The Rise of Millwal

Ronaldinho's training performance that day was nothing short of disastrous. He was completely out of sync in the morning, and by the afternoon, the coaches had separated him from the first team, making him train solo.

Despite a brief midday break, he remained sleep-deprived, the red veins in his eyes starkly visible.

When he knocked on Aldrich's office door, Aldrich was standing behind his desk, hands in his pockets, gazing out at the training fields through the window.

"Boss, I know my performance today disappointed you. I'm sorry..."

Ronaldinho took the initiative to apologize as he walked in, but Aldrich, still facing away from him, raised a hand to stop him from continuing and motioned for him to come closer.

Approaching the desk, Ronaldinho noticed several tabloids spread across it. Their front pages were filled with images of him indulging recklessly at a nightclub.

As he joined Aldrich by the window, he experienced something for the first time—he finally understood.

Standing at this vantage point, gazing through the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could overlook every training pitch of the Leo Training Base.

Aldrich's office had been here for over five years. Since the summer he moved in, countless times he had stood in this spot, his view encompassing the entire training base. The scene wasn't grand but carried a quiet power that left a lasting impression.

The success of a team is built on the pitch. But the success on the pitch is guaranteed by training. Without quality training, there can be no quality performance. This was indisputable.

Luck? The goddess of fortune? Those were excuses used by the weak to mask failure or envy the strong.

"About five years ago, you first arrived here. It was on that field where you first showcased your talent."

Aldrich pointed towards a distant training ground. The distance made it impossible to pinpoint the exact spot, but it was enough to trigger Ronaldinho's memories.

That boy who had earned respect and admiration from everyone the moment he first touched the ball on that training ground—the boy whose football dream had started here.

Ronaldinho turned to look at Aldrich, suddenly finding his boss's gaze unreadable.

The man who could once joke around with him, be relentlessly strict at work, and approachable in everyday life now seemed distant, almost unfamiliar.

When Aldrich slowly turned his head to meet Ronaldinho's eyes, the younger man lowered his gaze.

Before coming here, he had mentally prepared himself to face Aldrich's wrath. He thought he'd endure a harsh scolding, leave afterward, and then everything would blow over.

But when their eyes met, he couldn't bring himself to look into Aldrich's gaze again. There was no anger, only disappointment—a piercing blade that struck straight through his heart. It tore apart the layers of his emotions, unleashing waves of self-reproach, guilt, and shame. These feelings flooded him in an instant, draining every ounce of strength from his body.

He had always known how high Aldrich's expectations for him were.

And now, he felt he had let his boss down completely.

"Do you understand me?"

Aldrich's voice was soft, almost a whisper.

Ronaldinho nodded.

He believed he understood the boss well enough to know that being valued by Aldrich didn't grant him any special privileges. Breaking team rules meant facing the consequences, no exceptions.

"No, you don't understand. In my position now, I have to win—constantly win—to make this club even greater. I need to make Millwall an unshakable force in Europe. That's what I remind myself every morning when I wake up: I must stay motivated to work hard. I must forget all the achievements of the past. Only by doing that can I stay grounded and avoid the naïve belief that nothing will ever change, that victories will come easily, and that our past defeated opponents will always remain defeated."

Ronaldinho nodded again. He wanted to say something but found any words he could offer would feel hollow.

Aldrich turned to the window again, his voice calm but serious. "You might think I'm overreacting. Sure, you were late today, and your training didn't go well. But this kind of thing matters. The first time it happens, it's easy to brush off. Then it happens again, and again. Before you know it, without good training, your performance is on a downhill slide.

Let's talk openly and keep this simple. I gave you time to go back to Brazil, to see your family and recover. Of course, spending time with your friends, even partying a little, is fine—you've earned it. You don't have many friends here, and I get that. I've had my wild nights too.

But when you're here at the club, you need to manage your downtime better. I didn't play you in the last match because I wanted you to rest, to recover from the national team's travel demands. Instead, you went to a nightclub. That wasn't rest, and now it's affected your training.

Ronaldinho, football is where you belong. You're capable of incredible things, but only if you put in the work. Life doesn't give do-overs. Make it count.

Tomorrow, the team is heading out for the Champions League. You'll stay here and train alone."

Ronaldinho suddenly realized why he had felt a momentary sense of distance, a strange unfamiliarity with Aldrich just now.

It might be because Aldrich, despite the incredible success of his career, continued to carry a profound drive to push himself further. His grounded approach to work and his relentless pursuit of greater success were what made him truly remarkable.

He had won league titles and a Champions League trophy, and the name Ronaldinho had evolved from a rising star to a bona fide world-class player. Whether he could ascend to the ranks of football legends would depend on his performances in international tournaments or his ability to maintain his stellar form at the club.

For Ronaldinho, if there was one person at Millwall he trusted completely, it was Aldrich. His boss not only cared for him but also worked tirelessly to bring out the best in him—to help him shine brighter, to make him the very best.

"Boss, I promise—there won't be a next time!"

Aldrich waved him off with a calm shake of his hand. "No need for promises. Let your actions prove it."

Ronaldinho didn't argue; he simply turned and left. Being left out of the squad for tomorrow's game was the club's way of enforcing discipline. And truthfully, after his lackluster training today, he didn't deserve a starting spot.

