Laudrup's vision skill further amplified Leo Lin's threat as a passer on the pitch.
Leo Lin looked at the shimmering image of Laudrup, then at the equally radiant Pirlo's Extraordinary Passing. With these two skills combined on the field, the firepower they could unleash would be terrifying!
He was already itching to get back out there and show even more of what he could do.
Meanwhile, Barnett and his team had arrived at the headquarters of Tuttosport. Arriving at the same time were Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Mbappe's agent—his mother, Fayza.
McCarty, the president of the Tuttosport Journalists' Association and the chief official in charge of counting votes for the Golden Boy Award, looked to be around forty years old.
There were a few faint wrinkles on her face, but they did nothing to detract from her beauty. If she were ten years younger, she would have been truly stunning.
Even with two major power brokers showing up together, McCarty arrived with her two assistants looking calm, composed, and completely unruffled. With the ease of a seasoned professional, she greeted both sides, every word polished and diplomatic.
"It's quite late, and yet two distinguished guests arrive together. Care to have a cup of coffee?"
McCarty didn't wave or make any suggestive gestures. Yet the moment she finished speaking, her two young assistants stepped forward in unison, one to each side, to usher the groups in.
Her warm smile, combined with service that immediately put both Barnett and Nasser at ease, quickly softened the tense atmosphere between the two camps.
It was already mid-November, the most critical phase of Golden Boy voting. There was no way McCarty didn't know exactly why they had come.
"We'd like to know the current real-time voting situation for the Golden Boy award," Nasser said impatiently the moment he sat down, getting straight to the point.
He looked anxious, and Barnett understood perfectly why.
Barnett also knew very well what kind of man Nasser was—a chairman with formidable means.
From his rise in personal worth through calculated ambition and a series of carefully orchestrated moves, it was clear just how meticulous and ruthless Nasser could be.
And with Mbappe's agent being his own mother, Fayza would naturally spare no effort in fighting for her son's interests.
Hearing Nasser's request, McCarty smiled faintly.
"I'm sorry, but that doesn't align with our regulations."
"I believe there have been recent instances of malicious vote manipulation and deliberate attempts to steer public opinion, which have caused Mbappe's support to drop significantly."
"At the same time, the support rate for players under his own banner has risen sharply. That constitutes malicious interference in the Golden Boy election, and I believe those responsible should be penalized."
The moment those words left his mouth, Nasser had effectively pointed the spear straight at Leo Lin.
Barnett smiled. He neither confirmed nor denied anything, instead calmly firing back with a question.
"Then I suppose that person's name must be Fayza. Otherwise, Tuttosport is welcome to conduct a thorough investigation. I'm more than happy to provide funding, manpower, and full cooperation."
At that, Fayza's expression changed instantly.
They were all agents. Everyone at the table understood these methods. What Barnett could do, Fayza and Nasser were hardly innocent of themselves.
"These days, everyone has a few tricks up their sleeve," Barnett continued casually. "Let's not play games. If you truly wanted everything to be clean and aboveboard, you wouldn't have flown all the way to Turin in the first place."
Barnett was older, more seasoned, and far more deeply entrenched. Backed by an extensive network across England and his own agency, he had no reason to fear Nasser.
And so the two sides entered a deadlock right there at Tuttosport headquarters.
For two full days, whenever Nasser appeared at the building, Barnett was there as well.
And whenever Barnett was present, Nasser inevitably showed up too.
After forty-eight hours, the allowed negotiation window came to an end. Barnett and Nasser bid farewell to McCarty and returned to their respective clubs.
At that point, everything both sides could do had been done. All that remained was to see how the players themselves performed.
But…
Was it really that simple?
Barnett had gone to Tuttosport's headquarters precisely to prevent Nasser from pulling any underhanded moves.
Only leading him for two straight days and confirming that Nasser had truly left did Barnett finally return to England.
The clash between the two camps drew massive attention from fans. Some supported Mbappe, others backed Leo Lin.
But many legends—especially Premier League legends—leaned heavily toward Leo Lin.
And this came at a crucial time, when the Premier League and La Liga were battling for the title of the world's top league. It wasn't just Premier League legends anymore—even high-level Premier League officials personally stepped forward to voice their support for Leo Lin.
At 9 a.m. on November 14, the first post appeared—from Gerrard. After that, Premier League legends began posting one after another across social media.
Gerrard: "If the undisputed hero and core MVP of the U17 World Cup can't win the Golden Boy award, then I suggest canceling the award altogether."
Alan Shearer: "This is the least suspenseful Golden Boy vote I've ever seen. Shouldn't it obviously be Lin?"
Andy Cole: "How does Nasser still have the nerve to fight for Mbappe's 'last chance'? Where does that confidence come from?"
Frank Lampard: "He's a midfielder, for crying out loud. Look at his goals and assists—he deserves this award."
Robbie Fowler: "Enough already. Is this farce still not over? Look at the fan voting percentages. Who's actually leading?"
Didier Drogba: "As a Golden Boy host, I probably shouldn't say this—but personally, I support Lin."
Kenny Dalglish: "All I ask for is fairness. Just fairness. Everyone is watching. Remember that."
...
No one knew how many Premier League legends posted at the same time, but social media exploded instantly.
Nasser stared at the screen, fury boiling inside him. He had wanted to rally French legends for a counteroffensive, but many of them hesitated.
After all, whether in terms of honors or performance data across Europe's top five leagues this season, Leo Lin was on a completely different level.
Speaking up for Mbappe now would only turn them into laughingstocks if Mbappe ended up losing to Leo Lin.
On top of that, many legends didn't have the best relationship with Nasser to begin with. His usual style—aggressive, domineering, and controlling—had never earned him much goodwill.
This overwhelming, almost unanimous public sentiment was exactly what Leo Lin needed.
With the U17 World Cup title as a foundation, all Leo Lin had to do was avoid doing anything inexplicably stupid that might tank his public image. If he stayed steady, the Golden Boy award was his—without question.
Thinking of that, Barnett picked up his phone and sent Leo Lin a message.
"Lin, stay steady. Don't fall into any traps. No nightclubs, no women, and don't let anything or anyone damage your reputation."
Leo Lin replied almost instantly.
"Don't worry."
"One word: steady."
...
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