After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off in Russia on June 19.

The Three Lions' first match will be against North African powerhouse Tunisia at the Volgograd Arena.

The deafening roar nearly lifted the modern stadium on the banks of the Volga River.

In the England team's locker room, however, the atmosphere carried a sense of solemnity and focus typical of pre-match preparations.

Head coach Gareth Southgate was dressed in a sharp vest and had a calm expression.

He gave a final look at the starting lineup, his gaze lingering briefly on key players like Kane, Henderson, and Maguire before quickly sweeping over the bench.

On the bench, Yan Yuan, number 17, wearing a vest, sat quietly in the corner, listening attentively to the head coach's final instructions.

"Lads," Southgate's voice cut through the noise of the locker room, "remember our tactics. Fiery crosses, speed! Crosses! Set pieces are our weapons! Be patient, but even more aggressive! Tunisia will play defensively, they will be tenacious, but we have the ability to tear them apart! Go, show the world our strength!"

The players filed out and stepped onto the vibrant green field.

Yan Yuan followed at the back of the group. The moment he stepped onto the lawn, a huge wave of sound rushed towards him.

This scene reminded him of the Bernabéu last season.

This is the allure of the world's number one sport.

He looked towards the stands belonging to the England fans, a sea of ​​bright red flags interspersed with some Chinese support signs bearing his name.

In the stands for England fans, there were many fans who had traveled all the way from China, all there to see Yan Yuan's World Cup debut.

Xiao Yan took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement of stepping onto the World Cup stage for the first time, and quickly walked to the bench to sit down.

"Setting up the stage! Setting up the stage! Ladies and gentlemen, you are now watching the first round of Group G matches in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, between England and Tunisia! The match will kick off at the Volgograd Arena!"

Thousands of miles away, the voice of Chinese commentator He Wei came through the signal clearly, carrying his usual passion.

"We can see that both teams' players have entered the field!"

England are fielding a 4-2-3-1 formation today, with Pickford in goal! The defense, from left to right, consists of Rose, Stones, Maguire, and Trippier! The two holding midfielders are Dier and Henderson! Alli is the attacking midfielder! The attacking trident consists of Rashford on the left, Kane in the center, and Lingard on the right!

"It's worth noting," added another commentator, Xu Yang.

"Yan Yuan, the English-Chinese youngster who has received much attention from Chinese fans, is an 18-year-old talent who just helped Hoffenheim win the Bundesliga title and shone brightly in the Champions League. He did not start today and sat on the bench instead."

It seems that coach Southgate opted for a more conservative starting lineup for the World Cup opener.

However, given Yan Yuan's terrifying attacking prowess last season, winning both the Bundesliga and Champions League top scorer titles, I think all of us, including England and China fans, are eagerly anticipating his debut at some point, hoping he can inject new energy into the Three Lions!

After the match started, the England team, like a lion unleashed from its cage, aggressively pounced on the Tunisian half of the field.

The ball moved smoothly at the feet of the English players, and the tactical intentions were executed very clearly:

Focus on the flanks!

On the left flank, Rashford, like a black lightning bolt, constantly attacked Tunisia's right-back, Brom, with his absolute speed and agile changes of direction.

Each sprint drew gasps from the stands. Rose, in perfect unison, pushed forward, providing a constant stream of width on the flanks and precise crosses.

The ball flew towards the penalty area time and again, searching for that white lone striker, Harry Kane.

Stones and Maguire, the two towering defenders, also frequently made runs into the penalty area, attempting to create scoring opportunities from set pieces and crosses.

The right flank was equally active.

Lingard frequently cut inside towards the middle, attempting to create quick, short-range combinations with Alli and Kane, while simultaneously creating space for Trippier to move up behind him.

Trippier's right-footed crosses are extremely accurate, making him a crucial surgical tool in England's attack.

Less than 10 minutes into the game, he delivered three excellent crosses, one of which Kane managed to head just over the crossbar.

Henderson in midfield appeared to be in complete control, constantly receiving passes and making passes, using both long and short passes to direct the direction of the attack.

