Team Spirit

Chapter 151 (1.1 words, requesting monthly votes) A ​​Letter to Fellow Chinese Compatriots, the Green Gun Five Tigers are All National Team Players

"You've now fulfilled the second half, working on football development in England."

This football development certainly doesn't just include any construction projects; it has to be something as significant as the Dartford miracle or the construction of the Green Gun Stadium.

"As for underdeveloped countries..."

Joyce smiled without saying a word.

According to Western propaganda, as of 2024, China is still a backward country, living in the Qing Dynasty!
It wasn't until the relevant visa-free tourism policy was implemented and the accounts between China and the US were settled on Xiaohongshu that the truth finally came out.

Since China does not recognize dual citizenship, Chinese citizens born abroad and who have acquired citizenship need to have their citizenship confirmed when they return to China at the age of 18 or later.

pick one of two.

These days, no matter how much normal people criticize, those who actually have the means to choose will definitely choose foreign citizenship... They think it's valuable, prestigious, and a cut above the rest.

On the contrary, Lu Kai had stated two years ago that he would choose to return to Chinese citizenship.

This has also sparked a series of criticisms and discussions.

For Lu Kai, playing football is playing football, and nationality is nationality; the two are inherently separate.

He worked hard abroad, but that didn't stop him from remembering the way home.

The reason why the issue of nationality is sensitive is largely due to the fact that public opinion is delayed compared to reality.

The first group that went abroad through official exchange and learning channels and didn't want to come back, as well as those who fled after committing crimes, the songs of Canada, the letters of introduction from the Green Law Association... those are the real betrayals of the clan, the betrayals of the Guo family, and those who deserve to die.

This behavior is also closely related to separatism and other similar issues.

But later, there were many more normal changes without this kind of connotation, such as job requirements, so changing nationality became less of a sensitive issue.

For example, table tennis players who can't even get into the provincial teams in China can become national team seed players abroad, resulting in drastically different personal benefits, reputation, and life value.

As relatives and friends, they would most likely support them going out to play ball.

Seeking personal development without harming the interests of the Guo family is not shameful.

People who criticize China when they go abroad are often the ones with problems back home. They are fanatical converts who want to sell themselves for a good price.

But decades later, the country was at its peak of power and its hegemony was established. Outstanding talents, celebrities and tycoons from all over the world flocked to the country, and mainland residence permits were extremely difficult to obtain.

If you then give up your Chinese citizenship, no one will say you betrayed Guo; they will only say you are foolish for giving up your status as a "Celestial Being."

Therefore, Lu Kai needs to obtain Chinese citizenship.

But when it comes to playing football, sorry, I'm too greedy to play a single game.

It looks disgusting to the eyes.

Lu Kai absolutely respects those who like Guo Zu, but as for himself, patriotism means supporting aerospace, participating in the development of high-tech fields such as AI, funding schools, building libraries, aiding in the construction of roads in his hometown, or even helping an old lady cross the street...

These are either things that the Guo family and the people truly need, or things that the Guo family has an advantage in, and that would be good for those who participate and experience them.

Chinese football is neither important nor good...

He doesn't have the habit of looking for food in feces.

As for statements like "If you don't stand by me through the lows, you don't deserve to enjoy the glory with me" and "Without generations of arduous struggles, how could there be later success?", these statements hold true in many situations.

However, this does not apply to Chinese football.

Because the root causes, rules, environment, direction, and system are all rotten, a few good people cannot influence the fermentation of this cesspool.

Only by burying this cesspool completely and digging a new one can we possibly build a proper swimming pool.

Although this is too harsh for those working in the industry in China, it is the reality.

So when you look at domestic football, I admire Switzerland.

I don't watch domestic football, so don't try to morally condemn me.

Only when the village league and the Scottish league are truly free from the influence of football boots and start from scratch can they begin to resemble the football that everyone likes. However, their future is truly unpredictable and depends on whether they can resist the "guidance" of football boots.

As for whether Green Gun fans feel that Lu Kai has betrayed them or has been corrupted, to be honest... they don't care that much whether Lu Kai is red or green.

Because Lu Kai's rise to power is something they can see and are within reach.

They'll lash out at racial discrimination online, but the black guy actually took their job at the club, and they want that guy to go see God more than anyone else.

Therefore, for Lu Kai, who brought everyone work, income, and honor, they can only regret that Lu Kai unwisely gave up his status as a "British elite".

