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

Chapter 498 The plan has changed; preparations are underway to win the championship.

"China!"

"China!"

Chinese fans have completely taken over the stadium.

Tang Ye enjoyed the cheers, then turned around and saw Minamino Takumi and Yoshida Maya kneeling on the ground, and felt a little strange.

If losing a game is painful, then why not just squat or sit on the ground?
Why are we kneeling?

However, Tang Ye could never comprehend what a terrifying monster was standing before the Japanese players.

Maya Yoshida's pupils contracted sharply as he looked at his right hand: "To think... to be defeated so completely..."

"Tom!"

Madaloni flew over from nowhere, jumped onto Tang Ye's back, and then gave the latter a big kiss on the hair.

"Hey, sir, sir, haha!"

Tang Ye put his hands behind his back and ran towards the stands with Madaloni on his back.

"Roar!!!"

The camera pans to Tang Ye and Madaloni.

Then the camera began to move upwards, from the fans' stands to the large screen at the very top, which displayed the final score of today's penalty shootout.

China 4:2 Japan
The fans in front of the television had their eyes glued to the big screen.

Perhaps they weren't looking at the score.

They are witnessing history.

"Grass!"

With a shout, the Chinese team players returned to the locker room.

Tang Ye was exhausted, but looking at the moving locker room door, he felt a strong urge to get there.

"Look at me, look at me!"

Tang Ye gestured for those around him to look at him and prepared himself.

"Huff, huff, huff!"

approach!

Jump up!
boom!
Pong!
With speed and full strength, plus the fact that the locker room door was relatively thin, Tang Ye kicked a large hole in the door with his sneakers.

"Oh!!!"

Other national team players also got excited, and Gao Lin came up and kicked the ball too.

And Wei Shihao too!
boom!
Bang! Bang!
boom!
Wow!!!

Two staff members stood dumbfounded in the corridor. One of them looked at the other and said, "Is this... the bond between Tom and his friend?"

"Just tell me whether you won or not."

Another person shrugged: "Wow, I really want to go up and kick it too!"

……

When Lippi and Madaloni returned, they both stood there stunned.

The door to the Chinese team's locker room is missing.

But it's okay, the game is over.

Just as he reached the door, a piercing sound assaulted Lippi's ears.

"I am a tiny, tiny little bird~~~"

"Wanting to fly, but unable to fly high—!!! (voice cracks)"

"Ugh, cough cough!"

Gao Lin was already exhausted after the extra time game, and now he had to shout. He choked on his own voice.

"Hehe, let me try!"

Substitute singer Tang Ye took the microphone.

I searched and searched and searched and searched.

"Looking for a warm embrace..."

Tang Ye entered a state of complete absorption.

He wasn't very good at this song, but he still sang it better than Gao Lin!
"He sang the wrong version of Tang Ye!!"

Tang Ye's microphone was taken by Wei Shihao.

"Huh? Where did you sing it wrong? It's correct, right?"

Tang Ye tried to snatch the microphone back, but Wei Shihao ran away.

"Brother Hao! Let me sing one more line!!!"

Wei Shih-hao approached the speakers: "To everyone who knows my name, how are you all?"

It lacks any technical skill; it relies entirely on emotion and screaming.

The microphone was passed around, and finally everyone joined in.

"I am a tiny, tiny little bird!!!!"

"Hey, how do you sing it? How do you sing it!"

Madaloni grabbed Tang Ye's hand and shouted in English, "What's the name of this song? Wait for me, okay? Wait for me!"

The Italian teaching assistant was eager to join.

Unfortunately, the players are too excited right now and they are unwilling to wait.

"When you decide to burn for your ideals"

"The pressures of life, or the dignity of life—which is more important?"

"I am a tiny, tiny..."

"..."

As they sang, some of the team's veteran players were already in tears.

The microphone was in Tang Ye's hand, but Tang Ye sensed that Zheng Zhi seemed to want to say something, so he handed the microphone over.

"Hoohoo!"

The locker room fell silent instantly.

"Um... I wanted to say that I'm really excited right now. I know that as a veteran in the team, I need to set an example and not be too emotional..."

"It's alright, Zhi-ge!"

Tang Ye shouted it out loud.

Although he didn't know what Zheng Zhi was trying to do, he just loudly supported him.

"Um"

Zheng Zhi nodded slightly: "Um... I've been thinking about this since the first day I joined the national team. Defeating South Korea and Japan in front of the whole nation, finally reaching the final. But in my imagination, we're beating Japan in the Asian Cup final, haha, but it's all the same."

