Team Spirit

Chapter 153 (1.3 words, please subscribe for the full chapter) England can only have one Gun King

June 30th, the final day of the Confederations Cup.

Lu Kai was already very familiar with the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

But whenever he sees the 74,000 fans in the stadium, he still feels his heart pounding.

"It's outrageous that the ticket revenue isn't shared with the team!" Lu Kai cursed, thinking to himself that he would definitely build a 100,000-seat stadium for the Green Gunners in the future!

Even if he can't play football anymore, he can still sell more tickets by holding a concert.

Before the match, both teams held press conferences where they announced their respective lineups.

For the England team:

Lu Kai, James Beatty, Michael James Irving

Gerrard, Owen Lee Hargreaves, David Beckham

Ashley Cole, Ridley King, Woodgate, Glen Johnson

大卫·詹姆斯

-

England, a tiny country, has three LeBron Jameses, two Kyrie Irvings, and two David Robinsons. It's hard to say about their football, but they can basically dominate basketball.

The reporter then asked, "Without your key central defensive pairing, will your defense suffer?"

Alfred flipped through the cards Lu Kai had prepared for him: "Ledley King and Woodgate are both excellent players. They are one of the four great center-backs in New England, and are on par with Terry and Ferdinand."

"I have great confidence in their performance."

Reporter: "Both Cole and Johnson are strong offensively but weak defensively. Are you trying to go toe-to-toe with the French team? Isn't that a bit overconfident?"

Alfred: "We are the only team in this tournament with two Ballon d'Or winners. I don't know why we can't attack."

Reporter: "England has always played a 4-4-2 formation. Is there any special tactical reason for switching to a 4-3-3 this time?"

Alfred: "Three midfielders sound better than three defensive midfielders than 4-3-1-2."

The reporter remained silent.

So it's still 4312, right? It's just a word game to appease Gerrard and Beckham.

The starting lineup for the French team is as follows:
Henry, Cissé

Wiltord, Pedretti, Dacourt, Giuly

Lizarazu, Desailly, Gallas, Sagnol

Barthez

-

In this way, Lu Kai has faced all three core players of the soon-to-be-formed Dream Team Barcelona, ​​namely "Güelloro".

These past two years have been Giuly's peak years. He is the true core of Monaco and is about to join forces with Morientes to crush Real Madrid in the Champions League, reach the Champions League final, and then become Mourinho's stepping stone.

At the same time, this year is also Henry's peak year, and their 49-game unbeaten run in the league has begun.

As for Cissé, yes, the same Cissé who never recovered after Zheng Zhi broke his leg.

At present, he is still a rising star striker in France, and he will completely explode next season, scoring a whopping 26 goals in Ligue 1.

Knowing these things, you'll understand how difficult this French team is to deal with.

Their attack was virtually unstoppable.

That's why England fielded a 4-3-3 formation today, with two attacking full-backs, attacking down both flanks and going head-to-head with an offensive approach.

After all, although the French team's defense is solid and has good teamwork, it is still a bit old compared to other teams.

In the later stages of the game, they might be overwhelmed by England.

On the French team's side, captain Desailly was asked about Lu Kai.

Desailly: "Yes, I watched his dribbling in the last game, it was very sharp. But his starting dribbling moves are very obvious, and we have a countermeasure to limit his performance."

"Beckham? Sorry, David is certainly one of the best on the right wing, but in midfield, he's far from good enough."

"What do you think of Beattie? He's a very good English center forward, but I have plenty of experience dealing with those kinds of strikers, so he won't be a problem for us."

"Irving? He's never had the upper hand against me."

The French are very confident.

Soon, both sides returned to the locker room for final preparations.

[Ding! You have received:]

[Stride-based Fake Shot - Silver: Also known as the Henry-style fake shot, your stride frequency adjustment is improved. Your fake shots can create a larger arc, making them more deceptive.]

[Turtle's Bike - Gold: Your dribbling ability is improved. Your bike swings much more dramatically. Your explosive power and shooting after a bike dribble past an opponent receive a brief boost.]

[Cadence adjustment: 77+1]

Dribbling: 84+2

!!!

There was a time when Lu Kai's dribbling skills were even inferior to Ashley Young's.

But who would have thought that dribbling would be the strongest among all attributes now?

With 83 in "Balance and Agility" and 80 in "Ball Control", don't worry about whether it looks laggy or not, it has absolutely no problem dribbling past opponents!
[Stride-based feint] We've mentioned it before, and here it is now.

It's a perfect match for the squirt effect bonus provided by [Henry's Shoelaces].

Because the stride-based feint and finesse shot are the best combination, Lu Kai has improved in both aspects, making him a true "double threat" in both burst and shot techniques.

【The Turtle's Bicycle】is also a stride-based dribbling move.

Cycling is a "cadence-based" activity, meaning it involves fast cycling.

But under Mbappe's feet, this technique has undergone a new transformation.

Because of his exceptionally long strides and noticeable lateral movements, the defenders who were originally directly opposite him would end up on his left or right after he took a step to the left or right.

The vertical positions are misaligned.

This forces the defenders to move over.

Because of the vertical misalignment, the attacker can easily complete the breakthrough with a single touch of the ball, while the defender has difficulty interfering.

Therefore, when Mbappe performs a large step-over, the defender has to move, and once he moves, he gets a real opportunity to break through.

Compared to the conventional chain-link bicycles that trick the other party into stepping on them, the Turtle Bike forces the other party to step on it, making it more domineering and practical.

