Football: Starting from the 05 World Youth Championship

The final score of the match was 3-1. After the match, Lin Feng took the initiative to walk towards Chen Tao.

"Accepted!"

As Lin Feng walked toward Chen Tao, he took off his jersey, preparing to exchange jerseys with Chen Tao.

"Let you be smug for now. When we return to the Weser Stadium next time, we'll show you our true strength!"

Chen Tao made some tough remarks, but he couldn't hold back his words as he spoke.

Having experienced this match, he is very clear about the gap between Real Madrid and Werder Bremen.

Even if they have the home advantage in the next round, it probably won't be enough to bridge the gap in the two teams' overall strength.

What's more, Real Madrid has that freak Lin Feng on their side. Chen Tao had always been Lin Feng's teammate, and this was the first time he had experienced facing him as an opponent on the field.

Well, all I can say is that this experience was unbearable to recall. If he could choose, he would never want to face off against Lin Feng again.

"Okay, but let me treat you to a meal today!"

"Hmph, I've lost count of how many times you've knocked me down. I'm not going to skimp on this meal; I'm going to eat you out of house and home!"

Lin Feng patted his chest and said generously, "Just eat! My annual salary is 6000 million silver dollars, I won't go broke from eating!"

Chen Tao was speechless: "Can't we have a normal conversation? It feels like you're showing off your wealth to me!"

He currently earns €95 a year at Werder Bremen, making him one of the highest-paid players in the team. Captain Baumann's annual salary is only €105 million, just €10 more than him.

But comparisons are odious. Chen Tao's annual salary, which is considered quite good in the Bundesliga, is completely insignificant compared to Lin Feng's.

Based on the current euro-to-yuan exchange rate, his annual salary at Real Madrid is probably already at or even exceeds 600 million euros.

It would be a lie to say that Chen Tao wasn't envious, but he also knew the principle of "you get what you pay for".

If one's own abilities are inferior to Lin Feng's, it's impossible to earn such a high annual salary as him.

However, there's nothing to be discouraged about for him. When he first joined Werder Bremen, he only received a base salary of 300,000 euros. In just two years, his annual salary tripled. What more could he ask for?
Moreover, compared to his national team teammates in the Chinese Super League who are subject to salary caps and whose maximum annual salary is locked at 5 million RMB, he is now earning twice as much as they do!

After exchanging jerseys, the two hugged shirtless.

This scene was captured by a reporter on the sidelines and became the background image for domestic media reports on the game afterward, as well as a classic image in the hearts of countless fans!
……

Because their opponents were not strong, the Real Madrid players did not hold any celebrations after winning the victory.

Back in the locker room, everyone greeted each other, and after showering, they prepared to go home.

But this did not include Lin Feng. Before he could even return to the locker room, he was surrounded by reporters in the mixed zone.

After finally answering a few questions from reporters, I thought I was finally free, but I hadn't even taken a few steps when the team's press officer dragged me to the post-match press conference.

"Lin, sit here, everyone's been waiting for you!"

Mourinho was already in position. When he saw Lin Feng arrive, he smiled and spoke in a warm tone, even pulling out a chair for him so he could sit down.

The reporters in the audience exchanged glances; something was wrong!

When has Mourinho ever been so polite to a player?

Even when facing his favorites like Drogba and Terry at Chelsea, he was never this polite!

Those were all veteran players who fought alongside him for several seasons and snatched two league titles from Manchester United.

As a result, the treatment these people received from him was actually worse than that of Lin Feng, who had only been teaching for less than a month.

"Thank you!"

Lin Feng didn't realize there was anything wrong with this, since Mourinho was quite friendly to him in private, so he didn't think there was any problem at all.

Once everyone was present, Mourinho raised his hand to signal that reporters could ask questions.

"Mr. Mourinho, why did you place Lin Feng in the defensive midfield position today instead of letting him continue playing as an attacking midfielder?"

This is a question that many people are concerned about. After the game started, when they saw Lin Feng appear in the defensive midfield position and do almost all the defensive work throughout the game, their jaws almost dropped.

As expected of Mourinho, transforming a genius-level attacking midfielder into a defensive midfielder, only someone as obsessed with defense as you could do that!
"Because I discovered that Lin Feng has excellent defensive and interception abilities, I let him give it a try, it's that simple!"

