Football: I am only 16 years old, and you want me to retire and make a comeback?

Chapter 492 Marcello's Regret, the Heroic Talent Booster from the Miracle Chest

[Invincible, bro]

[Awesome!!!]

[A legacy of 70, no, 80 years]

[Air Force Major, a beta tester on the Chinese server, right?]

Fans were also surprised that Tang Ye had such an amazing ancestor.

Like father, like son! Like grandson, like grandson!
Soon, fans found the video recording of Tang Zhengxiong being interviewed by reporters during the group stage.

"To be honest, I actually look down on the Japanese and..."

What was initially thought to be a simple pre-match taunt has now revealed the reason behind it to the fans.

GG Masao truly has the right to say that!

"Brilliant!"

Down with Japanese imperialism!

Tang Zhengxiong had announced his plan to parade with his portrait at the stadium beforehand on Douyin, which resulted in approximately 5 to 600 Chinese fans being present.

Including some locals, the number is probably close to a thousand.

Tang Zhengxiong held the photo frame in both hands, his expression serious.

Reporters quickly surrounded them.

"Mr. Tang, did you bring your ancestor's portrait to the competition venue to cheer for the Chinese team in the semi-finals?"

"Of course, I went back specifically to get it."

Tang Zhengxiong stopped and started chatting with the reporters. The fans immediately surrounded them, eager to hear every word from Tang Zhengxiong.

"So you mean... you'll bring this hero's portrait into the stadium on the day of the match? That doesn't seem to be allowed by the rules."

"I've already contacted the Football Association beforehand, and I'll bring them in."

"Brilliant!"

"Wow!"

A very simple answer, and the fans watching at the scene were already excited.

That's amazing, Masao GG! You can even do this!

"Is this Tang Ye's idea, or your own?"

The reporter handed out the microphone again.

"Yes, that's my own thought. It's like this: my grandfather achieved many great things during the War of Resistance against Japan; he was a true hero. Now, 80 years later, his great-grandson is facing Japanese imperialism again. If I were him, I would definitely want to see my great-grandson defeat Japan with my own eyes."

"This is a matter of inheritance; the descendants of heroes should be heroes themselves."

Tang Zhengxiong proudly raised his chin.

This is the first time fans have seen such a powerful presence from GG Masao.

"but……"

The reporter, seemingly struck by a thought, handed over the microphone again: "Currently, it seems the Japanese team is slightly stronger overall than the Chinese team. In that case, the Chinese team cannot guarantee victory."

The reporter's meaning.

Tang Zhengxiong seems to be a little too optimistic about the competition.

Bringing out ancestral portraits to ward off evil spirits is a bad idea, especially if you lose the match.

"Well... victory or defeat is both possible, but I always have faith in China."

“When I was little, my family would tell me stories about my grandfather. During the War of Resistance against Japan, China's equipment was completely inferior to Japan's, but in the end, the outcome was good, and we still drove the Japanese away.”

"Wow!"

The fans in the stadium started to boo, but Tang Zhengxiong continued his unfinished narration.

"So I think sometimes the difference in statistics on paper can't determine everything; we also have to consider bloodlines. I think the Chinese team should have a natural advantage when playing against the Japanese."

Clap clap clap!

Tang Zhengxiong's father reached the peak of his career, and the fans could only express their excitement with applause.

The descendants of heroes should be heroes themselves; Tang Ye's father's words are indeed very true.

But whether it's correct or not remains to be seen and will need to be verified through the competition.

……

Baidu Hot Searches:

No.1: Tang Xianmin.

No. 2: Semifinal China vs. Japan.

No. 3: Tang Ye's father arrived in the UAE carrying a portrait of his heroic grandfather.

The Sun's front-page headline: Tom's grandfather was a hero of the World Anti-Fascist War; hero's descendant and the descendant of invaders meet in the Asian Cup semi-finals.
The Guardian's entry for Tang Xianmin has been added to Wikipedia.

The portrait of the ancestor quickly attracted the attention of countless fans around the world.

Now Chinese fans finally understand why the organizers allowed Tang Zhengxiong to bring such a large picture frame into the stadium.