That's it.

So, shortly after meeting Joyce.

A message was released discreetly, but it instantly stirred up a huge wave of discussion.

Sky Sports: "Shocking! Lu Kai's nationality has been changed to Chinese!"

The Green Gun Voice: "Lu Kai's change of nationality will not affect his playing time at Dartford, as he has met all the requirements of the club's home youth academy."

BBC: "The England youth national team is bewildered by Lu Kai's change of nationality, saying they have lost a key player!"

France Football: "A mid-career collapse, England's rise is hopeless! Lu Kai, who led England to consecutive victories in the World Youth Championship and the European Youth Championship, will be excluded from the England national team due to his nationality!"

AS: "Lu Kai's career planning is terrible! He's rejected by clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Manchester United, and he's also missed out on the England national team! It seems unlikely he'll become a superstar!"

The Clarín newspaper stated: "If the Chinese men's national football team were a strong team like Brazil, I would understand Lu Kai's choice, but changing nationality under the current circumstances is unwise!"

Mundo Deportivo: "Foolish Lu Kai! Even a Barcelona native wouldn't refuse to join the Spanish national team just for the sake of Catalonia."

This was originally a matter concerning Lu Kai alone, but in an instant it became the biggest event in the football world of both China and England.

It's making headlines across Europe.

It's a topic of discussion every day.

Ten thousand people, ten thousand people don't understand.

Sports Weekly interviewed the Chinese men's national football team, hoping to hear positive comments from the team about inviting Lu Kai, since Lu Kai is now a genuine Chinese national, not just of Chinese descent.

Under Lu Kai's leadership, the Chinese national football team might actually be able to rise again.

After all, this is an imperial star that even Great Britain covets!

But the result was astonishing.

The men's football manager, with an arrogant demeanor, blew on the tea leaves floating in his teacup and said in a condescending manner, "Lu Kai's situation is very special. He has no experience in receiving football training in Guo, so he does not meet the conditions for being called up by Guo Football Club."

"Unless they play for Guo Nei for a year or more, bring us profits... contribute to mainland football, and invest a portion of their earnings from England in Guo Nei football, it is unlikely that we will enter into a formal discussion process."

"Our standards in this regard are very high; it's not like you can just join the bound-foot kicking team and play!"

!!!

Magical yet realistic!
People then remembered that Lu Kai had a conflict with them in the past.

It seems they hold grudges quite a bit.

Moreover, according to insiders, this may be part of Lianxiang Group's retaliation against Lu Kai.

Sure enough, Lianxiang Group quickly contacted Dartford, saying they could find a way to get Lu Kai to meet the investment amount requirement and remove the requirement to return to China to play football, thus helping him get into Guo's football team.

But Lu Kai needs to pay £4.1 million!

This figure is exactly the total cost they paid for naming the Riverside Stadium; they really aren't even pretending anymore!

Jiang Mengyun immediately responded with a barrage of insults, effectively blocking the other party completely.

Who wants to go back to playing football!
Just when people thought this series of events was coming to an end, the England national team suddenly faced a major crisis!
Manchester United players, including Ferdinand, Gary Neville, and Scholes, have announced their retirement from the national team!

Subsequently, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson angrily berated England national team manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, citing the excessive number of matches played.

Eriksson retorted, "The England national team doesn't need Manchester United! Everyone knows what you're trying to do!"

That’s absolutely true.

The incident stemmed from Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand missing a drug test, which resulted in an eight-month ban and a £50,000 fine from the Football Association.

Whether it was a matter of chance or genuine concern about potential problems is impossible to verify, but in any case, it is a significant loss for Manchester United.

Ferguson could only get the FA to rescind the punishment by having the player withdraw from the national team.

The FA, on the other hand, is clearly unwilling to back down.

The two sides engaged in a battle of wits, and the conflict escalated, with the situation changing three times a day.

Beckham, caught in the middle, was caught in the middle, unable to say anything in support of Eriksson, even though he hadn't left the team.

This caused Eriksson to lose the team's support, and he became the first casualty of this struggle... resigning due to inappropriate remarks.

Historically, Ferguson lost this battle of wits.

The England team ignored him.

Because there are no major national team tournaments this summer.

But this time, the course of history has changed.

In September 2002, the South African Football Association announced that it would have to give up the right to host the 2003 Confederations Cup due to financial difficulties and lack of government financial support.

France, the United States, Australia, and other countries then began the competition.

