Chapter Fourteen: A Farewell Letter to the Sofolian Football Fans

I still remember, and will forever remember, July 1, 2027.

That day, at Redstone Stadium, I was greeted with a grand welcome—44,722 Sofol United fans came to the venue to greet me.

It overwhelmed me.

Before joining Sofol United, I had never experienced such treatment. So when Mr. Matt Perkins, then the club’s general manager, told me that the club had prepared a welcoming ceremony for tens of thousands of people, I thought he was joking.

You must understand, when I left Atletico Barcelona, people said I would never become a top-tier player; they said I didn’t deserve a high-paying contract; they said I could never be the core of a prestigious team; they said my contribution to the team was not as significant as I thought; they said without the platform of Atletico Barcelona, I would never have achieved what I did…

They said many things, some I can no longer recall.

I never denied it—I was like a lost dog at the time.

It was Sofol United who opened their arms and embraced me.

Mr. Perkins told me that Sofol United needed me, that I could achieve unprecedented success here.

From Mr. Perkins and Sofol United, I felt the long-lost “respect” and “love.”

That’s why when I signed with Sofol United, my annual salary was not as high as what I had asked for at Atletico Barcelona.

Some accused me of being a “football mercenary” who only cared about money, but I am not.

If I were a mercenary, I would only be hired by “respect,” “need,” and “love.”

I remember standing in the players’ tunnel at Redstone Stadium, listening to the roaring chants outside, my heart filled with such emotion.

I felt almost unable to take a step and climb onto the platform.

Honestly, even my first Champions League final didn’t make me lose composure like this.

So, as I walked along the long red carpet, stood on the podium, and heard you call my name, I silently vowed:

I will give everything for this team and for its fans; I will fight with all my might. I will not let your love be in vain.

For nine and a half seasons, not a day has passed without me remembering that vow.

I had injuries, my form fluctuated, but I never slacked off. Whether on the training ground or the field, I always gave my all.

In the past six months, some voices and some people have spread many rumors about me to you. I wanted to prove myself with actions, but unfortunately, I didn’t have many opportunities to do so.

So, regrettably, I can only tell you what happened in this way.

At the end of last season, when the team had already confirmed it would miss next season’s Champions League, there was much criticism of me outside.

At that time, I said that if the team needed rebuilding, it could start with me—no problem.

But my words were interpreted as me sulking or threatening the club.

But what did I threaten?

I didn’t seize the opportunity to sign a high-paying contract with the club.

Actually, when I said that, I was very serious. Although I had thought about retiring at Sofol United, if I became a burden to the team and could no longer contribute, then leaving would be the best choice.

Just like now, the team is rebuilding, so I am willing to leave voluntarily.

I was dissatisfied with both myself and the team’s performance last season: it was the only season since joining Sofol United in which I failed to score at least twenty league goals. We also failed to regain a Champions League spot.

I once thought, if I had scored ten more goals, perhaps we would have secured a Champions League berth.

So, I said I was willing to leave.

Then why didn’t I leave at that time?

Because Mr. Sven Helden, who had been confirmed to coach the team next season, spoke to me privately. He told me he needed me and that I was still an important part of his new plan.

He spoke sincerely at that time.

I chose to believe him.

Looking back now, it’s laughable—I don’t even have recordings or videos to prove that Mr. Helden ever made such a promise to me.

So I cannot prove my words to you.

But you should know, I’m not good at lying.

I know I’m not perfect and have many flaws, but hypocrisy and lying are not among them.

When I heard Helden’s promise, I was happy to know I was still needed by the team and could still contribute.

So I rejected offers from many clubs and stayed to prepare for the new season.

I admit that when my mother was injured last July, the news disturbed me, making me restless and unable to focus fully on preseason preparation, so I performed poorly in preseason training.

Therefore, when the head coach thought I wasn’t ready and decided not to start me at the beginning of the league, I accepted his decision. I didn’t complain or show dissatisfaction; I just worked harder in training to make up for lost time.

But perhaps my unconditional cooperation led Mr. Helden to misjudge me.

From then on, he didn’t even bother to explain anything and just placed me on the bench.

Of course, the coach has the right to choose who starts and who sits, but shouldn’t he give an explanation to a player treated this way?

Was I not working hard enough in training?

Was my ability not up to his standards?

Or was I not fitting into his tactical plan?

I kept waiting for an explanation.

But sorry, there was none.

No explanation at all.

