When the professional season started for Manchester United, things got even worse. And the worst thing was that it was not aimed just at me but at my family. I understood the fans' disappointment after the World Cup and their desire to blame someone; it was my responsibility. But when my family was brought into it, things had gone too far. Even though I wanted revenge, I decided to keep my head down, train and play hard, and keep doing what I do best, which is playing football.
当曼联职业赛季开始的时候,情况变得更糟了。最糟糕的是,它不仅针对我,还针对我的家人。我理解球迷们在世界杯后的失望和他们想责怪别人的愿望;这是我的责任。但当我的家人被卷入其中时,事情就太过分了。尽管我想报复,但我还是决定低下头、努力训练,继续做我最擅长的事情,那就是踢足球。
Gradually things got better. Manchester United ended up winning the league. In 2000 I was handed the England captain's armband. It was the proudest day of my career when I was told I'd lead my country in a game against Italy.
事情渐渐好转。曼联最终赢得了联赛冠军。2000年,我被授予英格兰队长袖标。那是我职业生涯中最自豪的一天,有人告诉我,我将带领国家队参加一场与意大利队的比赛。
Four years after the event of 1998, I stood again at the penalty spot, trying to ignore Simeone's attempts to unsettle me. I focused on the ball as I took my run-up and hit it straight down the middle, as hard as I could. Carlos Roa, the Argentine goalkeeper, was slightly wrong-footed and could only watch as the ball hit the back of the net. By that time, I was running over towards the corner, pulling at my shirt and shouting at the top of my lungs. All the anger and hurt that I'd felt over the previous four years just disappeared. All the bad memories of abuse and threat went with the goal. In hindsight, it made me stronger as a player and a man. I had turned the corner, and my life would never be the same.
1998年的那件事发生4年后,我再次站在罚球点上,试图忽视西蒙尼试图让我不安的企图。我把注意力集中在了足球上,我做了助跑,在中路直接踢球,尽了我的全力。阿根廷守门员卡洛斯·罗阿乱了阵脚,只能眼睁睁地看着球打到网后。那时,我正朝角落跑去,扯着我的球衣,大喊大叫。在过去的4年里,我所有的愤怒和难过都消失了。所有关于骂声和威胁的糟糕记忆都随着进球消失了。事后看来,这件事让作为一个球员和一个男人的我变得更加强大。我已经渡过难关了,我的生活也发生了改变。