The Confederations Cup was seen as a "rehearsal for the World Cup" in this era. It is a competition consisting of eight teams, including the champions of the World Cup, European Championship, Copa America, Asian Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, CONCACAF Gold Cup, and Oceania Cup, as well as the host country.

It's the battle for the championship among champions, the "Champions League" of national teams, full of honors, and undeniably magnificent.

Driven by Joyce, England also joined the competition for the hosting rights.

This was defined by the English Football Association as "the prelude to the rise of English football".

This will accumulate valuable experience for the 2004 European Championship and the 2006 World Cup.

Ultimately, England defeated its old rival France to win the right to host the event.

As the reigning European champions, France can participate in the tournament even without being the host nation.

If France hosts the tournament, their qualification will be inherited by Türkiye, the third-place finisher in the 2002 World Cup.

In reality, England has taken Türkiye's spot.

What can Xiao Tu say?
Of course, I accepted it while crying.

With the match about to begin, Ferguson's move to undermine the FA's core strength was a direct hit.

Eriksson's dismissal was the FA's way of backing down.

But Ferguson wasn't buying it. He didn't want to back down; he wanted Ferdinand to be free of the ban.

So we continued our relentless pursuit.

For a time, the England team couldn't even put together a lineup, so how could they possibly shine in the Confederations Cup?
That damned old Scottish man is deliberately trying to embarrass England.

The England team is leaderless and desperately needs someone to step up and take charge, otherwise they risk becoming a laughing stock.

At a crucial moment, the up-and-coming executive committee member Joyce recommended a candidate at the meeting: "In terms of reputation, he is the founder of the Red Devils dynasty."

"In terms of emotions, he was Ferguson's best friend."

"In terms of skill, he is the godfather of the Green Gun Miracle."

"If there is anyone who can turn the tide and save the collapsing edifice in the current situation, it must be..."

Alfred: Lu Kai!

Joyce: "Then it must be Alfred! I propose that Dartford manager Alfred be temporarily appointed as England manager!"

"In that case, Ferguson will have to back down. The Ferdinand issue can wait until after the Confederations Cup to be discussed."

"And Alfred is the only coach who can guarantee England's results in times like these! England doesn't have a better coach than him!"

The FA was very supportive of the proposal, but Alfred later replied to the FA that he would let him coach, but he had one condition, which was...

"Lu Kai!"

The Football Association fell silent upon seeing those two words.

The news spread quickly that Alfred's request was both simple and too difficult.

Before Lu Kai changed his nationality, this would have been a simple matter of a word. Many fans already felt that it was inappropriate to continue having Lu Kai play in the national youth team competitions.

After all, Lu Kai helped the England youth team win every championship they could, so it's time for him to join the senior national team.

but now……

Are you two, master and apprentice, just making things difficult for us?

He insists on changing his nationality!
Are they treating the FA like a fool?
Alfred: Don't talk about my master like that! If you say it again, I won't teach anymore!

Major media outlets have expressed their dismay at these changes.

It could be a serious analysis, a joke, or a criticism.

Football News: "Laughable! Lu Kai actually dares to dream of joining the England national team! Does he think that going through Alfred's back door will work?"

Phoenix Sports News: "If the Chinese men's national football team doesn't want him, why would the English national team take him in? Lu Kai has miscalculated!"

Southern Finance: "I bet! If Lu Kai really has the ability to join the England national football team, I, as the editor-in-chief of this newspaper, would rather give up my newly obtained US green card and continue to be a Chinese citizen!"

A Chinese player has joined the England national team.

There is no precedent for this in the history of world football.

Joining the French national team would be more like it, after all, France's foreign players are quite famous.

Soon, some people on the mainland started spreading rumors that Lu Kai wanted both.

This statement originated from a high-ranking official in the footwear industry.

England isn't as sensitive about it, but people think it's too difficult to achieve, so they don't support it.

Until the latest episode of "My Love Diary in Asen Green" aired.

The documentary begins with Alfred solemnly reading aloud a piece of paper in front of the camera: "A Letter to Fellow Chinese Fans!"

"Since the founding of modern football, England has never considered itself a hero, but has always been active at the forefront of football development."

"Unfortunately, due to the decline in strength in recent years, English football has suffered from bullying and oppression, and its influence has gradually declined. It has come to the most dangerous moment for English football."

