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

After the match, the deafening cheers at Wembley Stadium still seemed to echo in our ears.

But once the locker room door closes, most of the deafening noise from the stadium outside is shut out, replaced by a unique atmosphere mixed with the smells of sweat, disinfectant, and excitement.

The atmosphere in the England team's locker room was so enthusiastic it almost felt like the roof was about to fall off.

The players, some sitting and some standing, wore expressions of elation and exhaustion from their resounding victory.

"Yan! My hero!" Lingard was the first to rush over, giving Yan Yuan a bear hug and patting his back hard.

"Those two goals! And that assist! They were fucking awesome! And taking that old bastard Ramos off the court at the end was simply divine. Tell me, did it hurt when he choked you? I was really scared when I saw you fall to the ground." Lingard excitedly pressed for an answer.

"Yeah, Yan. What happened at the end? Why did Ramos suddenly get so angry?" Rashford chimed in, asking curiously.

Kane, Henderson, Walker, Pickford...

Almost everyone's eyes were focused on Yan Yuan, and even Southgate, who was talking quietly with his teaching assistant, cast a concerned and questioning glance at him.

Everyone wants to know how Ramos got that red card.

Yan Yuan took the ice pack handed to him by the staff and applied it to his leg.

He took off his socks and pointed to the bruise on the outside of his calf, which had faded considerably but was still clearly visible.

Yan Yuan looked tired, but his eyes were bright, and a smile appeared on his lips as he spoke.

"Guys, do you guys remember last season's Champions League?" Yan Yuan asked.

Everyone nodded, and Yan Yuan continued.

"Last season when I was at Hoffenheim, we played the second leg of the semi-final at the Bernabéu. In that game, Ramos, while challenging for a header, made an extremely subtle elbow strike right above my eyebrow."

Yan Yuan pointed to a faint scar above his left eyebrow.

"I needed five stitches, and we lost that match."

A low murmur of curses rang out from the locker room; it was a curse directed at Ramos.

"So, today," Yan Yuan's voice deepened,

"From the start of the game, I knew the Spanish defenders wouldn't let me off easy. I remembered Pique's dirty tricks, Ramos's shoving and stepping on my heel, and how he injured me before. I knew they wanted to provoke me, make me lose control, and make me commit a foul."

"Then you..." Henderson frowned.

"So I'll play along with Ramos," Yan Yuan smiled. "Ramos wants to play with me, so I'll play along to the end, but the rules have to be my rules."

Yan Yuan continued to explain to everyone.

"My neck is fine, and as for the bruises on my legs that you're all worried about..."

Yan Yuan pointed to his calf.

"I actually pinched myself to get this bruise."

"What?!" A chorus of astonished gasps echoed in the locker room.

"That's right," Yan Yuan nodded, his tone as calm as if he were telling someone else's story.

"That old fox Ramos, and Pique, were up to no good the whole game. Stepping on my heels, poking my ribs, pulling my jersey... The referee either couldn't see it, or he saw it but didn't bother to do anything. That elbow Pique gave me in the first half really hurt."

As Yan Yuan spoke, he subconsciously touched his ribs.

"I knew then that going head-to-head with them or complaining to the referee would be useless; I had to use some strategy."

He glanced at his teammates' curious faces and continued.

"Guys, you all know that Ramos is notoriously emotional. He gets easily angered. In the second half, he defended me more and more aggressively and his movements became more and more aggressive."

That time when he used his shovel, he didn't actually hit my supporting leg completely, but I felt that his action was aimed at crippling me.

So I anticipated his movement and fell to the ground in advance, choosing a spot to avoid the cameras directly in front of me. I used my body to block his sweeping leg motion, making the referee mainly see his hand pulling me, thus making it appear as if he was the one who pulled me down.

"Then," Yan Yuan pointed to his calf again,

"After I fell to the ground, I took the opportunity to pinch myself hard here with my fingers. I had to pinch hard, otherwise the bruise wouldn't come out. Only after I pinched a clear mark would the referee have a basis for his judgment."

He made a pinching motion with his thumb and forefinger.

"Holy shit! You're a genius!" Sterling couldn't help but swear, his face full of admiration.

"And then? And then?" Lingard pressed impatiently.

"And then comes the crucial part," Yan Yuan continued.

"After I fell to the ground, Ramos was definitely not satisfied and thought I had faked the fall. He came over and cursed at me. That was the opportunity I was waiting for. I had to provoke him and make him completely lose control."

Yan Yuan paused, seemingly recalling the scene at that time.

