When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 77 A Football Prodigy Who Is Unprecedented in France's Five Thousand Years

2003 6 Month 19 Day.

France's starting lineup has undergone another major overhaul.

Santini's tactical adjustments, seemingly aimed at rotation, were in fact a carefully calculated power balancing act.

"Henry needs a rest."

Santini's explanation was watertight, but the locker room knew perfectly well that it was just a way to give King Highbury a respectable way out.

Roy's return to the left wing means he has officially become the attacking core in this match, while Govou's starting position on the right wing is marked by the "Lyon clique," Santini's own trusted faction, starting to squeeze into the attacking third.

At the same time, he discovered that, although everyone thought Giuly was the leader of the "Monaco clique," the one who truly held the power was Roy, who was only 18 years old but had already shown his talent.

Roy's faction wanted Giuly to start, but Santini refused to give that right and instead brought on Rothen – a left winger who had a close personal relationship with Roy, but was not a core member of the "Monaco clique".

He then moved Pires to the right wing, placing him in the right winger position.

This move can only be described as an "unbelievable feat".

To Roy's faction: He gave them a "one of their own," but not the Giuly they truly wanted, leaving them with a taste of success but not complete satisfaction.

Regarding the traditional forces: He did not completely side with the new generation. Pires was still on the field, and Henry was still the nominal leader. Although the veterans were dissatisfied, they could not directly resist.

On his authority: He proved that he was still the "operator," not a puppet being led by the nose by the locker room.

Forcibly moving Pires to the right wing was ostensibly a tactical adjustment, but in reality, it was Santini's precise strike against the "Golden Generation of '98," a political maneuver to "strengthen the power of the elite."

Wiltord was completely sidelined, and Pires was moved away from his familiar left flank. The message conveyed by this series of actions couldn't be clearer: "It's time for the old guard to step down."

But Santini cannot directly bow to Roy's faction—if he starts Giuly directly, it would be tantamount to admitting that his authority has been hijacked by the locker room faction.

So he chose a more subtle and dangerous approach: "I can compromise, but it has to be my way."

Roy, of course, saw through Santini's trick.

He knew that the real victory wasn't a battle for a starting position, but rather forcing the coach to rely on players from his own faction.

Rothen's starting position has already proven that Santini's tactics are beginning to lean towards the "Rey system," and Giuly's appearance is only a matter of time.

This adjustment has caused a huge uproar in France.

L'Équipe front page headline:
"Santini's Power Struggle: The French Team's Dressing Room Battle Escalates"

subtitle:
"Under the guise of 'rotation,' the real purpose is to 'weaken the power of the elite,' and the new generation of the Roy faction is quietly rising, while the golden generation of '98 is being marginalized."

In-depth analysis by France Football:
"Henry taking a break? No, this is a political signal."

Santini adjusted the lineup citing "Henry needs a rest," but it was clear to everyone that this was a gradual weakening of the traditional core players. Roy was promoted to the left flank as the main playmaker, Govou (from the Lyon group) squeezed into the starting lineup, Pires was forcibly moved to the right, and Wiltord completely disappeared. "This is not a tactic, but a redistribution of power," revealed an anonymous French Football Federation official.

"Roy's faction: Young, but not to be trifled with."

Eighteen-year-old Roy has become the de facto leader of the Monaco contingent, not Giuly. Santini dares not directly satisfy his demands (Giuly starting), instead using Rothen (Roy's ally but not a key player) as a compromise. "The coach is playing with fire," commented former international Petit. "He wants to suppress the veterans but doesn't want to be held hostage by the younger generation, but how long can this balance last?"

"Pires's Rightward Move: The Twilight of the Generation of '98"

Forcing the technically gifted left-winger Pires onto the right wing was tantamount to a public humiliation. Le Parisien reported that Pires refused to give interviews after training, while Henry left early with a blank expression. "The atmosphere in the locker room has reached freezing point," described a reporter accompanying the team. "The veterans are silent, but discontent is building."

Santini's "outrageous move": clever or dangerous?

