Starting With Real Madrid

In recent years, across Asia, particularly in East Asia, there had been growing tensions in football rivalries.

From once fearing South Korea, to later being wary of Japan, the Chinese national team had seen its gap with its neighbors widen on the pitch. The team was slipping into a third-tier position in Asian football, capable only of defeating weaker nations they had historically dominated.

Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea continued to develop their football industries and thrive.

One of the biggest symbols of this success was Park Ji-sung, the pride of South Korean football.

After making a name for himself at PSV Eindhoven, Park's move to Manchester United had elevated his career to new heights, establishing him as Asia's top footballer playing abroad.

But in 2006, when a young Chinese coach named Gao Shen suddenly burst onto the scene, miraculously leading Real Madrid to a historic La Liga and Champions League double—the dynamic shifted.

Winning both the Champions League and La Liga in the same season was an extraordinary feat.

With that achievement, Gao Shen became the first Asian football figure in history to win the Champions League at the highest level.

Although he wasn't a player, everyone understood that becoming a successful manager was even harder than being a player.

Because of this, Gao Shen's success with Real Madrid sent shockwaves through Asian football, even the Asian Football Confederation took pride in his accomplishment.

Years later, Park Ji-sung would win the Champions League with Manchester United in 2008, making him the second Asian in history to do so.

At best, Park could claim to be the first Asian player to win the Champions League but the title of "first Asian to win the Champions League" belonged to Gao Shen.

But Gao Shen wasn't just riding on past achievements, he was proving his ability again and again.

After leaving Real Madrid, he defied expectations by leading a newly promoted Napoli to consecutive league titles, creating a legendary story in Italian football.

This season, Napoli had emerged from the Group of Death featuring Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Zenit, before eliminating Arsenal and Chelsea in the knockout rounds. Their journey had won the admiration of the football world.

Now, in the Champions League semifinals, Gao Shen's Napoli faced Park Ji-sung's Manchester United.

It felt as if the intense battle in Europe was being mirrored across Asia.

The match shattered viewership records across the continent.

And in the final fifteen minutes, everything was on the line.

Both teams had scored, but Manchester United had the slight edge due to the away goals rule.

For Park Ji-sung's fans, this was a moment of pure excitement.

Even though Park Ji-sung wasn't involved in the goal—it was scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, assisted by Berbatov, who had come on as Park's substitute—none of that mattered.

What mattered was that Manchester United had the advantage.

Besides, if people wanted to give Park Ji-sung credit, they would always find a way.

Korean media argued that Manchester United's breakthrough wouldn't have happened without Park's contributions earlier in the match.

Their reasoning?

Park's relentless running and pressing had exhausted Napoli's left-back, Vargas, preventing the Peruvian defender from tracking Ronaldo's decisive run, leading to the goal.

"Otherwise, how do you explain why Ronaldo failed in his previous 16 one-on-one chances this season, but managed to score this time?"

"This is why Park Ji-sung is so important!"

"He is Ferguson's trusted warrior in big matches and crucial moments!"

The South Korean media took it even further, portraying Park Ji-sung as not just a national hero, but a symbol for all of Asia.

"Among four billion Asians, he is the only one who will reach the Champions League final for the second time!"

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Gao Shen's fans and media strongly disagreed.

Firstly, they argued that Park Ji-sung was not as crucial as the South Korean media claimed.

In their view, the real architect behind Napoli was Gao Shen, not a single player, but the mastermind leading the entire team.

After all, both Guardiola and Zidane had once served as his assistants. That alone spoke volumes about his influence in European football.

And as for who would actually reach the Champions League final the tie wasn't over yet.

"Gao Shen said after the game that he has maintained a perfect record in away games against Premier League clubs. He's confident he can turn things around at Old Trafford!"

In other words, Ferguson and Manchester United hadn't even declared victory yet, but South Korean media already had.

Finally, Gao Shen's fans and media rejected the idea that Park Ji-sung represented all of Asian football.

"You don't get to decide that. Let's see what the rest of the world thinks."

"Not long ago, Emirates Airlines signed Gao Shen as their global ambassador. The sponsorship fee wasn't disclosed, but reports say it exceeds €5 million per year, after tax. No footballer in the world has a deal like that."