Dale's position was relatively deep, like a solid barrier, keenly intercepting Tunisia's sporadic counterattack attempts.

Alli was very active in the attacking midfield position, making forward runs and frequently appearing in dangerous areas of the penalty area.

"The situation on the field is very clear. England's possession is rising steadily, quickly exceeding 65%, and they are firmly pinning Tunisia in their own half," the foreign commentator said.

Tunisian goalkeeper Hassan was the busiest player in the first half of the game.

Hassan made numerous saves, defusing England's attacks time and again.

Whether it was Kane's powerful header or Rashford's powerful shot after a breakthrough, he kept them out of the game.

In the 15th minute, a minor incident gave England fans a scare.

Trippier took the corner kick, and Hassan rushed out to catch the ball and collided violently with Kane, who was also jumping high to contest the header. Both men fell to the ground in pain.

Fortunately, after a short period of treatment, both players were able to stand up again, and the match continued.

Gareth Southgate on the sidelines frowned slightly.

Although they currently have the upper hand and numerous attacking opportunities, they have been unable to break the deadlock.

He glanced at the bench, his gaze lingering on Yan Yuan for a moment.

Yan Yuan was staring intently at the field, leaning slightly forward. He seemed even more focused on the game than the coach himself.

Southgate looked away and gestured downwards to the players on the field, signaling them to stay calm and patient.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 35th minute.

Tunisian midfielder Sassi attempted to pass the ball forward, but Dier, as if anticipating it, darted forward and intercepted it!

The moment he looked up to observe, his field of vision was extremely wide.

They keenly observed that Rashford had already launched himself like an arrow from a bow from his left rib.

He used his speed to leave Braum half a body length behind!

Without hesitation, Dale took a step back and delivered a precise diagonal long pass across the halfway line with his right foot.

The ball seemed to have eyes, soaring over the heads of all the defenders.

It landed precisely in the huge gap on the left side of the Tunisian penalty area!

Rashford understood perfectly and controlled the ball flawlessly during his high-speed sprint, as if the ball was glued to his feet!

Bronn tried desperately to catch up, but Rashford's speed advantage was too obvious.

Facing the onrushing goalkeeper Hassan, Rashford remained unusually calm and delivered a deft left-footed shot that skimmed the turf.

It rolled precisely into the far corner of the goal!

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!! England! Rashford!!! A textbook counter-attack! Dier's long pass vision! Rashford's speed and composure! Perfect teamwork!" The commentary booth erupted in cheers!

The Volgograd Arena was engulfed in a frenzy of celebration from England.

Yan Yuan, who was on the bench, jumped up excitedly and cheered with his teammates.

Southgate clenched his fists, and finally a smile appeared on his face.

However, after taking the lead, the England team seemed to relax for a tiny, almost imperceptible moment.

The Tunisians did not collapse; instead, they intensified their pressing in the attacking third after conceding the goal, especially targeting the defensive midfielders Dier and Henderson, attempting to cut off the connection between England's midfield and defense.

Just as the first half was about to end and everyone thought England would go into the locker room with a one-goal lead, the Tunisians seized their opportunity.

In the first half stoppage time, Tunisia was awarded a corner kick on the right.

Khazri stands in front of the ball.

Inside the England penalty area, the towering Stones and Maguire firmly marked the opponent's tall players.

Kane is entangled with Tunisian center-back Melia.

Corner kick taken!

The landing point was not the expected front or middle lane!

Just as the corner kick was taken, Kane was vying for position with Meria when the latter clearly pulled him forcefully from behind, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground!

The referee's view seemed to be obstructed, and he made no indication of action!

Right where Kane fell, a fatal gap appeared in England's defense.

The ball arced through the air, and Stones at the near post misjudged the situation and missed the header!

The ball mysteriously slipped to the far post.

There, Tunisian right-back Brom, who should have been marked by left-back Rose, was surprisingly unmarked.