For veterans: weaken them but don't provoke them, leave room for maneuver.

For the Roy faction: offer them a treat but don't fully satisfy them, thus delaying the process.

For himself: He maintains a facade of authority, but trust in the locker room is declining.

L'Équipe's scathing commentary:
"If they win next game, Santini is a genius; if they lose, he is the culprit for the locker room collapse."

RMC Sports Quick Review:

"Is this French team entering the 'post-Henry era'? It's too early to say!"

Henry remains the nominal leader in Zidane's absence, but his tactical importance has decreased.

Roy's rise has been phenomenal, but he lacks full support from the locker room.

Santini's adjustments, though seemingly clever, were actually a tightrope walk.

Experts predict:

"If things go well in the Confederations Cup, Giuly will start soon – that will be the time when Santini truly compromises."

Gossip from the tabloid Paris Match:
"Roy meets with Govou and Rothen at night! The three plot until dawn."

Reporters captured the three talking for a long time on the hotel terrace, while Henry, Pires, and others returned to their rooms early.

Has the division within the locker room spread from inside the stadium to outside?

Japan's training base in Paris.

Zico slapped his tactical board, his eyes gleaming: "The French are fighting amongst themselves! The grudge from the '98 World Cup is going to be settled tomorrow!"

But when he turned his gaze to the Japanese national team players who were gathered in front of him, he found that the atmosphere in the locker room had strangely shifted to another dimension.

Shunsuke Nakamura twirled his pen and suddenly burst out laughing:
"He dares to sideline Henry at the age of eighteen? This kid is even more audacious than Oda Nobunaga when he launched a surprise attack on Imagawa Yoshimoto at the age of twenty-six."

Koji Nakata suddenly realized: "June 20th! The day after is the 421st anniversary of the Honnoji Incident! I've been to the Nobunaga Festival several times, I can't be wrong! Do you remember Nobunaga's most famous quote? 'Fifty years in this world, like a dream, like an illusion.'"

Hidetoshi Nakata looked at the bunch of idiots around him with disdain: "Baka! He's just a little brat who hasn't even grown his first hair! Tomorrow I'll show him what real underdog triumph is!"

Suddenly, everyone stood up in unison: "Yosh! Gentlemen, let's cooperate wholeheartedly!"

Jico couldn't understand it, but he was deeply shocked.

early morning.

Assistant coach Domenech huddled in a corner of the tactics room, his fingertips frantically tracing patterns on a star chart, his amethyst necklace gleaming eerily under the fluorescent lights.

Sometimes he would circle the Libra symbol with a red pen, and sometimes he would suddenly pinch his fingers, close his eyes, and utter broken astrological terms with trembling lips:
"Roy, Libra. On match day, Venus (the ruling planet of Libra) forms a 0-degree conjunction with Jupiter, resulting in a dramatic increase in energy. This is a once-in-a-century 'Golden Sagittarius' astrological event! Every time Roy touches the ball, it will trigger a cosmic resonance, and his right foot will transform into the Libra sword—at least a hat-trick!"

"Japan's head coach Zico (Pisces) was in Mercury retrograde and Saturn was in opposition that day."

"The Japanese team's Sagittarius sign is collectively squared by Saturn. The French team's attacking group forms a 'Finger of God' aspect with their lucky point."

"Today is the day!"

His eyes were bloodshot, and his nails dug deep into his palms. "Roy will finish the massacre by stepping on Zico's Pisces tears!"

2003 6 Month 20 Day.

Saint-Étienne, Stade Guichard.

France vs. Japan.

Commentary provided by Japanese TBS commentator Minoru Morita:
Former national team player Bei Zehao was responsible for tactical analysis.

"Gentlemen! Witness history! The Blue Knights have landed on the battlefield! In the last match, we crushed New Zealand 3-0 here! And look at what happened to the French team today? Internal strife! Mutiny! The old guard was purged in blood!"

"Where is Henry? Where is Wiltord? Hahaha! They were killed by their own people! Now standing in front of us is just a bunch of greenhorn brats! (Suddenly slams the table) That brat Roy, does he think he can be a leader just because he's handsome?"

