The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 357 Advancing to the World Cup Finals!
Gaio's goal completely woke up the French team.

Especially in midfield, Valbuena and Matuidi completely controlled the game, their continuous passing making it difficult for the opponents to touch the ball.

Kante's interception ability also came into play, making it difficult for the Belarusian team to cross the halfway line, and the ball was controlled by the French team for most of the time.

however,
Faced with France's relentless attacks, Belarus's response strategy was very clear.

A full retreat, a defensive wall!
Except for leaving Hleb to hold off the defense near the halfway line, all the other players retreated to the area within 30 meters of their own penalty area.

The penalty area and the area around the edge of the penalty arc were densely packed with defensive players wearing white jerseys.

This made the French team's attack extremely difficult.

Once the ball reaches the vicinity of the penalty area, it becomes trapped in the opponent's swarm tactics.

Giroud tried to receive the ball with his back to goal in the penalty area, but two or three defenders quickly surrounded him, leaving him little room to maneuver. Most of the time, the ball was blocked out of bounds by the opponent's legs.

Gaio made several attempts to cut inside without the ball and into the penalty area, but as soon as he entered the danger zone, he would be double-teamed by two or three players.

This kind of defense, which leaves no room for him, didn't even give him any space to shoot, and he could only helplessly pass the ball back to his teammates on the perimeter.

Although the French team had a clear advantage in possession, they mostly passed the ball laterally around the edge of the penalty area, making it difficult to truly penetrate into the core area.

The attack became more bark than bite.

France's long-range shooting attempts were also blocked by a dense array of legs.

The game was rather dull for a while, with the French team dominating possession but failing to score.

Deschamps stood on the sidelines with a furrowed brow, clearly contemplating his next move. Perhaps the biggest advantage of this situation for him was that he no longer had to worry about conceding another goal.

Belarus chose such an extreme defensive strategy in order to maintain the 1-1 score.

They almost completely abandoned the offensive.

The French TF1 commentator said with some helplessness, "The situation has become tricky. What we are seeing now is a typical situation of 'the away team besieging and the home team defending desperately'."

Belarus's intentions were very clear: they almost abandoned their attack, retreated to defense, and were determined to fight for this precious point at home.

Look at this defensive density; Giroud is surrounded by legs when he gets the ball.

Right now, what we need most is space!
We need someone to stretch their defense, whether through individual breakthroughs or by making faster lateral passes.

This stalemate will only cause time to slip away, which is exactly what the home team wants.

This is the moment when star players need to step up!
We need players like Jan Gaião or Franck Ribéry who can use their individual abilities to create opportunities that aren't actually chances in tight spaces!

A sharp breakthrough, a surprise shot, could break the deadlock!

We need to remain patient, but even more importantly, we need to increase the pace and accuracy of our passing, constantly moving the opponent around and looking for that fleeting opening.

This scene left the French fans in the away section feeling somewhat helpless.

How can you kick someone who's like a tortoise?
French fans watching the broadcast also offered their comments.

"It's so frustrating! We're just circling around them and we can't get in! The Belarusians are all holed up in the penalty area, how are we supposed to play like this?"

"Stop passing the ball to Giroud! He's surrounded by players, he can't possibly win it!"

"They just want to hold on to a draw, we can't fall for it!"

"Trust Yang! He'll definitely find a way!"

"It would be so frustrating if this match ended in a draw!"

But no matter how much the fans wanted to see France score, Belarus managed to thwart France's attacks time and time again by relying on their numerical advantage in certain areas of defense.

One minute of added time in the first half.

End soon.

drop!
The referee blew the whistle to end the first half, and Deschamps returned to the locker room in silence without saying a word.

The French players themselves were also somewhat dissatisfied with this situation.

Many people were thinking that if they hadn't conceded that goal, things might have been different.

Meanwhile, the home team's fans kept shouting.

They were very satisfied with this level of defensive intensity.

but,

Only the Belarusian players themselves know how much running they put in to achieve that level of defensive intensity.

Such intensity cannot be sustained for ninety minutes.

This is also what they are worried about, and what they need to hold on to—the issue of physical fitness.

French locker room.

The door slammed shut, shutting out the noise from outside.

Deschamps stood in front of the tactical board, his face serious. His gaze swept across the screen, and his voice, though not loud, clearly suppressed a hint of emotion, said, "1-1, are you satisfied with this score?"

