The Greatest of all Time

Chapter 760: The Crown of a Legend

The new season, 2020–21, arrived with the weight of history on Liverpool's shoulders. The team had just come off the greatest year in modern football. Fans wondered if they could do it again.

For Zachary Bemba, the question was never about dipping after success. His entire career had been built on discipline, on habits repeated daily until they became a way of life.

The Community Shield at Wembley was the first test. Arsenal stood in their way, full of energy and eager to make a statement. Zachary was sharp from the first whistle. He scored the opener with a curling shot from the edge of the box, then assisted Firmino with a delicate through ball that split Arsenal's defense in two. Liverpool lifted their first trophy of the season, and the press wrote headlines that felt familiar: Bemba decisive again.

The Premier League followed quickly. Leeds United came to Anfield on opening day, eager to prove they belonged after promotion. Marcelo Bielsa's side attacked without fear, but that left space behind. Zachary exploited it ruthlessly. He scored twice, set up two more, and walked off to a standing ovation from the Kop. By October, he was already in double figures for both goals and assists. Pundits shook their heads and asked the same question every week: how do you stop him?

Defenders tried doubling him. They tried pressing him. Some even tried fouling him out of rhythm. It never worked. If they blocked his shooting lanes, he turned into a playmaker. If they gave him space, he punished them directly. His game looked effortless because he knew when to conserve energy and when to explode.

Europe brought sterner challenges. Liverpool's Champions League group placed them alongside Juventus, Sevilla, and Dynamo Kyiv. For Zachary, playing against his former club Juventus stirred memories. The Italians knew him well, but knowing and stopping were two different things. In Turin, he scored a brace and assisted Salah in a 3–1 win. Italian papers admitted, Even when you prepare, you cannot contain him.

As the nights grew colder and the year moved toward winter, Zachary's rhythm never faltered. Liverpool topped their group with comfort, setting up another deep run in Europe. But before knockout ties could arrive, another ceremony awaited him.

In December, Paris became the center of the footballing world. The Ballon d'Or returned after its cancellation the previous year, and this time there was no debate. Zachary's exploits from the 2019–20 season had carried Liverpool to a historic quadruple. His 72 goals and 34 assists had broken barriers that once seemed impossible for a midfielder.

On a crisp winter night, the world gathered at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Past winners like Messi and Ronaldo sat in the front rows. When Zachary's name was read, the applause was thunderous. He walked onto the stage in a tailored black suit, calm but proud, and accepted the golden ball from Didier Drogba.

"From the streets of Bukavu and Lubumbashi to this moment, it feels unreal," he told the crowd. "But I never walked this journey alone. To my teammates, my coaches, and the people who stood by me in the hardest times, thank you."

For many, that speech sealed it. He was no longer the rising star. He was the best player in the world. Kristin was seated quietly among the guests. She was not in the spotlight, but when Zachary glanced her way after holding up the trophy, her small nod and smile carried more weight than the applause.

After Paris, Liverpool returned to the grind of English football. December and January were brutal, with matches every three days.

Some players began to fade under the schedule, but Zachary never wavered. He followed every recovery session, never skipped the cold baths, and never let his diet slip. On Boxing Day against West Brom, he produced a masterclass. Two goals, two assists, and complete control of midfield. Klopp praised him afterward, saying that he knew his body better than any player he had ever coached.

By February, Liverpool sat at the top of the league again. Manchester City and Manchester United chased, but Zachary's consistency gave Liverpool a cushion.

In Europe, the knockout stage brought Barcelona in the quarterfinals. The first leg at the Camp Nou was supposed to be a battle. Instead, it became a showcase.

Zachary scored a hat-trick, including a free kick that bent around the wall and left Ter Stegen frozen. Commentators said it felt like a message to the footballing gods. The second leg at Anfield was less dramatic but just as effective. He assisted Mane with a perfect cross and controlled the rhythm until Barcelona accepted their fate.

Liverpool advanced with pure dominance.

The semifinal against Real Madrid was tighter. Kroos and Modric tried to dictate play, while Casemiro shadowed Zachary at every turn. But his adaptability shone. In the first leg at the Bernabéu, he dropped deeper, becoming the conductor. In the second leg at Anfield, he pushed forward, scoring once and assisting twice in a 4–1 victory. Liverpool marched into the Champions League final again, and Zachary was at the center of everything.

While Europe captivated fans, the domestic competitions carried their own drama. In April, Liverpool faced Manchester United in the EFL Cup semifinal at Old Trafford. The home crowd jeered every touch Zachary made, but he silenced them with a curling shot into the far corner. Liverpool advanced and later lifted the cup after beating Chelsea at Wembley.

The FA Cup final in May brought Manchester City as the opponent. Guardiola's side pressed high, forcing mistakes from most teams. But Zachary thrived under pressure. Midway through the second half, he collected the ball thirty yards out and unleashed a strike that curled into the top corner. The goal was replayed around the world as one of the season's best. Liverpool lifted another trophy, adding to their growing collection.

The climax came two weeks later in Istanbul. The Atatürk Olympic Stadium was the same venue where Liverpool had performed their miracle comeback in 2005, and this time the opponent was Bayern Munich.

The German champions attacked relentlessly. Lewandowski tested Alisson early, and Thiago, their former player, tried to control midfield. But Zachary remained composed. In the 42nd minute, he slipped a pass through two defenders for Salah to score.

In the second half, with the score level, Zachary produced the moment of the match. Collecting the ball outside the box, he feinted right, shifted left, and struck a low drive past Neuer. Liverpool won 2–1. Another Champions League title. Another night of fireworks, confetti, and celebrations. Zachary stood on the podium with the trophy in his hands, medals around his neck, his smile quiet but knowing.

By season's end, the numbers were staggering again. In the Premier League, he finished with 32 goals and 21 assists, topping both charts. Across all competitions, he produced 68 goals and 31 assists. No midfielder in history had come close to such output.

When compared with the legends, he now stood almost alone. His back-to-back seasons of 72 and then 68 goals placed him just behind Messi's greatest single year, but no one else had ever combined that scoring with his creative numbers. The football world no longer debated whether he was world-class. They debated how long it would take before no one could argue against him being the greatest of all time.

Through all of it, Zachary remained grounded. After finals, he celebrated with the squad, but he never let the noise consume him. The next morning, he could be found at home, sitting in the kitchen with Kristin, sipping tea and laughing about how he always fell asleep on the sofa after matches.

The world saw the superstar who broke records and lifted trophies. Kristin saw the man who left his phone aside during dinner and asked how her day had been. That balance was perhaps his greatest strength. It allowed him to live with the intensity of world football without being swallowed by it.

As the fireworks of Istanbul faded and the season officially ended, Zachary stood at the peak of the football world. Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or all within twelve months. Records shattered. Standards reset. The boy who once trained barefoot on dusty pitches in Lubumbashi had become the man who ruled Europe. And even then, he felt as if the journey had only just begun.

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