Of course, all stride-based skills have two major drawbacks.

First, the effect is linked to leg length.

The longer the legs, the better the effect.

Mbappe isn't very tall, but he has a great leg-to-body ratio and long legs.

Players like Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo fall into this category.

Players skilled in using footwork to dribble past opponents, such as Messi, Isco, and Hazard, are generally evenly matched. They have short legs, but they can flip very quickly, and their center of gravity is low and stable.

The second major drawback of stride-based skills is that they often put more strain on the knees, resulting in a much higher incidence of knee injuries compared to stride-frequency-based players.

Hazard: ? ? ?

However, Lu Kai has [Da Luo's pot lid wig], which increases knee flexibility by 20%, so he can use it with peace of mind.

With the sound of a whistle, the match began.

Lu Kai chose Henry and Giuly as his targets for marking.

Normally, a team can decide whether to defend or attack within three to five minutes.

Even if you're an offensive team, but your offense just won't go anywhere today, and you keep getting intercepted, while the other team has possession and their offense is more threatening... then you'll have to play defensively today, otherwise you'll easily get blown out by a large margin.

The match between PSG and Miami early this morning was a typical example.

Miami focused on attacking in the first half, which led to a 4-0 lead.

In the second half, they stayed in the deep end of the pitch, not only avoiding conceding goals but also creating more threatening attacks. This was partly due to PSG's tendency to make consecutive substitutions, which led to a decline in their overall strength.

England quickly realized today that even if they wanted to play an attacking game, they had to let France take the lead first.

Because the French team is indeed the stronger side.

In the third minute, Giuly dribbled past Cole on the wing and delivered a cross.

Henry's volley shot stunned everyone.

The football flew into the stands.

In the fifth minute, Beckham took a corner kick, and Ledley King headed the ball towards the goal, but it hit the crossbar and bounced out, almost resulting in a goal.

In terms of the level of suspense, England took the lead.

However, France leads in the quality of their attacks in open play.

In the eleventh minute, Giuly delivered a long pass.

Cissé broke through on goal, but before he could even touch the ball, the linesman raised his flag.

Offside.

These days, the referee will raise the flag immediately after an offside call. Although there are many wrongful convictions, it also avoids meaningless back-and-forth battles that could lead to unnecessary injuries.

Both rulings have their advantages and disadvantages, and each reflects a different perspective.

Offside is ruled out first, then VAR is used to determine the fairness of the game.

However, the offside situation is often the most crucial and intense moment in offense and defense, and also the time when injuries are most likely to occur.

In the 17th minute, Hargreaves made a long pass to Lu Kai.

Lu Kai received the ball and immediately cut inside, making a very decisive move.

Sagnol didn't expect Lu Kai to kick like that, and Lu Kai gained position.

Lu Kaika Saniol intercepted the other car, blocking its path, and Saniol almost crashed.

He pushed and shoved, stumbled, and was thrown aside by Lu Kai.

Gallas defended.

After the last game, he studied Lu Kai and found that the "intimidating dribble" was not difficult to break; as long as he wasn't intimidated, he would be fine.

The "lower head" technique isn't some invincible skill; just focus on the ball itself and block out the interference from the ball handler's body signals.

Top defensive players can overcome these difficulties.

Ok?
Gallas was taken aback when Lu Kai's extremely large bicycle appeared.

Lu Kai moved almost horizontally to the left.

The distance between them was too great; Gallas had to move to maintain defensive coverage over Lu Kai.

"No, he's forcing me to move; he's going to go to the right!" Galas astutely discerned Lu Kai's true intentions.

But he can't go to the right, because that would further widen the positional difference between him and Lu Kai, allowing Lu Kai to pass through from the left.

grab!
The only option is to snatch it!

Gallas found the best solution, and in a flash, he stretched out his left foot towards the football.

boom!
Lu Kai flicked the ball with his right foot, preparing to move to the right.

The football rolled past first.

Gallas's shot was ultimately too slow.

However, his leg was already extended, which could at least hold Lu Kai off for a while...

Ok?
Lu Kai flicked the ball with his right foot and then lifted it up.

With a leaping motion, he jumped over Gallas's calf.

The true essence of the Turtle Bike lies in this jump.

The significant stride variation widens the area the opponent needs to cover, and the final leg strike is already the limit of what the limbs can extend.

At this point, you're stiff and can jump freely without being disturbed by the other person.

However, if you narrow your control range and don't fully extend your leg, you'll have room to maneuver whether you retract, lift, or extend it further.

Lu Kai broke into the penalty area from the right side of Gallas, caught up with the ball at the penalty spot, and raised his right foot.

Barthez, who was on the attack, immediately jumped to the ground to make a save.

Desailly, who was rushing over, also stretched out his leg to block the back post.

However, there was no shot on goal!
Lu Kai [step-style fake shot] pulls the ball to the left, completely bypassing Barthez.

He followed up with a left-footed shot.

Galas, who turned around and chased after Lu Kai, could do nothing behind him.

The football hits the net.

It stirred up white waves.

“GOAL!!!”

"One to zero!"

"Lu Kai opens the scoring for England!"

"Good job!"

"It's a real shame he plays in midfield, considering the Catalan media always says his movements are clunky. But as a striker, that's what you call sharp!"

"Galaxas must have felt the same pain Lucio suffered in the last game!"

"Lu Kai's speed isn't exceptional, but his single-point explosive capability in dangerous areas is simply too strong!"