The players in the locker room all shook their heads.

"I'm not satisfied either!" Deschamps suddenly raised his voice, slamming his hand heavily on the tactics board. "We played 45 minutes of idiotic football! We fell completely into their trap!"

He quickly turned to the tactics board, his brush flying across it.

"Look at them!" The paintbrush circled the Belarusian penalty area. "Ten men! All huddled here! What do they want? One point! They want to force a draw against us at home!"

"And what about us? What are we doing? Keep passing the ball into the crowd! Expecting Olivier to head the ball over three people? Expecting Young to shoot the ball through the gaps between his legs? That's laziness! That's not using your brain!"

Now, listen carefully to my instructions!

Width! I'll emphasize it again, width! Width! Tear their defenses apart! Don't all crowd into the middle!
There are also rhythm changes!

Increase the speed of your passes! Slow, lateral passes are just giving them a rest! Get a sudden, vertical pass! Go behind them!

As he spoke, Deschamps looked at Gaio and said, "Young, in your position, stop trying to force your way into the penalty area. Drop back a bit and get the ball around the edge of the box. If they come out to meet you, pass the ball. If they don't, you'll have space in this position. You can shoot from a distance, make a through pass, or break through yourself. You can freely choose your attacking style here."

Gaio nodded.

He didn't go to that position in the first half because his teammates were all clustered in the middle, taking up his space.

He could only move towards the restricted area.

Of course, he wouldn't bother to explain himself in this situation.

Immediately afterwards, Deschamps looked at Giroud and said, "Olivier, remember, you're not just a target man. When your shot is blocked or your pass is cleared, I want you to be like everyone else, to go for the second ball. This kind of change could very well bring us some opportunities to turn things around."

Deschamps continued making arrangements.

Finally, he said, "Remember, no one is a machine. They will get tired, and there will be gaps. What we need is patient passing and a ruthless finishing blow. Don't be impatient! When the opportunity comes, you must seize it!"

He put down his paintbrush, looked around the room, and stared intently.

"They thought they could steal a point by sheer numbers. I want you to use the remaining 45 minutes to show them that the gap between a world-class team and an ordinary team cannot be bridged by sheer numbers!"
Our goal is singular: leave Minsk with three points and head to the World Cup in Brazil with our heads held high!

The players all nodded.

That's also their goal!

Although they are currently in first place in the group, they know they must win!

If they win this match, they will advance to the next round.

They have now won five and drawn one of their first six World Cup qualifiers, accumulating 16 points.

Spain had five wins, one draw and one loss in the first seven rounds, and with one more game played, they were tied on points with France.

Because there are only five teams in Group I of the European World Cup qualifiers, there are only eight rounds of qualifying matches in total.

All other groups have ten rounds.

Therefore, if Spain wins this match against Belarus, it means that with only one round of matches left, Spain has no chance of overtaking France.

Even if France loses to Finland in the last match, they still have 19 points.

Spain won their last match and also have 19 points. However, France has the advantage in head-to-head record and goal difference. If they are tied on points, France will advance.

However, if the French team doesn't win this match, and loses or draws, the final round will still be uncertain.

The pressure on the French team has increased.

Therefore, we can only win!
When halftime ended, both teams returned to the field.

The Dinamo Minsk stadium was once again packed with people.

Both teams' players looked very determined.

France is not satisfied with a draw, and Belarus is aware of this, so they need to hold on even more!
now,

As the broadcast camera returned to the stadium, the TF1 commentator began, "Welcome back to Minsk, viewers. After halftime, the decisive second half is about to begin."

We know exactly what the Belarusian team will do. They will continue to defend with ten or even eleven players, just like they did in the final stages of the first half. They want to fight tooth and nail to hold onto this precious point at home.

For our French team, those 45 minutes meant a must-win battle!

This is not just about winning this game, but also about almost securing a precious ticket to the Brazil World Cup!
A draw means the suspense will continue until the final round, which means immense pressure and uncertainty.

Only victory can truly put our destiny in our own hands.

When the camera focused on the French players, they all wore solemn expressions.

soon.

The players returned to the center circle.

drop!
The whistle sounded.

After France kicked off, the ball was passed around in the backfield a few times, quickly revealing Belarus's tactical intentions – a complete retreat.

