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

2018 7 Month 12 Day.

The Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow will host the World Cup semi-finals.

The lights illuminated the green field as if it were daytime, and the red and white striped waves in the stands surged and swelled, with songs and shouts intertwining to create a deafening background sound.

England and Croatia.

These two teams, which are not traditional top powerhouses, have fought their way to the semi-finals.

They are about to engage in a fierce battle for a ticket to the finals.

Before the match, the analysis from the media and experts was unusually cautious.

Croatia's path to the final was nothing short of an epic struggle:

Russia eliminated Denmark on penalties and then dragged down the host nation Russia in a grueling 120-minute extra time match.

The "Magic" midfield triangle of Modric, Rakitic, and Brozovic, with their unparalleled control of the field, precise long passes, and tireless running coverage, became the soul and engine of this team.

Their resilience, experience, and ability to maintain technical stability under pressure make them a force to be reckoned with for any opponent.

Croatia's veteran coach Dalic made a resounding statement before the match: "We are used to fighting to the very end, 90 minutes? 120 minutes? Even penalties? We are fearless."

In England, the youth revolution is gaining momentum.

Southgate's team, spearheaded by young attackers such as Kane, Yan Yuan, Sterling, and Rashford, and supported by core players like Henderson, Maguire, and Stones, stormed into the semifinals.

These players have achieved the Three Lions' best World Cup result in 28 years.

Southgate's final pep talk in the locker room was concise and powerful:

"Croatians are strong, but they've gone through two extra times, and they're exhausted both physically and mentally! We need to come out strong! Attack them! Set the pace! Remember our strengths: speed, energy, and belief!"

The match began, and the England team faithfully executed Southgate's tactics.

They started the game with a high-intensity pressing in the attacking third, with Trippier and Lingard being exceptionally active on the right flank, attempting to overwhelm Croatia's left-wing defense with their speed and impact.

They charged at Strinic and Perisic.

The young Three Lions ran actively and passed relatively smoothly, and they did take the initiative in the opening stages.

Croatia was clearly prepared for England's opening three-pronged attack.

Their defensive formation remained exceptionally tight, with Modric and Rakitic using their seasoned experience and precise passing in midfield to constantly defuse England's pressing pressure.

When England tries to speed up the pace and launch counter-attacks, Brozovic always manages to appear in key positions to intercept.

The Croatians were like a sponge soaked in water. No matter how much the English waves crashed against them, they simply contracted, absorbed, and then used Modric's surgical passes to instantly transfer the ball to the open space on the wing.

They launched a highly threatening counterattack.

This efficiency in transitioning from defense to attack gave the England defense several scares.

The first half ended with a high-intensity battle between the two sides, and the score was surprisingly 0-0, which was hard for most people to believe.

Although England had a slightly higher possession rate and a slight advantage in the game, they didn't have many clear-cut chances that truly threatened Subasic's goal.

Croatia displayed their signature composure and shrewdness.

They were like experienced old hunters, gathering their strength and waiting for the right opportunity.

In the locker room, Southgate affirmed the team's execution but emphasized the need for more patience and the courage to make more penetrating passes in the opponent's half.

"Guys, keep the intensity, but be smarter! Look for gaps in their defensive line!" He looked at Yan Yuan and Kane, "Kane, Yan! You two, switch positions more frequently! Drag out their center-backs!"

The second half began with both sides switching sides and starting the game.

England continued to apply pressure, while Croatia remained steadfast in its defense and counter-attacking style.

The balance of the game was broken in the 58th minute!

An attack that doesn't seem like a sure-fire opportunity.

England organized their attack in the right-central area, with Kane back to Lovren, giving him an extremely wide field of vision.

Just as Croatian center-back Vida was about to step forward to help defend, Kane delivered an extremely subtle low through ball with the outside of his right foot!

This shot seemed to have eyes, precisely piercing the narrow gap between Lovren and Vida.

It rolled towards the right side of the Croatian penalty area.

Just as Kane passed the ball, a white figure, like a red lightning bolt, instantly shook off Strinic, who was closely marking him, with a visible speed advantage!

Yan Yuan perfectly interpreted Kane's passing intentions and trajectory.

The instant he started moving, his body made an extremely subtle change of direction, just avoiding Strinic's outstretched intercepting leg!

The ball arrives, and the player arrives!

Yan Yuan was near the corner of the six-yard box, facing Subasic who had come out to challenge him.