"And this fake shot and real charge was incredibly realistic, and I don't know if it's just my imagination, but it had a resemblance to Henry!"

Even Henry himself could tell, let alone the commentators.

Is this kid one of my fans?

Being overtaken by your own fans is not a good experience.

France focused their defense on Owen, but unexpectedly, Lu Kai broke the deadlock first. He really can play as a winger!
"With that, Lu Kai's goal tally in this tournament has reached three, tying him for first place on the top scorer list with players like Henry, Giovanni Hernandez, Saenli Tugue, Nakamura Shunsuke, Pires, and Okan Yilmaz!"

In many cup competitions, after six or seven matches, the Golden Boot winner scored three or four goals.

Five balls is a lot.

Eight-ball is considered dominant.

The only thing that can be said about the top two is that they're stomping noobs and are absolutely insane.

In the 23rd minute, Henry unleashed his power, breaking past Johnson before being double-teamed by Johnson and Hargreaves at the baseline.

Henry forcefully lobbed the ball, but Johnson blocked it towards the byline.

Johnson and Hargreaves both thought the ball was out of bounds, but Henry turned around, hooked it back, and then broke through the encirclement along the same path he had come from.

boom!
Henry delivered a cross.

Unfortunately, the force was too great. Cisse controlled the ball two meters away before Woodgate blocked it, thus losing his shooting opportunity.

In the 31st minute, the French team launched a fierce attack.

Henry broke into the penalty area after a one-two with Wiltord on the left and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot.

Woodgate stretched out his leg to block.

The football changed direction and its speed dropped sharply, and it was caught in James's arms.

In the 38th minute, Ledley King intercepted Cissé's pass, and England launched a counter-attack.

Beckham made a long pass to the right wing.

Irving caught up with the ball near the byline but didn't have a good attacking opportunity, and could only wait for his teammates to come up before passing it back to Johnson.

Johnson crossed the ball, looking for Beattie.

This is a typical British style of kicking.

If it were Dartford, the best move would be a cross to the overlapping midfielder. The midfielder would have a long-range shooting opportunity, and using that threat to chip the ball to the far post would be very effective.

Even if Johnson crosses directly, it's more effective to find the far post.

Although James Beattie is 1.85 meters tall and is known as the last English center forward, it is still too difficult for him to score a header while being sandwiched between two defenders.

This isn't Barcelona.

boom!
As expected, Desailly cleared the ball with a header.

The ball flew out of the penalty arc, and Woodgate successfully stopped it.

Woodgate's meteoric rise in the last two years has attracted Real Madrid's attention for good reason.

His physical strength, tackling, and aerial defense are all good, and he also has a good passing touch.

It is considered a high-end product by many people.

And high-end goods naturally have high-end ideas. Woodgate, with the ball in hand, observed the situation and, facing the onrushing Cisse, instead of passing back, he made a through pass trying to connect with Owen.

Counterattack your counterattack; it's always the best opportunity.

The pass was quite good, however... Lizarazu saw through Woodgate's plan, accelerated early, and darted out from behind Irving, intercepting and passing the ball.

Wiltord receives the ball and makes a through pass, and Cissé takes off from the left wing.

Only Ridley King was able to get back on defense.

The two teams met in the left corner of the penalty area.

Cissé feigned an inside cut, but actually went down the byline, faking out the hastily arriving Ridley King.

boom!
Cissé took a shot from outside the six-yard box on the left, curling it with his right foot.

The quality is quite average, and the arc it produces is very small.

He's actually better at explosive shots.

Unfortunately, James's skill level wasn't high either, and his positioning was clearly problematic, causing him to miss the ball.

"GOAL! One to one!"

"The French team didn't let England lead for long!"

"As the top seeds in this tournament, there's a reason why their combined chances of winning, along with Brazil's, exceed 95%!"

"Cisse, a supernova is rising, and many top clubs are scouting him. It would cost at least ten million pounds to acquire him!"

"Liverpool is currently the closest to Cissé!"

Do you remember the Golden Boy award two years ago? Of the thirteen super talents, several ended up going to Liverpool.

Interestingly, most of the players who went to Liverpool ended up ruined due to injuries and glass-related problems.

The rest were kicked out.

For a moment, it was hard to say whether they had outmaneuvered Liverpool or Liverpool had faltered them.

In the 42nd minute, the French team continued to maintain the initiative.

Wiltord switched the ball to the right wing.

Giuly stopped the ball in mid-air with a shot resembling the Bundesliga logo.

His skills shocked everyone.

Cole and other England players were stunned.

Where had they ever seen such graceful footwork?

Giuly's right foot curled inwards, and his left foot chipped the ball into the middle.

Henry headed the ball in front of the goal, delivering a high-quality header.

However, James made a superhuman save, deflecting the ball towards Giuly.

Giuly met the ball with a powerful volley.

The football went straight into the net.

"GOAL! Two to one! France has taken the lead!"

"Giuri's feet feel incredibly hot!"

"The current score is more in line with the situation of the game."

"The French don't hold grudges overnight. Henry will get his revenge in the Confederations Cup final just like he did in the FA Cup final. He won't wait until next season!"

The camera focuses on Henry and Lu Kai.

Clearly, while the London derby between the two teams has ended, the London derby between the two players continues.

Henry was the true King of London!
The first half ended immediately.

Both sides were satisfied with the score.

There's nothing we can do. What kind of team is England? Trying to compete with France for the title?

Three consecutive World Cup titles: 1998, 2000, and 2001.

