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

In September, as autumn deepens in England, the international match days begin and the European Championship qualifiers are about to start.

England's next opponents are Bulgaria and Kosovo.

The St. George Park training facility located in Burton.

The Three Lions returned once again.

The atmosphere at this gathering was significantly different from previous ones.

This difference stems from a newly released national team roster and the changing power dynamics it represents.

When announcing the squad, England manager Gareth Southgate emphasized "form" and "future".

When this year's new squad was announced, it sparked a lot of discussion among media and fans across England.

Several exciting new names have emerged:

Wan-Bissaka, the right-back who has regained his confidence at Manchester City.

Aston Villa's solid center-back, Tyrone Mings.

Arsenal's highly creative midfielder James Maddison.

Most notably, the inclusion of another Arsenal prodigy, Bukayo Saka, in the squad for the first time was a notable achievement.

Four new players have joined the Three Lions.

A closer look at this list reveals a phenomenon that has garnered much attention from the English media:

That is the strong rise of Arsenal-affiliated players.

Including Yan Yuan, who is already an absolute mainstay, Declan Rice, who made a big splash in the summer, and Saka and Maddison, who were newly selected, there are four players from Arsenal in this England national team!

This is extremely rare in recent years, even in the last five or six years.

Looking back, the English dressing room was traditionally dominated by national team players from clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea.

The Tottenham Hotspur contingent is a major part of the Three Lions squad.

Arsenal players are often outnumbered, with only one player selected for the squad, or sometimes none at all, so they lack a voice.

But now, the situation is undergoing a fundamental reversal.

These four Arsenal players are not only numerous, but more importantly, they hold significant positions within the team:

Yan Yuan: Undoubtedly the club and national team's attacking core, the team's ace, the biggest favorite for the Ballon d'Or, and also wears the number 7 jersey, which symbolizes his core status.

Declan Rice: a midfield shield, Arsenal's key player, and the undisputed first choice for the national team's starting defensive midfielder.

James Maddison: An important addition to a technical midfield, capable of providing creativity.

Bukayo Saka: Arsenal's dynamic winger, representing the future of the team.

There are already four Arsenal players in the England squad.

A new "Arsenal clique" led by Yan Yuan is quietly taking shape in the Three Lions' dressing room.

Furthermore, it has gained considerable influence.

……

This change was particularly evident during training sessions.

In the group scrimmage arranged by Southgate, Yan Yuan naturally put on the vest symbolizing the main force.

Alongside him, Rice was responsible for defensive sweeping, Madison was supporting him from behind, and Saka was active on the left wing.

Although it's the national team.

But the tacit understanding between the four seemed to be innate.

During an offensive drill, Yan Yuan received the ball on the right wing. Facing the defender, he did not choose to break through personally, but instead looked up to observe and raised his hand to ask for the ball.

"Declan!"

Rice understood immediately and quickly moved forward to provide support.

Yan Yuan flicked his ankle and delivered a low through ball, which Rice then passed to Wan-Bissaka, who had made a run down the flank, and Wan-Bissaka crossed from the byline...

The entire coordination was seamless and smooth.

"Beautiful! Captain, that was a perfect pass!" Rice ran back and gave Yan Yuan a high five, his voice filled with heartfelt praise.

"Your positioning is better, Declan," Yan Yuan replied with a smile.

On the other side, Saka won a corner kick after a breakthrough. Holding the ball, he looked at Yan Yuan somewhat shyly: "Captain, should you take this corner kick or...?"

Yan Yuan walked over and patted him on the shoulder: "You give it a try this time, Bukayo. Be confident, just like at the club. I'll cover for you."

This encouragement and support made Saka feel very warm.

The captain is always such a nice person.

These details show that Yan Yuan's influence has long since transcended the scope of the "Arsenal clique".

His charisma, skill, and humble personality made him the glue and focus of the entire team.

Then came the training break, during which the players rested and chatted in small groups.

Yan Yuan is different from most players.

He is very popular.

Therefore, he rarely stays in a particular small circle.

Yan Yuan always gets along naturally with teammates from different clubs.

Manchester United center-back Maguire and Manchester City's Stones were stretching on the lawn when Yan Yuan walked over with two bottles of water, sat down next to them, and handed them the water.

"Hey Harry, John, that defense was really tough just now," Yan Yuan said.

This refers to a successful head-on interception by Maguire in a previous confrontation.

Maguire gave a good-natured smile.

"Dealing with you is not easy at all. Your change of direction was too fast. Next time I will have to move in advance."

Maguire's tone remained as kind as ever.

Stones chimed in.

"Yan, with your current form, you're a shoo-in for the Ballon d'Or, right? You'll have to treat us to a meal then."