This is all about trending topics!
The match between China and Japan was already a highly anticipated game, but Tang Zhengxiong's actions brought its popularity to the level of the World Cup.

That evening, on a balcony of the hotel where the Chinese team was staying, Lippi and Madaloni stood together.

Because it's in a prime location, the nighttime scenery is quite charming.

Lippi chewed the gum Tang Ye had given him at the victory celebration banquet, his breathing becoming somewhat heavy.

"Actually...we should have started the training camp earlier."

Lippi suddenly spoke, his hands in his pockets.

"Actually, it's not so bad. You said it wouldn't make a difference if it took another week."

Madaloni is relatively optimistic.

"...Phew, you misunderstood me. When I said 'not a week's difference,' I was referring to the matches against Thailand, Iran, and South Korea. Now that we're in the semifinals, the difference is significant."

He still spoke very slowly, but Madaloni could still hear the fluctuations in Lippi's tone.

That's true; if training had started a week earlier, Lippi would probably have been able to identify the team's problems sooner.

The timeline for all tactics has been pushed forward by one week.

If Lippi had started studying the three opponents in the group stage earlier, the need to experiment with the shadow striker tactic in the group stage would not have arisen.

Instead, they directly assigned Tang Ye to play as a defensive midfielder.

If things develop this way, then the Chinese team should now be able to execute the defensive midfielder-centric tactic proficiently, and there shouldn't be any major problems when playing against Japan.

But now?

The quarter-final match against Iran was Tang Ye's first time playing as a defensive midfielder in a national team game. He didn't do many things perfectly, and the team's overall defense was full of holes.

Lippi is very sensitive to the team's tactics and overall strength.

He could sense that if the Chinese team was like this, they wouldn't be a match for Japan.

"We might not necessarily lose."

Madaloni placed his hands on his head.

He appeared to be in good condition, but in reality, Madaloni's confidence had been shaken after Lippi's remarks.

Turning his head and exchanging a glance with Lippi, Madaloni suddenly placed his hand on the Italian coach's shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay!"

Madaloni comforted her.

"We've already achieved our goal of reaching the top 4, the rest... it's up to luck!"

Lippi frowned behind his glasses, and it was unclear what he was thinking about.

……

"Haha, see you tomorrow, Brother Lei!"

After saying hello, Tang Ye left Wu Lei's room and returned to his own.

[Miracle Chest (Hero Edition)]

After defeating Iran and advancing to the semifinals, Tang Ye also received his mission reward.

The Hero version of the Miracle Chest.

It sounds incredibly awesome, but I wonder what will come out of it?
[Confirm opening of the Miracle Chest (Heroic Edition)?]

You have obtained the Talent Booster (Hero Edition)

Enhance your talent?

That's quite good.

I wonder what the differences will be between this version of the hero and the regular version?
【Talent Booster (Hero Edition)】

[1. Directly upgrade any talent by one level]

According to Tang Ye's memory, the "any talent" mentioned by the system did not include the extraordinary talent, which is no different from the ordinary version of the talent booster.

The only difference is that the hero version has a second way of being used.

[2. Heroic Power: Designates a talent to approach your highest-level talent by a certain distance. The greater the difference between the designated talent and the highest-level talent, the greater the talent level increase.]

"This……"

This thing is indeed a bit difficult for Tang Ye to understand.

The greater the gap between the designated talent and the highest talent.

Tang Ye's highest talent is his extraordinary vision, while his lowest talent is his utterly useless heading ability.

Simply put, if the first method is used to use the talent booster, Tang Ye's heading talent can only be increased by one level.

However, if you use the second method, the improvement will be more than just one level.

Well, for Tang Ye, who plays games frequently, he can understand the difference after careful consideration.

The first talent is suitable for those with high starting points; it allows you to level up directly without much effort.

The second one is suitable for more average talents; although the level is not high, it can be increased by several levels in a row.

Tang Ye now has two paths before him. Let's open the talent panel and take a look.