Mourinho certainly wouldn't say the team lacks a defensive midfielder; he was forced to resort to this tactic, which would only expose his own weakness.
"What is your assessment of Lin Feng's performance in the defensive midfield position in this match?"

Mourinho was a little more serious this time:
"Very satisfied, Lin Feng is a genius!"

"Will you continue to have him play as a defensive midfielder in the future?"

Mourinho glanced at the reporter who asked the question and uttered two words:
"Keep it secret!"

Seeing that Mourinho was unwilling to say more, the reporters then turned their attention to Lin Feng:
"Lin Feng, how would you rate your performance in this match?"

"good!"

Lin Feng felt that he played quite easily in this game because the opponent was not strong and he did not encounter much trouble in the defensive midfield position.

"So, do you prefer an attacking midfielder or a defensive midfielder?"

Upon hearing this question, some reporters became cautious and began to scan Lin Feng and Mourinho with ill intent, seemingly anticipating a scene of discord between the coach and the manager.

Mourinho adjusted his posture slightly, clearly also concerned about Lin Feng's answer.

Mourinho was actually quite worried that Lin Feng would say he didn't like playing as a defensive midfielder. If that were the case, Mourinho's arrangements for this match might have inadvertently offended Lin Feng, and the relationship between the two might have already developed a rift.

"Hehe, I prefer winning!"

This answer brightened Mourinho's eyes, and a huge weight was finally lifted from his shoulders.

The way she looked at Lin Feng became even more appreciative.

This little guy has really high emotional intelligence!

Lin Feng has been dealing with reporters for several years, so how could he not know what these guys are up to?

These guys don't care about the lives of your players and club just to create a big news story!

The press conference was almost over, and the last question returned to Mourinho.

"Mourinho, why did you abandon Chelsea and join Real Madrid? Was it because you admired the stronger team?" The last reporter to ask a question immediately launched into a highly provocative inquiry.

Other reporters who were about to leave returned one by one when they heard about the gossip.

Many people were taking pictures of the reporter asking the question and Mourinho.

Lin Feng glanced at the reporter with some surprise. Judging from the reporter's fluent London accent, he guessed that the reporter was probably a die-hard Chelsea fan.

I'd heard that Mourinho's press conferences were always full of tension, and seeing it today, it certainly lived up to the hype.

Given Mourinho's fiery temper, he would have likely lost his temper and argued with the reporter on the spot when faced with this kind of question.

He's done this kind of thing before at press conferences, and he's even been fined for insulting reporters.

Moreover, this is not a good question to answer. If we admit it, we are just letting him down, and our reputation will be ruined.

Denying it would lead to a self-proving trap, and the other party would definitely have many more questions waiting for him!
But Mourinho, a seasoned veteran, not only avoided falling into the opponent's trap, but also put them on the defensive with just one sentence.

The madman calmly glanced at the other person and said disdainfully:

"Andrei Chotnov, right? I remember you're a die-hard Manchester United fan. Why aren't you following and reporting on Manchester United's matches anymore? Instead, you're here spreading rumors about me. Do you think Manchester United's performance over the past few years has been so bad that you've started supporting Chelsea now?"

In an instant, everyone's eyes turned to the reporter named Andrei.

Mourinho's words were blatant sarcasm, almost throwing back the mud he had just smeared at him.

Many people, judging from the expressions of the two men and the fact that Mourinho could even call each other by name, secretly speculated that the two men might have been at odds for a long time.

Reporter Andrei's face flushed red. He knew he couldn't obviously prove himself a trap, so he continued to press on the previous questions:
"Please answer my question, why did you abandon Chelsea..."

Mourinho interrupted the other person before they could finish speaking:

"What evidence do you have that I abandoned Chelsea? Did Abramovich tell you? Did the Chelsea players tell you?"

Mourinho didn't give his opponent a chance to breathe, pressing him with several questions until he was speechless.

He dared not fabricate anything under the watchful eyes of everyone; if it were proven false, he would face legal trouble.

Seeing that the other party couldn't answer, Mourinho, like a victorious general, arrogantly ordered them to leave:
"I do not welcome journalists like you who spread rumors and have no bottom line. Real Madrid's press office will shut down your company and the newspaper you represent. We do not welcome you!"