"I spoke to him in Spanish and said some harsh things, saying that his defense only involved dirty tricks, that he would never win the Ballon d'Or and would always live in Ronaldo's shadow, that he would be nothing without Ronaldo, that he wouldn't be able to play many more games for the Spanish national team... well... I just went for the most hurtful things."

The locker room was silent; everyone was stunned by Yan Yuan's "strategy."

"You've all seen the result," Yan Yuan shrugged.

"Ramos was indeed provoked, so he grabbed my neck and raised his hand to hit me. The referee saw it clearly. A red card was inevitable. He acted irrationally, and no one could save him."

"Hahahahaha!" After a brief silence, deafening laughter erupted in the locker room.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Henderson laughed, slapping his thigh. "Yan! It's a shame you're not a director with that kind of brain!"

"Incredible! Absolutely incredible!" Sterling laughed so hard he almost fell over. "That old fox Ramos, you've completely outmaneuvered him!"

"Yan, you have to teach me! Your acting skills, and your psychological warfare!" Lingard exaggeratedly lunged forward, pretending to hug his leg. "Let's start an acting class sometime, I'll be the first to sign up! We'll split the pay 50/50!"

Captain Kane couldn't help but chuckle, patting Yan Yuan's shoulder forcefully: "Well done! That's how you deal with that kind of person! But next time... pinch yourself a little harder."

He pointed to the bruises on Yan Yuan's calves.

Southgate listened intently, a smile on his face and admiration in his eyes.

He walked over, looked at Yan Yuan, and said in a gentle but approving tone, "Yan, your performance... was unparalleled. Not just those two goals and assists, but also your intelligence."

On the field, intelligence is sometimes more important than technique. You know how to utilize the rules, how to protect yourself, and, most importantly, how to make the most beneficial choices for the team in crucial moments. This composure and judgment are qualities of top players. I'm glad you have it.

He added, "Of course, protecting yourself is always the top priority."

Yan Yuan nodded earnestly: "Thank you, Coach, I understand."

The locker room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere; everyone was still reminiscing about Yan Yuan's words and joking about Ramos's departure.

……

However, the spotlight in the world of football will never stay in one place.

While the England team celebrated their epic victory in London all night long.

Another UEFA Nations League match concluded at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

The result, however, greatly disappointed all the fans who were expecting a clash of titans.

France vs. Germany, 0-0.

The entire match was as dull as a lullaby.

Both sides played with extreme caution, making frequent mistakes and producing very few exciting moments.

Kylian Mbappé, the French team's star player and one of the "new duo" alongside Yan Yuan, delivered a performance that was utterly disappointing.

He seemed to be sleepwalking throughout the game. He had many opportunities to receive the ball on the left wing, but his breakthroughs were weak, his passes were hesitant, and his shots were often off target.

Mbappe made several attempts to outpace Kimmich or steal the ball, but the experienced Debayor defenders thwarted his efforts by positioning themselves in advance.

After the match, Mbappe's face was filled with impatience and confusion, a stark contrast to the invincible young man he was at the World Cup.

A few days later, France narrowly defeated the Netherlands 2-1 in a UEFA Nations League group stage match.

In this match, Mbappe's performance improved slightly, and a key play helped Griezmann score the go-ahead goal.

However, his individual goal and assist statistics remain stubbornly at 0.

算上这场比赛，从2018-19赛季法甲开赛至今（8月到9月），姆巴佩在代表巴黎圣日耳曼出战的4场联赛和国家队的1场欧国联比赛中。

He only scored one goal in the league against Guingamp, failing to score in any other matches, and also had zero assists.

When the 2018 World Cup ended, global media hailed Yan Yuan and Mbappe as the successors to the legendary duo, the new kings after the Messi-Ronaldo era.

However, just over a month into the new season, the two players' trajectories have taken completely different turns.

The headlines of the top five European football leagues were instantly dominated by a comparison of the condition of these two supercars:

• Daily Mail Sports Headline: "'England's Supercar' Goes Wild at Wembley! Yan Yuan Scores Twice! Created 3 Goals! The Three Lions Crush the Matadors! Meanwhile, 'French Supercar' Mbappe is Completely Stunned Before the German Machine!" The accompanying picture shows Yan Yuan's triumphant roar celebrating his goal and Mbappe's helpless expression with his hands on his hips and a furrowed brow on the field.

• The French newspaper L'Équipe's website headline reads: "UEFA Nations League: National team draws with Germany, attack lacks power! Mbappe continues to struggle, one of the 'new duo' faces a severe test!" The tone is filled with worry and scrutiny.

• Spanish newspaper Marca International: "Ramos' red card controversy? Yan Yuan orchestrates 4-goal humiliation! Mbappe in goal drought, is the new duo's dominance in jeopardy?" The headline is full of attention to the Ramos incident and doubts about Mbappe's form.