"If the Emirates deal isn't convincing enough, take a look at Forbes' recent rankings of the most influential figures in Asian sports. Gao Shen topped the list by a landslide, recognized as the most influential figure in Asian football."

To Gao Shen's fans, the evidence was clear, Gao Shen was the face of Asian football in Europe.

And as for Park Ji-sung?

He simply didn't have the same weight.

The debate between both sides was becoming more intense, with each firmly believing they were in the right.

When Su Qing brought up the issue during a phone call, Gao Shen was genuinely surprised.

He hadn't expected that a match played in Europe would spark such an earthquake across East Asia.

Sensing the pressure in his voice, Su Qing joked, "Just think of me as a sounding board. If you're feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or stressed, just vent it all to me."

In reality, Gao Shen wasn't frustrated or bitter, what he felt most was pressure.

A squad of twenty to thirty players, along with dozens of coaching staff and club employees, had all worked tirelessly for an entire season, pushing forward carefully, step by step, to reach this point.

Now, all their hopes rested on him.

This wasn't just pressure, it was an overwhelming weight.

He sighed into the phone, "This is the biggest gamble of my life."

And he wasn't wrong.

This one match was worth over €10 million, more than ¥100 million in converted currency.

Especially after the first leg.

Looking back, Gao Shen felt that his lineup had been too cautious, and he took full responsibility for the result.

The pressure of facing Ferguson had been immense.

But after that first leg and after speaking with Ferguson in person, he started to see the legendary manager in a different light.

His idol had become human.

Ferguson was, at the end of the day, just an old man.

His tactics, squad management, and in-game adjustments during the first leg weren't as overwhelming or mystical as Gao Shen had once imagined.

As Carlo Ancelotti had said, even the greatest managers lose.

Ferguson was no exception.

Now, the real pressure was on the second leg.

Napoli had conceded an away goal in the first match, meaning they had no choice but to score at Old Trafford.

But scoring wasn't enough, they also had to prevent Manchester United from hitting them on the counterattack, particularly through Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney.

It was a high-stakes tactical challenge, one that would test the entire team.

---

Su Qing wasn't exactly an expert in football, but she listened patiently. And after hearing Gao Shen's concerns, she decided to share something from a conversation she had overheard not long ago.

A senior official, a well-known national figure who frequently appeared in the news had once said something that stuck with her.

"Most regrets in life stem from the word 'if'."

"If I had studied harder… If I had chosen a different university… If I had picked another major… If I had taken a different job… If I hadn't broken up with that person…"

"People always blame their current setbacks on the choices they made in the past. They convince themselves that if they had chosen differently, their lives would have been better."

"But the truth is, the other path wouldn't necessarily have been easier or brighter. In fact, it might have been even harder, filled with greater failures."

"The cruel reality of life is that we think we have the ability to choose between right and wrong. But in most cases, we don't."

"We're simply choosing between one flawed path and another, possibly even worse one."

"The real tragedy? We often make the right choice, but convince ourselves that we made the wrong one."

This speech had originally been about major national policies and societal changes, but Su Qing felt it carried profound wisdom for life itself.

After hearing this, Gao Shen was deeply moved.

Just the day before, he had spoken at length with Ferguson and some of the things the legendary coach had said echoed this very sentiment.

At that moment, Gao Shen made up his mind.

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"By the way, have you applied for your visa yet?" Gao Shen suddenly asked.

Su Qing hesitated. "Not yet."

"Then make sure to do it as soon as possible. Time is tight." He urged.

"And tell my parents, my uncle, and my aunt as well. Get their visas sorted too. You should all come over, take a few days to enjoy Europe, and then come watch the Champions League final!"

Su Qing smiled on the other end of the phone. That was his way of showing confidence.

In reality, she wasn't sure she could take time off work, her department was incredibly busy.

But she knew how much this meant to him.

Watching him coach in a Champions League final had always been something he wanted her and his family to experience.

So no matter what, she wouldn't ruin his mood, she'd agree first and find a way to make it happen later.

"When the time comes, I have a gift for you," Gao Shen added mysteriously.

This was something he had been preparing for half a year.

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The 1-1 draw in the first leg had backed Gao Shen into a corner.

But now, there was no turning back.

He had to win at Old Trafford.