La Masia – Miniestadi Training Complex, Barcelona, Spain.
Late in the morning, after the first-team training session wrapped up, Messi sat in the players' lounge, quietly flipping through the day's newspapers.
Most of the major Catalan sports papers were plastered with headlines about the Premier League clash from the previous night. El Mundo Deportivo ran an especially bold title across the top of its front page:
"Liverpool's Yang Yang Strikes Twice Again — Mourinho's 46-Match Home Unbeaten Run Ends!"
Just from the headline alone, Messi knew the article would be generous with praise for Yang Yang, while showing no mercy toward Mourinho. Sure enough, the piece harshly dissected Chelsea's defeat, even implying that Mourinho's tactical choices had backfired disastrously.
Messi wasn't surprised. Catalan media had never liked Mourinho.
Barcelona and Chelsea had clashed in the Champions League quarter-finals for two consecutive seasons. In 2004–05, Barça had been knocked out; the following year, the Blaugrana returned the favor and eliminated the Blues. Mutual victories hadn't softened the rivalry — every meeting between the two clubs only deepened the animosity. And Mourinho's public tirades at referees after the early encounters had earned him lasting hostility from the Catalan press.
Now, with Yang Yang leading Liverpool to a 3–1 win at Stamford Bridge, ending Mourinho's long-standing home invincibility, the Catalan media were practically celebrating.
The article described Yang Yang as the best young player in the world, claiming he was already the standout of his generation — barely twenty years old and yet already dominating the Premier League with five goals and two assists to start the season.
"At the beginning of the season, many were stunned when Liverpool spent €40 million to sign Yang Yang — the highest transfer fee in the club's history. Paying that much for a 19-year-old seemed unthinkable."
"But Liverpool's gamble has paid off immediately. In these opening weeks, Yang Yang has displayed a level of talent that justifies every cent."
"At Stamford Bridge, he didn't just score with a beautiful curling finish. His second goal — dribbling past three Chelsea players before beating the goalkeeper — was breathtaking."
"If Drogba's goal was superb, Yang Yang's two were undeniably world-class."
Messi skimmed past the sensationalist writing. The media's exaggeration didn't matter to him.
What mattered was Yang Yang himself.
Messi had also started the season in excellent form. In the opening match away to Celta Vigo, he had contributed a goal and an assist, helping Barcelona win 3–2. In the second round, against Osasuna, he scored again.
La Liga had begun a bit later than the Premier League, so only two rounds had been played. Messi had two goals and one assist — an impressive start that had the local press buzzing, eager to see whether he would continue this form in the next match away to Racing Santander.
But now the headlines had shifted back to Yang Yang.
Four matches, five goals, two assists — his start was extraordinary.
What shocked Messi even more was how quickly Yang Yang had answered Cristiano Ronaldo's supposed challenge.
A week ago, the Portuguese star had celebrated a goal by mimicking Yang Yang's celebration after dribbling past three defenders — a gesture the media interpreted as a provocation, a direct challenge, almost a question: Can you do it? Can you match me?
And one week later, Yang Yang responded with an almost identical feat.
Was that really a coincidence?
Had he been holding back before?
Otherwise, how could he produce that kind of answer so immediately after Ronaldo's gesture?
Messi felt a tightness in his chest. Competing against such a player… did he truly stand a chance?
"Quite a coincidence, isn't it?"
Ronaldinho appeared beside him, dropping into the seat with a relaxed grin.
Seeing Messi's increasingly gloomy expression as he reread the article, the Brazilian spoke gently.
"Is it really just a coincidence?" Messi asked.
"Yes," Ronaldinho replied without hesitation. "He's excellent, no doubt. I watched the goal. The key was timing — how he read the gap. And he's very fast with the ball."
Messi nodded. He had rewatched the clip several times.
Chelsea's defensive line had been shifting from their right to their left. The space between Essien and Khalid Boulahrouz had opened for a second, and the Dutch defender hesitated. The moment Yang Yang controlled the ball, he accelerated, splitting the gap before either could react.
Then it was a one-on-one with John Terry. In that situation, unless Terry fouled him, no one was stopping Yang Yang. And with the match context, a foul wasn't an option Terry wanted to consider.
"To be fair," Ronaldinho continued, "he has improved very quickly. And I heard he trains unbelievably hard. When I was with the national team, Maicon and Maxwell told me he might be the most hardworking player they've ever seen."
