asked Lu Yang about this matter.

And Lu Yang’s answer was straightforward.

Lu Yang: "What influence do they have? Can you elaborate?"

Reporter: "Though it shouldn’t be said, everyone knows that Ah Ke and Nike have significant influence in the Golden Ball Award, World Footballer of the Year, Golden Boy Award, and other top honors."

Lu Yang: "Oh, why didn’t you say so earlier!"

Reporter: "What, do you regret it now? As far as I know, there might still be a chance to salvage things with Nike, but Ah Ke probably won’t offer you a contract again."

Lu Yang: "What I mean is that I could have added a condition for them to help me win the Golden Boy Award in our negotiations. I believe this would make them leave on their own, without me having to repeatedly refuse their contracts, which somewhat seems impolite."

Reporter: "You... do you know what you’re saying? This statement might very likely cause you to miss this year’s list of twenty for the Golden Boy Award!"

Lu Yang: "So what? Top scorer and assist king of the Italian Third Division, top scorer and assist king of the Italian Cup! Why would someone trade honors that can be achieved through hard work with one’s feet for kneeling and submission?"

"Honor is won by oneself! It is not given by anyone!"

"In my goals, the Golden Boy Award has never been a thing. Of course, this is not out of disrespect for the Golden Boy Award, but out of the hope that one day, the Golden Boy Award will feel regret for not being awarded to me!"

"This is what I believe a young football player should pursue!"

The next day, Hans published an in-depth article titled "Take Everything You Want; I Won’t Become a Dog. What I Want, I’ll Take with My Own Hands!" which immediately went viral.

It detailed the contracts offered by Ah Ke and Nike to young players in recent years.

It was evident that their "child labor contracts" were increasing.

The term lengths of their contracts became longer, but endorsement fees did not show significant growth.

Moreover, the prices were dropping annually! There were even ridiculous low-cost contracts like "using our shoes is the endorsement fee we give you!"

This was extremely unfair to young players.

This was oppression, not natural collaboration, as most young players didn’t have the capital to refuse.

In contrast to unfair endorsement contracts for young players, the two giants’ endorsement contracts in the superstar realm became increasingly generous.

From one million to two million and then three million, the two giants were giving more, and doing so more promptly.

This indicates they were aware that "prices are rising."

This growth at the top, combined with contraction at the bottom, is a typical form of exploitation.

Although the essence of capital is exploitation, in "free and equal" Europe, you can’t openly say this.

Once revealed, everyone would resist and counterattack.

Thus, young players started a massive resistance movement.

Lu Yang was not the initiator or advocate of the movement, but he was seen as the "Spiritual Leader" by young players participating in the movement!

Because compared to their "child labor contracts," Lu Yang’s fifty thousand euro endorsement contract was already sky-high!

It was considered the ceiling for young players’ shoe contracts.

Lu Yang threw away a two hundred and fifty thousand euro contract just to help young people voice out.

Talk about integrity!

Ah Ke and Nike never expected Lu Yang to stir such a commotion.

They were just complaining after the failed signing, and Lu Yang managed to create an association for protecting young player endorsement contracts; truly a troublemaker!

The two giants quickly issued official responses, providing a brief report and apology on the child labor contract issue, fired a scapegoat mid-level leader, and promised to improve young player contract treatment.

But their promises, you know, are worth less than a puff of air.

Because of this, Lu Yang ended up on the blacklist of the two giants.

For a long time in the future, they may not receive endorsements related to either company.

The Golden Boy Award organizing body, Torino Sports Paper, soon openly announced, "Our ’Golden Boy Award’ operates on fairness and justice... Although only five months have passed this year, based on current data, Lu Yang is not among our list of the top one hundred candidates."

"If he could really lead San Remo to defeat AC Milan, perhaps he could enter the top one hundred, but it’s still impossible for him to make the final list of twenty. Naturally, the illustrious Golden Boy Award is even less likely!"

"We won’t create any trouble for Lu Yang to enter the Golden Boy Award evaluation sequence, but we can be one hundred percent sure that he cannot become the Golden Boy Award winner this year! Because this year there are many outstanding talented players!"