Football Dynasty

Who would have thought that even a child would climb the wire mesh outside Maine Road just to catch a glimpse of his hero?

Richard had never experienced anything like this during his playing career. It was a rare moment—and a true eye-opener.

"Hmmm," he muttered, rubbing his chin, deep in thought.

In the Premier League alone, Ronaldo's goal tally was nearing 20. Add to that 6 goals in the FA Cup and another 7 in the League Cup, and he was on track for something extraordinary. If things kept going the way they were, a 40-goal season wasn't out of the question.

Richard suddenly felt that Ronaldo's £12,000-a-week salary was well worth it. He trained hard, gave everything on the pitch, and poured in the kind of sweat and effort most people couldn't even imagine. Sure, his nightlife and clubbing habits sometimes frustrated the coaching staff—but as long as his performances stayed this consistent, Richard didn't see any reason to complain.

Over the past three years, Richard had seen all kinds of players come through Maine Road. Some dreamed of leaving for bigger clubs and brighter lights. Others played purely out of passion. Some were naturally gifted; others were just average. There were players with no plan for their future, and there were those who carried the weight of massive ambition.

But after watching so many come and go, Richard realized that perhaps—out of all of them—it was this little rascal, this kid who climbed the stadium fence to get a glimpse of Ronaldo, who captured the spirit of football best.

A player who could inspire that kind of devotion? That was someone worth rewarding.

Richard made a quick decision. He turned to one of his bodyguard and gave a quiet instruction, "Tell O'Neill to leave a few minutes free at the end of training."

After hearing the reason, O'Neill raised a brow but nodded. He also felt that City's most important player deserved some form of reward. So, as training wrapped up, he shouted, "Ronaldo!"

As expected, both Ronaldo and the others halted their drills, turning their heads toward Martin O'Neill.

"Rest for a while!" O'Neill waved his hand at Robertson and the rest of the coaching staff. "Let him come over for a bit."

The staff understood the cue, and Robertson relayed the message to Ronaldo. Moments later, the Brazilian came jogging over, his face full of curiosity.

Watching the lad's movement, O'Neill felt a quiet satisfaction with the training program they'd designed for him—especially after his recovery from injury.

"Boss, what's the matter?" Ronaldo couldn't help but ask.

At the moment, he'd been training with Trezeguet, Shevchenko, and Henry in a finishing drill. But despite the others being just as involved, O'Neill's attention was fixed solely on him—and his tone wasn't exactly warm.

That's just the pressure talking, of course—especially with the season nearing its end.

"I know you're training. Will it kill you to take a short break?" O'Neill's tone was unusually casual for a manager speaking to a player. He waved at Ronaldo and said, "Come here."

Ronaldo approached obediently, so close he was nearly pressed against the wire mesh. Though he didn't know why the boss had called him over, he didn't question it.

O'Neill turned and motioned for Ronaldo to follow him. They walked into a room where Richard was waiting, along with a man and his young son.

Richard didn't waste time and got straight to the point. He turned to the father and asked, "Do you have a pen?"

The small child—Bernard—quickly pulled out a large signature pen from his bag, practically a must-have for any young football fan. Richard took the pen and placed it back into Bernard's hand, then gently pulled the boy closer to Ronaldo, adjusting the child's shirt as he did.

"Give him your autograph," Richard said.

Ronaldo was slightly stunned. He thought he'd misheard, and held the pen in his hand without moving.

"B-Boss, this is…?"

What crossed Ronaldo's mind was whether this child was related to the big boss—Richard Maddox.

Richard, as if reading Ronaldo's thoughts, repeated firmly, "Give him your autograph. He's your first fan. Don't treat him so coldly. Squat down and give him your autograph!"

"Ah, so that's how it is," Ronaldo nodded before obediently crouching down and signing the boy's red shirt: Ronaldo. The letters came out a little crooked and slanted.

Richard chuckled at the sight and took the chance to tease him. "So ugly! Honestly, it might even be worse than Bernard's handwriting. Haha!"

Ronaldo blushed, embarrassed, but coughed to hide it and handed the pen back. Then he asked, "Can I return to training now?"

Richard shook his head in disbelief. This lad really lacked a sense of occasion. Shouldn't he have patted the boy's head, said something nice, and soaked in the moment a little? Saying "Can I return to training?" like that really killed the vibe.

With no other choice, Richard waved his hand dismissively and said, "Yeah, yeah, go back!"

Usually, Ronaldo saw his fans from a distance—whether it was the roar of the crowd from the stands or people shouting his name from behind barriers. The cheers, the flags, the chants—they were loud and passionate, but always distant, always part of the spectacle.

But this moment was different.

A single child had suddenly appeared, eyes wide with wonder, looking up at him as if he were something out of a dream. There were no chants, no flashing lights—just silent awe.

It was the first time Ronaldo had experienced admiration so close, so personal. And oddly, he didn't know how to react.

If Richard could have known what was running through Ronaldo's mind just then, he might've laughed—or been left speechless. How strange it was, seeing someone who would one day be adored by millions across the world, now visibly shy and almost flustered by one child's quiet gaze.

Ronaldo turned around and jogged back to rejoin the others. Watching him go, Richard let out a soft sigh and murmured to himself, "He's so different from the Ronaldo I know in the future…"

"What was that?" O'Neill, who was standing beside him, glanced over with a puzzled expression.

"Ah—nothing," Richard replied quickly, shaking his head with a faint smile. "Just talking to myself."

The child didn't seem to mind Ronaldo's attitude at all. Instead, he lowered his head and looked proudly at the name on the back of his shirt. Then, with a beaming face, he turned to his father and exclaimed, "Ronaldo! Dad, look!"

His father smiled warmly and ruffled his hair. "If you like it that much, then make sure you treasure it."

O'Neill chuckled and added, "That's right! Take good care of it—this is Ronaldo's very first autograph. When he becomes a world-famous superstar, you might be able to sell it for a fortune!"

Richard's mouth twitched. Really, Martin? How tactless can you be? Shame on you.

Young Bernard scrunched his nose and stuck his tongue out at O'Neill. "I'll never sell it! Even if I don't have money to buy Forest's new jersey, I'll keep this one forever!"

Seeing the boy's serious expression, Richard couldn't help but smile. Ronaldo, did you catch that? That's your first true fan. Now you have one more reason to become the superstar you're meant to be.

Even after getting his idol's autograph, Bernard stayed behind, still cheering and watching Ronaldo intently. O'Neill, realizing they couldn't linger here much longer, gave a quick nod to Richard before turning to City's long-time kit manager.

"Jimmy!" he called out. "Why don't you show this young man and his father around Maine Road? Let them see how the first team trains up close."

Jimmy Rouse nodded with a grin and beckoned the pair to follow.

Before heading back to his office, Richard made a quick detour. He walked toward the Manchester City media department, his mind set on finding Sadie Carpenter—the daughter of the club's former media officer, and the one now in charge of the official Manchester City Magazine.

"Can you create a marketing campaign and publish it in our magazine about this moment?"

Use the emotional story of young Bernard receiving Ronaldo's first autograph as a club-driven feature to spark loyalty, engage younger fans, and help shape Ronaldo's image early in his career.

The campaign should present Manchester City as the place where legends are made.