"Now, football prodigy Lu Kai has emerged out of nowhere, known as the Green Gun, dominating England. With his ninth-tier status, he breaks through the class barriers of football and sets his sights on the Premier League!"

"Green Gun Football, the will of the people, is unstoppable! The FA wants to use its momentum to regain its former glory."

"Today, I appeal to my fellow Chinese compatriots for help. I hope you will agree to let Lu Kai come and assist English football, start this revolution in European football, and jointly overthrow the stale conventions of European football and usher in a new era for football!"

"I firmly believe that as long as we work together and share weal and woe, English football will surely win! Chinese football will also rise in the world football arena and regain its former glory... its initial triumph!"

"Yours sincerely."

"The Football Association appointed Alfred as the England national team manager on June 15, 2003!"

This letter, titled "A Message to Fellow Guo Fans," is sincere and heartfelt.

When has Chinese football ever been so respected?

Sports Weekly took the lead, with its headline for the day consisting of a single word: "Borrow!"

Dongqiudi followed suit, extracting the essence and expanding upon it appropriately: "Borrowing is football!"

Public opinion is like a surging tide; how can mere shoes possibly stop it?

After dodging the question, they had to say, "It's Lu Kai's freedom to choose where he wants to play. He's not registered in China, so we can't control him."

"We can only be certain of one thing: he does not meet the requirements for playing football with bound feet!"

"As for the England team... Lu Kai probably doesn't meet the relevant FIFA regulations either!"

They pointed out an important issue.

England is willing to lend players, and Lu Kai is also willing to help. Both countries' citizens agree, but the rules do not allow players from one country to play for another national team.

Preparations for foot binding have already been made.

Once Lu Kai changes his Chinese citizenship back to English citizenship, they will completely discredit him, making it impossible for him to survive in China any longer!
This will completely eliminate Lu Kai's influence in the country.

This unstable factor, which is outside the control of the footwear, must be completely eliminated.

Let me say it again, Chinese football cannot tolerate such an overbearing existence!

But soon people realized that everyone had been overlooking an important event.

Yaya Touré!

Last summer, Yaya Toure joined Dartford, but was hampered by UK work permit restrictions.

Lu Kai, Alfred, Joyce, Ferguson, Wenger, and others spearheaded the creation of the Special Genius Act.

Lu Kai's eloquent arguments at the hearing overwhelmed a panel of jurors, including feminists and Indians, making Yaya Touré the first user of the Special Genius Act.

Before that, no matter how talented a player was, if they didn't meet the national team's appearance requirements, they were excluded from the English professional leagues.

This move sets a precedent in the world of football!
With such a successful precedent set, and with support from fans in both China and the UK, Lu Kai, after being repeatedly approached by Alfred, also agreed to lend a helping hand.

Then the rest becomes much easier!
Sky Sports: "Breaking news! The FA's senior management unanimously passed the national team version of the Special Talents Act at a meeting, and Lu Kai was specially called up to the latest England national team!"

BBC: "The English Football Association has filed an application with UEFA for the application of the Special Talents Act to national teams. If the bill passes, Lu Kai will become the first player in history to play for a non-national team!"

When these news broke, most fans in third-world countries thought it was absurd.

How could such a bill exist?
They're treating international sporting events like a joke!
However, people in Europe and America naturally started discussing the probability of the bill passing, and their conclusion was... it should be fine.

It was only then that people remembered that Britain was the creator and participant in the creation of most of the rules in modern society.

What's frightening about people who have been bound by rules for too long isn't that they lack the courage to challenge the rules, but that they've even lost the awareness to challenge them.

Those who make the rules never have to follow them.

When circumstances change, they can always create a new rule to expel immigrants... in order to maintain peace.

It's said that Gu Shengzhong and Guo Meihua earn money while mercenaries help them win medals. Regardless of her actual abilities, doesn't this practice itself reflect a shift in the power dynamics within relevant sporting events?

UEFA quickly released its decision.

As expected, yet unexpected!
Unexpectedly... UEFA approved England's application.

Lu Kai will represent England in this year's Confederations Cup!
As expected, it's only for this year!
To continue playing for England, the England team needs to reapply (and pay) for the contract.

The FA also likes this plan, but the cost of permanently amending the law all at once is too high, and they cannot yet determine whether it is worth it for Lu Kai.

After all, Lu Kai was only a player designated by Alfred, and the FA believed that there were quite a few players in the England team who were stronger than Lu Kai.

You pay once for each kick.