After saying that, he turned and left, not giving the other party a chance to retaliate.

Lin Feng glanced speechlessly at the reporter who had provoked him. Of all people to mess with, why did you have to provoke him!

He's Mourinho, the madman who's always fighting the media!
……

Because the Bernabéu Stadium is in the city center, while the team's training base is in the suburbs, more than ten kilometers away from the stadium.

Madrid's terrible public transportation system had already closed by this time of day, and as for late-night taxis, let alone a delicate woman, even a burly man like Lin Feng, who was 1.85 meters tall, wouldn't dare to try.

Security is not good in Europe, and Spain is even worse in terms of security because its economic development is not as good as some of the older developed countries in Western Europe.

Stealing by day and robbing by night is practically a regular job for the unemployed people here.

For his own safety, Lin Feng had no choice but to hitch a ride back to the base with Mourinho.

This made him think that he didn't need to rush to buy a house, but a car was still very necessary.

With his wealth, he can afford almost any car, except for those limited-edition luxury supercars.

However, Lin Feng wasn't very interested in flashy sports cars. While they looked cool, the actual riding experience wasn't good, especially for long trips.

In comparison, off-road vehicles or urban SUVs would be more to his liking.

Considering that Liu Yifei seemed to prefer large vehicles, Lin Feng ultimately focused on Land Rover and Hummer.

The Hummer may have better off-road performance, but the Land Rover balances comfort and driving experience, making it a better choice for urban driving needs.

In fact, the tram ride will be even better in a decade or so, but unfortunately we don't have anything that advanced yet.

Just as Lin Feng was pondering which car to buy, Mourinho, who was driving, suddenly spoke up to thank him:
"Lin, thank you!"

Lin Feng was a little puzzled, wondering why the other party was suddenly thanking him.

"Thank you for not undermining me at the press conference!"

Mourinho continued, "Actually, I know you don't like playing defensive midfield. Compared to attacking midfielders, who can score goals and be in the spotlight, no one likes the defensive midfield position, which requires doing all the dirty work, especially for a star player who can play the attacking midfield position."

Seeing that Lin Feng did not refute him but tacitly agreed with his words, Mourinho knew that he had guessed correctly.

After pondering for a while, Lin Feng slowly spoke:
"Coach, I know your difficulties. I can make sacrifices for victory, but I don't want others to take my sacrifices for granted or even morally blackmail me, demanding that I must sacrifice for the team!"

Mourinho quickly denied it: "Don't worry about that, I wouldn't do something so selfish. Even if it were necessary, I would discuss it with you beforehand and respect your opinion!"

Lin Feng nodded. It was already quite remarkable that Mourinho, a head coach with such a strong personality, would make such a concession.

However, after spending the past two weeks together, Lin Feng felt that Mourinho wasn't as difficult to get along with as the rumors suggested.

The rumors are true; Mourinho does indeed have a bad temper and is difficult to get along with.

But Lin Feng's feeling was right!
The main reason for his feeling was that Mourinho had never coached a superstar before, and before he won his second Champions League trophy with Inter Milan, his seniority and prestige in the football world could not compare to his own after winning the treble.

So at this point, Mourinho wasn't so arrogant yet; he was learning how to properly build relationships with superstars.

From Real Madrid's perspective, Lin Feng represents the team's future and carries the hope of leading Real Madrid's revival.

Furthermore, Real Madrid has invested too much in Lin Feng, and until they recoup these investments, they will undoubtedly provide unconditional support to the player and coach.

Mourinho understands this principle now, but the Special One who coached Manchester United in his previous life did not, or rather, he never regarded Pogba as a superstar, which is why he did not expect to be kicked out of Manchester United.

Pogba may not be considered a true superstar, but as a key midfielder for the French national team and after leading them to World Cup victory, he has certainly earned that title. Mourinho underestimated him.

But Mourinho will not underestimate Lin Feng.

Because this is a true superstar, and arguably the best active player in football today.

He was relieved that he had clarified things privately, otherwise it would have left a thorn in the other person's heart.

If these thorns accumulate, their relationship will inevitably fall apart sooner or later. (End of Chapter)