Fox in the Penalty Area

"Jody, have you packed your things yet?"

Sophia asked loudly in the corridor.

The son's aggrieved voice came from the room in front: "But, Mom, why do we pack our things? We live very well in Madrid, why do we move out?"

Sophia sighed, walked to the door, and saw her son sitting on the floor of her room, with all kinds of things scattered around - he was not cleaning up at all.

"Didn't we talk, Jody? Because of your dad, leaving the Pirates of Madrid..."

"That's what I don't understand the most, why did Dad leave the Pirates? He's still the main force here, everyone loves him, we just won the treble... Such a good team, why leave? I I asked my father, and he didn't say..." Little Yodi complained to his mother with a pouted mouth.

Sophia shook her head: "Your father has his own considerations...Do you want me to help you?"

Jodi shook his head. "No, Mom. I can..."

After speaking, he began to slowly pack his luggage - he rummaged through the clothes piled on the bed, and finally found a Madrid Pirates jersey with his father's number "10" printed on it, But the name is not "Maxi", but "Jody".

He held up the jersey and asked his mother, "Do I need to wear this jersey to my dad's farewell ceremony tomorrow?"

Sophia smiled and nodded: "Yes."

Hearing that, Jodi put the jersey aside, folded the other clothes randomly, and put them in the open box.

He deliberately jammed like this, as if to express his dissatisfaction with having to move.

Sophia noticed her son's small gesture, but instead of reprimanding him, he asked with a smile, "Where's your sister?"

"Helen? I don't know..." Jodi shook his head.

Just then, there was a barking of dogs and the cry of a little girl from the courtyard downstairs.

Sophia moved to the window and looked down.

Then I saw the little daughter Helen who was playing with the golden retriever.

After she jumped on the golden retriever, she hugged it tightly in her arms, and then said to herself:

"Bobby, we're moving. You must be very reluctant to leave here, right? I always thought this was our home... It turns out it's not. I don't understand why Dad is leaving. Mom said it's Dad's business, let me Don't care... But how could it be the father's business alone? We have all lived here for nine years, all my classmates and friends are here, I like everything here... Now I just leave, how can I Don't you care? Poppy, are you right? You care too, don't you?"

"Wow!" The golden retriever in the girl's arms barked, as if to answer the girl.

The girl said loudly as if she had found a bosom friend: "Look! Sure enough! You think so too!"

"Mom, did Dad decide to leave because he doesn't like Hu?"

The son who was standing by the window at some point looked up at Sophia and asked such a question.

"Don't guess." Sophia covered with a smile and said perfunctory.

"But Dad really doesn't like Hu, doesn't he? Otherwise, why did he never invite Hu and the others to his house even though we were neighbors? Everyone is saying that Dad and Hu are not friends..."

Sophia raised her hand and touched her son's hair: "They're not friends, but that doesn't mean they hate each other. Remember Hu's first goal in the final?"

Jodi nodded: "It's the barb relay!"

"Yes. If they hated each other, how could they have such a cooperation? Your dad didn't leave because he hated Hu, he just...wanted to take on a new challenge. If you stay with the pirates, you'll get everything. "

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Jodi asked rhetorically.

Sophia shook her head: "It's not good for your father."

※※※

"I know it's useless to say anything now, but I still want to ask... Maxi, considering that we have known each other for so many years, can you tell me the truth, why did you leave the pirates at this time, Is it because of Hu?"

On the phone, agent Jim Castian spoke to Carey in a very sincere tone.

Carey was silent for a while and then nodded, "That's right."

"Hey you..." Castian didn't know what to say. "Do you know that this time next year will be the World Cup. With your performance this season, your position in the Dutch national team is very stable. As long as you can continue to partner with the Pirates and Hu, you can definitely participate in the World Cup next year!"

The European qualifiers for the World Cup are not over yet, but judging from the Dutch team's current points, it is not too difficult to win the World Cup qualifying.

And Kyrie is very likely to participate in the World Cup for the first time in his career.

Provided, of course, that he remains with the Pirates of Madrid...

In fact, the matter of Kyrie's contract renewal with the club even alarmed the Dutch national team.

National team coach Joseph Drost called Carey specifically to persuade him to stay with the Pirates, at least one more year.