Tang Ye (40 years old)
[Ball control: the focus of everyone's attention; Passing: absolutely stunning]

[Shot: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Header: Useless; Set piece: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity]

Speed: One in a hundred; Endurance: One in a hundred; Physical confrontation: Unparalleled

[Defense: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Vision: Beyond comprehension]

Overall rating: Absolutely stunning...

If we use method two, can the one-in-a-hundred endurance talent be directly increased by two levels?
The semi-final match is against Japan. If we can improve our endurance talent to a level that attracts worldwide attention before then, it will definitely be a huge help.

Or maybe if you use it on the worst header, it could directly improve your level by 3?
Squinting as he pondered, Tang Ye now needed to consider both his own needs and the team's upcoming matches.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Tang Ye's mind.

Since the goal is to approach the highest level of talent, does that mean the system's limitations no longer exist?

Should we use path two to bring the pass (spectacular) closer to the field of vision (divine)?

"..."

It seems there really is such a saying?
Talent boosters are readily available, but hero versions of talent boosters are not.

It's done!

[Heroic Power, Passing: Unparalleled → Passing: Transcendent (False Saint)]

[Passes: 91 → 92]

"I rely on!"

Tang Ye shouted it out directly.

It actually happened!

Tang Ye couldn't help but marvel at his own intelligence as he witnessed Tang Ye's long-absent passing talent break through.

Tang Ye (40 years old)
[Ball control: the center of attention; Passing: transcendent (or perhaps pseudo-divine)]

[Shot: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Header: Useless; Set piece: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity]

Speed: One in a hundred; Endurance: One in a hundred; Physical confrontation: Unparalleled

[Defense: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Vision: Beyond comprehension]

Overall rating: Absolutely stunning

Transcendent or false sainthood?
Even a false saint is still a saint!
92 passes is awesome!
A passing rating of 92, plus a 10% bonus...

Tang Ye counted on his fingers and realized that his fingers didn't seem to support such complex calculations.

"Hey Siri!"

"Ok?"

Open the calculator

Both of them held their phones, and Tang Ye was doing his calculations.

92 * 10% = 9.2.

+92
=101.2.

Holy crap, that's incredible!

……

Dongqiudi Match Report: Manchester United defeated Arsenal 2-0 away in the FA Cup fourth round, with Rashford scoring twice. (18231 comments)

Manchester United's players performed admirably. Although they suffered a surprising defeat against Brighton, they still managed to secure a victory in the FA Cup match against the Big Six.

Here's some bad news for Manchester United fans: because the Chinese national team has advanced to the Asian Cup semi-finals, Tang Ye will miss Manchester United's Premier League match against Burnley in late January (Round 24).

"It seems Manchester United fans aren't having the best luck right now, as China has advanced again. We must admit that Tom has delivered a performance in the Asian Cup that is enough to dominate the tournament."

In a Sky Sports Three Kingdoms special, presenter Jason shared his thoughts on the current state of the Premier League.

The Premier League title race in the second half of the season will largely depend on Manchester United's performance in the absence of Tang Ye.

Burnley was relatively easy for Manchester United to handle, but Leicester City seemed a different story.

"If the Chinese team can beat Japan and advance to the final, Tom will miss Manchester United's first league game in February. If I were a Manchester United fan, I would be under a lot of pressure right now."

Jensen looked at the camera.

"Too bad I'm a Manchester City fan, hehe."

[Seriously, are Manchester City fans really that arrogant?]

[Burnley, Leicester City, and Manchester United should have it pretty easy, right? Teng Shengwei!]

It doesn't matter, I just want to know if the Chinese national football team can beat Japan.

It's hard to say. Judging from the odds, it seems many people are not optimistic about China.

Match odds can well reflect the expected winning probability of both teams. Putting aside those fans who bet on the Chinese national team to win out of sentimentality, there are actually not many people who are optimistic about the Chinese national team.

Don't forget that Feng Xiaoting was suspended due to a red card!

……

On the training field, the Chinese team players started talking about the portrait of Tang Ye's great-grandfather.

"Tang Ye, can you fly a fighter jet?"

Zhang Yuning asked jokingly, and Tang Ye helplessly shrugged.

"Of course not, damn it, I'm just a soccer player." Tang Ye tapped the ball that was resting at his feet off the ground.