Without hesitation, he met the rolling ball with the instep of his right foot and unleashed a low shot that, while not powerful, had an extremely tricky angle.

The ball skimmed the ground, slipped through the tiny gap between Subasic's outstretched legs and the near post, and nestled precisely into the net.

1-0!

The moment the ball went in, Luzhniki Stadium erupted in a deafening roar of cheers from the England fans!

"Yan! His 7th goal in the World Cup!!!! If I'm not mistaken, he will definitely be the Golden Boot winner after this World Cup. At the same time, Yan will become the first super player in football history to win 3 Golden Boots in a single season!!!" The commentator's voice was so excited that it almost cracked.

Yan Yuan charged madly toward the corner flag area, his fists clenched, roaring to the sky.

Kane, Lingard, Ali and other teammates rushed over in ecstasy and tackled him to the ground.

Gareth Southgate punched the ball hard on the sidelines!

This goal was a perfect combination of Yan Yuan's keen sense of smell, top-notch starting speed, and calm finishing ability.

This was also his most valuable moment of brilliance on the most crucial stage of the World Cup.

England seems to be just one step away from the final.

However, Croatia's master "The Magic Flute" will not surrender easily.

They did not panic after conceding the goal.

Modric stepped forward.

This midfield maestro from Real Madrid began dropping deeper to receive the ball, using his unparalleled ball control and passing vision to orchestrate Croatia's attack and constantly disrupt England's defense.

Their attacks became more layered and more threatening.

As long as Modric can hold his ground, Croatia can hold his ground.

After taking the lead, England's physical limitations began to surface.

The high-intensity pressing tactic was executed for more than 60 minutes. Faced with Croatia's technical midfielders' continuous possession and wear and tear, the young players' running ability began to decline.

In contrast, Croatia, despite being equally exhausted, was sustained by an iron will honed in life-or-death battles.

In the 68th minute, Croatia's sustained pressure finally paid off.

They got a throw-in on the left flank. Vrsaljko threw the ball powerfully into the penalty area.

Center-backs Maguire and Stones fought hard for the header, but the ball couldn't be cleared far enough!

Perisic, positioned on the perimeter, astutely spotted the second landing point.

He displayed the instincts of a top shooter!

As the ball bounced and fell, he got there first, leaping into the air and unleashing an unconventional, graceful volley with the outside of his left foot.

The ball drew a strange and swift arc, passed goalkeeper Pickford's outstretched fingers, and slammed into the far corner of the goal!

1-1!

That goal was absolutely brilliant.

This dealt a heavy blow to England's morale.

Perisic's goal ignited the passion of Croatian players and fans.

The balance of the game began to tip in favor of the Checkered Army.

After equalizing, Croatia gained even more momentum, with Modric, Rakitic, and Brozovic controlling the midfield and constantly pressuring England's interior.

England's defense was under immense pressure, and counter-attacks were difficult to organize due to fatigue and loss of control in midfield.

The 90 minutes of regular time ended with the score tied at 1-1.

Both teams' players showed signs of fatigue, their jerseys soaked with sweat.

The brutal overtime has begun.

In the first half of extra time, both sides were exhausted, the pace slowed down significantly, and the game became more about battling and attrition in midfield.

England attempted to make substitutions, but with little effect.

The Croatians, on the other hand, persevered through sheer willpower; Modric's iron lungs were terrifying.

He has already run more than 15 kilometers in this game, and he is still tirelessly making runs, receiving passes, and making runs.

In the second half of extra time, in the 109th minute, the suspense of the game was completely killed.

Croatia intercepted the ball in their own half and launched a counter-attack. After 120 minutes of intense competition, England's defense momentarily relaxed its focus.

Perisic made a high-speed run down the left flank, drawing the attention of England's right-back Trippier.

Instead of going down the wing, Perisic sent a seemingly harmless high cross with his left foot, targeting the center of the penalty area.

However, this pass became the source of the game-winning goal.

England centre-back Stones leaps to clear the ball.

But it crashed.

The ball fell towards the edge of the six-yard box.

In that instant, a figure darted out from behind Kyle Walker like a ghost!

Mandzukic.

This experienced striker seized the fatal opening when Stones missed his header in the blink of an eye.

He got ahead of Maguire, who was tracking back, and swept a left-footed shot while falling to the ground!

The ball went into the net! 2-1!

The entire Luzhniki Stadium was instantly engulfed by the frenzy of Croatian fans.