If it works really well, we can just reapply for it for next year's European Championship.

If the European Championship also works, then the English FA will file a complaint with FIFA, which will then trigger another round of public relations.

There's no need to pay all the money at once; it should come in three installments at a time.

Commissioners Smith and his ilk are very clever.

Of course, since Lu Kai was "borrowed," the FA paid Dartford a "loan fee," and they would also have to compensate the team if Lu Kai got injured during the match.

Lu Kai thus became the first player in football history to be paid to play for the national team.

Moreover, it has a legitimate reason for its actions.

It's not a lot of money, but it has a huge symbolic meaning.

……

Mundo Deportivo: "Shameless! England's national team squad is out, how did the Green Gunners manage to have five players selected?"

Sky Sports: "A head-on confrontation! Alfred saves face for the FA by refusing to call up Manchester United players!"

Daily Sport: "Using public office for private gain, abusing public resources for personal purposes! The selfish Alfred will lead the England team into the abyss. Lu Kai has destroyed his own country's foot binding and is now trying to destroy the foot binding of England!"

Manchester Evening News: "It's hard to understand England's decision, but hopefully they'll do well in the Confederations Cup."

This may sound bizarre, but whether it's the players who weren't selected, the national team, or the fans, they all understand.

In Alfred's words, "For various reasons, players such as Ferdinand, Scholes, Gary, Phil, Brown, and Butt are not suitable to join the national team at the moment."

"I hope they can have a good rest this summer and be ready to start the new season with renewed energy."

"Of course, we can also use this time to find more promising talents for English football. National teams around the world are getting younger, and I believe England will always have enough young players to support the team in major international competitions."

The reporter then asked the five players selected for the national team: "Lu Kai is one thing, but Beckford, Williams, Sherry, Barton... are they really qualified to be selected for the national team? Why don't you include Ashley Young too!"

Alfred: "They are all very good young players and meet our selection criteria for this national team."

"If you really want to know who's qualified, you can ask Manchester United and Arsenal, players who have won the EFL Cup and FA Cup from them." "As for Ashley Young, given the serious leg injury he suffered, adequate rest is essential."

Ashley Young: My legs have been fine for a long time, you guys just wanted to run me over! Damn it!
Only now did Alfred realize why Lu Kai had put him in charge of the England team's mess.

This is clearly a "carefully selected team for the England squad"!

Is the player he selected a player?

This is a product exempt from inspection!

What are all the clubs still standing there for?
Hurry up and place your bid, or someone else will snatch it up!

The difference between having the prestige of playing for the national team and not having it is significant.

Ashley Young is not included in the national team because Dartford has no intention of selling him.

After all, Yang is very good at uniting the negative characters in the team. Without him, all the monsters and freaks would hide in the team and secretly erode it.

With Ashley Young around, all sorts of talented people gathered together, which actually reduced the harm.

This is a reasonable use of traitors.

Besides, although I always talk about rebelling, I still cherish my old friendship with Lu.

Of course, Barton has no trade value on this list; his reputation is so bad that almost every team has publicly announced that they will boycott him.

His selection was primarily to provide Lu Kai with a favorable environment within the national team.

If anyone criticizes Lu Kai, Barton will help Lu Kai have a proper "talk" with them.

With the announcement of the rosters for the remaining seven teams, Alfred's alleged misuse of public resources was downplayed.

As for the Brazilian team, Ronaldo and Rivaldo were both absent, while Ronaldinho and Adriano brought the Brazilian second team on vacation.

Even calling it the second team is an overstatement, because eleven of them are first-time members of the Brazilian national team.

In comparison, Alfred's decision to recruit the "Green Gun Five" was a bit too conservative.

The French team was no less impressive, with key veterans like Zidane, Vieira, Makelele, and Trezeguet absent.

Head coach Santini focused more on evaluating young players, calling up seven youngsters under the age of 24... the number of young players was second only to the England team.

But whether it's Brazil, France, or England, their squads are still star-studded.

The eight teams participating in this year's Confederations Cup are: the host nation, England.

Brazil, the 2002 World Cup champions.

France, the 2000 European Championship winners.

The United States team won the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Cameroon, the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations champions.

Colombia, the 2001 Copa America champions.

Japan won the 2000 Asian Cup.

New Zealand won the 2002 Oceania Cup.

England's squad is ranked third on paper.

The tournament is divided into two groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the next round.