Because a fool could see that, he and Hu Lai cooperated tacitly. If Kyrie can continue to play in the Buccaneers, there will be no shortage of game opportunities, while maintaining a very good competitive form.

This is good for the Dutch national team.

So Drost hopes that Carey can stay in the Pirates until the World Cup.

When the World Cup is over, he can go wherever he wants, and Drost won't care anymore.

In the speech, Drost revealed his concerns about Kyrie if he did not stay in the Madrid Pirates. Although he did not explicitly state it, after analysis by his agent Jim Castian, he believed that this was a "threat" from the national team coach:

If Carey does not renew his contract with the Madrid Pirates, it is hard to say whether Carey is still in the World Cup squad for the Netherlands national team next year.

Everyone knows that the biggest regret of Maxi Carey's career is that he never participated in the World Cup - the United States and Canada World Cup three years ago, he was injured and withdrew before the start of the game, and he did not really participate in the World Cup.

So using the World Cup to put pressure on Kyrie will always make him give in, right?

But Carey didn't budge.

"That's the problem, Jim," Carey told his agent on the phone. "Everyone thought that as long as I stayed with the Pirates, I would definitely be in the World Cup. At the same time, they were worried that I would not be able to stay in shape after I left the Pirates. The national team's World Cup squad can't even make it... The implication is that if I leave Hu, I won't even be able to participate in the World Cup?"

"This……"

Castian was speechless.

Hearing Carey say this, he suddenly remembered what kind of temperament the "max" in front of him was.

Let him be low and small... how is that possible!

"But who am I, I'm Maxi Carey," Carey continued. "Three years ago, when I led the Dutch national team to the World Cup, where was Hu? Can I participate in the World Cup, what does it have to do with him? You are worried that if I don't renew my contract with the Pirates, I won't be able to participate in the World Cup. Do you mean you can't do it without Hu?"

"..." Castian continued to be silent, speechless to refute Carey.

Because he really thought so in his heart.

I feel that Kyrie, who has been seriously injured twice in a row, and Kyrie, who was not injured four years ago, are two people. Now Kyrie has changed his style of play after being injured, and his position and role on the court have also changed. He really needs Hu Lai.

This is a completely objective fact.

But Castian didn't say it, because he knew that with Carey's temper, if he said this, he might not have to do it as an agent.

"I thought I didn't need to prove myself anymore. But I didn't expect that I was thirty-four years old, and I had to go back to the road to prove myself... But it doesn't matter, Jim, it doesn't matter. Life is one game after another. In the game, I will prove to the world again that Maxi Carey is Maxi Carey, he is not a foil for anyone, even if I go to a brand new team, I can participate in the World Cup!"

Hearing Carey's decisive words, Castian let out a long sigh.

"As expected of you, Maxi... This is indeed something you can do."

"Thanks for the compliment, Jim." Carey laughed.

"Then please explain to me again why you rejected the contract offered by Insubel? Didn't we say it well before?"

"Uh..." Carey's laughter became awkward. "That's because I suddenly thought of a better place."

"A better place? Why don't I know?" Castian demanded.

"Because that's what I thought of yesterday..."

"Is there anything better than Insubel? They promised you to play the main force after you go, and give it to the core. And it is a real giant, and there is a better choice than them? Please forgive me for being blunt, Maxi. Whether it's Blue and White Munich or the Turin Bulls, they're not interested in you, it's really embarrassing at your age..."

Carey didn't care what the agent said, he laughed:

"I got a call from Tony Clark right after the Champions League final."

There was a sound of inhalation on the other end of the phone, but there was no follow-up.

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"Today we are here to say goodbye to a true legend..."

The host said affectionately.

Alexandra Therados, who was standing beside him in a suit and leather shoes, pursed her lips tightly.

"Please note my terminology - 'true legend' - all sorts of hyperbole titles are worn out in today's football. But Alexandra Cerrados deserves it He has been a player in the king's echelon since he was a child. From when he stepped into professional football to when he left, he only played for the king of Madrid all his life. In today's impetuous and materialistic society, 'loyalty' is becoming more and more valuable... "

After the host emotionally introduced Cerados' career achievements, the microphone and stage were handed over to Cerados alone.