He talked a lot, but Tang Ye didn't lose focus.

His attention was on Zheng Zhi's eyes.

This veteran of the Chinese national football team appeared to have burst into tears.

Tang Ye couldn't fully understand Zheng Zhi's perspective; all he could do was stand by and listen attentively.

"It took too long. After about seven or eight years in the national team, my illusions gradually faded because I felt that the gap between us and Japan and South Korea seemed to be widening."

The players remained silent in the locker room.

Zheng Zhi is right. Since the end of the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, Japan and South Korea have gradually widened the gap with the Chinese team, especially Japan. It has become almost impossible to defeat Japan in key matches.

Zheng Zhi has experienced all of this firsthand, and his personal experience is the most authentic.

"I want to thank you all, thank you to every single one of you: Wu Lei, Gao Lin, Xiao Hao... and also, the greatest Tang Football King."

Zheng Zhi turned to look at Tang Ye behind him, who gave a thumbs-up with his right hand: "You're welcome, Brother Zhi."

"Ha ha!"

"I just want to say that everything we have today is what we deserve, and that's all I have to say!"

"Long live Team China!!!"

The players raised their hands, and the entire locker room instantly erupted in excitement.

"Waaaaah... I'm so touched!"

Madaloni touched his eyes; he felt he was about to cry.

"Can you understand?"

Lippi frowned.

"Can't understand"

"Then what moved you?"

"I can feel that atmosphere, Marcello!"

Madaloni's expression was serious.

Although he couldn't understand Chinese, he could glean some information from the expressions on Zheng Zhi's and the other players' faces.

The players were thrilled to have won the match. Zheng Zhi should thank the players present.

Ok……

If nothing unexpected happens, Madaloni will also be on the list of people thanked!

……

The sounds of Chinese fans still echoed through the stadium as Lippi arrived at the press conference room.

Click!

Click, click, click!

There were so many reporters at the scene that people who arrived late had to sit on the ground.

What are the feelings of Lippi and the Chinese team players now regarding this match that is worthy of being recorded in history?

"Did you ever imagine that Tang Ye would score three direct free kicks in this match, forcing the game into a penalty shootout?"

A CCTV reporter asked.

“I know a player like Tang is capable of anything. But… to be honest, I don’t believe anyone can score three free kicks in a single match. However, we certainly saw it.”

"We appreciate his contribution to the game, and we didn't waste the penalty shootout he brought us."

Lippi nodded slightly, a rare smile on his face: "Winning the game in a penalty shootout, I think this result is the most appropriate for the Chinese team today."

"Before the Asian Cup began, fans generally believed that China was no match for Japan because the Japanese team had more evenly matched players and a higher overall level. Was defeating Japan and advancing to the final part of your expected plan?"

"Not really"

Lippi shook his head.

"Our initial plan was to reach the semi-finals, and the Japanese team was not on our expected list of opponents."

Click, click—it's the sound of a camera shutter again.

But what about...?

Lippi stood up from his chair.

"Our plans have now changed."

"Ready to win the championship"

Lippi left the press conference room.

Click!

Click, click, click, click!
Someone's going to have trouble sleeping tonight.

Are you a Japanese fan?

Japanese fans certainly can't sleep, and neither can Chinese fans.

The players, of course, couldn't sleep either.

Outside the stadium, Tang Ye, carrying a backpack, kept signing autographs for Chinese fans.

"Aren't we going back to the hotel?"

Madaloni leaned against the team bus and spread his hands to the players.

"Sir, you won't be able to sleep after you get back, will you?"

Tang Ye waved to Madaloni.

Okay, that makes sense.

Madaloni straightened up: "Is there anyone who can ask me for an autograph? Don't just keep surrounding Tom!"

After shouting a few times in English and getting no response, Madaloni found a translator again: "Hey, can you translate this for me? Just shout it out in Chinese. Don't say I want an autograph, just say I'm free right now."

The translator scratched his head.

"Tang Ye!"

"Master, I want a jersey signed by the master!"

Holding a postcard in his left hand and a pen in his right, Tang Ye wrote incredibly fast, signing a postcard in just two seconds.

Thinking about it carefully, if Tang Ye had studied this hard when he was a child, he probably wouldn't need to make a living by playing football.

"Master, may you take me as your disciple?"

A Chinese fan knelt down in front of Tang Ye, startling Tang Ye, who quickly jumped back, saying, "Hey, hey, don't do that! I don't take on apprentices, I don't take on apprentices!"