When the French team advanced to midfield, all ten Belarusian players on the field had retreated to their own half, forming two tight defensive lines within 30 meters of the penalty area.

Even the veteran Hleb, who was already panting, retreated to the edge of the penalty area without hesitation, using his rich experience to judge the passing routes of the French team.

At this moment, everyone knew that the Belarusian team's determination was crystal clear.

They would rather give up all attacking opportunities than lose this precious point.

"Look at this defensive formation," the French commentator said with concern. "It's like the Belarusian team has parked a bus in front of their penalty area. Hleb has retreated so far; they're determined to defend to the death."

Deschamps, who was watching closely from the sidelines, immediately made a gesture, instructing the team to execute the tactics he had laid out during halftime.

The French team began to consciously use quick passing to move the opponent's defense around.

In the 47th minute, Matuidi received the ball in midfield. He glanced at the dense crowd in the penalty area and chose to pass the ball to Sagna, who was making a run down the right wing.

Instead of making a run down the wing, Sagna passed the ball back to Gaio, who was following up.

After receiving the ball, Gaio quickly cut inside, made a slight adjustment at the edge of the penalty area, and unleashed a long-range shot!
The football flew towards the goal like a cannonball; Gaio's kick was very decisive.

It's also maxed out!

Bang!
However, although the kick went over the crowd, it struck the goalpost directly with a crisp sound.

The ball bounced back and was quickly cleared by the shaken Belarusian players.

The football flew out of bounds.

"Oh! The post!" the French commentator exclaimed. "Gaião's shot went over the goalkeeper, but hit the post! What bad luck tonight!"

The Belarusian players breathed a sigh of relief and high-fived each other to celebrate their narrow escape.

The goalkeeper excitedly kissed the goalpost, as if thanking it for being his lifeline.

Gaio lowered his head and shrugged at his teammates.

They returned to their original positions.

Although they didn't score, it at least proves that the tactics were effective this time.

The French team's bench erupted in chaos.

The players and coaches jumped up from their seats almost simultaneously, many holding their heads in their hands and expressing their regret.

In the stands, the small area where French fans gathered went from holding their breath in anticipation to erupting into huge sighs, and finally fell into dead silence.

Many people slumped in their seats, covering their faces with their hands, unable to accept the reality before them.

But they soon started clapping.

There's still plenty of time, there's still a chance!
That kick gave them hope of scoring.

After the initial surprise, the TF1 commentator remarked, "The attacking strategy was very clear, indicating that Deschamps has indeed made some adjustments in midfield. It doesn't look like we're not far from our next goal."

Shortly after the commentator finished speaking.

France has been awarded a corner kick.

Ribery took the corner kick, and Giroud leaped high in the penalty area, but his header went just wide of the post under pressure from two Belarusian defenders.

Wow!

The stands erupted in cheers of relief from the Belarusian fans, and every successful defensive play was met with thunderous applause and shouts from the home crowd.

With these two attacks, the hopes of French fans grew stronger.

In the 53rd minute, the Belarusian team once again demonstrated their tenacious defensive spirit.

Matuidi intercepted the ball in midfield and quickly advanced, passing it to Ribery on the left wing just outside the penalty area.

Ribery faked out the defender and crossed the ball.

The football arced towards the penalty area, and Giroud and the opposing center-back jumped simultaneously to contest the header.

With a muffled thud, the two collided violently in mid-air and fell to the ground.

The football was caught securely by the Belarusian goalkeeper.

The referee made no call, and the Belarusian fans erupted in cheers once again.

However, Giroud and the opponent bumped heads, and the team doctor rushed onto the field, which delayed the game for a while.

Slowly, time ticked away towards sixty minutes.

The French players began to show signs of impatience.

Valbuena waved his hand angrily after a long-range shot went high; Ribery also shook his head and sighed after a misplaced pass.

The more they want to score, the greater the pressure becomes, and their performance tonight was certainly not at its best.

Deschamps caught on to this.

Adjustments must be made!
In the 67th minute, Deschamps made his first substitution: replacing Valbuena with Juventus youngster Pogba.

This is a clear signal to intensify the attack.

"Pogba is on the pitch," the commentator said expectantly. "This young midfielder is known for his excellent long-range shooting ability and passing vision. His arrival could change the course of the game."

Pogba immediately demonstrated his value after coming on.

