The hall dimd as the giant screen behind the stage flashed with golden lights. The atmosphere of the venue beca grim as tension gripped.
The nominees, now even more anxious than before, awaited the result with their hearts pounding.
Even Julian, who had been livelier since the beginning of the event, grew silent.
The suspense in the hall was unbearable. The cara lenses zood in on each nominee, their faces projected on the colossal screen above the stage.
Though an eerie silence engulfed the hall, Hiro’s concerns were different.
Unlike the other nominees, he wasn’t thinking about the award. He had considered a lot of factors before concluding. The fact that he was still a teenager, the fact that he was of Asian origin, and the fact that he hadn’t been notified ahead of ti pushed him to believe that he wasn’t winning the award.
But he still couldn’t help but doubt sothing.
If Julian were winning the award, he wouldn’t keep him in the dark. Then does it an, Dembele was winning the award?
Hiro glanced at Dembele, who looked tense.
He was staring at the screen with hope flickering in his pupils.
This sight confused him.
Is he putting on an act?
Hiro thought, sowhat oblivious of the situation.
While he was attempting to comprehend, the host’s voice rang. Hearing the clear and deliberate voice, Hiro pulled himself up and faced the screen.
"And the winner of this year’s Golden Ball is..."
The host paused while the drumroll thundered across the auditorium. Julian and Dembele felt their heartbeat quickening, their mind filled with desperation.
The Golden Ball, the most prestigious individual award.
Who wouldn’t want their hands on the award?
Julian and Dembele were both reaching the peak of their careers. Hence, it could be the last ti these two could even dream of winning it.
For this reason, both of them wanted to be the winner this ti around.
Even Julian, who was aware of Hiro’s impact and performance, didn’t want Hiro to win the award. He wanted to hog the award for himself.
It was selfishness on his part.
However, he was well aware of it.
Though he felt guilty of having such thoughts, he still wanted to win this award.
However, if soone asked Hiro if he was winning this award, he would have responded with a shake of his head.
But he would answer sothing like, "It’d be nice to win this award."
While the drumroll intensified, fueling the tension in the hall, Hiro looked at the award in his hand. He had won the Kopa Trophy.
This award was enough to prove that he was on the right path.
Looking at the award, Hiro smirked.
He didn’t care if he was winning the Golden Ball or not.
He had done whatever he could. He had helped his team win the Champions League. That achievent in itself was enough.
Then the drumroll stopped all of a sudden. Just as the drumroll stopped, a voice echoed, "HIRO!"
The hall erupted into chaos. Cheers, screams, and gasps clashed together, a wave of disbelief rolling through the audience. It wasn’t just applause, but it was history in the making.
The Youngest ever Golden Ball winner had been crowned.
The first Asian in football history to lift the most prestigious individual honor.
Hiro, upon hearing the na, stared at the stage in disbelief.
What just happened? Did I win? Did I hear my na?
Thoughts, one after the other, kept popping into his head as he stared at the screen with his pupils dilated. The screen played the highlights.
Caras flashed relentlessly, capturing the raw disbelief in Hiro’s eyes. His na echoed around the venue, chanted by players, fans, and guests alike.
However, the entire scene was like a dream to Hiro.
He felt a drowsy buzz as if he were in his classroom, drifting back and forth to sleep.
Julian, though a bit disappointed, bead a bright smile as he looked at him and said in a cheerful tone, "You won!"
Hiro, however, looked at him in a daze, still unable to accept the situation.
"Dude, you won." Julian nudged him as he tried to explain to him that he had won the award.
Only then did Hiro drift to reality.
His lips parted as if he was going to say sothing, but closed without uttering a word. Then a surge of excitent struck him.
His face flushed bright red as his pupils glistened with elation.
He had won the Golden Ball. The most prestigious award in the world of Football. The award the legends of the ga won.
Now, he himself had been included in the list of the winners that too at a tender age of nineteen. The youngest to win it ever.
The record previously held by Ronaldo, the phenonon.
The record had been broken.
While Julian, despite the heartbreak, found the courage to cheer on his teammate, the sa couldn’t be said about Dembele.
With quivering lips and a downcast expression, he sat in his seat, unwilling to accept the situation. He didn’t want to believe that Hiro had won the award.
Rather, he couldn’t bring himself to accept it.
He squeezed his knuckles in an attempt to conceal his frustration. Though he didn’t reveal it on his face, sothing about him was unsettling.
Perhaps others shared the sa feelings as he.
However, most people were elated with the win. Be it the number or the impact, Hiro had all to back his win.
Zidane himself stood from his seat, applauding.
His eyes shimred with recognition. He had seen legends born, and now he was witnessing another one.
He couldn’t tell himself when the last ti he felt this excited about a new prospect.
Hiro was receiving praise from all over.
"I know you would want to celebrate this mont with your teammates, but Hiro, please co to the stage."
The host’s words snapped him from his daze. He was right. For now, he had to receive the award. He could celebrate the win later.
With a flustered smile, Hiro rose from his seat.
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