• Bild, Germany's sports headline: "Solid defense! The German machine holds the 2018 World Cup champions to a draw! Mbappe goes silent, PSG star's form is worrying." The Germans are more pleased to see their opponents' key players struggle.

• Italian newspaper *La Gazzetta dello Sport*: "UEFA Nations League: England stuns, France slumps! Yan Yuan shines, Mbappe dims – is it a two-horse race or a single star?"

The metaphor of "supercar" was originally used by the media and fans to praise the two players' terrifying speed.

But now, Yan Yuan, the "English supercar", is far ahead in the Premier League and national team races, continuing to shine;

Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé, the "French supercar," has repeatedly stalled on his journeys with Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team, falling into a worrying slump.

Social media and fan forums instantly exploded:

England fans:

"Look at this! That's what a real supercar looks like! Yan Yuan is performing at a top level in both the Premier League and the UEFA Nations League! Mbappe? He probably ran out of gas after the World Cup, didn't he?"

"The reason we reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup was simply because our midfield was weak. I believe that with the national team roster updated by the time of the 2022 World Cup, Yan will definitely be able to achieve better results."

"I've already bought the same car as Yan, a Mercedes-AMG. I have to say, it's really fun to drive."

"I used to be a Tottenham fan, but after this game, I've officially become an Arsenal fan."

Chinese fans:

"Yan Shen is awesome! Bappe's form has indeed dipped since the World Cup. I hope he can find his form quickly. I'd love to see him go one-on-one with Yan Shen."

"That's it? Europe calls it the French supercar? What? Did you leave supercar parts at the World Cup and not retrieve them?"

"I'm putting it this way: Yan has already decided on the future Arsenal captain and England captain. The Gunners and the Three Lions are going to be in good shape."

"It's really not easy being a professor. A 70-year-old man has finally obtained his sharpest sword at the end of his teaching career."

"Family members, do you think Arsenal's brain-dead management will sell Yan Shen after this? After all, they have a history of selling key players."

"Absolutely impossible! Times have changed. Arsenal is rich now, with Chinese sponsors, so they don't need to sell their captain for money anymore. Yan is now tied to the Chinese market, and Arsenal would only do that if they didn't want the Chinese market anymore."

"I agree with the comment above. The Gunners' finances are much better now, and they don't have to pitifully sell their captains for money anymore. Besides, Yan Shen is still studying in London."

"You could say that whichever club Yan Shen plays for, that's where the money from Chinese sponsors will flow. Arsenal would have to be out of their minds to sell Yan Shen."

French fans:

"Kilian is just adjusting! He's only 19! The pressure after the World Cup was too much; he needs time! I still have high hopes for him!"

"Yes, give Mbappe some time. He's still very young. At 19, it's only a matter of time before he wins the Ballon d'Or."

(This quote borrows from a recent popular online saying: "For 19-year-old Mbappé, winning the Ballon d'Or was only a matter of time; for 27-year-old Mbappé, winning the Ballon d'Or is a matter of time.")

"Mbappe's slump is indeed a bit strange. Does he seem to have lost his fighting spirit? Or is he not adapting to the tactics? Neymar's return seems to have affected his ball possession and status in Paris? I heard there's some unrest in the PSG dressing room?"

"Give Kylian time! He'll be back! A temporary slump means nothing! Don't forget his amazing performances in Monaco and the World Cup!"

Aside from the debates among the media and fans.

Rumors of a rift between Neymar and Mbappe have resurfaced, becoming one of the reasons given for Mbappe's poor form.

Some media outlets quoted "locker room sources" as saying that the two lacked chemistry on the field, communicated very little off the field, and even had friction over issues of ball possession and core status.

Although neither PSG nor the player himself has confirmed it.

However, given Mbappe's continued poor performance, these rumors undoubtedly added fuel to the fire, making the public opinion even noisier.

Suddenly, the title "The New Twin Heroes" became somewhat ambiguous.

Yan Yuan has consistently solidified his position as one of the leading figures of the new generation with his consistently hot, stable and efficient performance;

Meanwhile, Mbappe, the once-shining genius, is experiencing his longest goal drought and a slump in form since his debut, facing unprecedented doubts and pressure.

……

After France's two UEFA Nations League matches concluded.

Mbappe returned to the club, and director Antero spoke with him.

Paris, Parc des Princes stadium office.

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

Paris Saint-Germain's sporting director, Antero, sat behind his large desk, looking at Mbappe, who sat opposite him with a rather unpleasant expression.