What do you think 2003 should be?
Lu Kai: You were the runners-up in the 2006 World Cup, so naturally you should also be in 2003...

……

In the locker room, England veteran Gareth Southgate unscrewed the cap and handed the water to Lu Kai.

Woodgate reached for water, but Southgate told him to get lost.

Woodgate thought to himself, "Why do you have two faces?"

Is it because they are competing with me for a position?
Southgate doesn't care what Woodgate thinks. As a future FA executive and England manager, Southgate's foresight is ridiculously strong.

He had long suspected that something was wrong with the relationship between Alfred and Lu Kai.

Although the specifics are unknown, Lu Kai appears to be the one in charge.

Gareth Southgate is nearing retirement, and he plans to become a head coach afterward.

However, it would be best to learn from the "sages" for a period of time.

Ferguson was strong-willed but intolerant of others.

Wenger is well-read but not assertive enough.

Alfred is undoubtedly the first choice.

I've only heard that his courses are quite expensive, costing £200,000 a year, comparable to a student loan in the United States.

Southgate isn't like Ten Hach; he'd definitely want to save money wherever possible.

So he's been hanging around Lu Kai throughout this tournament, hoping Lu Kai will put in a good word for him.

We strive for progress, not to be ashamed.

"Lu, do you think we still have a chance in this game?" Southgate asked humbly.

Lu Kai nodded: "Our physical fitness is an advantage. The situation will shift in our favor after seventy minutes, but we need to seize the opportunity."

Southgate nodded.

Alfred subsequently echoed this sentiment, urging the players to hold on and engage in the game with more aggressive running. He stressed that the priority was to avoid losing possession, and only then could they focus on scoring.

The second half.

The French team also replenished their physical strength.

In the 49th minute, Jiuli dribbled through the middle of the field, dominating the battlefield.

Gerrard paid the price with a yellow card to stop the French attack.

In the 56th minute, Giuly dribbled into the middle to receive the ball, ready to outmaneuver Beckham.

As it turned out, Beckham was no novice; he proactively stretched out his leg and destroyed the ball, making a brilliant defensive play.

Gerrard retrieved the ball and dribbled forward.

Lu Kai, Beatty, and Irving launched a three-pronged attack.

Lu Kai made a deliberate move to the inside, providing Gerrard with more passing options.

But the French team tracked back too quickly and marked several players.

Gerrard could only attempt a long-range shot in the end.

The ball went over the crossbar, which is quite threatening.

In the 58th minute, Lu Kai made a stealthy forward run, but unfortunately his teammates didn't pass him the ball.

He returned from the offside position.

But Gerrard seized the opportunity and rushed forward, giving the French defense a second chance.

Cole, who was dribbling up the court, took the opportunity to pass the ball across to Lu Kai, who then passed it diagonally to Beattie.

The players on this route were taken away by Gerrard.

Beattie controlled the ball and then shot; his basic skills were impeccable, and his shot was of very high quality.

Unfortunately, Barthez made a phenomenal save.

In the 67th minute, France besieged England, and Giuly, seemingly out of nowhere, delivered a lobbed through ball.

Henry made a perfect play, breaking the offside trap to create a one-on-one opportunity.

James seized the opportunity and attacked, Henry raised his right foot and fired a shot... a fake shot followed by a real breakthrough!
They also used stride-based feints!
He dribbled directly to the right, bypassed James, and then slotted the ball into the empty net.

"GOAL! Three to one!"

France scores again!

Henry scores his fourth goal of the tournament, taking the top spot in the scoring charts!

"This is a typical Henry-style goal, and it's also very similar to the goal Lu Kai scored."

"What Lu Kai can do, Henry can also do, but Henry can bring victory to the French team, while Lu Kai cannot!"

"England's overall strength is clearly inferior to that of the French team."

"Redley King and Woodgate played well, but lacked chemistry and gave Henry and Cissé too many opportunities."

On the bench, Alfred shrugged.

no way.

This is the best option we can make right now.

If a slow-moving big man like Williams were put on the court, the score would be even worse than it is now.

After all, the French team's attacks are concentrated on the ground and with their feet, and they don't have many high balls.

Henry celebrated his goal with a knee slide.

Arsenal failed to win any trophies this season, especially in the final stages when they lost both the Premier League and the FA Cup. They were even thrashed 3-1 by Dartford in the FA Cup.

Now his life has finally improved, and he can now beat Lu Kai three to one.

One word: Absolutely awesome!
In the 72nd minute, Owen made a forward run and was pulled and tackled by Lizarazu, eventually falling to the ground.

Lizarazu was dyed yellow.

Alfred made a substitution, with Beckford replacing Beatty.

Although Beckford is significantly less capable individually, he has better chemistry with Lu Kai and runs with more effort.

In the 79th minute, Beckford dropped back to receive the ball, held off Dacourt's challenge, and set up Lu Kai.

Lu Kai dribbled the ball into the penalty area, used a "turtle bicycle" maneuver to create some angle, and then fired a shot.

boom!
Gallas stretched out his leg to block, refusing to let the ball slip through.

The ball flew towards the edge of the penalty area, where Beckham was in a better position, but Dacourt jumped over and used his body to block Beckham.

The two of them rolled to the ground together.

The referee immediately blew his whistle.

Free kick!
Dacourt quickly got up to explain, but the referee saw it clearly: you drifted, bro.

The French team immediately tensed up.

Because this position is the perfect sweet spot for the crescent moon.