In the 70th minute, after receiving the ball in midfield, he dribbled past two defenders and suddenly unleashed a long-range shot from 30 meters out!

The football flew towards the top left corner of the goal, and goalkeeper Verenko made a diving save, barely managing to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Pogba was extremely disappointed.

The French fans gasped in surprise; it really looked like a goal.

such a pity.

quickly,

France took a corner kick, Giroud flicked the ball on with his head at the near post, and the ball flew towards the far post. Gaio managed to hook the ball back into the penalty area near the byline, but it was cleared by a long kick from the Belarusian defender.

The pressure on the Belarusian team is mounting, and the players' physical condition is beginning to decline noticeably.

Hleb was exhausted and was panting heavily after each defensive play.

Other players' defensive actions also began to slow down, and they committed more fouls.

Finally, in the 75th minute, the Belarusian team made a substitution.
Defensive midfielder Olekhnovic replaced the exhausted Hleb, and at the same time, winger Plotti was replaced by defender Zavniercek.

Both substitutions involved defensive players.

Kondratiev also took advantage of the substitutions to make gestures to the players on the field.

They all know it.

Hold on to the death!

Absolutely defend to the death!
There are only ten minutes left. If we can just hold on, it will all be over.

Although Belarus failed to advance to the next round, this was a battle for honor!

After the substitution, Belarus's defense became more compact.

When Gaio noticed that the opponent was heavily protecting the top of the key, he started to work on the flanks, stretching the opponent's defense and drawing the defense to the middle, thus creating opportunities for his teammates.

He began to consciously roam to the right flank.

This change in strategy was immediately effective!

As soon as he dribbled the ball towards the baseline, he attracted the attention of three opposing defenders; that's his ability to draw defenders away from the defense!

With this tug, a crack finally appeared in the taut defense line of Belarus!
Gaio saw this opportunity.

This attack ended in failure, but after Gaio passed the ball back, France reorganized their attack, and the ball came back to his feet.

Gaio received a pass on the right wing and feigned another run down the flank. The opposing team caught up.

He decisively passed the ball back to Pogba, who was making a run into the middle!

Pogba understood Gaio's intentions.

They had excellent chemistry.

Pogba met the ball with a powerful shot!

The football is powerful and heavy!

A direct shot towards the goal!

Goalkeeper Velenko remained incredibly focused; as soon as he saw the ball heading towards Pogba, he was already prepared to make the save.

And this time, he made another miraculous save, blocking the ball!

however,
Pogba's shot was powerful and fast; he barely managed to get the ball in the air, and it didn't roll far.

Giroud pounced like a tiger, rushing towards the landing point to prepare for a follow-up shot!
Before he could even touch the ball, Belarusian defender Martinovic desperately tried to intercept him, using both his hands and feet. Giroud fell to the ground before he could even get a shot off.

"That's a foul!"

The French players immediately raised their hands and roared!

But the referee waved to Giroud to get up quickly, indicating that there was no foul.

The French players didn't want to gamble on the referee's decision and were desperately chasing the ball, as were the Belarusian players.

It was chaotic inside the penalty area, with everyone kicking and shooting.

Amidst the chaos, the Belarusian players' attention was focused on the fallen Giroud, the complaining French player, and the ball in front of the goal.

Physical exhaustion and a moment of relaxation led them to make a fatal mistake—

They missed someone!
A huge gap miraculously appeared on the right side of the edge of the penalty area!
A blue figure was silently infiltrating the area!
It's Gaio!
After passing the ball to Pogba, he didn't just stand there and watch. Instead, he used his instincts to move quietly into the defensive vacuum!

In the chaos, the football was kicked out of the penalty area by someone and rolled right in front of him!
Gaio didn't hesitate for a moment!
Without even stopping the ball to adjust, he met the rolling ball with his left foot and unleashed a powerful curling shot with the inside of his foot!

He didn't just blindly exert force; he kicked a perfectly executed curved shot!
The football, like a precision-guided missile, drew a beautiful arc, bypassing all the defenders, and nestled into the top left corner of the goal—a perfect 10-point angle!
After the Belarusian goalkeeper made the save against Pogba's shot, there was chaos in the penalty area again, and his attention was completely diverted. By the time he saw the ball, it was too late!

I could only watch the football disappear into the distance in despair! My heart was filled with prayers to all the gods!

