Rise of a Football God-Chapter 465: The parade of legends
Two days later…
Spain, Barcelona.
The day of the parade of legends.
Early in the morning, Barcelona woke up to an iconic moment; a helicopter flew across the city, dragging a gigantic banner in its wake.
It read:
[Temporada de Somni – The Dream Season]
The streets of La Rambla, Passeig de Gracia, and Placa Catalunya overflowed with humanity. Hundreds of thousands, maybe more turned the heart of Barcelona into a roaring sea of red and blue.
From balconies, windows, rooftops, fans waved flags and sang songs that hadn't echoed this proudly in over a decade.
The banners strung between buildings read:
[Campions de Tot!]
[The Dream Season – 2026]
[Triplet! Champions of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League!]
Technically, it was a quadruple since they also won the Supercopa de Espana, but since they managed to win the UEFA Champions League this season after so many years, officially, it was a European treble season.
At the center of it all, an open-top double-decker bus crawled through the streets like a triumphant galleon returning from war. On its sides, the glittering haul were flaunted in their full glory.
The La Liga trophy, gleaming under the Mediterranean sun like a testament to perseverance and excellence.
The Copa del Rey, wrapped in ribbons.
And towering at the center, the UEFA Champions League, a trophy reclaimed from the gods of Europe.
Music blasted from the speakers; Catalan anthems, club chants, drums that thudded like hearts.
And at the front of the bus stood the giants, the heroes.
Hansi Flick, in sunglasses and club gear laughed with his staff. Lewandowski and Sam stood at the front, the Polishman with his arms stretched wide, tossing a signed ball into the crowd.
Gavi and Pedri were dancing, taking selfies, leading call and response chants.
And Lamine Yamal, atop the bus's roof like a king born in fire, holding the Champions League trophy aloft with both hands. The roar that followed the bus nearly cracked the air itself.
As for the captain?
He wore a crown someone had thrown up to him. At first, he laughed it off. But when Ter Stgen put it on his head and bowed mockingly, the crowd lost their minds.
From Placa d'Espanya to Arc de Triomf, fans chanted.
"Sam!" "Sam!" "Sam!"
"Yamal!" "Yamal!" "Yamal!"
"Barca!" "Barca!" "Baaaaaarca!"
At one point, fireworks exploded above Montjuic as the procession reached its final destination.
A temporary stage had been built. Giant screens displayed every glorious moment from the season; Gavi's rocket against Atletico, Sam's legendary goals in El Clasico, the Copa del Rey final goal, and of course… Yamal's winner in Munich.
Hansi Flick stepped forward, mic in hand. The crowd fell silent.
"This team…," he started. "This family… gave everything. For this badge. For this city".
"We weren't just playing football. We were writing a new chapter in Barca history, a new chapter in the history of the biggest club in the world!"
The fans cheered louder.
Hansi Flick grinned. "A legendary chapter".
Then, he turned to his players. "And I promise you, it's just the beginning. We'll go on to achieve even more together".
"We'll leave our mark in history".
He handed the mic to Sam, who looked out at the endless crowd. Hansi Flick didn't tell him about this ahead of time and so for a moment, Sam was stumped, but he quickly killed his anxiety and smiled.
"I came here to win, to achieve my goals. But I stayed because of you".
"This is the best club in the world. And now, we've reminded Europe of that truth".
A few other players spoke, and then Yamal spoke last. He was not nervous, taking the mic and speaking with confidence.
He may be younger than Sam by 2 years, but he's stayed under the Barca scrutiny for far longer. It was funny but he had more experience playing in the top 5 European leagues than Sam.
Yamal spoke. "I grew up dreaming of Camp Nou. Now, I dream of filling its future".
"This isn't just a treble. This is a promise".
"We've achieved a lot together already, but we'll achieve even more".
The crowd cheered.
The music hit again. Confetti cannons fired. The night became a festival, a memory carved into stone.
Barcelona had their legends.
And now, their era had begun again.
…
FC Barcelona's open-bus parade was an iconic one, and it elicited reaction from the global footballing community.
It was Barca's Renaissance under Hansi Flick, and whether they liked it or not, the wider footballing community had to bow to the tyranny of the new king.
(L'Equipe- France:)
("PSG Falls, Europe Kneels: Barcelona's Empire Reborn.")
("Paris dreamed of immortality. But Barcelona reminded them what legacy truly means. Hansi Flick has forged a team not of superstars, but of warriors, artisans, and believers. France applauds… and aches.")
…
(Marca- Spain:)
("Temporada de Oro! – Barca's Treble Lights Up the World!")
("From Munich to Montjuic, this Barca team captured not just trophies, but hearts. Hansi Flick silenced all doubters. Yamal is no longer a wonder kid, he is a generational terror. Sam is the new G.O.A.T. This is no fluke. This is the rebirth.")
…
(The Guardian- UK:)
("Barcelona's Beautiful Storm.")
("Not since the Guardiola era have we seen such cohesion, such joy in movement, such terrifying elegance. Ter Stegen's leadership, Pedri's rhythm, Yamal's fire, Sam's genius; Barcelona danced through Europe and lit a torch for future greatness.")
…
(Gazzetta dello Sport- Italy:)
("Arte, Furia, Gloria – Barca's Masterpiece.")
("Italy knows art when it sees it. What Barca painted this season wasn't football, it was opera. Each goal was a note, each match a crescendo. If there is a new dynasty forming, it begins in Catalonia.")
…
(New York Times- USA:)
("Barcelona's Return: A Global Powerhouse Reawakens.")
("From Wall Street to Wynwood, Barcelona jerseys are selling out. The world has a new obsession: the new King named Sam, the teenage star named Yamal, and a squad that refused to die. Football's global heartbeat shifted again, to Spain.")
Not just on global media, social media also exploded with reactions.
Barcelona didn't just win the treble.
They won the world's attention.
And the world now waits… for what comes next.