Like a beast freed from its restraints, Brom leaped high at the edge of the penalty area.

Overpowering the hastily arriving guard, Rose.

A powerful and heavy headbutt!

The ball slammed into the goal! Too close! Pickford had no chance! The ball went in!

"GOAL!!! Tunisia!!! Brom!!! Unbelievable! Unbelievable! In the final moments of the first half! Tunisia has equalized!" The commentator's voice was filled with astonishment.

The entire stadium seemed to fall silent; the cheers of the English fans abruptly ceased, replaced by the ecstatic shouts of the Tunisian fans.

The England players looked at each other, their faces filled with disbelief and frustration.

Stones clutched his head, while Kane angrily complained to the referee about the opponent's pulling foul, but to no avail.

This goal conceded truly exposed England's lack of focus and poor marking during set-piece defense.

The halftime whistle blew soon after.

1-1.

The atmosphere in the England dressing room instantly became tense.

Southgate's expression turned serious as he quickly drew on the whiteboard, emphasizing areas for improvement in the second half: higher efficiency, more decisive attacks down the flanks, more aggressive finishing in the penalty area, and 100% concentration in defending set pieces!

"The second half has begun! Neither side has made any substitutions! England must regain their rhythm and lead!" the commentator's voice rang out again.

After the break, England continued to control possession, but Tunisia's midfield and defense were organized like a solid block.

The two center-backs, Melia and Ben Yussouf, played brilliantly, repeatedly blocking England's shots and crosses with their bodies.

Kane was heavily marked in the penalty area, making it difficult for him to get space to shoot.

Rashford attempted several long-range shots after cutting inside, but with limited success, with Hassan easily catching one of them.

Alli tried to get closer to Kane, but Tunisia's defense was impenetrable.

Although Lingard on the right wing tried his best, he had few options under the double-teaming of the opposing left-back Malour and his teammates. His success rate in breaking through was very low, and his cooperation with his teammates lacked spark.

Henderson moved up a bit, increasing his support in midfield and his long-range shooting, but the effect was mediocre.

The game became a nail-biter.

As time ticked by, anxiety began to creep into the chants of the England fans.

Gareth Southgate on the sidelines kept glancing at his watch, his expression growing increasingly grim.

"No, this can't go on any longer."

In the 60th minute, Southgate finally made a decision.

He stood up and walked towards the substitutes' bench.

All eyes, especially those of Chinese fans and media cameras, instantly focused on it.

"Yan!" Southgate called out clearly and forcefully, "Warm up now! Get ready to go on!"

Yan Yuan suddenly raised his head, his eyes instantly igniting with fire.

"Yes, Coach!"

He quickly got up, took off his vest, and began sprinting and stretching on the sidelines.

Each warm-up run elicited a stir and expectant whispers from the stands.

The director's camera remained fixed on this young figure.

"Southgate is making a substitution! It's... Lingard coming off! And it's... Yan Yuan, number 17!" He Wei's voice suddenly rose. "18-year-old Yan Yuan is making his World Cup debut! He wore number 17 for Hoffenheim, and he still wears number 17 for the England national team!"

His first appearance for the national team was when he was called up in a critical situation!

Let's see if this hottest young star in European football this season can be the key to breaking the deadlock for England!

In the 60th minute, the ball went out of play.

The fourth official raised the substitution board: Number 7 Lingard is out, Number 17 Yan Yuan is in!

Lingard jogged off the field and gave Yan Yuan a high five.

Yan Yuan stepped onto the World Cup pitch.

A huge cheer and applause erupted at the Volgograd Arena.

Interspersed among the chants were clearly audible shouts of "Yan Yuan, keep going!" in Chinese.

Yan Yuan took a deep breath and quickly ran towards his location.

Southgate shouted from the sidelines, gesturing with his hands to signal Yan Yuan to use his dribbling skills to create threats on the right flank and create opportunities for his teammates.

After Yan Yuan appeared, he quickly demonstrated a high level of enthusiasm and presence.

With his first touch, he received a pass from Henderson on the right wing.

