Chapter 820 - 12: Grimaldi! UEFA Awards Ceremony’s Shocking Opening! Step by Step to the Top!

On the evening of August 31, the entrance of the Monaco Grimaldi Conference Center was bustling with guests, with vehicles coming and going, and occasionally football legends walking into the center along the red carpet.

"Ka ka ka...!" The sound of cameras kept ringing, at least a hundred reporters appeared on both sides of the red carpet, either shooting or recording the entrance of important figures.

On major TV stations like Sky Sports, the anticipation for this year’s UEFA award ceremony had already begun.

"Alright, let’s focus our eyes on the rocky nation, the Principality of Monaco!

"The UEFA award ceremony for the 11-12 season is about to begin, followed by the draw ceremony for the 32 teams of the 12-13 Champions League season!"

The broadcast switched to a drone shot from above, overlooking a glass-building shimmering with colorful lights amidst a serene blue sea.

"That is the Grimaldi Conference Center, today it is set to welcome the best UEFA player of 12!

"Will it be Ronaldo? Or Messi? Or perhaps a newcomer who never won such an award, Ma’el? Let’s quietly await the final result!

"Additionally, today will announce the UEFA best lineup of 12, unveiling the winners of best forward, best midfield, best defender, and goalkeeper! Including the best chairman, best coach, and some awards for women’s football!"

The broadcast shifted indoors, showing the white-haired UEFA President Platini and renowned commentator Reinke walking in one after the other.

Both faces were adorned with smiles, seemingly engaged in a delightful conversation, although the hosts and viewers on screen certainly couldn’t know the specifics.

The host boldly guessed with a smile, "Platini, as a pivotal figure in European football, is surely one of the few who knows the final result, might this outcome be good news for him?"

In the program’s comment section below, fans paying attention to the UEFA award ceremony also heatedly discussed the two men’s smiles.

"Platini is French, Reinke is English, could it be that the winner is a French player playing in the English Super League (wry smile)?"

"Haha, makes sense, look at their composed smiles!"

"Certainly, Ma’el’s performance in the European Cup was historic, and last season’s club stats were explosive, but compared to Messi, there’s still some gap, right? Betting on Messi to retain the title!"

"Ronaldo should take a turn, as one of the duo, the best No.7 player in recent years, he hasn’t won a UEFA best yet, this award isn’t worth its weight without him receiving one!"

"UEFA awards lacking worth? Ridiculous, whether they award anyone, it still holds value because European football’s level is the highest!"

"Moreover, the era of dual dominance is over, now it’s the era of three."

"Argue, go on argue! Argue till UEFA gets a headache and cancels the ceremony, argue till you can only wait every year for a FIFA award ceremony to see so many stars satisfied."

"....."

The wave of argument quickly spread from under the broadcast platform to various social media platforms.

In an instant, ’Platini’s smile’ became a keyword trending in the top ten across platforms, boosting the attention for this award ceremony.

Compared to the Golden Ball Award ceremony, the UEFA award ceremony doesn’t have much anticipation or speculation beforehand.

On one hand, because this award emerges too late, it lacks long historical depth.

On the other hand, because the new season has just begun, everyone’s attention remains concentrated on various leagues and Super Cup heat, it’s difficult to instantly divert focus in a short period.

However, as an extremely valuable award ceremony, when it officially starts this day, news about it begins to flourish, and people quickly become attracted to it, focusing on its every detail.

"Ma’el along with his girlfriend Isabella attending the UEFA award ceremony! The two walked hand in hand on the red carpet, looking exceptionally energetic." — Sun, with picture

"Most football best lineups select a 442 formation, UEFA does the same, but with three strikers needing to appear in the best lineup, will they change the formation?" — The Times remarked as a highlight

"According to betting company odds, they predict Ma’el will most likely win the best player at this ceremony, while Messi will take the best forward." — All Sports reported

Under these mainstream media reports, the comments quickly surpassed tens of thousands..... Fans left their own opinions, and arguments still occurred under each hot comment.

Soon, many football veterans stood out, either posting positions on social media or posting significant remarks.

"Undoubtedly, Messi who scored more goals in the last season and early this year is the best forward, but Ma’el leading Arsenal back to the peak with a record-breaking stance in the European Cup is undoubtedly the best player." — Henry on social media supporting Ma’el

"The best forward is certainly the best player at that moment, although I don’t want to say it, I still must, the number of goals scored and assists is key to determining a player’s ability to achieve significant accomplishments." — Maradona on social media

"A famous young player playing with Samba colors is excellent, he will definitely be a leading figure in future football, right? (grin)" — Pele on social media