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

A summer afternoon in Shanghai.

A penthouse suite in a five-star hotel.

"call…"

Yan Yuan had just finished an hour of aerobic jogging on the treadmill and was stretching while looking out the window at the unparalleled skyline of Lujiazui.

His sports t-shirt was soaked with sweat, but his breathing remained steady.

Yan Yuan has been unusually "low-key" these past two days.

After the Adidas event, he practically locked himself in his hotel room.

Meals are delivered directly to the room from the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, while training takes place in the hotel's 24-hour gym.

It wasn't that he didn't want to go out and experience the pulse of this magical city, but rather that he was all too aware of his current influence.

Champions League winner, Premier League champion, England's key player, Adidas's global top brand...

This string of titles has made his face a global passport, but also a shackle that makes it difficult for him to move forward.

He didn't want his presence to cause unnecessary disturbance or trouble for the residents of Shanghai.

Yan Yuan picked up a towel to wipe his sweat and walked to the window.

Below us flows the ever-flowing Huangpu River, while across the river, the Bund's historic buildings gleam in the sunlight.

My phone vibrated; the team's chat group had exploded with activity.

Saka: "Shanghai! Here we come! @Yan Yuan, Captain, have you been waiting impatiently? We've already landed!"

Aubameyang: "Captain! Are you ready to welcome us? I've heard Shanghai's nightlife is amazing! [Raises eyebrow]"

Odegaard: "@Captain Yan Yuan, any good food recommendations? I'm starving!"

Martinez (Big Martin): "The point is, it's delicious! We haven't had enough of the celebration drinks yet! [beer]"

Rodri: "Tsk tsk, a bunch of starving bastards and drunkards... Captain, ignore them, but... remember to call me if you find anything good to eat. [Smirk]"

……

Yan Yuan couldn't help but laugh as he watched the rapidly refreshing information on the screen.

These guys, after resting for a while, are bursting with energy they have nowhere to vent.

He replied, "Wait at the airport. I'll treat you guys to something good tonight. [Cool]"

He quickly took a shower, changed into a simple white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, and put on a low-key black baseball cap and sunglasses.

After looking in the mirror and confirming that it was "concealed" enough, I went downstairs.

At the hotel entrance, fans and media who had already heard the news set up a cordon.

Yan Yuan arrived at the airport VIP exit in a car and waited discreetly.

Shortly after, an announcement came over the airport's public address system that the flight from London Heathrow had arrived on time.

Passengers began to emerge from the passageway.

Soon, a group of tall, casually dressed men carrying suitcases walked out, chatting and laughing. Their professional athletic bearing made them stand out in the crowd.

"Holy crap!!! Look over there! It's Arsenal, Arsenal players!"

"Holy crap, it really is! Isn't that Aubameyang, the tallest guy in the front row?!"

"Holy crap!!!! Pepe, it really is Pepe, Real Madrid's Pepe!"

"Aubameyang! Odegaard! Rodri!"

"Arsenal are really coming!"

"It was worth it! Luckily I was smart enough to snag the tickets two weeks ago."...

The fans got excited, but the order was relatively good.

Yan Yuan removed his disguise and greeted them with a smile.

"Guys! Welcome to Shanghai!" He opened his arms.

"Captain!" Saka was the first to rush over and give Yan Yuan a tight hug. "Wow! You look great! Is the weather in Shanghai this nice?"

"It's definitely better here, the climate is much better than in London. But... you've had a really good holiday, haven't you?" Yan Yuan laughed, expertly patting Saka's bottom.

"Why do your glutes seem... a bit fuller? You've been eating a lot of hamburgers at home, haven't you?"

"Hey! Captain!" Saka jumped back dramatically, covering his butt with a wronged expression.

"That's slander! I go to the gym every day!"

"Hahahahahaha..." Aubameyang laughed loudly, leaned over, bumped shoulders with Yan Yuan, and hugged him.

"Don't listen to him, Captain. He does spend half his vacation at the gym and the other half in the kitchen."

Lacazette, Odegaard, Martinez, Hakimi, Cancelo, Rodri, Pepe, Xhaka...

The team members came forward one by one to hug Yan Yuan, give him high-fives, and joke with each other.

The joy of reuniting after a long separation was evident on everyone's face.

Although they had only been apart for a little over two weeks, the camaraderie forged from winning the Champions League and Premier League trophies together made the guys especially close.

"The BOSS isn't here. It feels like something's missing," Zaka said, looking around.

Wenger's retirement still leaves a lingering sense of melancholy in everyone's hearts.

"Yes, I'm also thinking about becoming a professor." Yan Yuan nodded, his gaze falling on a smiling, white-haired elderly man at the back of the line.

The elderly man was not a professor, but Anders Freud, the director of Arsenal's youth academy.

He is also a long-time staff member of Arsenal.

Since Professor Wenger has retired and the new manager Nagelsmann has not yet officially taken office, he will lead the team on this Asian tour.

"Yan, long time no see." Freud shook hands with Yan Yuan amiably, his eyes full of admiration. "Have you finished your work here? You look great. Shanghai is truly a remarkable city."

"Just finished, sir. We've been waiting for you all." Yan Yuan said with a smile. "The hotel is all arranged. Everyone should go back and adjust to the time difference first. We'll have dinner together tonight; I'll treat everyone to a welcome dinner."

The group, guided by Yan Yuan and arranged by the staff, boarded the long-awaited bus and headed to their hotel.

They were from the same company as Yan Yuan and had booked several floors.

Dinner was arranged in a private room at a distinctive local Shanghainese restaurant in the hotel.

The huge round table was soon filled with glistening crystal shrimp, braised pork belly in rich, dark sauce, incredibly delicious pickled bamboo shoots and pork soup, crispy and golden fried shrimp, steamed shad...