[France 442]

Goalkeeper: Barthez
Right back: Sagnol; Right center back: Gallas; Left center back: Boumsong; Left back: Silvestre
Double defensive midfielders: Dakur, Dabo

Right winger: Pires; Left winger: Rothen
Right forward: Govou, Left forward: Roy

Morita quipped, "Look at this 'French Young Guard'! Goalkeeper Barthez is an old geezer—how many more of our shots can that bald head deflect? The defense? Sagnol and Gallas, tremble! Naohiro Takahara's header will remind you of the fear of being dominated by Asia!"

"Midfield? Pires is leading a bunch of youngsters! Lord Hidetoshi Nakata will teach you a lesson with his dazzling footwork! As for that 18-year-old Roy! Miyamoto Tsuneyasu! Use your katana to shatter this mixed-race kid's fantasies!"

【Japan 352】

Left forward: Naohiro Takahara; Right forward: Yoshito Okubo

Left winger: Santos; Midfielders: Hidetoshi Nakata, Shunsuke Nakamura, Yasuhiro Endo; Right winger: Koji Nakata
Left center-back: Keisuke Tsuboi, Center-back: Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, Right center-back: Junichi Inamoto
Goalkeeper: Seigo Narazaki

Morita Minoru's voice was sacred and solemn: "Now! Let us welcome the true king's army! Goalkeeper Narasaki Seigo—the last bulwark of the East! The three samurai in defense, Tsuboi, Miyamoto, and Inamoto—form an absolute defensive formation!"

"Lord Hidetoshi Nakata! Lord Shunsuke Nakamura! Yasuhiro Endo! Do you see the French? This is a world-class midfielder! Santos! Burn through their defense with your Brazilian fire! Naohiro Takahara! Show the French what a true striker is!"

"Santos! The Brazilian naturalized beast! Koji Nakata! The lightning on the right wing! The French team's wing? Today is their doom!"

"Frenchmen, do you think you're world champions? Today, the Japanese samurai will show you—the roar of Asia is more terrifying than your arrogance!"

Morita Minoru roared in battle cry:
"Come on! Let's fight! Let the world see just how fiery the spirit of Japanese football truly is!"

The match had only been going on for 3 minutes.

Japan started aggressively in midfield, and the two sides became locked in a battle for control of the center circle.

The moment Hidetoshi Nakata cleverly dispossessed Govou.

Morita roared hoarsely, "Hidetoshi Nakata! Japan's midfield maestro has cast a spell! He made a fatal tackle from Govou's feet! Look how clean and decisive that tackle was! It was as perfect as a samurai sword cutting through silk! Let these French brats see what true Asian football art is!"

Kitazawa was also very excited: "Nakata's choice of interception angle was textbook-level! He used his right foot as bait to feint, and then his left foot delivered the fatal blow. This is a unique 'Japanese-style interception' technique used by Japanese players! Govou was completely figured out. We have already thoroughly studied his ball control habits!"

Morita continued his passionate shouts: "Charge! Now's the time to put the knife to the French throat! Blue warriors, let their goal be a river of blood!"

But I didn't expect it.

Hidetoshi Nakata attempted a through ball to Yoshito Okubo, but Dakur suddenly intercepted it again. Minoru Morita suddenly raised his voice: "Damn it! Hidetoshi Nakata's magical pass was intercepted by that black tower Dakur! The French counter-attack is faster than the Shinkansen!"

"Look at that outside-of-the-foot pass! The ball sliced ​​through our midfield defense like a Zanpakuto! Nakamura and Endo's double-teaming was like paper!"

Dakur delivered a 25-meter diagonal pass with the outside of his right foot, the ball piercing through the double-team of Nakamura Shunsuke and Endo Yasuhiro.

Rothen chested the ball down near the sideline, and Nakata Koji immediately closed him down.

Kitazawa: "Rothen's first touch was perfect! Wait! This cunning Frenchman is about to unleash his ultimate move!"

Rothen feigned an inside cut, then suddenly backheeled the ball to Silvestre who had made a run into the box.