Moreover... England now has two scimitars!

It's hard to guard against!

Sure enough, Lu Kai went over and whispered to Beckham, then glanced at Henry every now and then.

"Oh! Lu Kai must be trying to seize this opportunity. He's already scored a goal, and his touch is good."

"Is Beckham willing to give it up...? Oh! Beckham actually nodded, this..."

On the French team's wall, Giuly had a question: "Could it be a charade? They want us to think Lu Kai is taking the penalty, but actually Beckham is?"

Henry shared what he knew: "Lucai is very eager to score, and he won't let this opportunity slip by."

Cissé: "It is said that with Alfred's support, he holds great power and has probably been eyeing the penalty kick and free kick rights for a long time."

Desailly: "In any case, we must be wary of Lu Kai; his free kicks are equally deadly!"

Chelsea have a lot to say about conceding a goal from Lu Kai's free kick.

Then, both sides were ready.

Lu Kai slowly sprinted towards the football and leaped over it.

It turned out to be a feint.

What he just told Beckham was, "I'll cover for you, let's fake it out first."

It's that simple.

He didn't know why Giuly, Henry, and the others were making malicious assumptions about him.

Does he look like a ball hog?
The kids love playing with him, don't they!

boom!
Beckham then touched the ball and unleashed a stunning free kick that sliced ​​through the air above the Millennium Stadium.

Lu Kai had already partially deflected the French wall, and Beckham's curved shot sailed effortlessly over the wall and into the net. "GOAL! Two to three!"

Beckham has pulled one back for the team!

"David, this is David, whom England will never be able to do without!"

"When it comes to free kicks, Beckham is always a master!"

"Of course, it was a brilliant free-kick combination. Lu Kai completely fooled the French team's wall. Was his movement really that deceptive?"

To outsiders, it was 100% Beckham who kicked that ball.

Only those who have fought against Lu Kai and have a certain level of recognition and understanding of him would guess that Lu Kai would come to attack the door.

These nine shallow and one pui... these nine fake and one real, are too difficult to distinguish.

On the French side, the head coach made a surprising move.

Three substitutions in a row, using up all the substitution slots in one go.

Pires replaced Wiltord. Pires is an absolute key player for the team, but he was feeling unwell after the last game, so he was on the bench for this game depending on the situation.

He is clearly needed to step up and help suppress England.

We cannot allow the English to have any chance of getting away with it!
Kapo replaced Giuly.

Although Giuly is the true core player on the field, he can step down when Pires arrives.

With his abundant energy, Capo can play a greater role on both offense and defense.

Thuram replaced Sagnol, who is very strong defensively and is still in the twilight of his career.

This wave can be described as a comprehensive strengthening of both offense and defense.

They clearly saw through England's little trick of preparing for a final push.

Southgate's face turned pale: "What are we going to do now? They've figured out our tactics!"

Alfred smiled slightly and substituted Patton for Hargreaves.

"Tactics are static, but people are dynamic," Alfred said enigmatically.

Southgate's eyes darted around: "You mean, you've found a tactical flaw in their tactics. Sending Patton up there is to exploit that flaw?"

Alfred shook his head: "What I mean is, Lu will find a way to break the deadlock. Sending someone he knows will make it easier for him to perform."

Southgate was stunned: "So your tactic is..."

Alfred walked to the sidelines and shouted to the players, "Give the ball to Lu!"

Southgate was completely impressed.

It was clearly a statement of helplessness, but how could the teacher shout it with such powerful momentum, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and as if he had a profound understanding of the situation?
This is the secret to immortality he's always wanted to learn!
In the 85th minute, Gerrard responded to the call and passed the ball to Lu Kai.

Lu Kai challenged Thuram with a dribble, using his pendulum dribble early on.

It was set up three times in a row.

But Thuram, as expected of one of the world's best right-backs, was not fooled by Lu Kai. Although he was beaten, he immediately caught up again.

There is an ambush in front and pursuers behind.

Lu Kai could only try a long-range shot.

The football hit Gallas and bounced out of bounds.

The camera focused on defensive hero Thuram; if it had been Sagnol, Lu Kai might have actually scored.

Considering Thuram's surname, the editor of The Sun probably has a story to tell: "Lillian in black stockings pins Lu Kai down for three seconds!"

Beckham came to the sidelines to take the corner kick.

boom!
The football is flying out with a great curve; look for the near post!
There was a notification before it was opened.

With Beckham's footwork, he can kick wherever he wants, so his teammates can rest assured.

Lu Kai rushed to the near post and headed the ball on.

The football caused chaos in the French penalty area.

The next moment, the football rolled into the French goal.

“GOAL!!!”

"Three to three!"

"A tie! Owen has tied it!"

"The Ballon d'Or winner can't sit still! Henry, Giuly, Cissé, Lukay, Beckham... have you forgotten someone?"

The England team started celebrating wildly.

The French seemed somewhat helpless.

This scene evoked memories of Henry not long ago.

In the FA Cup final, Dartford led Arsenal 3-1, only to be held to a draw by their own goal and assist.
Why is the script going backwards today?

After we took the lead, England managed to equalize in the end.

Henry, however, breathed a sigh of relief.

Despite securing a last-minute equalizer, they still lost the game and dropped out of the title.

England's last-minute equalizer was also a sign of their exhaustion, and France will certainly win in the end.

and……

"Oh! This... isn't good!"

"Irving doesn't seem to be able to keep going!"