However, the gods did not hear his prayers.

Swish!
The ball is in the net!
“buuuuut!!!”

The ball went in!
2-1!

84th minute!

A near-decisive victory!

The entire Dynamo Stadium was instantly split in two by this earth-shattering goal!
The French fans erupted in hysterical jubilation!
The Belarusian fans, who had just been cheering for their narrow escape, fell completely silent!

When Gaio saw the ball go in, he didn't immediately sprint. Instead, he stood still, clenched his fists, and let out a deafening roar!

All the repression and frustration were completely released at this moment!
He then rushed to the corner flag area and spread his arms wide in his signature celebration gesture towards the cameras.

Then turn around to greet the teammates who are rushing in like crazy!

Gaio's teammates rushed towards him from all directions!

Giroud was the first to rush over. He jumped onto Gaio's back from behind, vigorously ruffled Gaio's hair with both hands, and roared excitedly into his ear, "Yang! You're a fucking genius! A genius!"

Ribery ran over laughing, patting Gaio hard on the back, his scarred face beaming with joy.

As Pogba ran, he mimicked Gaio's shooting motion, and finally grabbed Gaio and Giroud tightly, almost causing the three of them to fall to the ground.

The other players also rushed over, embracing each other like a human pyramid, their shouts and roars echoing throughout the stadium.

This is a complete release after being suppressed throughout the entire game!

At this moment, the substitutes' bench went absolutely wild!
The players and assistant coaches, who were originally seated, sprang up from their seats almost simultaneously, waving towels and water bottles, and rushed to the sidelines, hugging, roaring, and jumping with each other!
The assistant coach excitedly slammed the tactics board to the ground, then immediately picked it up and hugged it tightly.

The entire bench area turned into a boiling blue ocean, with everyone's face showing ecstasy and unbelievable excitement.

Deschamps has completely exploded!

This usually calm and composed French legendary captain completely abandoned all restraint at this moment.

He first leaned his body back suddenly, frantically reaching for the sky with both hands, then sprinted along the sideline for several meters, punching his fists and roaring as he ran, the veins on his forehead clearly visible!
He roared wildly, then turned and gave the first assistant coach who rushed over a hard chest bump and hug, almost knocking the other man off balance.

He patted his assistant's back forcefully, his face contorted with extreme ecstasy.

This outburst of passion lasted only about thirty seconds.

Deschamps suddenly took a deep breath, slapped his cheeks hard, and his eyes instantly regained their clarity.

He quickly bent down to pick up the tactical board, strode to the front of the sideline, cupped his hands to his mouth, and roared into the court in a hoarse but penetrating voice: "Focus! There are only a few minutes left in the game! Hold on! Giroud! Drop back! Paul! Mark your man!"

at the same time,

After a series of "buuuuut"s, the French TF1 commentators erupted in a frenzy of shouts—

"Gaio!"
Chosen One! King of Desperate Situations!

I can't find any words to describe the shock and ecstasy I feel at this moment!
In the team's most difficult moments, when heroes are most needed to step up, it is always this young man who is only 18 years old who steps forward!
He has a heart that is incredibly strong beyond his years!

What other words can you use to define him?!

Avatar!

This is absolutely, without a doubt, a divine intervention!

Look at that shot!

He kicked such a free-flowing, precise, and deadly arc!

This was not just a stunning game-winner, but a decisive shot that sealed the victory!
It means a precious ticket to the Brazil World Cup that is almost firmly in our grasp!

This ticket, carrying the hopes of all French football, was largely earned by Gaio through his incredible performances and golden goals, fought tooth and nail for our French team!

Let's face this astonishing set of data that is worthy of being recorded in history!
Seven World Cup qualifiers, fourteen goals!
Two goals per game!

What is this concept?
This means that he almost single-handedly carried the team forward in the qualifiers!

In every stalemate, in every moment of despair, you can always trust Gaio without reservation! He is the guarantee of victory!

That's why Deschamps is willing to do anything to give this young man a prominent role.

Because this is our captain!
This is the undisputed tactical core and spiritual leader of our French team!

With a player like Gaio, we have absolute confidence and ample reason to look forward to the grand feast that will unfold next year on the holy land of football in Brazil!
With him around, anything is possible!
The future is here, and his name is Jan Gaio!