Although the team's league performance is still acceptable and they remain in first place, Mbappe's poor performance is hard for PSG fans and French fans to accept.

"Kilian," Antero's voice was relatively calm, and his words were very tactful, "I know you just had a fantastic summer two months ago. You were France's hero in winning the World Cup, the future of Paris, but..."

Antero then changed the subject.

"To be honest, your performance since the start of the new season has fallen short of our expectations and is below your own potential."

Mbappe lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously twisting together.

He couldn't refute it.

Because data doesn't lie.

So far, four league matches have been played, and he has only scored one league goal and provided zero assists. (Data checked)

The director's words pierced his heart like needles.

"We analyzed your match footage," Antero continued. "Your running and speed are still there, but sometimes... your decisiveness in front of goal, your sharpness when breaking through, and... that game-winning mentality seem to have disappeared. I'd like to ask, is it because of the fatigue from national team matches? Or... are you affected by other factors?"

Antero paused meaningfully, alluding to the atmosphere in the locker room and Neymar's issues.

Mbappe opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately it turned into a muffled sound:

"I don't know, Mr. Director, but I'll adjust it."

Antero sighed and leaned forward slightly.

"Kilian, look at the media's voice, look at the fans' reaction. They're comparing you to Yan Yuan. Yan Yuan... sigh..."

At the mention of Yan Yuan, Antero's tone became complicated, tinged with regret.

"Right now, at Arsenal and for the England national team, he's like he's been given a rocket booster. Goals, assists, key performances... he's realizing his potential at an incredible speed, and even... surpassing it."

Antero paused, his gaze drifting to the window as if recalling something, his voice lowering.

"You know what, Killian? Sometimes I can't sleep at night. I often think about what would have happened if I hadn't made that decision that afternoon in 2017... If, when I was clearing out the redundant players, I hadn't just terminated Yan Yuan's contract, who was only 17 years old at the time and didn't seem particularly outstanding in the youth training camp... but instead offered him a loan opportunity..."

Enrique's voice was filled with bitterness and deep regret.

"If only I had been more patient and had a longer-term vision back then, even if it was just to loan him out for two years to train, to give him some time..."

Look at him now, look at his performances at Arsenal and England, imagine if you were on the left wing of Paris Saint-Germain and Yan Yuan was on the right wing...

Antero closed his eyes in anguish, as if he were seeing that dreamlike scene that should have belonged to Paris and that terrified all of Europe.

He continued.

"What would it be like if you two were teammates? That would be a true 'supercar' wing combination, the best attacking duo in all of Europe, no, the world! We could have had the most terrifying flanks of the next decade!"

Antero looked at Mbappe with a complex expression:

"Unfortunately... there are no 'what ifs' anymore. We gave him up ourselves. Later, we wanted to buy him back, and we offered an irresistible price, but he still refused."

He made it very clear at the time that it had nothing to do with money. He would never go back to a team that had actively abandoned him and wouldn't even give him a loan opportunity to prove himself.

Enrique leaned back heavily in his chair, his face filled with frustration and regret.

"Kilian, I may have missed out on a Ballon d'Or-caliber superstar, and you may have missed out on a great teammate."

The office fell silent.

Mbappe could sense the heavy regret in the director's words.

Yan Yuan's story, like a mirror, reflects the mistakes of the Paris management and also puts greater pressure on him.

Enrique took a deep breath, looked at Mbappe again, and his tone became serious.

"Kilian, I'm not saying this to discourage you. Quite the opposite. Yan Yuan's story tells me that talent needs a platform, needs opportunities to showcase itself, but even more so, it needs the player's own hard work and an indomitable spirit! He was able to rise again after being abandoned, so why can't you rise again during your temporary slump?"

Antero stood up, walked over to Mbappe, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Kylian, forget those damn comparisons, forget the media hype, find yourself! Find the Kylian Mbappé who was unstoppable at the 2018 World Cup! Paris needs you, France needs you! Your talent is undeniable, now you need to prove yourself again with your performance. You deserve all the expectations, you deserve to be the true leader of this team, this city! Come on, kid!"

Mbappe looked up at Enrique's eyes, which held a mixture of expectation, pressure, and a hint of anxiety, and nodded heavily.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

The director's words, Yan Yuan's dazzlingly outstanding performance, the media's doubts, the fans' boos... everything was like a whip lashing at him.

He had to make a change.

He must rediscover that lightning-fast, fearless self.

Otherwise, not only will the title of "two stars" become a joke, but his future in Paris and with the French national team will also be shrouded in a thick shadow.

The pressure has never been so immense.

The English supercar Yan Yuan continues its unstoppable journey.