On the court, Irving clutched his right foot, his expression one of great pain.

The scene from earlier appeared on the big screen.

He and Capo kicked the ball at the same time; he kicked it first, so Capo kicked him as well.

The referee showed Capo a yellow card.

But it doesn't help.

Irving was carried off the court.

Joe Cole came on as a substitute.

Rooney was very disappointed; he had thought he still had a chance.

Wasn't his lob shot in the last game skillful enough?

Aside from not scoring, he's practically flawless.

Abu in the stands couldn't be more satisfied with Lu Kai.

Using the Confederations Cup final to test the goods is extravagant, but the sponsor is very satisfied.

The key is that it gave Chelsea players a prestigious makeover.

Abramovich has the gold, but he really doesn't know how to give players a gold medal.

Lu Kai's casual act was exactly the kind of help Abu needed most.

Of course, Lu Kai's decision to put Joe Cole on the court was also based on competitive considerations.

Joe Cole is better than Rooney in terms of movement, dribbling, and passing in the attacking third.

Rooney is more of a striker, while Joe Cole is more of an attacking playmaker.

In contrast, maintaining possession is more important for the time being. As for scoring goals, any player on this England team has that ability.

We don't lack Rooney.

In the first minute of stoppage time, the French team wasn't stupid either, and actually set up a trap for Lu Kai.

They successfully surrounded and seized the opportunity.

Pires dribbles forward, launching a counter-attack.

This created a three-on-three situation in the frontcourt!

Barton retreated repeatedly and hesitated to press forward, giving Pires the opportunity to penetrate deeper into the defense.

Meanwhile, Pires was also watching Henry and Cissé's positions to see who would be better to pass the ball to.

"Don't come out, stay with your men!" Barton shouted to the two center-backs behind him without turning his head, as if afraid they would come up.

If it were Campbell or Terry, Patton wouldn't have a say.
Besides, he's only a substitute.

But Ledley King and Woodgate are both new internationals, and they are actually willing to listen when someone offers their opinion.

Because if you're not careful, this situation could lead to utter ruin, and you'll end up taking the blame for everything.

Henry and Cissé both failed to get out of position in their first run.

He then quickly changed speed, direction, and repositioned himself.

This time, Henry, with his superior off-the-ball movement, shook off Woodgate and created a clear opportunity.

Pires lifts his foot...

boom!
Lu Kai crashed into Pires from behind.

Pires' passing route was disrupted, and the ball was passed directly to Barton's feet.

It’s Lu Kai!
He chased back after being tackled and dispossessed.

Hurry and hurry.

Fortunately, Barton managed to control Pires' pace and defend against it.

Otherwise, they would have been defeated by the French team in the final moments!
boom!
Barton launched a counter-attack with a long ball.

Desailly headed the ball back.

The referee blew the whistle.

The regular match time has ended.

Overtime begins in two minutes!
Southgate was completely in awe of Alfred: "Teacher, how do we play in overtime? It seems like Lu Kai is being targeted."

Alfred shrugged: "These Frenchmen are strong and fast, like a bunch of demons. Who knows how to fight them?"

Southgate's expression darkened.

Even the teachers can't do anything about it?

Soon, overtime began.

In the 93rd minute, Pires and Henry displayed their club-level understanding, with Pires delivering a through ball.

Henry rushed into the penalty area, received the ball, and swept it across the box.

The ball struck Ledley King's shin as he was tracking back, heading straight for the England goal.

James never imagined that his CBA teammates would betray him.
The football went into the net.

The England players were all stunned.

This……

They played the whole game, and then they lost to their own team?
This is truly frustrating.
"what!!!"

Henry was incredibly excited, like a madman.

He rushed to the sidelines immediately, pushed aside teammates who wanted to celebrate with him, then took off his clothes and waved them around.

His eyes were filled with tears because he loved this trophy so deeply!

“GOAL!!!”

"Henry!"

"When it really matters, it's Henry who comes through!"

In the footage, Henry throws his jersey to the few French fans, after all, this is English territory.

Henry even grabbed the microphone from the sidelines and said with great excitement, "I've been waiting for two months, just for this opportunity!"

"I want to prove myself, not to show off how great I am, but simply to prove that what I've lost... I will definitely get it back!"

"champion!"

"we are the champion!"

"We, Arsenal and the French national team, are champions!"

Henry looked up to the sky and roared.

But gradually he found that his teammates' emotions were not rich enough and they were not keeping up with him.

He looked at his teammates with a puzzled expression.

Thuram explained: "Thierry, we're in the lead, but the game isn't over yet."

Henry was stunned: "This...this is the golden goal! The golden goal to seal the victory!"

Pires' expression was complicated; he knew better than anyone what Henry meant: "Henry, it's not the Golden Ball; only England's matches still have the Golden Ball system."

"UEFA and FIFA abolished the Golden Ball earlier this year and now use the Silver Ball."

In the silver goal rule, the team that scores in extra time doesn't win until the end of the 15-minute half.

So they still have twelve minutes to play.

Henry's eyes instantly lost their light: "Silver Ball? Is it Silver Ball now?"

This scene is like a Qing Dynasty scholar who has studied diligently in the deep mountains for decades, only to find after achieving great knowledge that... the Republic of China? Is it already the Republic of China?
"Oh! Henry might have made a mistake. He thought he scored the winning goal. It's easy to misunderstand."

"This Confederations Cup is the first major tournament to officially adopt the silver ball system after UEFA and FIFA revised the relevant rules!"