"Ha ha!"

Before training began, the Chinese players were quite happy, after all, reaching the semi-finals was indeed something to celebrate for them.

But the atmosphere in the team suddenly became tense after Lippi entered the field.

The Italian coach infected his players with his emotions.

Making it to the semifinals is good news.

But the fact that their opponent in the semifinals is Japan is not good news.

The opposing team is the one with the most Asian Cup titles in history, bar none!
"Beep!!!"

After the warm-up, the players gathered in front of the coach, Lippi, who explained in detail the strengths and weaknesses of the Japanese team, followed by some key points for the match.

"Tom, you play defensive midfield."

Lippi looked at Tang Ye, who nodded while still standing in place: "So, you're starting the game as a defensive midfielder?"

"Yes, he was a defensive midfielder from the start."

It's a bit risky, but Lippi has made up his mind.

Pulling Tang Ye to the backfield to play defensive counter-attacking football is probably the Chinese national team's most successful tactic against Japan, bar none.

Tang Ye nodded, imagining the competition the day after tomorrow.

This is his first time playing against Japan!

As training was about to begin, Feng Xiaoting hesitated for a moment, but finally stepped forward.

"Um, I'm really sorry."

"it's okay no problem"

Zheng Zhi and Zhang Linpeng placed their hands on Feng Xiaoting's head and shoulders respectively, and they could almost guess what Feng Xiaoting wanted to say.

"You've done your best, that's enough."

"……Um"

Feng Xiaoting flashed his first smile of the day: "I'll be your sparring partner."

Is the captain acting as a sparring partner?

Zhang Yuning raised both hands, looking flattered.

"Note that it's a short pass; the ball must be released within two touches!"

Madaloni emphasized that the players raised their hands to indicate that they understood.

"Their players are short, but their ground passing frequency is very high!"

"Should I practice set pieces?"

Upon hearing Madaloni say that the Japanese team's players were short, Tang Ye suddenly had an idea.

"Mobile warfare is the key!"

Madaloni rejected Tang Ye's idea.

In the current situation, Tang Ye's most important task is to play well in the defensive midfield position.

As for set pieces.

The Chinese team cannot place its fate on something so vague and uncertain.

"Do you think it's alright?"

Madaloni looked at the training field, with Lippi right next to him.

"Not very optimistic"

……

The Guardian – China vs. Japan, Tom's mission: what are China's prospects?
This was a very crucial match, and many British newspapers even published Asian Cup columns, including The Guardian.

"We can understand the Chinese desire to defeat Japan, but we must also acknowledge that Japan's fluid short passing technique is something the Chinese team lacks. In an era that increasingly emphasizes ball possession, Japan's tactical characteristics give them the potential to become a world-class team."

The Guardian reporter kept saying he could understand the feelings of Chinese fans playing against Japan, but judging from his article, he couldn't understand a thing.

January 28th was the day of the China vs. Japan match.

Early this morning, Dongqiudi (a Chinese sports betting platform) pinned a match poster to the top of its page.

The poster on the left is in black and white, showing a young man in a fighter jet flight suit with half his head peeking out.

The right side of the poster is in color, showing Tang Ye wearing a Chinese national team jersey.

Although they were in completely different environments, both of them had deep, large eyes.

They are facing the same thing!

Will you try playing Tang Ye as a defensive midfielder again in today's match?

Chinese journalists in the audience asked Lippi a question.

"Hmm...maybe, because playing Tom as a defensive midfielder is indeed part of our tactics; we need more defensive players. As for whether we will actually do that, I'm afraid I can't say."

The reporter expressed understanding.

"Japan and Qatar are tied as the top favorites to win this Asian Cup. What do you think China's chances of winning against Japan are?"

Click, click, click!

"Regardless, we have achieved our goal in this Asian Cup. Reaching the semi-finals is a good result for us. We are under no pressure now, which can help our players perform at their best. Therefore, I will not discuss who has a better chance of advancing to the final before the competition ends."

……

Reprint: China announces starting lineup for semi-final against Japan, with Tang Ye leading the team and Lippi experimenting with a five-defender formation.

(End of this chapter)