At this moment, French fans also completely unleashed their emotions—

"Aaaaaah! Gao! Gao! Gao! You are a god! You are the god!"

"Holy crap! Goal! Game-winning! It's the game-winner!"

"Brazil! We're going to Brazil! Gaio, take us to Brazil!"

"Did you see that?! Did you all see that?! That's our number 10! That's our captain!"

"Fourteen goals! Fourteen goals in seven games! What kind of monster is this?!"

"I love you, Yang! I'll support you for the rest of my life!"

"Who dares to say we have 'Gaio dependency'? So what if we are dependent on him! We have him!"

"Signing him up is the greatest deal in the history of our military!"

It's not just the internet.

And the Dinamo Minsk stadium right now is the best illustration of the extreme tension between heaven and hell.

The Belarusian players were completely stunned, with several defenders slumped in the penalty area, their eyes vacant.

They persevered for almost the entire game, but paid the most painful price because of a momentary lapse in concentration!
Kondratiev lowered his head in resignation.

ended.

The game was over when his team failed to hold onto that score.

His team no longer had the strength to launch any further attacks on the French goal.

The French team's celebration lasted for a full minute before it ended.

On his way to the center circle, Gaio kept gesturing to his teammates, "Stay focused! Keep possession!"

He didn't want to score a goal only to have the opponent steal another one.

But what he feared did not happen.

The Belarusian players had expended too much energy on the defensive end, and they were simply unable to launch any further attacks on the French goal.

France is also very pragmatic.

After Gaio's semi-game-winning shot, he didn't rush to attack but instead maintained possession of the ball.

Belarus managed to press and win the ball back from France, but they couldn't take it away. Instead, their defense was stretched and they almost conceded another goal to France.

Time ticked away towards the final whistle.

at the same time.

Spain.

Vicente del Bosque, who had just led his team in a friendly match against Chile last night, watched the game from his office.

As Gaio scored, his body, which had been leaning back in his chair, slowly leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and pressing his hands together against his forehead.

This goal,

Like a precise, muffled punch, it shattered the last shred of hope in his heart.

He held that position for a full ten seconds before leaning back heavily in his chair, letting out a long, weary, and helpless sigh.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his temples hard, as if trying to crush the reality before him—the only way to Brazil now was through the playoffs.

and,

Spain is no longer the invincible team it once was.

Last night's match against Chile ended 2-2, with Spain managing a last-minute equalizer.

This made Bossk realize.

With a lack of consistent goal scorers up front, an aging midfield, and a persistently weak defense, the Spanish team faces significant problems across all three lines, making their task extremely difficult.

Of course.

The only good news is that Spain will be welcoming a phenomenal striker!
During the summer transfer window, Atletico Madrid sold their top scorer Falcao to Monaco for €60 million, raising concerns that the team's performance might decline. However, Simeone's team has maintained a perfect record after six rounds of La Liga, scoring 18 goals in those six matches, demonstrating their strong attacking power. In addition, in the first round of the Champions League group stage, Atletico Madrid achieved a 3-1 victory over Zenit, securing a winning start.

Such outstanding results made Atlético Madrid fans forget about Falcao, and Diego Costa, wearing the number 19 jersey, became the new king of the Rojiblancos.

He scored 7 goals in the first 6 rounds, tying Messi for the top spot in the La Liga scoring charts.

This Brazilian striker has also caught the eye of the Spanish Football Federation with his outstanding performance. He will return to his home country next summer to participate in the World Cup, but not as a member of the Brazilian national team, but as a member of the Spanish national team.

The Spanish Football Federation had previously inquired about this matter with Diego Costa, who expressed his strong willingness to play for the Spanish national team. After receiving a positive response, the Spanish Football Federation formally applied to FIFA to request the call-up of Diego Costa.

If all goes well, after FIFA's approval, Vicente del Bosque can call up Diego Costa to the national team squad for the final World Cup qualifier on October 11.

And compete in the playoffs!
drop!
The final whistle blew on the television, pulling Bosque back to reality.

The score remains 1-2.

France has qualified for the finals.

Bosque turned off the noisy television, packed his things, and got up to leave the office.

Outside the training base, the night was thick with darkness.

It's as uncertain as the future of the Spanish national team.

Dinamo Minsk Stadium.

The final whistle blows.

Amidst the shouts and cheers of the away fans.