"But Henry doesn't need to be discouraged, the French team will soon set a new record!"

"They are the first team to win a World Championship final with a golden goal, and they will soon become the first team to win a World Championship final with a silver goal!"

Regardless, France's lead is undeniable.

Only Henry looked at Lu Kai after he came to his senses.

Two months ago, he was just as close to an award.

But in the end...

Henry shook his head.

Do not!
impossible!
This time, no one can take this trophy away!

Henry said it!

In the 97th minute, Henry violently tackled Gerrard, denying England any chance to pass the ball, which briefly sparked a standoff between the two sides.

But while Patton and his brothers were confronting each other, Lu Kai approached Ashley Cole: "Can you still run?"

Cole nodded.

Lu Kai: "Go inside, to the left flank, and make a run all the way up. I'll pass you the ball when the time is right, so don't hesitate, shoot boldly!"

Cole was taken aback: "Me?"

He means, "Have you contacted the wrong person?"

I'm just a left-back.

Are you looking for right winger Joe Cole?

Lu Kai nodded: "That's right, it's you! You're the only one with this ability, and they can't restrict you!"

Lu Kai then pulled Gerrard aside and whispered a few words to him.

In the 101st minute, England had possession of the ball.

Cole passes the ball to Gerrard.

Gerrard passes the ball to Lu Kai.

Gerrard then made a forward run, which is his usual move.

Ashley Cole then pushed up and moved inside.

The French players noticed Cole's movement, but Cole stopped in the left defensive midfield position.

This is to fill the gap left by Gerrard's forward run.

normal.

When facing midfielders like Gerrard and Lampard, the full-backs or defensive midfielders will have a tougher time.

However, at this stage, it is more the center-backs who are stepping up.

The best players at this stage are those in the mid-lane.

Only those who lack the ability play as full-backs.

Therefore, any tasks are first assigned to the center-backs, as they are capable of handling more.

Ashley Cole is an attacking full-back like Roberto Carlos, who relies mainly on his speed to get to the byline and cross the ball; he is strong in attack but weak in defense.

The French players then turned their attention to Lu Kai and Gerrard.

After slowing down for a couple of steps, Cole suddenly accelerated and sprinted along Gerrard's path!
Gerrard made a forward run... offside.

Lu Kai didn't pass the ball to him, but instead cut inside, going into the space Gerrard had created.

But Galas returned quickly.

This isn't the first time England has used this kind of running, and the French team has experience in dealing with it.

Beckford withdrew from the penalty area, and Lu Kai made a move to pass him the ball before making a forward run.

Beckford would bang his head against the wall.

Everyone thinks that way.

This is also the most threatening tactic.

However, Lu Kai took another step towards Beckford.

This resulted in him and Beckford being positioned too close together.

It's become difficult to pass the ball or hit a one-two.

Moreover, Gallas and Desailly moved closer together, and the two of them were able to block Beckford's one-two through ball.

This road is dead.

He was killed by Lu Kai.

If Lu Kai takes a long-range shot, he will also face blocking from both sides, and there will be no angle to score.

Even if a supercomputer were to run the test, this attack would have been doomed. Lu Kai, in the crucial moment, lost his temper and failed…

boom!
Lu Kai delivered a through ball.

However, it wasn't given to the middle or right side, but rather to the left.

Gerrard and Thuram are still on the left, with Gallas near the penalty spot.

A huge gap has appeared on the left side of the penalty area.

The problem is, no one from England can get there either.

Gerrard was blocked by Thuram... Cole!
The next moment, Ashley Cole shot straight into the left side of the penalty area like an arrow.

He caught up with the ball and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot from a tight angle!
Ashley Cole swore that this was the best shot he'd ever taken in his life!
boom!
The football bounced off Barthez.

Ashley Cole immediately knelt down.

This……

Damn!

Did Barthez take drugs?

Barthez didn't pounce; he had already given up.

But he was well-positioned and used his body to block the football.

The Frenchman wept with joy.

Ashley Cole was in immense pain.

He knew they wouldn't have such a good opportunity again.

They didn't have time either!

boom!
Joe Cole moved with lightning speed, completing a follow-up shot inside the penalty area.

The football was kicked into the goal.

Rumble!
The Millennium Stadium trembled.

Ashley Cole realized something was wrong, quickly looked up, and discovered that the football was actually inside the goal!
“GOAL!!!”

"Jueping!"

"Four to four, England have equalized!"

"Amazing!"

"Ashley Cole's unpredictable sudden forward run! Joe Cole's brilliant finishing touch!"

"Cole and Cole! They saved England!"

"It's amazing! After so many years since Maradona stole Lady Luck's favor from England, the England team has finally been treated kindly!"

They still have a chance!

"Of course, don't forget who made that brilliant pass!"

"Lu Kai's vision is incredible; he knows the movements of everyone on the court perfectly! He found the only potentially lethal route! He is the most brilliant mind on the court!"

The English celebrated wildly.

Joe Cole became famous with one goal!
Although he has been the core player for Blackburn for two seasons, he is only now beginning to truly become a superstar!
Abu jumped up excitedly in the stands!

You made the right choice!
Joe Cole made the right choice!

That one kick alone makes Joe Cole worth six million pounds!
His net worth is even expected to increase by one million pounds!
Money is not important to Abramovich. Even if the price increases by ten million pounds, it won't make much difference to him than ten dollars.

But what Abu wants is that thrill of having such a "perfect eye for talent".

