While setting a new record as the youngest ever to be named in the Golden Ball 30-man shortlist, he also broke the record for the youngest ever in the Golden Ball top 10!
That was a super record he couldn't even break in the future!
In the final voting, Deng Kai received sixteen points, the same as three of the four players behind him.
To say he was tenth was rather to say he was seventh!
If one were to talk about being ranked lower, it was purely a matter of seniority.
Even... if it weren't Deng Kai's first time in the spotlight, his performance over the year would have earned him the Golden Ball without a question.
Being a six-time champion and winning MVP six times in a row—that was the kind of terror he represented!
But seniority plays a significant role in any industry.
This wasn't simply about seniority; it was about influence.
When a star's reputation reaches its zenith, they often have passed their peak performance and entered a decline—that's the rationale here.