"But hard work alone isn't what makes the difference at the top."
"What does?" Messi asked immediately.
Anything concerning Yang Yang grabbed his full attention.
"Confidence," Ronaldinho said.
Messi fell silent.
He realized Ronaldinho was using Yang Yang as a mirror — not to discourage him, but to push him.
Ronaldinho was the best player in the world at that moment. His understanding of football was on another level. From where he stood, he saw things others couldn't.
"A player who never doubts himself, no matter the circumstances, is the one who can stand at the pinnacle of this sport," Ronaldinho said. "And Yang Yang has that trait. That's why he stands out."
Messi lowered his gaze. Deep down, he knew he often struggled with self-belief.
"Look at the goals he's scored — the quick corner against AC Milan back when he was at Ajax, and now this solo run against Chelsea. He took those chances because he trusted himself. A player with less confidence would have recycled possession. Even a bold one, after beating two players, would have passed before facing Terry. But he didn't. He backed himself."
Ronaldinho watched Messi's expression tighten and softened his tone.
"Leo, you're the most talented player I've ever seen. With the ability you already have, you're not inferior to him. Your only problem is you're too sensitive. You doubt yourself too easily. To become the best, you need to be the guy who steps up every time. You need the confidence that no one can shake."
Messi said nothing, but he knew Ronaldinho was right.
Ronaldinho could dominate Barcelona not just because of his technique, but because of his unshakeable belief in himself.
"You've only just joined the first team. There's no need to rush. Don't compare yourself to others every day. Focus on your own development — your physical strength, your consistency. Build confidence match by match."
"Yang Yang looks brilliant now, but don't forget — he spent three years polishing his game at Ajax. Those years built his confidence."
"If you compare the current you with the current him, does that make sense?"
Messi thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"Exactly. Believe me, with your talent, if he can do it, you can do it. If he can dribble past three defenders, then with the right moment, you can dribble past four — even five."
"Someday, the media praising him now will praise you ten times more."
"You will be the best player in the world."
Messi nodded firmly.
He trusted Ronaldinho — and therefore, he believed every word.
After their conversation, his eyes were filled with renewed determination.
…
…
Almost at the same time, over at Manchester United's Carrington training ground, Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates were also looking through the morning papers.
Most of them had watched the Liverpool–Chelsea match the night before. They already knew how well Yang Yang had played, but seeing the media reaction laid out in bold headlines still created a sense of pressure and unease.
No one had expected Yang Yang to respond so quickly to the so-called "challenge" — and certainly not with a performance that decisive. It had come too fast, too clean, leaving them with no way to counter the narrative.
"These bloody newspapers just love stirring things up!" Rooney snapped, tossing aside a copy of The Sun.
He had played for Everton, Liverpool's city rivals, and had never had a favorable impression of Liverpool players. Yang Yang choosing Liverpool over Manchester United only added to Rooney's dislike.
So naturally, seeing glowing praise for Yang Yang irritated him even more.
"But let's be honest — he did play well. Both goals were difficult," someone added.
"Yeah, Drogba's was great too. That match had three goals worth rewatching."
"From how he's playing now, Liverpool's signing looks like a massive bargain."
While his teammates went back and forth, Cristiano Ronaldo's expression grew darker by the minute.
More than half the journalists were clearly waiting to see his reaction today, and that alone annoyed him. But beneath the anger, irritation began turning into a knot of frustration.
Yang Yang had set a trap for him — one he couldn't avoid stepping into. Ronaldo had provoked him first with that celebration, and now, in barely a week, Yang Yang had answered in the most direct and public way possible.
Now the media were circling, ready to compare them at every turn.
How was he not supposed to feel suffocated?
Just as his irritation peaked, Alan Smith — who had been watching him from the side — muttered under his breath, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Honestly, you brought this on yourself. Shouldn't have been the one to provoke him first. Now you're embarrassed, and United ends up catching strays for no reason."
"What did you say?" Cristiano Ronaldo slammed his hand on the table, rising to his feet.
Alan Smith didn't flinch. He stared straight back. "Did I lie?"
Teammates rushed in immediately to calm things down, stepping between the two. Captain Gary Neville grabbed Smith by the arm and pulled him several steps back, defusing the situation just before it got out of hand, but…
…
"This is Sky Sports!"
"Good afternoon, everyone. We're coming to you live from Old Trafford in Manchester."
"This is the fifth round of the Premier League — Manchester United at home against Arsenal."