As the door clicked shut, Aldrich stood by the window, gazing out as he murmured softly, "When you give yourself fully to football, even God will smile upon you."

... ...

That day, Ronaldinho went home and rested. The next day, he immersed himself in training with renewed focus.

His name wasn't on Millwall's Champions League squad for the away game. At the press conference, Aldrich avoided discussing Ronaldinho, opting for a low-key approach. As long as Ronaldinho could adjust his mindset and stay out of nightclubs, the off-field chatter about him would soon fade.

Sporting CP, Newcastle United, Derby County, Manchester City, Sporting CP again, Leeds United, Southampton.

Seven matches in 40 days. Millwall won five and drew two.

In the Champions League, they drew the away leg against Sporting CP and secured a win at home, bringing their tally to two wins, one draw, and one loss in the group stage after four rounds. Surprisingly, Moscow Spartak topped the group with 12 points after beating Millwall in the opening round and winning three consecutive matches. They were almost guaranteed a spot in the knockout stage and only needed a draw to secure first place. Meanwhile, stronger teams like Hamburg and Sporting CP languished at the bottom of the group.

For Millwall, a win against Moscow Spartak in the next round would almost ensure progression, but there was still a risk of an unexpected exit.

In the league, Millwall played five matches, winning four and drawing one. The only blemish came at Elland Road, where Leeds United's aggressive midfield pressing earned them a draw. All other opponents were dispatched by Millwall.

After 15 rounds in the Premier League, Millwall remained unbeaten with nine wins and six draws, extending their incredible undefeated streak to 63 matches.

However, Millwall still sat in second place on the league table.

Manchester United, after a shaky start to the season, had gone on a seven-match winning streak since Round 9. With 11 wins, three draws, and one loss from 15 games, they led the league with 36 points, three points ahead of Millwall. Arsenal, meanwhile, had started to fall behind. With two consecutive losses in Rounds 14 and 15, they had seven wins, four draws, and four losses, accumulating only 25 points. By Christmas, they were already 11 points off the top. Leeds United, with seven wins, five draws, and three losses, had 26 points, one more than Arsenal. Liverpool followed closely with 23 points from seven wins, two draws, and six losses. Chelsea, with just four wins, five draws, and six losses, had effectively bowed out of the title race early, sitting on 17 points.

Fleet Street could breathe a sigh of relief. The Premier League situation this season was looking far more optimistic than last year.

As for the title race, the anticipated "group of contenders" had completely fallen apart. No one doubted that the championship was a two-horse race between Millwall and Manchester United. Arsenal, Leeds United, and Liverpool trailed by double digits in points—a gap equivalent to at least four matches.

This level of margin meant that even if either Millwall or Manchester United were to slip up over the remaining 23 rounds, the chances of both faltering simultaneously to allow the chasing pack to catch up were exceedingly slim. Especially in six-pointer clashes, it was unlikely for either team to yield much ground.

Even though Arsenal handed Manchester United their only league defeat so far, that result came at Highbury. In the second half of the season, unless Arsenal could escape Old Trafford unscathed, the result would merely even out the head-to-head record, leaving neither side with an advantage.

Over the past month or so, Aldrich has been in good spirits.

Ronaldinho had used his training and on-pitch performances to dispel the negative press from before. Meanwhile, Millwall welcomed a future star to London—a player who would soon belong to them.

Kaká, while recovering in a São Paulo hospital, learned that Millwall and São Paulo FC had reached another agreement over his transfer. Andrew, acting on behalf of Aldrich, visited Kaká in the hospital and delivered a letter from Aldrich.

This time, Kaká was deeply moved.

He hadn't played a single professional match or even made his debut, yet Millwall's pursuit during the summer had already swayed him. However, his family didn't want him to move to Europe too early, especially since Millwall was brimming with talent. Going directly to a top-tier club might mean fewer opportunities, and they feared he'd be overshadowed.

Kaká hoped to make a name for himself in Brazil first before considering a move to Europe.

Then disaster struck. He suffered a spinal injury. For a player with such an injury—especially an unknown player—having a top European coach still relentlessly pursuing him left Kaká deeply touched.

Millwall had even arranged for a top-tier medical team to head to Brazil to support his recovery, regardless of whether Kaká ultimately agreed to the transfer. This gesture was entirely unconditional.

Kaká's father, also his agent, finally nodded in agreement after witnessing Millwall's sincerity. The transfer to Millwall was set. As for salary and benefits, Millwall offered him the minimum standard for first-team signings—a package considered very generous for a Brazilian player, especially one in Kaká's current situation.

Kaká and his family traveled to London—not to settle down, but to accompany him through his spinal treatment and recovery. Aldrich made time to visit Kaká at the hospital, chatting with him about football and fostering a connection.

On the transfer front, Millwall and São Paulo agreed to a transfer fee of £6 million. The transfer would officially take place next summer. A January move was unfeasible for Millwall due to squad constraints.

As a non-European player, Kaká required a special talent visa to join Millwall. The club needed to coordinate with the FA, which required ample preparation. A summer move provided the necessary time to smooth out these procedures. A January attempt, however, had a high risk of falling through.