Cao Baming stood up and glanced at Wu Xue beside him. Her eyes were almost drooping shut. Although she hadn't drunk much, it was long past her usual bedtime.
Her delicate appearance and hazy gaze made her look like a sleeping beauty. He still knew how to cherish a woman's fragility.
After escorting her to the living room on the second floor of the adjacent villa, Cao Baming returned downstairs. Everyone was already waiting there, their eyes shining with anticipation.
The stadium lights flickered on, and all the main lights illuminated the area, transforming it into a professional football pitch. This football field truly rivaled the standard of a club stadium.
The grass and surrounding facilities were new and clean, surpassing those of a club in every way.
As soon as the gates opened, everyone rushed in. The staff had meticulously prepared everything, including the necessary equipment, props, and footballs. All items had been purchased and placed in an empty space by the sidelines that afternoon.
Now, no one felt sleepy. The moment they stepped onto the grass, all the men went wild like children, paying no mind to the time. This was the most energetic moment of their day.
The caliber of players gathered on the field tonight likely surpassed even the lineups of the UEFA Champions League finals.
Cao Baming, as the host, had invited superstars from all over the world, and most of them had accepted his invitation.
Henry, Messi, Beckham, Ronaldo, Nunez, Casemiro, Hazard, Grealish, Neymar, and a host of other dazzling stars made it impossible to open one's eyes.
However, there was a slight difference tonight: the players on the field were solely there for entertainment, and there was no live broadcast.
If anyone were to broadcast this scene live, the number of viewers in the stream could potentially rival that of a Champions League final.
Another difference was that looking back at the group behind him, most of them were thoroughly drunk. At this moment, everyone's playing style would undoubtedly be that of a carefree wanderer.
After a few drinks, Ronaldinho had transformed back into the footballing wizard he once was. His steps seemed as light as if he were walking on clouds.
Watching Ronaldinho toy with the ball in front of him, it was as if the ball was stuck to his feet. Although he hadn't fully summoned the magic, in terms of footballing talent and touch, no one in the world could compare to Ronaldinho in his prime.
Now in his late forties, he had long retired from the field, yet after a few drinks, he was reliving his past glory.
Indeed, to truly resurrect a footballing wizard, perhaps all it took was a few bottles of good wine!
Playing for fun alone was hardly satisfying. Since everyone was here, why not have a match? However, most of them had little interest in a formal game, as many could barely stand. But looking at Ronaldinho, one could see that his fundamental techniques and ball control were ingrained in his bones and were virtually unaffected, perhaps even enhanced.
Cao Baming pondered. Although these people were here for his birthday, some of them might harbor feelings of discontent or even wish to defeat him in person.
Such thoughts were impossible within the Arsenal club, which had become a deep-sea leviathan. It wasn't just him; there were also Henry and Messi, as well as the midfield and defensive reinforcements meticulously planned in the East.
To break through this Arsenal team then would be akin to trying to tear apart an impenetrable fortress with bare hands, or a lone warrior storming a dangerous city with only their fists.
Since they desired an opportunity, now was the time!
Cao Baming didn't need to prove anything. He would give them the chance they wanted, and that chance was tonight.
Without realizing it, everyone had already started playing amongst themselves. Not far away, Neymar and Casemiro were competing in the accuracy of their outside-of-the-foot shots, each aiming at a small goal near the sideline.
They seemed as if they hadn't had a single drop to drink, their accuracy still perfectly controlled, living up to their reputations as football legends.
However, Casemiro was slightly outmatched, as his opponent was Neymar, hailed as the third-best player in the world.
There was also another former third-best player in the world, Eden Hazard.
Since his transfer to Real Madrid, he had never recaptured the glory of his Chelsea days. He had ventured into the dragon's den alone, dribbling past five or six players in memorable displays. But after a major injury, he was almost relegated to the bench, with no playing opportunities.
However, despite gaining a significant amount of weight, Hazard's skills hadn't declined drastically.
If one were to consider who among the players on the field tonight had drunk the most, even Ronaldinho would have to concede. Tonight, the undisputed champion was Hazard.
Watching the two Samba stars engage in what he considered child's play with outside-of-the-foot shots, Hazard couldn't resist joining in for a kick.
Unexpectedly, his shot not only missed the goal but also sent the ball flying off in a completely different direction.
It was evident that too much alcohol could indeed affect one's technique. This incident clearly demonstrated it. The people around them burst into laughter, and Hazard himself joined in, laughing heartily.
How could such a thing happen under normal circumstances? The answer was simple: it was absolutely impossible.
No one stepped forward to set any rules. A group of drunken men were happily playing and enjoying themselves. However, Cao Baming had come with a purpose.
Some of the individuals present were players rarely seen on the field, such as Ronaldo, Beckham, and Ronaldinho. They were undoubtedly legends in history, and their skills were still outstanding among contemporary players.
However, most of them hadn't successfully summoned their past magic or had no intention of doing so, except perhaps for the sake of the World Cup.