However, England got off to a bad start in their first group match, suffering a humiliating 0-2 defeat to France.

Henry and Pires each scored a goal, avenging their FA Cup final defeat.

Due to pressure from various quarters, Alfred had to continue with the previous England lineup and style of play in this match.

Therefore, although he lost the match, Alfred gained the initiative for the rest of the game.

He immediately established Lu Kai, who had been sitting on the bench in the previous game, as the core of the team.

The veterans of England were naturally unwilling.

But how shrewd is Alfred?

Although he doesn't understand football tactics, he understands human nature and ruthlessness very well.

The team playing against France will naturally be the same one.

But the second match was against the United States!

I can do it myself, what more do you need?

-

Beckford, Irving/James Beatty

Lu Kai
Hargreaves, Barry/Joe Cole, Barton

Cole/Shaughnessy, Williams, Terry, Glen Johnson

大卫·詹姆斯

-

The Green Gunners' five-man squad included four starters, with Xiao Li also making his national team debut as a substitute.

How can Great Britain and Germany coexist?

Alfred offered his interpretation: both De Bruyne and Gerrard were on the bench, with Hargreaves, Barry, and Barton as the three defensive midfielders to assist Lu Kai.

Due to the formation adjustment, Beckham has been sidelined.

Alfred stated that he wanted the veterans and stars to rest and recover their form before going all out in the crucial third game.

But in reality, it's about letting young players dominate weaker opponents to establish his own coaching authority.

The key is that he did it very skillfully. He not only promoted his own young people, but also used young people without backgrounds, such as Glen Johnson, Hargreaves, Barry, Beatty, and Joe Cole.

You can't exactly accuse him of abusing his public office for personal gain, can you?
England easily defeated the Americans 3-1.

Alfred has successfully taken control of the England team.

After the match, Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham, Heskey and other players approached the old man, saying that they had rested enough and that they would do as he said on the field.

The on-field command was handed over to Lu Kai. As long as the team performs well, these sacrifices are nothing.

Gerrard: As long as it doesn't fall into Lampard's hands.

Lampard: As long as it doesn't fall into Gerrard's hands.

When the snipe and the clam fight, Lu Kai benefits.

A naive young man, through a twist of fate, unexpectedly took command of the central army.

The final round of the group stage will be a tough battle.

England vs. Cameroon.

There are two players on this team who deserve attention.

One is Eto'o the cheetah.

He hasn't become famous yet, but Lu Kai specifically reminded Terry and Gerrard to keep an eye on Eto'o.

The other is Vivian Foe.

He will die from a heart attack during the semi-finals.

This incident once drew global attention in the football world, leading to criticism of the excessive number of matches. However, the main issue was the lack of adequate inspections and maintenance, as there are currently far fewer matches compared to the future.

Vivian Foe did not play in this match.

At Alfred's suggestion, the FA arranged for medical examinations of several indicators before the tournament.

Vivian Foe was unable to meet the competition requirements due to tachycardia.

The Cameroonian team protested, criticizing England for weakening their strength in this way.

Especially after England beat Cameroon 2-0.

Barcelona-affiliated media outlets, keen to sign Eto'o, seized on this opportunity to relentlessly attack the England team.

Mundo Deportivo: "England's victory over Cameroon was unsportsmanlike! Lu Kai's medical examination scheme was extremely malicious!"

Diario Sport: "A disgraceful Confederations Cup! England snatched second place from Cameroon; they should have been eliminated!"

Even Vivian Foe herself had complaints.

This is the "save the world paradox".

When you claim to have saved the world, you haven't actually saved it.

When interviewed, Lu Kai did not show anger, but smiled and said, "I am happy to hear Vivian Foe's voice, even if he does not like me, but I will always defend everyone's right to speak."

"As for whether it is fair, there are relevant investigations and reports, so there is no need to worry."

And so, England made it to the Confederations Cup semi-finals.

Their opponent is none other than Brazil, the top team in Group A!

……

[Ding! You have won the FA Cup... This is your first time participating in a senior national team match... Reward:]

[Volley Shot - Silver: Your volleying ability has been improved. The ball bounces more easily over defenders.]

[Tilt Your Head Down - Silver: Your off-the-ball movement is improved. When you lower your head to avoid direct eye contact with your opponent, they are more likely to misjudge your direction of movement.]

[The Surrender-Style Dribble - Gold: Also known as the Intimidation Dribble. Your dribbling skills are enhanced. The way your hands move makes it impossible for opponents to predict your direction of attack or your dribbling intentions.]