Facing the experienced Tunisian left-back Malour, Yan Yuan showed no fear.

He swayed his upper body slightly, then made two quick cycling movements with his feet, changing the rhythm extremely suddenly!

Malour's center of gravity was momentarily shifted, and Yan Yuan seized this fleeting opening, forcefully pushing the ball forward with the outside of his left foot!

Explosive power activated instantly!

Malul hurriedly turned around to chase after him, but he was a beat too slow and could only awkwardly reach out and pull Yan Yuan down.

England were awarded a free kick in a good position.

Trippier, a frequent free-kick taker, took the shot, but unfortunately it was cleared.

"Wow! Look at Yan Yuan's breakthrough! Clean and crisp!" Xu Yang praised, "His footwork and starting speed are indeed very fast, and his ball control is excellent! Malour is having a bit of a hard time against him."

Just minutes later, England intercepted the ball in the middle.

Ali received the ball and quickly turned to advance!

At this moment, Yan Yuan, like a cheetah with a keen sense of smell, had already observed the huge gap between Tunisian left-back Malhohr and center-back Ben Yusuf before even starting his run.

Without hesitation, he made a high-speed diagonal run into the right side of the penalty area!

This is a textbook example of a run to beat the offside trap.

The timing and the route were perfect.

As he sprinted, he raised his hand high, signaling for Ali to pass the ball!

If the ball comes over, it will definitely be a one-on-one situation.

"Open space! Yan Yuan! Opportunity!" The commentator almost shouted himself hoarse.

However, Alli, when in possession of the ball, seems more accustomed to dribbling past defenders or looking for Kane.

Seeing Yan Yuan's run, he seemed to hesitate for a moment before deciding not to immediately send out that deadly through ball.

He took a couple more steps, seemingly trying to find his own angle, but the Tunisian defensive midfielder Skhiri, who was covering for him, blocked his angle.

Ali unleashed a powerful left-footed long-range shot from 26 meters out!

The shot had decent power, but the angle was too straight, and goalkeeper Hassan easily caught it.

"Oh no! Ali! We should have passed the ball! Yan Yuan was in such a good position!!" He Wei exclaimed regretfully.

The camera captured Yan Yuan suddenly stopping in a gap, spreading his hands, his face full of confusion.

He looked at Ali, his eyes questioning:

[Yan Yuan: My name is Yan Yuan. Are you an actor?]

Ali realized his mistake and raised his hand in Yan Yuan's direction to express his apology.

"Yan, it's my fault, it's my fault," Ali replied politely in a low voice.

The coaching staff on the bench also shook their heads.

The divide between the new and old team members still exists.

This little incident clearly exposed the lack of sufficient understanding and complete trust between Yan Yuan and the original England team's key players.

It's actually quite normal.

A training camp of just over ten days is not enough to completely eliminate the gap between Yan Yuan and other England national team players.

Teamwork is gradually built up by playing together; not everyone can develop a high level of teamwork after living in the same place for more than ten days.

Alibaba made what it thought was a safe decision; it wasn't intentional that they didn't give Yan Yuan the ball.

Another few minutes passed.

Trippier has the ball in the right flank at a 45-degree angle.

Yan Yuan did not insist on going down the wing, but cleverly retreated to the right side of the penalty arc, which was exactly in the vacuum between the opponent's defensive midfielder and the defensive line, about 23 or 24 meters away from the goal.

This position is a great starting point for an attack.

Yan Yuan raised his hand again, clearly asking for the ball.

Trippier saw him, and he also saw the gap.

But Trippier seemed hesitant, perhaps because he didn't trust his new teammate's shooting ability, or perhaps he was more used to passing to Henderson in the middle or Rose making forward runs.

He paused for a moment, but ultimately chose to trust his habits and the safer option.

He passed the ball back to Henderson in the middle.

Henderson then passed the ball to Rose, who had made a run down the left flank. Rose attempted a cross, but it was blocked out of bounds by a Tunisian player who was covering the play.