Even when he substituted me in during the last forty seconds of the 1-0 victory over East London United, he didn’t explain to me what I was supposed to do—nor did he say, “I need to use this substitution to waste time.” He said nothing, silently hiding behind assistant coach Demos, letting Demos tell me to go on. When I looked at him, he treated me like I was air.

If anyone doesn’t believe me, you can watch the final moments of that match’s footage and see I am not lying.

My agent Fernando said at the time that Helden’s actions were humiliating and disrespectful toward me. I said nothing, wondering if I would get an explanation after the game. But still, there was none. Only after I expressed anger and dissatisfaction within the team did I receive a flimsy, perfunctory explanation:

Bringing me on in the last few seconds was just to avoid disappointing me after I had waited the entire match; it was supposed to be a sign of respect.

Dear fans, how would you feel hearing that explanation? Would you feel respected? Do you think I, Wang Lie, am someone who would be happy just to be granted a few dozen seconds of play each match?

My agent expressed his dissatisfaction; I said nothing—I didn’t even give him a thumbs-up. Now I can frankly tell you what I thought at the time:

Yes, I fully agreed with my agent. I felt Helden was humiliating me. I saw not an ounce of respect from him. His so-called “respect” was nothing but humiliation.

He was sending a message to the other Sofol United players:

If I can treat Wang Lie like this at will, what chance do you have?

Outside critics claimed I was opposing the coach, disrespecting him, and became the main cause of disruption in the locker room and the team’s unity.

But at least when he first humiliated me with that substitution, I didn’t oppose him or disrespect him. I never criticized him in the locker room or openly opposed him.

Then why did I confront and disrespect him during the FA Cup match?

Because I realized that tolerance and putting the collective interest first did not earn me respect; my love for the club and concern for the team’s interests became leverage for some to threaten me.

Now, back to that match against East London United.

From that moment, I decided to leave Sofol United in the winter transfer window.

I never wanted to leave like this, but if the time had come, then I had no choice.

I was no longer needed by the club, no longer respected. Helden was just using me as a stepping stone to assert his authority, humiliating and suppressing me to tell the locker room he was the boss and everyone must obey him.

I was willing to cooperate with the coach’s work and always respected the coach, but if doing so required me to degrade my own dignity, then sorry, I could not.

I am sorry to say goodbye to you in this way, and sorry to end my career at Sofol United like this.

Since Mr. Perkins retired, Sofol United has gradually become unfamiliar to me.

But I never complained. I just worked hard to fulfill my duties as a player.

I love Sofol United deeply, so I have always done my utmost to help the team.

It’s just that the club seems to think otherwise—they consider me the culprit for the team’s decline. I have become a burden they are eager to discard.

When rumors about me spread outside, the club never stood up to support me, not even privately. Incidentally, now some fools are saying that the glory of the “Seven-Time Champions” era caused Sofol United’s downfall, that the championships hurt the team. I wonder if the club will refute such nonsense, since the “Seven-Time Champions” era is related to me.

When Helden deceived me, club general manager Mr. Jonathan Hall vouched for him in the name of the club’s reputation, telling me to trust Helden—feel free to deny this, Mr. Hall, because I have no recordings or videos to prove it.

After all, how could I have imagined that your words were like hot air? How could I have thought a prestigious club general manager would play such mind games with his own player?

Sorry, that was my mistake.

I underestimated the evil in human nature, overestimated your sense of contract. It was my fault.

I shouldn’t have judged you, a professional manager successful in American football, by the standards of the legendary Mr. Matt Perkins in Sofol United’s history.

After all, American football and English football are not the same.

I heard you immediately cleared out my locker at the first-team training base and removed my advertising posters from the outside walls of Redstone Stadium, seemingly eager to erase all traces of my existence in this great club.

I remind you, you missed one place: on the walls of Redstone Stadium, there are not only my posters but also my Golden Foot plaque.

Feel free to remove it after reading this letter.

I don’t care, because you cannot erase my 457 appearances for Sofol United, nor the 414 goals I scored for the club.

You cannot hide the fourteen major trophies I won here.

And you cannot erase the memories I hold in the hearts of Sofol United fans.

So, let it be.

I will forever be a supporter of Sofol United, though I am deeply disappointed with the current management team. I firmly believe Sofol United’s future will be bright, but unfortunately, I will not be part of it.

Finally, I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to bid farewell properly to the Sofol United fans. After all, you gave me such a grand welcome—I will always remember that day.

Forever loving you,

Wang Lie

January 20, 2037

***

“Bang!”

“Slap!”