"Thanks for your kind words, John. If I really win the Ballon d'Or, I'll definitely treat everyone to dinner if I have the chance, but for now, let's focus on the European Championship qualifiers."

Yan Yuan skillfully changed the subject, expressing his determination without being ostentatious.

At this moment, Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling also came over.

Sterling, a lively person, put his arm around Yan Yuan's shoulder.

"Hey Yan, next time in the national team match, pass me a few more through balls. I want to be like Aubameyang, finishing like that! Do you know how envious I am of him? You've fed him so much that he's in the top three of the scoring charts!"

Yan Yuan laughed heartily.

"Hahaha... No problem, Raheem, but you have to make sure you get into position, I don't want the pass to go out of bounds."

Rashford didn't say much, but his eyes were full of friendliness when he looked at Yan Yuan.

"Yan, that chip shot you made against Liverpool the other day was beautiful."

"Thank you, Marcus. You should teach me how to shoot sometime."

These relaxed and pleasant interactions showcased Yan Yuan's outstanding social skills and personal charm.

He didn't deliberately try to win them over; rather, he won the favor of almost all his teammates through his sincerity and ability.

Even players from rival clubs.

He is also willing to communicate with Yan Yuan, and even unconsciously makes him the focus of some tactical discussions.

All in all.

Everything is implying something.

The captain position is about to be changed.

Although Harry Kane remains England's nominal captain, wearing the captain's armband, speaking on behalf of the team in front of the media, and fulfilling his duties, his prestige remains.

But many discerning people...

This includes the coaching staff and senior reporters covering the team.

They could all keenly sense that the "center of gravity" in the Three Lions' locker room was irreversibly shifting towards Yan Yuan.

This shift is different from the past; it did not stem from any intense conflict or power struggle.

Rather, it is a natural process based on strength, performance, and personal charisma.

When the team is stuck in a stalemate during training.

The players would instinctively look to Yan Yuan, because Yan Yuan always seemed to have a solution.

When the game is in trouble, the ball will be passed to Yan Yuan more often.

Young players like Sancho see Yan Yuan as a role model and benchmark, while older players like Henderson also respect Yan Yuan's ability and professional attitude.

After a tactical meeting, Southgate specifically kept Kane and Yan Yuan behind to discuss set-piece tactics.

After explaining the general idea, Southgate specifically asked Yan Yuan for his thoughts.

"Yan, what do you think of the running route I designed? Have you ever had similar plays with Rice and Odegaard at the club level?"

After reading it, Yan Yuan answered seriously.

"Coach, your design seems quite balanced, and it will definitely be effective in activating the midfield..."

Kane listened attentively, nodding occasionally and adding a comment now and then.

Yan Yuan himself clearly felt this heavy responsibility and the trust of his teammates.

He is confident about the upcoming European Championship qualifiers, but his sights are already set on the more distant future.

That's the European Championship finals next summer.

The UEFA Nations League title that Yan Yuan won just a few months ago was indeed an important honor.

But that's still far from enough.

At least for becoming the captain of the Three Lions.

The UEFA Nations League title is far from being a significant achievement.

Yan Yuan now possesses many of the hallmarks of becoming the captain of the Three Lions Legion.

For example, the number 7 jersey for the national team, the Ballon d'Or favorite, the Premier League Golden Boot, and the Premier League Player of the Year.

However, to truly establish his legendary status in the national team...

Yan Yuan definitely needs a national-level trophy like the European Championship, which is absolutely convincing.

Today is the last afternoon of the training camp.

When Yan Yuan finished his extra training and walked out of the gym, he ran into Kane, who had also just finished showering.

The two walked side by side toward the dormitory building.

"Yan, are you done with extra practice?" Kane asked proactively, his tone calm.

"Yes, Captain, I'm just stretching a bit," Yan Yuan replied with a smile.

After a brief silence, Kane looked into the distance and spoke slowly.

"This qualifying tournament is very important... We have a great chance next summer."

Yan Yuan turned his head, looked at Kane's serious profile, and nodded solemnly.

"Yes, Captain, we will succeed. All of us will win that trophy."

The phrase "all of us" expresses both respect for the current captain and an implicit determination to share responsibility.

Kane glanced at Yan Yuan.

A complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

There is appreciation, there is expectation, and perhaps, there is also a hint of indifference as one senses that the tide has turned.

Kane also sensed what was about to happen.

He didn't say anything more, but patted Yan Yuan on the shoulder and said...

"Keep it up, Yan."

As night fell, St. George's Park returned to tranquility.

But beneath this tranquility, a new force is being conceived and gathering strength.

The rise of the "Arsenal contingent" centered around Yan Yuan is quietly reshaping the dressing room culture of the Three Lions, and injecting stronger confidence and ambition into this team that craves glory.