A potential attacking opportunity was squandered due to hesitation in passing the ball.

Yan Yuan reluctantly ran back to his position. He shook his head, took a few deep breaths, and his eyes became even sharper.

Xiao Yan finally understood at this moment.

Trust is earned, not given to you voluntarily by others.

Of the other 10 players on the field, only Maguire had been his teammate; the others had only spent about ten days with him.

On the highest level of football, the only way to earn the full trust of your teammates is through undeniable performance.

His teammates need time and real-game experience to develop an understanding of his positioning habits and threat zones.

Yan Yuan plans to do it himself.

The time has reached the 80th minute.

A Tunisian attack was thwarted in England's own half.

Henderson successfully poked the ball away from Khazri's feet near the center circle!

The ball rolled towards Yan Yuan near the center circle!

"Yan Yuan has the ball! An opportunity! Let's see what he does!!" The commentator's voice immediately became tense.

Yan Yuan received the ball with his back to goal, and Tunisian midfielder Badri immediately rushed in from the side and behind, trying to intercept or disrupt the play as soon as possible.

But Yan Yuan's ball control skills were on full display at this moment.

He remained extremely calm, gently pulling the ball to the right with his right foot, feinting a turn to the right. Just as Badri shifted his weight, he swiftly flicked the ball to the left front with the inside of his left foot!

An extremely lightweight, concealed, and practical V-shaped topspin shot!

Badri didn't even touch the ball before Yan Yuan left him behind!

Break free! Only a vast open space remained before Yan Yuan!

Yan Yuan dribbled the ball and started at high speed, like a sports car at full throttle, heading straight for the right wing of the Tunisian penalty area!

He has a fast stride frequency, a strong sense of rhythm when dribbling, and always keeps the ball firmly under his feet in the most comfortable position.

Tunisian defensive midfielder Skhiri sprinted back from the flank to cover, attempting to block Yan Yuan's advance with his body.

But Yan Yuan's physical combat ability is also outstanding!

He cleverly used his left shoulder and arm to lean against Skhiri, and with the momentum of his run, he forcefully pushed away the opponent's physical contact without losing his balance, and continued to dribble forward with long strides!

Tunisia's defenses were instantly thrown into disarray!

Left-back Malhohr and center-back Ben Yusuf realized the danger and simultaneously closed in on Yan Yuan!

They tried to block all his cuts and passes, one on the left and one on the right.

It looked like it was about to close down.

In a flash, Yan Yuan made his decision!

Pass the ball?

Kane was tightly marked by another center-back, Melia, near the penalty spot, while Rashford was still unable to get into position on the far left.

The teammates' positions don't seem ideal.

Yan Yuan keenly noticed that at the very moment the two were about to close in, Malul shifted his weight to the left to block the inside cut, creating an extremely tiny gap between the outside of his right leg and Ben Yusuf!

No more passing the ball!

Let's get started!

Yan Yuan slammed the ball inside his body with his left foot.

The spike was small in amplitude but extremely sudden, which perfectly created Malour's less than half-meter shift in center of gravity.

In that split second, a sliver of space appeared between the two men who were surrounding them.

Yan Yuan didn't need to adjust his footing at all. He twisted his body to the left, straightened the outside of his right foot, and used all his strength to strike the lower middle part of the ball hard.

A muffled thud!

The ball, like a cannonball, whistled through the air with a strong external spin as it rose from the ground.

Instead of flying towards the near post, it drew a deadly arc, heading straight for the top left corner of the goal! An absolute dead corner!

Tunisian goalkeeper Hassan reacted with lightning speed, diving to make a desperate save! But his fingertips were still at least half a meter away from the ball!

The ball grazed the junction of the crossbeam and the pillar.

It slammed into the net!

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!! Number 17!!! Yan Yuan!!!" The commentary booth erupted! He Wei's voice was hoarse and frantic.

"A stunning world-class goal in his World Cup debut!!! England 2-1! This is Yan Yuan's national team debut! His first goal! A golden goal!!! The 18-year-old! On the World Cup stage! With a breathtaking individual performance! He put England ahead again!!!"