“Crash…”

After reading Wang Lie’s sudden “Farewell Letter to Sofol United Fans,” Jonathan Hall was so angry he wanted to throw his phone.

But he couldn’t really throw it—too much trouble if it broke.

Still, he had to smash something.

So he vented his fury on the books, documents, and coffee cups on the desk.

His wife heard the noise and came in. Seeing the mess in the study, she didn’t ask what happened but quietly began tidying up.

She knew why her husband was so angry because she had secretly read Wang Lie’s letter alone in the living room earlier…

She completely understood his anger—he was gone, yet stabbed them in the back, spreading baseless accusations. It was utterly despicable and shameless!

Hall thought the same. Gasping for air, gritting his teeth, he cursed, “Damn it! That bloody bastard! How dare he?! If I’d known he was this despicable, I wouldn’t have agreed to his termination request. I’d have kept him in the youth squad until his contract ended! Damn it! Who does he think he is?!”

***

His roar echoed through the study when his phone rang—it was Sven Helden.

Hall, relieved he hadn’t smashed the phone, answered.

As soon as he picked up, Helden’s dark voice came through: “Have you seen that letter, Jonathan?”

“I just finished reading it!”

“How could he say such things… such nonsense?!” Helden sounded agitated. “The club must immediately come forward to protect my reputation!”

Seeing Helden’s anger, Hall hurried to soothe him: “I’m calling right now to get the club to issue an official statement refuting Wang’s baseless claims! The club will also mobilize media resources to fight back! Don’t worry, Sven—the club is always on your side.”

With the club’s promise, Helden’s anger eased, his tone returning to its usual somber calm: “Luckily, the team won the replay against Drayton, so the letter hasn’t caused serious consequences. But I must warn you, Jonathan, I don’t want this to affect the team internally. You know our goal this season is to return to the Champions League…”

“I know, Sven, I know. I care even more than you do. Rest assured, after Wang leaves, Sofol United has entered our era! We can finally act without restraint!”

After hanging up, his wife had cleaned up the mess and brought him a fresh cup of coffee.

Smiling faintly at his understanding wife, Jonathan Hall rubbed his nose and sighed, “I thought letting him leave would end the trouble. Didn’t expect this…”

His wife gently massaged his shoulders: “It’s not your fault, dear. You’ve done well. Don’t mind the rumors. As long as you lead Sofol United back to the Champions League, all doubts and slanders will vanish, just like you did in Los Angeles.”

Before becoming Sofol United’s general manager, Jonathan Hall had worked for eight years at the famous American football club Los Angeles Stars. When he first took office there, he faced trust crises and difficulties, but he ultimately overcame them and achieved great success in Los Angeles.

Encouraged by his wife, Hall’s mood improved. He tilted his head, gently rubbing his cheek against her hand.

As she said, as long as the team returns to the Champions League this season, Wang Lie’s stab will not affect him.

The world of football—or sports in general—favors the victor.

How much trouble can the ramblings of a disgraced failure cause?

***

“…The official statement from Sofol United Club formally refuted the contents of Wang’s farewell letter. They denied that general manager Jonathan Hall and head coach Sven Helden jointly deceived Wang… At the same time, the club expressed deep regret over Wang’s post-departure remarks, stating the club has always respected Wang. They believe Wang’s words not only hurt Mr. Hall and Mr. Helden but also Sofol United and all its fans…”

“Sven Helden, in an interview, said he could understand Wang’s dissatisfaction leading to such a departure but firmly denied all accusations against him. Wang claimed he received no explanation for being substituted on in the last thirty seconds, but in fact, an explanation was given; Wang just chose not to believe it… He also said Wang’s actions were a betrayal of Sofol United, plunging the team into a media storm and disrupting preparations at a crucial moment in the Champions League qualification push. This was very selfish and irresponsible…”

“My goodness, Wang even blamed his poor form and unstable playing time this season on his poor mother’s injury. That his mother’s fall is still being used to garner sympathy… Can anyone believe a man who would exploit family like that?”

“This is the most despicable farewell letter I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen a player attack and insult his former club like this after leaving. He claims to love the club and fans, but is this how he shows love?”

“Marvin Brock, who was once Wang’s teammate at Sofol United, harshly criticized the so-called farewell letter. He said it proved Wang’s arrogance and lack of heart for the club. Since the FA Cup refusal incident, several of Wang’s former teammates have publicly criticized him…”

“Wang even proudly listed his achievements as if he did it all alone. He doesn’t consider that without Sofol United’s support and promotion, he couldn’t have snatched two Ballon d’Ors from Ronier. Does he really think the Ballon d’Or is purely about individual performance? He only emphasizes his personal contributions but never mentions the massive resources Sofol United spent to elevate him. Is it wrong to call him ungrateful?”