The French TF1 commentator exclaimed excitedly, "It's over! We won!"
We have our tickets to the Brazil World Cup firmly in our hands!
Tonight, I dedicate all my praise to Gaio.

When the game reached a stalemate, and time was ticking away, it was this 18-year-old who rewrote the ending with a thunderous shot.

Seven games, fourteen goals!
This is no accident; it is the fruit of talent and hard work!
But what is even more moving is the leadership qualities he displayed at critical moments.

The greater the pressure, the calmer he becomes; the more difficult the situation, the more brilliant he shines.

From Bastia to Liverpool, from Ligue 2 to the Premier League, he has proven his worth time and time again.

But tonight, he gave all of France hope: with him there are endless possibilities.

Next year in Brazil, that passionate land will surely witness the French national team, led by their youngest captain in history, unleash a world-shaking roar!

Tonight belongs to France!

Tomorrow, the journey will be to the stars and the sea!

The Alps trembled, and the Seine sang with joy!
We've arrived.

The French players on the field didn't run around celebrating; instead, they walked closer to each other, hugged tightly, and patted each other on the back.

After all, it's an away game, so let's be a little more restrained.

But sweat and smiles were intertwined on every face.

Gaio stood still, took a deep breath, and was then tightly hugged by Giru, who was the first to rush over.

“Well done, brother!” Giroud shouted in his ear.

Ribery walked over, patted them on the shoulder, and everything was understood without a word.

Deschamps stood on the sidelines, giving high-fives to each player who was leaving the field.

As Gaio walked by, he gave the young man a firm squeeze on the shoulder, his eyes full of approval.

After a brief applause to the French fans who had traveled from afar, the team members quickly headed towards the tunnel.

When the players returned to the locker room.

As soon as the door closed, excited shouts erupted.

"Brazil! We're going to Brazil!" Giroud's booming voice echoed throughout the room as he raised his water bottle as if it were a championship trophy.

This late-blooming center forward is finally about to realize his World Cup dream!
Matuidi played some upbeat music, and Pogba swayed his body to the rhythm, his towel whirring loudly.

Ribery laughed and shouted in French, "I knew it! I knew this kid could do it!"

Gaio was surrounded, and Valbuena shouted, "That shot of yours was incredible! It's no exaggeration to say you saved France!"

Even the usually quiet Kanté broke into a bright smile and stood on the periphery of the crowd, clapping.

Deschamps stood at the door.

Hearing the cheers of his disciples, he finally dropped his serious mask and burst into laughter.

"Yang! Say something!" someone shouted.

Gaio stood on the bench, water droplets still dripping from his face: "This is just the beginning! See you in Brazil!"

See you in Brazil!

The locker room erupted in even louder cheers; everyone knew that this young team was eager to make history.

Post-match press conference.

Facing numerous reporters, Deschamps appeared excited but remained composed. "It was a hard-fought victory. The Belarusian team displayed tenacious defense at home, but our players maintained sufficient patience and discipline, especially during the close game. The whole team remained calm, which I am very satisfied with."

Then, when they talked about Gaio...

Deschamps continued, "Regarding Young's performance, I've noticed some people are still discussing the so-called dependency. Let me put it this way: having a player like Young is every coach's dream. What's the result of relying on him? He earned us a direct ticket to Brazil with his amazing performance of 14 goals in 7 games!"

He also answered many questions, and finally he ended the Q&A session with one answer.

"Regarding the prospects of the World Cup, we must take it one step at a time. Today's advancement is just the first step. This team is very young, with both new generation players like Young and Paulo, as well as experienced veterans. In Brazil, we will show the world a brand new look for French football."

Finally, I want to say: We will continue to build our tactics around Jan Gaio, because that's how we win. Next year in Brazil, you will see a more mature Jan Gaio, and a stronger French team. Thank you.

Deschamps got up and left.

As he turned, the hem of his clothes traced an arc, like folding up a victory flag.

After one hour.

Amidst the revelry throughout France, a plane flew from Minsk to London.

Gaião, Giroud, and other Premier League players have finished their national team matches and will soon return to club competitions.

Gaio gazed out the porthole at the lights slowly disappearing into the night.

The next match involuntarily popped into my mind—the Manchester derby!

The two teams are the most successful clubs in English history, and this is the traditional English derby.

And now,
Both teams have reached their respective turning points!

(End of this chapter)