He pulled the fan up from the ground: "Brother, I'm not the coach."

"Can we win the championship, Master, the Asian Cup champion?"

Tang Ye shrugged: "The master doesn't know either, just like you."

"But brother, I'll remember you."

Tang Ye put his hand on a fan's shoulder: "Will you come to the final?"

"Tickets for the finals haven't gone on sale yet, and there are so many people that I'm not sure if I can get one."

"Ha ha"

That's true. Given the current situation, the number of participants in the finals will probably be ridiculously high.

Tang Ye spun his backpack to his chest, took out a blue sign, and handed it to the fan: "The family section is at the very front. Just come in directly."

I've memorized your face.

Tang Ye pointed at the guy who had just knelt before him: "If I really win the championship, I'll come find you with the trophy."

"If I don't see you by then, you're doomed!"

"Ha ha!"

After making a joking threat, Tang Ye then slipped away.

The onlookers surrounded the fan who had just been talking to Tang Ye, and the latter turned over the blue sign that Tang Ye had handed him.

[2019 ASIAN CUP]

【SSVIP (All Games)】

"6"

Is this the legendary travel document issued by Emperor Taizong of Tang...?

GGBond: Let him pass!
As the fans looked up at the deep black sky of Abu Dhabi, for a fleeting moment they seemed to see the imposing figure of GG.

……

The Sun reports that the Manchester City dressing room leak was caused by a stadium staff member, who has since been dismissed and will forfeit his remaining £4.5 salary for breach of contract.

Manchester Evening News front-page headline: "TY's hat-trick of direct free kicks helps China advance to the Asian Cup final; he may become the undisputed Premier League free-kick king!"
Manchester United official statement: Congratulations to Tang Ye on his hat-trick in the Asian Cup semi-final, securing his place in the final. Best wishes to the Chinese national team for victory in the Asian Cup final.

Haha, you can imagine how upset Manchester United fans are right now.

[Newcastle seems really strong, having played one less game. Can Manchester United handle without Tang Ye?]

It doesn't matter as long as we don't fall too far behind. I, Tang the King of Football, will be back in February!

Manchester United official statement: What happened to the promise that we'd be eliminated in the quarterfinals...?

After each knockout stage victory, Manchester United would post a personal poster of Tang Ye and congratulate the Chinese team on their success in the next match.

The tweet was indeed posted as described, but from Manchester United's perspective, they actually didn't want the Chinese team to advance so many rounds.

Now that's great! Congratulations on getting from the round of 16 to the quarterfinals, then to the semifinals, and now straight to the finals.

Tang Ye will play all 7 matches of the Asian Cup, and Manchester United will also enter a 40-day sugar-free period.

The good news is that once this match is over, the final date will be confirmed, and Tang Ye's return to the club will be roughly confirmed as well.

The tweets from Manchester United's official account now are absolutely genuine.

Go Tom, you're the champion!
Repost: Tang Ye posted a video of the third free kick in extra time on his personal social media. Manchester United's official account and Escriva liked the post, and Rodri commented: "Idol."

Daily Sports – LeBron James liked TY's tweet and commented: "Enviable accuracy, that shot should have been a 3-pointer for China."

Japan's head coach, Hajime Moriyasu: A difficult result; this match will be a painful lesson for Japanese football. I am disappointed in myself, but our goal remains the World Cup title.

……

China and Japan were decided, and the Chinese team was the only survivor in the upper half of the bracket to enter the finals.

China's opponent in the final will be determined tomorrow night: the winner between Qatar and the UAE.

It will take nearly 20 hours to find out the result, but everyone knows that the gap in strength between Qatar and the UAE is ridiculously large.

Barring any red cards or injuries to key players that force them to leave the field, Qatar is essentially guaranteed a spot in the knockout stage.

Qatar.

This team is the top favorite to win this Asian Cup, with odds even lower than those for Japan.

After winning the game, Chinese fans felt that the Chinese team was now invincible. But after stepping out of the excitement and thinking carefully, they took a look at Qatar's starting lineup.

After you've done all that, you'll realize that this Middle Eastern team is ridiculously strong!

"Plans have changed; we're now focused on winning the championship."

This is what the Chinese team's head coach said in an interview, and this statement gave fans a lot of confidence.

But as the one who uttered those words, Marcello Lippi couldn't sleep.

During the 20-day training camp, the Chinese team had absolutely no contingency plan for dealing with Qatar.

……

(End of this chapter)