Volleys: 69+3

Off-the-ball movement: 73+2+1

Dribbling: 82+2

???

Breakthrough Gift Pack?
The "Aerial Ground Slash" is actually quite common.

A volley shot is difficult to control, so shooting downwards is a more successful option to ensure it hits the goalpost.

This is the same principle as heading the ball towards the ground.

The saying "He bows his head, Lionel Messi" describes Messi walking with his head down when refusing a handshake.

On the other hand, it is also about grasping the essence of his breakthrough moves.

Many people actually overlook the impact that looking down has on shorter players' drives to the basket.

The eyes are the windows of the soul.

Breakthroughs often involve a battle of wits.

The eyes of both the penetrator and the defender were not friendly; they were firm and sharp.

Because this is also part of their ability to break through.

A player who avoids eye contact with others can never become an excellent dribbler.

If you lower your head, the defender can't see your eyes and can only judge your movements, making it easier to be faked out.

Head, shoulders, hips, legs, speed changes... these are all Messi's strengths, which makes his breakthroughs even stronger.

Similarly, tall players also have their own ways of breaking through defenses; Tracy McGrady's fastest first step in the league is a prime example.

The same applies to strong players' charging drives.

In short, you should learn to leverage your strengths instead of constantly complaining about your weaknesses.

But what's striking is that the "surrender-style dribble" and the "lower head" form a stark contrast.

Many people may not know about the surrender dribble, which is Gascoigne's classic move.

If you say the system didn't steal anything, Lu Kai absolutely won't believe you.

In fact, Gascoigne is praised because his playing style, even in the rough English and European era, was already very similar to that of players like Maradona and Messi.

For a long time, the word "talent" specifically referred to this style of kicking, rather than talent in a broader sense.

Gascoigne often dribbles past several people at once.

However, he often makes a feint by raising both hands before dribbling past opponents, almost raising his hands every time he tries to get past someone.

You could say that he can get past someone every time he raises his hand.

The original intention of this move was to make the opponent unable to discern the direction of the breakthrough by extending the limbs before the breakthrough, and then use the explosive power to easily defeat the opponent.

It's similar to the exaggerated feints and dribblees many players use before dribbling past an opponent in basketball.

But in basketball, such feints are often meaningless; they're just something you think looks cool.

In football, it's much more impressive.

Because you can't just grab a ball; to intercept it you have to extend your leg, and once you extend your leg, you can't move laterally very much.

Of course, even so, Gascoigne is the only one who habitually raises both hands before a breakthrough.

Bowing his head, raising his hand, bowing his head, raising his hand... The scene was too beautiful for Lu Kai to bear imagining.

[Ding! Spurred on by you, Henry developed an unprecedented desire for championships and victories, embarking on his legendary journey. You have received his gift:]

[Henry's Shoelaces: Player Item. Right Foot +1. Shooting Skill +3. Increases the effectiveness of finesse shots by 10%]

[Shooting: 77+3]

[Right foot: 6+1+1 (additional boost)]

Good guy!
The FA Cup match actually made Henry reflect on his performance, thus beginning his legendary journey.

Like Ronaldinho, Henry is a respectable man and made some gestures.

This shoelace is really great.

Hidden talents like the right foot have a maximum cap of 7.

But Lu Kai is now level 8.

This means that his right foot has surpassed its normal maximum level and has begun to develop towards an extraordinary level.

If we get a few more player items with extra boosts, could we stack them up to 10?

If hidden attributes can overflow, what about normal attributes? Is the upper limit really 100?
Lu Kai made a bold guess.

Judging from players like Ronaldinho and Messi, their dribbling control is probably excessive, right?

And then there's Cristiano Ronaldo; his shooting skills are probably in the 100s too.

That said, the "10% increase in the effect of 'fine-tuning' skills" is quite impressive.

Henry was so versatile that it was difficult to find out what his special skill was.

However, through extensive analysis, some people have discovered a very classic part of Henry's style of play: the chip shot and the feint shot followed by a real drive.

Henry's fake shot and real drive was very effective; he could fool opponents almost every time.

The reason is that his fake shot used the curling kick technique.

If you don't guard up, he'll just flick the shot.

If you defend, he'll use a chip shot to take the ball directly from the top center.

The core of this set of tactics lies in the intensity.