"The match is moments away from kickoff."
"In addition to the classic showdown between the Red Devils and the Gunners, there's another storyline gripping fans today. Yesterday, at Stamford Bridge, Yang Yang scored a stunning goal after dribbling past three Chelsea players."
"It also made many people eager to see whether Cristiano Ronaldo could reproduce Yang Yang's stunning long-range goal from last week — the one scored just ten seconds into the match — just as Yang Yang had reproduced Ronaldo's dribbling goal yesterday."
"Of course, scoring within ten seconds is unrealistic. That took a fair bit of luck. But plenty of fans believe that if Ronaldo scores within the first three minutes — even five minutes — it would be considered an equal answer."
"The match kicks off, and Manchester United launch the first attack!"
"The Red Devils are starting aggressively here at Old Trafford."
"Arsenal drop back immediately — Wenger clearly wants to keep things compact in these opening minutes."
"United attack down the left flank. Mikaël Silvestre plays a straight pass forward… Darren Fletcher makes a late run, hits it with his left foot!"
"William Gallas steps in and blocks it!"
"Strong early warning from Manchester United — straight into Arsenal's penalty area."
…
"Another attack from United on the left. This time, Cristiano Ronaldo picks up the ball…"
"… he goes for goal!"
"But the shot flies high over the near post!"
"That effort was at least thirty meters out. Definitely not the wisest decision."
"You can see Cristiano Ronaldo is rushing things."
"He's clearly affected by all the media talk before the match — and by that indirect challenge between him and Yang Yang."
"Rooney looks frustrated, raising his hands as if to say, 'I was free in the gap — why didn't you play the pass?'"
…
"Manchester United are relentless."
"Rooney breaks into the penalty area… Jens Lehmann gathers the ball — but the referee blows the whistle! He signals that Lehmann handled it just outside the box. Arsenal concede a dangerous free-kick, and Lehmann is shown a yellow card."
"Cristiano Ronaldo stands over the ball."
"He goes direct!"
"And again it sails over!"
"Some of the United players look unhappy. They feel this position was better suited for a set-piece routine rather than a direct effort. But the Portuguese winger looks increasingly impatient."
…
In the 21st minute, Cristiano Ronaldo carried the ball into the left side of the penalty area, struck a low shot toward the far post, but the attempt drifted wide.
In the 27th minute, he took a long-range free kick from the left side, but his effort slammed straight into the wall.
One minute later, after Evra delivered another cross, the Portuguese winger connected with a left-footed volley inside the box, only for Jens Lehmann to parry it away.
In the 37th minute, Scholes delivered a corner, and in the ensuing scramble Louis Saha swung a left-footed volley. The ball ricocheted through the crowd, striking Cristiano Ronaldo amid the chaos.
In the 41st minute, after intercepting a loose pass in midfield, Ronaldo slipped past Gilberto Silva, advanced, and fired from roughly 27 meters — once again missing the target.
Moments later, Fletcher sent a cross from the right. Emmanuel Eboué mistimed his header clearance, and the ball dropped perfectly for Cristiano Ronaldo. Unmarked, he controlled it on his chest on the left side of the penalty area and struck a left-footed volley — but sliced it wide, wasting the best chance of the first half.
After the break, Manchester United continued to generate shooting opportunities, and Cristiano Ronaldo kept finding openings to strike. But for one reason or another, nothing would go in.
His shot tally quickly climbed into double digits. With so many wasted chances and his insistence on shooting at every opportunity, frustration spread around Old Trafford. The home crowd began to show clear dissatisfaction with his performance.
Then, in the 85th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo received the ball again and attempted to beat his man on his own. But Cesc Fàbregas read him perfectly, stepping in with a clean interception before immediately releasing a sharp pass into the left channel.
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor burst forward onto the ball and finished from close range.
It was the only goal of the match.
Old Trafford erupted in boos, and many Manchester United supporters openly directed their anger at Cristiano Ronaldo.
...
...
From the home dugout, Sir Alex Ferguson sat in the front seat, watching the match in silence.
The Scottish manager looked distant, almost resigned. He knew now that Manchester United were heading toward their first defeat of the season.
He expected they would eventually drop points somewhere — but he hadn't thought it would be today, and certainly not against Arsenal.
"He's still far too impatient," Carlos Queiroz sighed beside him.
Impatience — that was Cristiano Ronaldo's biggest problem. And when he grew anxious, it only snowballed from there.