This will give him the impression that I know a lot about football.

This is the most exhilarating moment that football manager enthusiasts can't resist!
Buying your favorite superstar player is only second on the list.

Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea is like playing a football manager game, and he has already won his first victory!

Conversely, a sense of anxiety and unease began to permeate the French team.

Henry's eyes turned red.

No way!
No way... I should have won!
We agreed that it would be one person per time!

105th minute, the final stage of the first half of extra time.

Possession was in England's hands.

Joe Cole played with confidence, dribbling down the right flank and making a lateral breakthrough before being tackled to the ground by the returning Henry.

The referee showed Henry a yellow card.

For some reason, this French striker's form went off after he mistakenly thought he had scored the winning goal.

I'm a bit stressed.

This is a position where only tactical free kicks can be taken.

"Lu Kai and Beckham discussed who should take the free kick... Beckham went behind the ball, while Lu Kai went to the penalty area to contest for the header." Lu Kai always had some ideas about free kicks.

But let alone Lu Kai, even if Ronaldo, Zidane, and Figo came to the England team, Beckham would still be the one to take the free kicks!

A whistle blew.

Beckham rushes towards the football.

Inside the penalty area, players from both sides began to rush forward, block each other, and push each other.

Only Lu Kai did the opposite, leaving the penalty area and running towards Beckham.

boom!
Beckham passed the ball to Lu Kai.

Lu Kai, positioned two steps outside the arc, turned halfway ahead, stopped the ball with his left foot, and raised his right foot high!
Henry had been keeping an eye on Lu Kai, and once he noticed Lu Kai running away, he immediately gave chase.

Not only him, but Gallas and Dacourt also rushed to the edge of the penalty area, and the three of them fell to the ground together to block, forming an impenetrable wall.

Gods and demons are forbidden from entering!

But the next moment, Henry's pupils trembled!

Because he saw himself!

"It's over!"

"Lu Kai makes a huge fake shot, dribbling the ball to the left front!"

"Lu Kai has broken into the penalty area!"

"Thuram is coming closer... Lu Kai receives the ball and stops abruptly! He flicks the ball outwards with his right foot, this is..."

"Rub and shoot!"

Inside the penalty area, Lu Kai executed a chip shot over Thuram.

The move was exactly the same as the goal scored by Cissé.

Just like Henry.

In an attempt to create a larger arc, Lu Kai leaned to the left, rolling and falling to the ground after shooting.

The football flew past Thuram's shin, past Barthez's hand, and into the far corner, lifting the side netting!
Lu Kai rolled and sprang up, turning and rushing towards the corner flag area. As he ran, he took off his jersey, jumped onto the advertising board, grabbed the jersey by the shoulders, and held it high to show it to everyone.

Lu Kai!

This is not a name.

This is an account ban!

The title of King!

Cardiff Millennium Stadium exploded instantly!
The fans chanted his name like crazy:

“Lu Kai!”

“Lu Kai!”

“Lu Kai!”

Henry stared at the figure on the throne, speechless for a long time.

He had already experienced this once, and he should have been used to it, but why did he still feel pain when he fell in front of Lu Kai the second time?
If the FA Cup were judged by the silver ball and the Confederations Cup by the golden ball, would he have won two more trophies?
why!
what is this!
The English celebrated wildly.

No one disturbed them, because the match had long since ended.

When the game restarts.

Henry took a direct shot from the kickoff and hit the England goal.

The ball went wide; there was no chance of a goal.

The referee blew his whistle three times.

"It's over! It's all over!"

"England has become the champion of this year's Confederations Cup!"

"The French team is the first and last team to win a Golden Goal in a major international tournament."

"But at the same time, they became the first team to be defeated by a silver ball in a last-minute goal!"

"After 37 years, the England team has won the championship trophy again! They have won their second senior team championship trophy in the 131-year history of the team!"

"People have to thank Alfred for bringing Luka to the England team."

"People must thank Lu Kai; he brought the championship to the England team!"

"Lu Kaiyin scores twice to seal the victory against France!"

"Oh, Henry cried! He cried so hard! He was faced with an O. Henry ending! It was too cruel for him, yet it was both unexpected and yet expected."

"If anyone could stop Henry from wearing the crown in England, it could only be Lu!"

"Because of London, because of England, there can only be one King of Guns!"

"Henry, King of Highbury... You flatter me!"

Henry could no longer hear anything; his mind was buzzing.

When hugging other people, he is completely lost and seems like a lost soul.

This shot will determine both the victor and the vanquished!
On the pitch, while all the English celebrated wildly, Southgate looked terrified.

Because he remembered what Alfred had said before overtime began... "These Frenchmen are strong and fast, like a bunch of demons, who knows how to beat them?"
He thought Alfred was out of options.

But looking back now, Alfred had clearly already provided the answer.

"Silver bullets! Silver bullets!" Southgate trembled all over. "Legend has it that only bullets made of silver can kill demons!"

"Silver Ball System!"

"The teacher had already anticipated this!"

"Lu Kai has been holding back ever since he scored his first goal!"

"He kept it hidden for the entire match, only unleashing that deadly silver bullet when he was truly capable of killing his opponent!"

"This……"

Southgate is not a superstitious person.

There are no superstitious people in this world.

But when you encounter that indescribable wonder, you have no choice but to offer your devout faith.

[PS: I'm a little late because I'm trying to finish writing about this match. Please vote and subscribe! Let's go all out on the bestseller and monthly ticket charts!]

(End of this chapter)