Mandzukic took off his shirt to celebrate, and his teammates excitedly pinned him down.

The English players stood there, seemingly drained of all their energy.

Yan Yuan stood with his hands on his hips, panting heavily, sweat streaming down his face, his eyes filled with resentment and despair.

He knew that time was running out and a miracle was highly unlikely.

Finally, the referee blew the whistle to end the match.

Croatia came from behind to defeat England 2-1, making history by reaching the World Cup final for the first time!

The Checkered Army players embraced and wept, celebrating wildly in the center of the field.

Celebrating their best World Cup result.

The England players were dejected; Kane hung his head, Trippier covered his face and wept, and young Arnold's eyes were red...

Yan Yuan stood silently in the center of the field, watching his opponent's jubilant back as he watched, feeling as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing on his chest.

He walked over to Pickford, who was slumped on the ground, reached out and helped him up, silently patting his goalkeeper teammate on the back.

Then, with his head down, he followed his equally silent teammates slowly toward the players' tunnel.

Under the Moscow night sky, the Three Lions' dream of winning the World Cup shattered at this moment.

After the match, the England team's locker room was silent, a long silence, with only heavy sighs from the players.

Southgate, suppressing his immense disappointment, tried his best to calm the players down:

"Alright! Lift your heads, lads! You've made history! You've made the whole nation proud! This defeat isn't the end, but a new beginning on our path to strength! Now, wipe away your tears and prepare for the next battle (the bronze medal match)!"

Although the Three Lions were eliminated in the semi-finals and failed to realize their ultimate dream of "football returning home".

But English and Chinese fans were deeply disappointed.

Yet, they gave almost unanimous high praise to one person.

Yan Yuan.

On English football fan forums:

"My heart is broken, truly broken. But I must say, Yan was our only bright spot in this match; that goal was crucial, he almost sent us into the final!"

"Yes!!! Yan fought until the very last minute! Every time he got the ball, he looked threatening! Compared to some others, he's the one who's truly reliable!"

"He's only 18! In his first World Cup, he scored in every knockout match, including the semi-final! What more could you ask for? He's our absolute core player for the future! Without a doubt!"

"Although we lost, seeing a player like Yan rise to prominence is the greatest comfort for the future of English football! His Golden Boot is practically secured, and hopefully he can score another one in the third-place match!"

Chinese Fan Forum:

"Alas, England still fell short due to lack of experience. But Yan Shen is truly beyond reproach! His positioning, acceleration, and shooting in this match were still textbook examples."

"Wow, seven goals! Seven goals in the World Cup! I feel the biggest gain from this World Cup is that Yan Shen has completely proven himself to be a world-class striker. He's only 18 years old, and he's about to win his third Golden Boot."

"Our club made a killing, a real killing. An 18-year-old three-time Golden Boot winner for a mere £1.58 million – a steal! I feel the new Premier League season is going to be very interesting."

"I hope Yan Shen can achieve good results under Professor Wenger. Our team has been in a slump for too long and desperately needs a championship. Professor Wenger has really risked his career to build this new lineup."

"I feel so sorry for Yan Ge. He really gave it his all against Croatia. Kane was so tired he couldn't run anymore, but he still managed to sprint at the last moment... I'm so moved."

"Right now, my only goal is the Golden Boot. Yan Shen absolutely has to play in the next third-place match and score another goal to secure the Golden Boot. Even if we don't win the championship, the Golden Boot will make it all worthwhile!"

"That's right, good luck in the third-place match! The Three Lions lost, but Yan Shen didn't lose! Yan Shen, keep aiming for the Golden Boot!!!"

In the media's post-match ratings, Yan Yuan generally received the highest score within the England team.

Media commentary points out:

"When the England team was on the back foot, Yan Yuan was almost the only player who consistently created threats. His goal was crucial, showcasing the all-around qualities of a top striker. Even in extra time when the whole team was exhausted, he was still trying to find opportunities. At the age of 18, he delivered a record of 7 goals in his first World Cup appearance, and his future is absolutely limitless."

In the locker room after the game, Yan Yuan sat in his seat, covered his head with a towel, and quietly watched the fans' discussions.

The disappointment still weighed heavily on my heart, but the recognition and understanding from the fans were like a ray of light, dispelling some of the gloom.

His World Cup journey is not yet over. There is still a third-place match waiting for him.

And then there's the World Cup Golden Boot award, which is within his grasp and needs to be firmly held in his hands.