The two forces are the same, which is why the defender has no way of judging.

However, the difficulty lies in the fact that using the power of a shot and the speed of a leg swing to dribble the ball can easily cause it to go out of control.

This is probably where Henry's talent lies.

Similarly, Messi's fake shots rely more on his extremely fast footwork and touch. Both are multi-functional fake shots that players adapt to their own talents, making them more efficient than simple fake shots.

June 27, Confederations Cup semi-final.

At Old Trafford, 68,000 fans are ready to go.

The FA's move can be described as a direct taunt.

The England national team, with virtually no Manchester United influence, scheduled a match at Manchester United's home ground, and Manchester United fans couldn't say anything.

Before the match, Alfred announced the starting lineup, further fueling the taunts:

Husky, Irving

Lu Kai
Gerrard, Beckham, Lampard
Ashley Cole, Campbell, Terry, Carragher
大卫·詹姆斯

-

This lineup is now normal, with all the key players returning.

But Beckham's return dealt another heavy blow to Manchester United fans.

Although Beckham did not take sides during the power struggle between Ferguson and the FA, his decision not to retire from the national team as a Manchester United player itself demonstrated his stance.

Now, Beckham's transfer to Real Madrid is effectively complete.

He will appear in Madrid on July 1st after the Confederations Cup ends to officially announce his participation.

What do you think it feels like for Manchester United fans to watch Beckham play at Old Trafford?
It's heartbreaking to think that I once had you!
What's even more unexpected is that the bicycle you're reluctant to ride, someone else will stand up and pedal it!
Beckham could play as a right winger or right midfielder at Manchester United, but under Alfred he was forced to play as a defensive midfielder?

What a bummer!
To be honest, when Beckham first heard this request, he also thought that Alfred was humiliating him.

But Lu Kai then took out his laptop and showed Beckham some data: "In the second half of last year, you played as a defensive midfielder for Manchester United a few times, and the results were surprisingly good."

“Especially in the advanced statistics, we found that you are even more contributing to the team than Keane was when he played in the defensive midfield position!”

Beckham was overjoyed to hear this.

This means he is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.

Lu Kai: "Furthermore, considering Real Madrid's current midfield and forward lineup, we think you may also need to consider transitioning to the midfield or even the defensive midfield position."

"Don't even mention comparing your impact with young, fast players; even compared to Zidane or Figo, this is your disadvantage."

"As for crossing... Ronaldo is an all-rounder, but heading is actually the weakest link in his all-rounder. Morientes will be loaned to Monaco, Real Madrid doesn't have a center forward who matches you."

"Your contribution to the defense is inevitable. Rather than being a defensive winger who has no presence, you should proactively transition to the defensive midfield position."

"You have good stamina, timely movement, and high coverage, which is enough to make up for your slightly weaker frontal defense. In addition, your long passes can speed up the transition between offense and defense, which can become a highlight."

Beckham was clearly persuaded.

Besides... he's not a single defensive midfielder.

Considering Beckham's slightly weaker defensive capabilities, Alfred paired him with two defensive midfield partners.

Gerrard and Lampard were both forced into defensive midfield positions by Alfred.

4312, isn't that exactly a three-defensive-midfielder formation?

Although Shuangde has more freedom to move forward, they still have to act according to Lu Kai's wishes.

Who would have believed this before?
I, Beckham, play as a defensive midfielder because I'm transitioning to a different role.

Why are you two playing as defensive midfielders?
Because you like it?
Beckham beamed as he watched Gerrard and Lampard, who were looking miserable but had to swallow their pride.

If we can beat Brazil, even if we don't win the championship, this result will be acceptable.

In the future, we will probably be working with Alfred for a long time.

So we still have to follow this sleeping handsome man's arrangements.

Moreover, while Lu Kai is certainly in a position of great prestige now, it remains to be seen whether he will be able to play for England in the European Championship a year from now.

If he creates a path in the attacking midfield position now, it might benefit Lampard or Gerrard.

It was precisely for this reason that Shuangde was willing to temporarily serve as Lu Kai's deputy.

The Confederations Cup is ultimately just a rehearsal.

The European Championship is the real battleground for Lampard and Gerrard!

With the sound of a whistle, the white-clad England team and the yellow-green Brazil team clashed head-on!

[PS: There will be another chapter at midnight tonight, a 10,000-word update. Please subscribe to all chapters and let's climb the bestseller list!!!]

(End of this chapter)