"That's the kind of work we do. We players have never thought of becoming someone important in other people's lives, nor do we want football to become an obstacle to everyone's happiness and work."
"We only hope to bring a bit of joy during dull moments, and add some ambiance during happy times. Of course, we are very willing to become pillars for those who have lost confidence in life and the meaning of existence."
"But this isn't healthy! This isn't a long-term solution!"
"Football makes us happier. But it shouldn't replace anything beautiful in our lives! A life dominated by a single thing is monotonous, whether it's football or anything else."
"I can earn a lot of money through football, become known by many people, participate in many other activities, and meet many friends, so I can devote myself fully to football, dedicating most of my life to it."
"But what about the fans? Can they do the same? If they can't, then football shouldn't occupy too much of their time and space. It's normal for any industry to want to grow, but overemphasizing the importance of one industry, to the point of obsession and restraint, has it become a puppet of commerce, straying from its original intention when it was first accepted by people?"
"The reason I fell in love with football initially was not because of how many championships I aimed to win or how much salary I aimed to earn. It was because one day when I was walking in the park, a football rolled over."
"I looked at the lawn where a group of kids I didn't know were smiling brightly at me and said, 'Hey, brother, help kick the ball over, will you?'"
Bang!
Bang bang bang!
Clatter!
The crowd erupted in applause.
Sotu's eyes welled up with tears.
Yes, it's been years, many years since he last saw the group of friends he played football with at the beginning.
Most of them never pursued professional football.
But back then, everyone played joyfully.
Sofia's eyes also reddened, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
She vows that from this moment, she truly wouldn't dislike that damn football so much!
Sofia always believed that football took her boyfriend away, kept Lu Yang on the pitch day after day, preventing them from spending much time together.
Yet, as a mature woman, she knew she had to understand and support Lu Yang, which was her greatest advantage compared to those younger, more alluring women.
But now she realized that everything football stole from her was invisibly returned.
Because of training on the pitch, Lu Yang would realize his desire to go back and spend time having dinner and watching movies with Sofia.
It was because of constant matches that Lu Yang would go to any lengths to accompany Sofia to events during vacations, even if it brought criticism from all over the world, he wouldn't regret it.
Sofia never competed with football for Lu Yang, but because of that, she gained Lu Yang's true recognition, becoming Lu Yang's tightly held object, called "family" by him!
This damn football, seemingly, wasn't entirely a flaw.
There were dozens of journalists present, but many were moved to tears.
Don't doubt it; among the sports reporters, half are not interested in sports or football at all, but are involved because their major is hosting or journalism.
Yet after entering this industry, few among these individuals wouldn't fall in love with these sports.
The other half, however, initially loved sports and football deeply.
Lu Yang seemed to trample on football's significance, but his words actually helped people rediscover the initial meaning of football amid the numbness of work.
That is the true football.
Football should be played like that!
Meanwhile, on the live streaming network, fans had long changed their stance.
"What is Lu Yang saying? Is he negating football?"
"No, he didn't negate football; he only negated the labels businessmen have placed on football!"
"I'm in Asia, and watching football is very inconvenient for me, especially matches held late at night around two or three o'clock. I simply can't watch them. Someone said true fans should stay up to watch, but I think health is more important."
"Yes! When watching football impacts your health and family harmony, you should give up on it. At least give up for that moment, even if it's an exciting national derby or a clash between two red teams! Otherwise, that's not your love for football—it's just your selfishness, where you'd disregard your health and family for anything you like."
"Bringing happiness, joy, and health to everyone—that's the meaning of football."
"Fans' support for the team is indeed important, but we should support them within a limit, not ignoring our own realities."
"So well said! I'm not watching the game tonight; I need to have dinner with my mom and dad. It's been ages since we had dinner together."
"Oh my gosh! Guess what! I just told my girlfriend we won't be watching football tomorrow; we'll go to the movies instead. She excitedly said she'll allow me not to wear Tao tomorrow night!"
"Brother Lu is forever a legend! No wonder Sofia likes him so much! He's incredible!"
"Sudden epiphany! I won't oppose Lu Yang and Sofia being together anymore; Lu truly deserves Sofia because he genuinely loves her!"
"So touching! My first brush with football was because I got hit by a football, and the person who hit me became my best friend for life!"