Holding the microphone, he did not speak immediately, but pursed his lips, trying to calm down his emotions.

While he remained silent, there was deafening applause and cheers from the packed Crown Stadium.

In the cheers and applause, Therados finally couldn't hold back the tears, he raised his hand to wipe the tears.

It wasn't until a long time that he finally calmed down and raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

Then he said:

"I promise my esteemed Mr. Beneto..."

He looked at Juan Beneto, the president of the Kings Club of Madrid, who was standing on the grass below the stage.

"I'll try my best to..."

Before he could finish speaking, he swallowed even more.

"Try...to finish this sentence in a normal...normal tone..."

"But I... failed..."

Therados raised his hand again to wipe away his tears.

The audience looked at his chairman, Beneto, and clapped and encouraged him.

So he took a deep breath again, calmed down his mood, and continued:

"I spent my childhood, teenage and youth with the Kings and my entire career...I'm so honored to be a part of the history of this franchise. I'll never forget the first time I wore the Kings in my career. The feeling when the jersey steps on the court, because until now, every time I play for the Kings, I still feel that way. I'm never tired and tired..."

Therados' mood finally calmed down a lot, so there is no need to stumble upon such a long speech.

"Mr. Borja called me once and hoped I could play another season and play in next year's World Cup. He told me that the Spanish national team needed me...but I told him I was not willing to play for a team other than the King. kick the ball..."

The audience burst into thunderous applause.

"It is a great honor to be able to retire with the King, it is far more important than going to another team for another year."

"Today, I say goodbye to everyone at the Crown Stadium. I will end my career, but I will not say goodbye to the king. This heart of mine..." Cerrados put his right hand on his heart.

"Will always beat for the king! Long live the king!"

He raised his arms and shouted.

"Long live! King!! Long live! King!!"

The Crown Stadium responded to their "prince" with a tsunami.

Alexandra Therados had no regrets, or any regrets, and was put down in this deafening cry...

※※※

"I know it's unbelievable and incomprehensible to choose not to renew my contract with the club...but Maxi Carey is a very headstrong person, you all know that, and the club has always been very tolerant of me. So I'm sorry, just ask you to tolerate my willfulness one last time..."

Facing the club executives, special guests, and media reporters, Maxi Carey laughed.

This is a dedicated space at Pirates Park - the largest box in the stadium at ordinary times, and during the transfer window, it is used for welcome ceremonies and press conferences for new players joining the team.

Through the huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows in the back, you can see the stands and green fields of the Pirates Park Stadium.

At the same time, it is also the place where players and teams say goodbye.

Here, everyone was greeted and sent to a lot of people.

There were no crowds of fans and no touching cheers, and Maxi Carey's farewell ceremony was kept to a very small scale.

And this is actually what Carey asked for himself.

"I'm very grateful for everything the club has done for me, including the first time I got an extension contract after I got injured... When I came, they all said that the Pirates are a giant with a lot of human touch and an outlier among the giants. I felt this with my own personal experience, so I know that I owe the club if I don't renew my contract with the club... You can treat me as a heartbreaker. Whatever you call me in the media, I Make sure you don't talk back."

Carey raised an eyebrow and said jokingly.

But not many of the people present laughed.

"It's not easy to say goodbye, but it might be better if it's a restart. I'm thirty-four years old, but I'm not going to cry and say goodbye like the guy next door, I'll keep kicking Go on. But don't worry, I'm not going to play against the Pirates in the league...so, yes, I'll leave Spain."

"But if... I mean if, if one day we meet again in the Champions League, then I'm not going to show any mercy."

Maxi Carey smiled slyly.

"That's what I want to say to everyone~www.NovelMTL.com~ Then...bye, friends."

After he finished speaking, he waved goodbye to everyone present, then walked straight off the rostrum and walked towards the door without looking back.

Completely ignoring the reporters who stood up to ask questions.

"Where are you going, Maxi!"

A reporter asked loudly.

Carey didn't stop or answer, as if he didn't hear him, he simply pushed out the door neatly.

Leaving the stunned people behind.

He said goodbye to the team he played for for nine years.

(End of Volume 6 "Top of Europe")

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ps, there will be an end-of-volume summary later.

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