The Volgograd Arena went completely mad.

This time, all of Yan Yuan's players—Kane, Rashford, Henderson, Maguire…

They all rushed frantically towards the hero who scored the goal.

They excitedly patted Yan Yuan's head and back, hugged him tightly, and pressed him down on their bodies!

Gareth Southgate, on the bench, could no longer remain calm. He excitedly rushed to the sidelines, clenched his fists, and punched the air with all his might, his face showing an expression of ecstasy and relief.

A crisis of trust among teammates?

All hope vanishes in the face of this unsolvable goal!

This goal not only ignited the stadium, but also fueled the fighting spirit and confidence of the entire England team.

Tunisia was stunned by this heavy blow and was forced to push forward to attack.

England's morale soared, their formation became more defensive, but their counter-attacks were even sharper.

In the 88th minute, Tunisia won a corner kick. Maguire outjumped Khazri in the crowd and headed the ball out of the penalty area.

The second landing point was controlled by Dell.

Without pausing, Dell looked up and saw the huge open space on the right and Yan Yuan, who had already launched himself like an arrow!

Dell delivered a precise diagonal pass to the right flank.

The conflict between him and Yan Yuan has been resolved. What a load of bull! Can club conflicts be more important than the World Cup?

Yan Yuan used his speed to easily shake off Skhiri, who was trying to steal the ball, and received the ball from Dale near the center line.

He dribbled the ball and made a long run into the box.

His speed isn't as absolute as Rashford's, but his dribbling rhythm and ability to observe the ball during the advance are world-class!

Tunisia's only remaining center-back, Melia, fought and retreated, while left-back Malour desperately chased after him.

Yan Yuan dribbled the ball to the right edge of the penalty area.

Melia was on high alert, blocking his shooting angles while also guarding against him passing to teammates making runs into the middle.

Captain Kane has already made a high-speed run forward from the penalty spot.

At this moment, Yan Yuan's vision was like that of an eagle looking down from the sky.

He clearly saw Kane's running route!

Then, in the instant that Yan Yuan drew the full defensive attention of both Melia and Malour,

He deftly flicked the outside of his right foot!

It wasn't a shot on goal.

Instead, it was a perfectly timed horizontal strike with just the right amount of force and angle.

The ball skimmed along the grass, speeding through the narrow gap between Meriah and Malour, and rolled precisely towards the penalty spot.

There, unguarded, Harry Kane arrived on horseback.

All the England captain needed to do was adjust his footing and easily push the ball in with his right foot!

The ball went into the net! An open goal!

"GOOOOOOOOOOAL!!! Kane!!! Yan Yuan assists! 3-1! Victory secured! Yan Yuan! One goal and one assist! A perfect debut for the national team! England wins their opening match of the World Cup!!!" The commentator's voice cracked from shouting.

After Kane scored, he immediately pointed to Yan Yuan, who had provided the assist, and rushed towards him with a big laugh. The two then embraced.

All the England players gathered around again.

This time it's a celebration of victory.

Gareth Southgate stood on the sidelines, beaming and clapping enthusiastically.

His most important substitution today yielded a true genius, a sharp weapon that can change the course of the battle.

Lingard's performance in this match was slightly disappointing, but fortunately Yan Yuan changed the course of the game after he came on.

The final whistle blew.

England defeated Tunisia 3-1.

The Volgograd Arena became a sea of ​​joy for English fans.

Yan Yuan's name resounded throughout the world through live broadcasts, television signals, and countless social media platforms.

He walked to the sidelines and bowed deeply to the mixed stands where people were waving Chinese and English support signs for him.

Sweat soaked through Xiao Yan's jersey, and his heart was still pounding.

In his first World Cup match, he officially announced his arrival with a stunning goal and a calm, deadly assist.

The number 17 of the Three Lions, the number 7 of Arsenal, his legend began to unfold in a dazzling first chapter on this summer night in Russia.