“Sofol United’s publicity machine has mobilized. Just half a day of media criticism has turned Wang from a legendary figure in Sofol United’s history into a historic villain… Ha! Wang says they cannot erase his memory from the fans’ hearts—they can’t erase it, but they can rewrite it. Maybe soon Wang will be kicked off the ‘Seven-Time Champions’ honor roll, and all his achievements at Sofol United will be dismissed as self-praise. Don’t doubt it—that’s the power of the media…”

“Breaking news: Wang’s Golden Foot plaque on the outer wall of Redstone Stadium has been vandalized; traces of dirt remain at the scene… Clearly, Wang’s farewell letter did not have the intended effect; instead, it triggered anger among many Sofol United fans, who chose to vent by damaging Wang’s plaque…”

“After Wang published his open letter to all Sofol United fans, our reporters went to the streets of Manchester to interview Sofol United fans about their views…”

Interviewee A: “I think Wang was too impulsive… Yes, I know he’s always impulsive, but this isn’t the way to love Sofol United… I have mixed feelings. The club did treat Wang poorly, but Wang’s counterattack… also made me feel embarrassed…”

Interviewee B: “Wang’s actions were absolutely wrong! He’s destroying Sofol United! He’s bringing shame to this great club! He…”

Reporter (interrupting): “Are you a Sofol United fan?”

Interviewee B: “Me? Oh, no, I’m… uh, a Clayton Athletic fan… but that doesn’t matter. From a neutral and objective perspective, I think Wang’s accusations are unfounded and speculative. Does he really think Sofol United fans will believe him just because he says so? Even I, a Clayton Athletic fan, can’t stand it! Believe me, I have no bias—after all, Sofol United hasn’t beaten Clayton Athletic in a long time, so this doesn’t affect us…”

Interviewee C: “I fully support Wang! He’s our hero at Sofol United! Look at how the club treated this hero! Who removes a player’s posters from outside the stadium on the very day they announce his departure? Shameful!”

Interviewee D: “Wang’s problem is that he’s always so arrogant… He thinks the club and coach owe him, but he forgets he’s almost thirty-eight. If I were him, at this age, I wouldn’t even need the club to tell me—I’d leave quietly myself… Many players in Sofol United’s history have done so. Why does he think he’s the ‘special one’?”

Interviewee E: “I don’t care what Wang said. I only care about where we finish this season. Oh please, I don’t want to watch the Europa League again next season…”

…

“That Wang…” Cesar Valero shook his head in exasperation. “He sure knows how to stir trouble. Honestly, just looking at the mess he’s caused, I’d think he’s a reckless twenty-year-old… Are you sure bringing him to Tyne will stabilize the locker room? I think he’ll cause even bigger waves.”

Sam McNeil laughed: “Too late to say that now, Cesar. We’ve already signed him. You want the club to breach the contract?”

Valero rolled his eyes: “I’m not that stupid. But look at Wang’s popularity. Bringing him to Tyne brings huge attention. The bigger the spotlight, the greater the pressure. I can imagine Tyne won’t have many peaceful days ahead…”

McNeil teased: “So you’re scared, Cesar? Scared of pressure?”

Valero snorted: “Me scared? Come on! I’m worried for you, Sam, because if you can’t handle it and quit, I’ll lose my job. My whole family depends on me!”

McNeil laughed heartily: “Don’t worry, Cesar. I’ve never been more confident. And that confidence comes from Wang’s letter.”

Valero was puzzled: “Why?”

“Because I see anger in that letter—he’s practically anger incarnate. And knowing him as I do, no one has ever angered Wang Lie without consequences. His heart’s not old yet, Cesar.”

Cesar Valero was not easily convinced. He muttered, “I hope you’re right, and I hope it’s not his body that’s old—I’m not talking about his heart…”

***

Wang Lie’s open letter caused a huge uproar, and the ripple effects had yet to fade.

Some supported him; others fiercely criticized him as ungrateful. Wang’s detractors and fans opened a new battleground.

Amidst the chaos, on January 21, Premier League club Tyne released a video and news announcement:

“We are honored to announce that superstar Wang Lie will join Tyne Football Club on a free transfer. Although, due to the ongoing season, we cannot prepare a grand welcome ceremony for him, we cannot wait to see him on the pitch!

WELCOME, CHINA WANG!

The legend continues!”