Across ninety minutes, he alone had fired more than a dozen shots. It wasn't just the supporters venting at him — even his teammates were visibly frustrated.
That left Queiroz, who had the closest relationship with Ronaldo, deeply worried. He wasn't sure if the young Portuguese could handle this kind of pressure. Right now, his situation was terrible.
At the World Cup, even though he didn't intend it maliciously, Ronaldo's pressure on the referee had contributed to Rooney's red card, turning him into a villain in the eyes of English fans. That incident nearly pushed him to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid in the summer.
And so far this season, he had struggled to convince anyone. Aside from the goal he scored last week by dribbling past three players, he had produced very little — completely below the expectations of the club and its supporters.
Tonight's match only added to the weight. The team lost to Arsenal, and Queiroz didn't need to wait for the newspapers — he knew United fans would be furious, and tomorrow's British media would tear him apart.
Queiroz felt like an ant on a hot stove. But Ferguson remained unshaken.
"Have faith in him, Carlos."
Queiroz shot him a glance. "But you know what he's like."
"To achieve big things, you first have to overcome yourself," Ferguson replied calmly. "He's right at the heart of his own battle. Tonight isn't the beginning of it… and it won't be the end."
Queiroz opened his mouth to respond but hesitated.
"I know what you want to say," Ferguson continued. "But remember—whatever is given to you by others is never truly yours. You don't know when it will disappear. Only what you fight for, what you earn, truly belongs to you."
Ferguson suddenly turned to him, a faint smile on his face.
"Do you know why Benítez hasn't built Liverpool's tactics around Yang Yang yet? Why he doesn't ask Crouch, Kuyt, and the others to fully serve him? Do you know why?"
"Because he just arrived in the Premier League?"
"That's one part. But more importantly, Yang Yang still has no status in Liverpool's dressing room."
Queiroz immediately understood.
A dressing room was a miniature society. Everyone had their own priorities.
Some players wanted recognition. Some wanted bonuses. Some were content being squad players. Others always wanted to be centre stage.
Different ambitions created different relationships.
When Yang Yang first arrived at Liverpool, he had no foundation, no rank. Even if Benítez tried to force everyone to play around him, the squad wouldn't accept it. And if they pretended to, it would be half-hearted.
So instead, Benítez kept things balanced — maintaining harmony, allowing competition, and letting Yang Yang earn his place. If he proved himself strong enough, the players would accept him as the team's ace.
But without ability? No tactical protection could save him.
Just look at Shevchenko at Chelsea.
The same logic applied to Cristiano Ronaldo.
"He needs to grow, he needs to mature, and he needs to show his strength to win over the dressing room," Ferguson continued. "Only when his teammates truly believe in him will they be willing to play around him. That's what a competitive team requires."
Queiroz nodded slowly. "But now… what if he can't handle this?"
"Then it means you and I misjudged him," Ferguson said plainly. "It means he isn't worth all this effort."
The moment he finished speaking, the referee blew the final whistle.
Manchester United suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 0–1 at home to Arsenal.
Ferguson had kept Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch from start to finish — through every mistake, every groan from the stands.
Not just tonight. From now on, and in the next match too…
This was Ferguson's trust — and also his method of shaping him.
Queiroz knew how precious these lost three points were.
He couldn't say Ferguson didn't trust Ronaldo. He couldn't say Ferguson didn't use him. He couldn't even complain on Ronaldo's behalf.
They had done everything they could.
Some personalities cannot be changed with words — they must be forged.
"Trust me, Carlos," Ferguson said with conviction. "If he gets through this storm, he'll complete his transformation. He'll join the very best in the world. He may even become the best of them all."
After coaching so many players — from the Class of '92 to countless successes and failures — Ferguson's confidence carried weight.
On the pitch, Arsenal players were celebrating, while the Manchester United squad trudged off, heads down like beaten men.
Cristiano Ronaldo lingered at the back of the line, walking alone through a barrage of boos from United fans. None of his teammates stayed beside him; he bore it entirely by himself.
Ferguson shook hands with each player as they exited, offering brief words of encouragement and sending them toward the tunnel.
When Ronaldo reached him, Ferguson said nothing — he simply wrapped him in a firm embrace. Then, with an arm around his shoulder, the two walked back toward the tunnel side by side.
Queiroz followed behind them. In that moment, the pair looked unmistakably like a father and his son.