The two executed a textbook "wall-style two-on-one" maneuver, leaving Nakata Koji completely behind.

Morita Mi screamed in a piercing voice, "Amaterasu! Nakata Koji has been tricked! Rothen's backheel pass was as precise as a ninja star! Silvestre charged forward like a wild horse!"

"Our right flank defense has been ripped to shreds! Lord Miyamoto Tsuneyasu fought desperately to intercept, but he was just a hair's breadth away!"

Silvestre went to the byline and delivered a low, powerful shot.

The ball flew through the penalty area at high speed.

Miyamoto Tsuneyasu stretched out his leg to intercept, but missed by a hair's breadth.

Roy suddenly appeared in front of Junichi Inamoto.

Kitazawa Gou's voice suddenly tightened: "Roy has emerged from Inamoto Junichi's shadow!"

Morita roared in despair, "Damn it! The French devil Roy has invaded our penalty area! Look at that damned movement! It's like a ghost crawling out of hell!"

"A backheel shot! The ball flies like a meteor towards the corner! Oh no, wait!"

Use your left heel to flick the ball towards the bottom right corner of the goal.

Narasaki Seigo reflexively bent his knee, and the ball struck his right knee hard and bounced out.

"But wait! Our Steel-Willed Lord Narasaki blocks it with his knee! Ah! At this moment, the spirit of an ancient samurai possesses Lord Narasaki!"

Kitazawa Go quickly analyzed, "Roy's movement is predictable. Tsuboi retreated three steps too far when defending; he should have moved forward to compress the space. Nakata Koji's marking was too loose; he didn't anticipate Silvestre's movement. This defensive play exposed three fatal flaws: too much spacing in midfield, the full-backs being out of position, and poor marking in the penalty area."

Morita interrupted him excitedly: "But now is not the time for reflection! Look at how angry the French coach is, kicking away water bottles! This is a victory for our Bushido spirit!"

"Long live Lord Narasaki Masato! He's like Sanada Yukimura from the Sengoku period, single-handedly holding off an army of thousands!"

In the 7th minute, Roy launched a deadly attack.

Morita Minoru gasped, his voice hoarse:
"Attention everyone! The French Golden Wings are beginning to combine! That old monster Pires has unleashed the long-lost Cruyff Turn!"

Pires has the ball on the right wing, facing a double-team from Koji Nakata and Junichi Inamoto.

Suddenly, he used a "Cruyff turn" to create an opening, drawing Miyamoto Tsuneyasu to come forward and assist in the defense.

The three-man defensive formation was completely disrupted.

Pires faked a shot and then passed the ball 15 meters down the ground with the inside of his foot.

"Oh no! Our defensive formation has been blown apart like cherry blossoms! Where did that ghost Sagnol come from?!"

Sagnol sped up from the back, and Tsuboi Keisuke was completely out of position.

Just then! Roy feigned a run towards the penalty spot, then suddenly stopped and retreated, making a run in the opposite direction.

Miyamoto Tsuneyasu was two body lengths behind.

"Wait a minute. What is that Demon Number 11 doing?! Lord Miyamoto has been tricked! Roy's movement trajectory is so bizarre!"

Roy unleashed a powerful shot with his right foot, the ball making a loud bang as it grazed the outside of the side netting and flew out.

Ah ah ah ah ah!
At the moment Roy unleashed his powerful shot, Morita Mi shouted in a broken voice:

"I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die—!"

He collapsed in exhaustion after seeing the ball hit the side netting.
"Haha. So it's the Border Network. Gentlemen, am I still alive?"

Goalkeeper Seigo Narasaki completely lost his balance and fell to the ground, still in shock.

In the 12th minute, the Japanese team launched their first counter-attack!

Shunsuke Nakamura observed the start of the attack from the right flank in his own half.

He used the outside of his left foot to create a 35-meter long pass over the top.

The ball, with a strong inward spin, landed precisely 5 meters behind Sagnol.

Santos controlled the ball with his chest, turned around, and surprisingly got past Sagnol.