There were also baskets of steaming hot xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and shengjian (pan-fried buns).

Since it was a friendly match, everyone didn't have many dietary restrictions and ate whatever tasted good.

It's not easy to come to China, so if you can't even have a good meal, then you've really wasted your trip.

"My God! This looks amazing!" Odegaard's eyes lit up.

"What kind of meat is this? The color is so beautiful!" Peipei asked, pointing to the braised pork. He didn't eat much Chinese food.

"This is 'Hong Shao Rou,' braised pork belly. It's sweet and delicious," Yan Yuan introduced. "This is 'Xia Ren,' shrimp. This is 'Sheng Jian,' pan-fried buns. Be careful, they're hot; they have soup inside."

The team members curiously tried various dishes, occasionally exclaiming in amazement.

"This is delicious!"

"Oh my god, this bun actually has soup inside!"

"Be careful, it's hot."

"This fish is so fresh, it tastes so much better than any Chinese restaurant in London!"

Yan Yuan acted like a food tour guide, patiently introducing each dish. Watching his teammates enjoy the meal, he felt especially happy.

During the gathering, everyone chatted about their holiday experiences, Yan Yuan's previous matches, and the upcoming friendly match, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Yan Yuan tapped his cup, and everyone quieted down.

"Brothers," Yan Yuan began, his tone relaxed yet carrying a hint of a captain's seriousness.

"There are no training sessions scheduled for the next two days, so everyone is free to do as they please. Shanghai is an incredible city and definitely worth exploring."

"However," Yan Yuan changed the subject, holding up two fingers, "there are two rules that must be followed."

Everyone was looking at him.

"First, don't go too crazy." Yan Yuan's gaze swept over Aubameyang and Martinez.

"I know you guys are full of energy, but don't forget we still have a friendly match to play."

"Our opponent is Shanghai Shenhua, a top team in China. Although it's not an official match, you represent Arsenal. If you're too weak to run on the field, don't blame me for making you train extra."

"Don't worry, Captain!" Aubameyang patted his chest.

"We know what we're doing!"

"Okay, the second one," Yan Yuan continued.

"When going out to play, you must travel in groups of at least three. In addition, before you set off, you must tell the logistics supervisor of your group about your general itinerary, such as where you want to go, like the Bund, Nanjing Road, Yu Garden or other places."

Keep your phone accessible at all times. Shanghai is very safe, but there are many tourists from all over the world, and I don't want anyone to get lost or run into trouble, understand?

"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.

They have always trusted Yan Yuan's arrangements.

"Very good." Yan Yuan smiled. "That's all I wanted to say. Everyone should have a great time these next two days."

……

Over the next two days, Arsenal's stars transformed into happy foreign tourists, blending into the bustling crowds of Shanghai.

They took off their training clothes and sportswear, changed into floral shirts, shorts, and trendy T-shirts, put on sunglasses and hats, and began their exploration in twos and threes.

On the Bund, Aubameyang, Lacazette, and Xhaka leaned against the railing, with the skyscrapers of Lujiazui in the background, taking selfies with their phones.

"Xhaka, look over here! This background is so cool!" Aubameyang shouted.

At night, they came to see the night view again and were speechless with amazement at the dazzling lights of the "World Architecture Expo" and the modern wonders on the opposite bank.

On Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, Saka and Erdgo, Rodri plunged headlong into the bustling crowds and dazzling array of shops.

Saka took a keen interest in a stall selling traditional paper cuttings, while Erdegaard was eager to try all sorts of strange and unusual snacks.

"Bucayo, would you dare to eat this?"

"Of course! ...Uh, you go first."

Yu Garden, with its antique gardens and bustling small commodity market, captivated Pepe, Cancelo, and Ashraf.

They tried to bargain with the shopkeeper in broken Chinese and bought a lot of silk scarves and handicrafts to give to their families.

"To salvage half...a piece...with just a little bit?"

Ashraf tried hard to recall the Chinese he had learned from Yan Yuan for bargaining, but he couldn't get it right no matter how hard he tried.

Ashraf made the boss laugh out loud. Luckily, the boss's English was good enough that the deal was made.

Occasionally, they are recognized by sharp-eyed fans, causing a small commotion and requests for autographs and photos.

Everyone was very friendly and cooperative, and we left amidst cheers of "Go for it!" and "Welcome to Shanghai!"

Yan Yuan spent most of his time at the hotel, keeping track of his teammates' activities on his phone to ensure everything went smoothly.

Occasionally, he would video chat with Lin Jianwei, who was in Hangzhou.

Watching Lin Jianwei "show off" the delicious food and beautiful scenery of Hangzhou.

Yan Yuan jokingly "complained" to Lin Jianwei that he felt like the head of a large family, but his tone was full of relaxation and anticipation.

Two leisurely yet fulfilling days passed in the blink of an eye.

The night before the match, the entire Arsenal team held a training session to familiarize themselves with the pitch and atmosphere at the Shanghai Stadium.

The team atmosphere is relaxed yet focused.

Floyd briefly explained the characteristics of the Shenhua team on the tactics board, emphasizing playing our own game, playing smooth teamwork, and giving back to the fans.

"Tomorrow, enjoy the game and the atmosphere here," Yan Yuan added at the end.

"But remember what our team badge represents. Show professionalism and deliver a fantastic performance for all the fans in attendance and those watching on screen."

Everyone nodded, their eyes filled with eager excitement.

The first half of the trip to Shanghai was perfect – a leisurely exploration – but the highlight was in the second half.

The friendly match between Arsenal and Shanghai Shenhua is about to kick off amidst much anticipation.

The Huangpu River at night is gentle and dazzling, just as it awaits the arrival of this football extravaganza.