Chapter 45: The Chinese Matthäus? (National Football Team Arc)

Click.
Click.
The flashbulbs flicker.
Photographers press their shutters.
They capture a historic moment: the moon and stars, the grass, the cheering crowd, waving red flags, and the young prodigy from China stepping onto the field, greeted by the wind.

In the live broadcast room, the comments flood in:
“Quick, play the background music!”
“So handsome.”
“Even the wind, stars, and moon are celebrating the arrival of China’s genius.”
“Although we know this match is hopeless, just seeing Li Luo appear is satisfying enough.”
“Even if Messi and Ronaldo were on the field, the Chinese team couldn’t be saved.”
“It’s premature to rejoice suddenly. Soccer is a team sport; he alone can’t change anything.”
“Why are some Japanese fans sneaking in here?”
...

Li Luo jogs onto the pitch, signaling a few gestures to his teammates.
Whether they understand or not, it doesn’t matter.

The Japanese players’ expressions grow serious, their eyes burning with determination.
“Li-san is here.”
“We must give our all!”
...

The match restarts at the center circle.
China has possession.
Gao Lin kicks back to the defensive line.
Players from both sides spring into motion, formations overlapping at the center line.

“The kid... Japan is applying high pressing.”
“Dangerous.”
“This is bad.”
“Shinji Kagawa’s pressing is effective; Yu Kobayashi controls the ball.”
“Oh no, they’re speeding up to launch a counterattack, stop them quickly!”
The commentator’s voice is filled with alarm.
Coach Zhang looks anxious.

Indeed, Li Luo leans toward offense... but he can’t save Chinese football alone.
...

Yu Kobayashi’s pace is top-tier in the J-League.
Left foot on the ball.
Body tilts, shifting weight to deceive.
Right foot flicks the ball to change direction.
Snap!
“He’s past him.”
“Huh?”

The Japanese “small forward” evades a Chinese defender with agile footwork.
At the moment of breakthrough.
Snap!
The ball slips out of control.
He staggers and is pushed aside!

Li Luo stops the ball, passes back to the defense.
He commands while moving into position.
...

“What just happened?”
“Beautiful!”
“Li Luo’s timely interception.”
“Perfect anticipation.”
“Hmm? That position... watch that spot again!”
“He singlehandedly cut off Japan’s counterattack chain.”
“Vision, top-level awareness.”

At Tianhe Stadium, the atmosphere surges.
So uplifting!
Those Japanese want to toy with us? Li Luo cuts them down in one stroke!
...

On the sidelines,
Perrin’s mouth drops in surprise.
In the Bundesliga and Europa League, Wolfsburg has two tough, sturdy midfielders, so Li Luo isn’t needed for this kind of work.
No,
Next to those rugged men in the top five leagues, Li Luo looks quite “slight.”
But now, compared to Japan...

On the other side,
Japanese assistant coaches look terrified.
“What?”
“What?”
“Busquets?”
“Li Luo is a Busquets prototype!”
“Our J-League’s top forwards are powerless against him?”
“Quiet! Stop all this chattering!”
Agirre waves his hand.
“According to pre-match plans, implement the cross-press network! Cut off all Li Luo’s forward passing lanes!”
“Drive him out!”
“Pin him down.”
...

The ball returns to Li Luo’s feet.
Japan’s tactical execution is strong.
They don’t mass forces to swarm the Chinese prodigy.
Instead, they tightly mark other Chinese players.
Cutting off China’s passing routes.

Shinji Kagawa’s expression is serious as he approaches Li Luo, thinking.
“The game is simple.”
“There’s a problem in China’s collective movement during autonomous attacks; Li-san can’t organize like at Wolfsburg.”
“His exquisite passing... cannot form a threat.”
“He’s not a Busquets template; his role is Xavi, he is Pirlo, the brain and soul of a team...”
“The elegant commander.”
“The noble prince of the pitch.”
“I’ve studied your feint techniques!”
“Let’s settle this!”
“Li-san!”
...

Following Agirre’s plan,
Others cut off Li Luo’s forward passing lines.
The nearest midfielder approaches for a one-on-one challenge, trying to disrupt his breakthrough.

Coincidentally,
At this moment,
Shinji Kagawa, known as “Japan’s Tsubasa Ozora,” takes on the one-on-one task.
Physically weak in confrontation, his defense relies on weight shifts and balance.
...

Under the spotlight,
The distance between the two narrows.
At Tianhe Stadium, tens of thousands of spectators hold their breath.
Dortmund’s number 7 versus Wolfsburg’s number 10.
A direct clash between Asia’s top midfielders.

Kagawa observes Li Luo’s shifts in balance.
Any change?
Fake moves?
Escape techniques?

Two figures weave past each other.
The Japanese watches the ball fly swiftly by his side.
In an instant,
He is violently struck and thrown aside!

The crowd gasps.
“Wow!”
“Ball and man separated!”
“Li Luo didn’t use the elegant dribbling style of the Bundesliga but instead crushed the 62-kilogram Kagawa with sheer force!”
“Ma...”
“Matthäus!!!”

Thousands of Chinese fans erupt in a deafening cheer!
...

Something is different!
China’s team style has changed!
...

Li Luo carries the ball past the center circle.
Then cuts toward the flank.

Japanese players strictly follow their coaches’ orders: continue cutting China’s attack chains and passing lanes.

“Li-san.”
“He will surely slow the pace, then use exquisite passing and top-level vision to organize...”
“What?”
“Why is he still charging forward alone?”
“The promised elegant commander, the noble prince of the pitch?”

Japanese fans in the away stands show fear.
Their once arrogant confidence gradually fades with the Chinese youth’s lone charge.
...

“Fast speed!”
“Li Luo!”
“Kosuke Ota, J-League’s best right-back, nicknamed the Machida Tiger, an Asian top-tier player both offensively and defensively!”
“Danger!”
“Wow!”
“He passed the ball to himself three seconds later!”
“Overtaking on the flank!”
Snap!

Li Luo pushes the ball forward.
Steps accelerate.
“Giroud teaches you the second burst!”
His feet spin like wheels of wind and fire.

In the game, Kosuke Ota’s speed is only 54; his pupils dilate.
He feels as if falling into an ice pit.
The time difference.
Li Luo’s acceleration, then re-acceleration, causes the J-League’s top fullback to miss the chance for direct physical defense!

The defense line’s flank is open.
Li Luo breaks through with the ball!
...

Across the eastern lands,
Countless fans in front of their TVs—
Even those who don’t usually watch soccer—are dumbfounded.
Forceful.
Power and speed.
The most primal charm on display.
The youth galloping in the wind, like a meteor cutting through the dark night of Chinese football.
...

At Tianhe Stadium,
The huge white flag in the Japanese away section seems to slip and crash down.

Perrin nearly faints from joy.
Agirre looks like he’s fallen into an abyss, his face blank.

Meanwhile,
Li Luo has already driven the ball into Japan’s penalty area.
The Japanese players have abandoned their “cut contact” tactic, panicking as they rush to defend.
...

Shusaku Nishikawa lowers his center of gravity.
He assumes a K-shaped blocking stance,
Watching Li Luo’s step and foot movement carefully.
The strongest goalkeeper in the J-League.

Bang!
A 76-point shot.
The tiger descends the mountain.
At the realm of the Chinese Super League’s supreme emperor.

Suddenly,
Japan’s wall of sighs is shattered by a single strike!