Naohiro Takahara suddenly made a clever run to shake off Boumsong and fired a left-footed shot from just outside the six-yard box!

Gallas leaped and blocked the shot with his right cheek.

Morita Minoru roared, his voice cracking: "Gentlemen! The moment to witness a miracle has arrived! Nakamura-sama's golden left foot ripped through the French night sky! This long pass was practically guided by Amaterasu!"

"Santos! The Brazilian spirit is awakening! Behold these magnificent samba steps! Sagnol is being toyed with like a wooden stake! The French defenders are staggering around like drunken sumo wrestlers!"

"A perfect cross! A perfect cross! Mr. Takahara! Our Japanese killer is in position! Shoot!"

After seeing that it was blocked by Galas.

"Aaaaah! Gallas, that barbarian! He actually blocked artistic football! This is a crime! Referee! He should at least get a red card!"

21 minutes.

Morita Mi screamed in a piercing voice, "Look, everyone! That French devil is back! Roy's retreat is like a vampire awakening under the moonlight!"

Roy suddenly dropped back from the forward line to the center circle.

Seeing this, Dakul sent out a 15-meter low through ball.

Roy deftly controlled the ball with the inside of his right foot while simultaneously leaning his body to the left to create a feint!

Endo Yasuhiro pressed forward in an attempt to intercept, but Roy quickly cut inside with his right foot.

The ball flew precisely through Endo's legs!

"No—! Lord Endo has been humiliated by being nutmegged! This number 11 has utterly trampled our dignity underfoot! Wait... he's going to shoot! Is that curved shot going to pierce the sky?!"

Step around the ball with your left leg, then immediately follow up with a flick of your right foot to change direction.

He suddenly took a shot from 25 meters away from the goal, his right instep curling out a powerful arc like a scalpel.

The ball traced an unpredictable trajectory and flew straight to the upper right corner!

Narasaki Seigo leaped into the air, his fingertips just inches from the ball, but he could only watch as it crashed into the net!
Roy sprinted to the corner flag and roared at the Japanese fans in the stands!

He then made a gesture of drawing his sword from his left hand and slashing with his right arm, before sheathing the sword and a sneer curled at the corner of his mouth.

This series of actions was both a declaration of victory and a blatant provocation against the Japanese team's self-proclaimed samurai identity.

Japanese fans were completely silent.

Some people covered their faces and wept, while others stood frozen in shock, their "Yamato Spirit" banners hanging limply to the ground.

But after Roy's arrogant provocation, he hugged Govou and Rothen, who ran over, and then greeted the home fans.

Several groups have emerged within the Japanese fan base.

The Angry Faction of Impotent Rage:

The middle-aged male fan, his face flushed, pointed at Roy and cursed, "Kusogaki! (You brat!)"

The extreme fan threw his beer mug and roared, "François devil! (French devil!)"

An empty glass floated into the stadium, leaving a trail of liquid along its path, spilling onto the front row.

The Shock Generation Who Admire Strength:

The boy, who looked like a high school student, clenched his fists, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "I want to be like that too..."

The Hormone-Induced Slumber:
The female fan covered her mouth, her cheeks flushed: "Super... handsome guy... I want to use his abs as a cutting board to make sushi rolls."

Even the girl who had been holding the "Yamato spirit" banner put it down and secretly pointed her camera at Roy, taking several close-up shots.

The French fans' tricolor flags surged like a tsunami, and their roar almost lifted the stadium roof.

The shouts of "ROI! ROI! ROI!" were deafening.

Someone lit fireworks, and red and blue smoke instantly engulfed the stands.

Henry sat on the bench, shaking his head and chuckling, while Wiltord chewed gum.

Narasaki Seigo remained in a save position and slumped onto the goal line.

Endo Yasuhiro, who had been groined, knelt on the ground and pounded the grass. When his teammates pulled him away, they noticed that his eyes were red.

Zico remained silent on the sidelines, staring at the scoreboard, finally understanding a harsh truth: "It's impossible to take revenge on France with these Japanese."

(End of this chapter)