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

(This is a true story; Saliba's parents did indeed pass away because of this.)

Staying at home felt like a strange stretch of time that had been both stretched and compressed.

For Yan Yuan, who is extremely self-disciplined, life is still strictly divided into several parts:

Unwavering personal online training, online courses in Computer Science from Imperial College London, the sweet companionship with Lin Jianwei, and most importantly—repeatedly reviewing match videos and continuing to delve into tactical details.

He's like a finely tuned machine, maintaining the rhythm and pressure required for peak performance even during periods of inactivity.

The rest of the Arsenal squad, under the remote supervision of the captain and coaching staff, also largely adhered to discipline, viewing this unexpected suspension as an opportunity for reflection and improvement.

However, fate is cruel.

The situation will not ease even slightly due to individual efforts or team discipline.

It always arrives unexpectedly, casting a heavy shadow on what was once a peaceful life.

One afternoon, Saliba had just finished a video training session with the club and was getting himself something to eat.

The cell phone on the coffee table in the living room rang sharply.

The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number from France, but the area code was from his hometown.

An ominous premonition instantly gripped his heart. He took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.

"Hey? Is that William?" A hurried but familiar voice came from the other end of the phone; it was one of his cousins.

"It's me, Uncle Pierre, what's wrong?" Saliba's heart began to race.

"William... listen, son, you have to calm down. Your father and mother... they... they've both fallen ill, with fevers and terrible coughs... they were taken to the hospital by ambulance yesterday... the doctor said it's... the flu, and their condition isn't good..." The cousin's voice was choked with sobs and helplessness.

Saliba felt his blood run cold instantly, and his phone almost slipped from his hand.

He forced himself to calm down, but his voice trembled involuntarily: "Which hospital? I'm going back right now!"

"They can't come back, William!" The cousin's voice was even more distressed. "Flights are basically all suspended now, and border controls are very strict. Even if you do come back, you'll have to quarantine for a long time and won't be able to see them at all... The hospitals are overcrowded; we tried everything we could to get them in..."

Saliba slumped onto the sofa, his mind blank. Far from home, facing the sudden misfortune of his loved ones, and feeling utterly powerless to help, the immense helplessness and panic nearly consumed him.

He rambled incoherently into the phone: "Money! I'll send the money! The best medicine! The best doctors! Uncle, you have to help me..."

He operated his mobile banking app with trembling hands, transferring most of his savings from his career to his parents' account, one sum at a time.

Afterwards, he tried every means to contact the attending physician at the hospital where his parents were. On the phone, he almost pleaded, "Doctor, please, you must save my parents! Money is not a problem, just tell me what you need!"

The doctor's voice on the other end of the phone was tired and heavy, carrying a deep sense of helplessness.

"Mr. Saliba, I understand how you feel. We will do our best to treat every patient, but... please be prepared."

Medical resources are extremely strained right now, and it's not just a matter of money. Intensive care unit beds, ventilators, and specialized medications are all in very short supply. We have many patients in similar situations...sigh..."

The doctor didn't say anything more, but that sigh was like an icicle, piercing Saliba's last glimmer of hope.

The days that followed were an incredibly agonizing wait for Saliba.

He makes countless phone calls to relatives and doctors every day to inquire about his parents' condition.

The news comes in waves, good and bad, but the overall trend is despairing.

My father's condition deteriorated rapidly, and he was the first to succumb to his illness.

A few days later, the mother also passed away due to excessive grief and worsening of her condition, following the father.

Within a month, she lost both her parents.

This news was like a bolt from the blue, completely devastating the 19-year-old Saliba.

He cut off most of his contact with the outside world.

He frequently misses training video lessons, and even when he does go online, he appears distracted and his movements are weak.

The once sunny and cheerful boy became taciturn, his eyes lost their sparkle, and he was shrouded in immense sadness and despair.

He couldn't confide this excruciating pain to anyone.

Finally, in a state of extreme depression and confusion, he dialed the phone number of head coach Nagelsmann.

The moment the call connected, Saliba's voice was choked with emotion, and he could barely utter a complete sentence.

"Coach... my... my parents... they... they're all gone..."

Nagelsmann listened patiently to Saliba's recent experiences.

Nash was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, his voice filled with concern and seriousness.

"William... my child... I am so, so sorry to hear this news, it's so cruel... I can't imagine the pain you're going through right now."

"Coach... I don't know what to do... Football... It seems to have suddenly become meaningless..." Saliba finally couldn't hold back his sobs.

"Listen, William," Nagelsmann said in a firm yet gentle tone, "Now, don't think about anything. The club has granted you an indefinite leave of absence. Put training, matches, and everything else aside for now."

You need time and space to process your emotions and to grieve. This is one of the most difficult moments in your life, and you have the right to be sad and the right to be vulnerable.

Nagelsmann paused for a moment, then offered a more long-term, caring suggestion.

"William, if you feel the need for a change of scenery, away from London, a place that might evoke strong feelings in you, I can ask the club to find you a suitable loan opportunity in the next transfer window. If you want to return to France, we can help you contact clubs in Ligue 1."

You can go to a familiar environment, adjust yourself gradually, without too much pressure. You have a long career ahead of you, and your mental health is more important than anything else.

Saliba was deeply moved by the coach's heartfelt words, and he said through sobs.

"Thank you, coach... thank you so much, but... no need, I... I really have nothing left but football. I don't know what else I can do besides football... maybe only by standing on the field can I temporarily forget the pain..."

Nagelsmann respected Saliba's choice.

"Okay, kid. I respect your decision. Remember, the club will always be there for you, and I, along with all your teammates, will support you. Call me anytime you need help."

Nagelsmann was heavy-hearted after ending the call with Saliba.

He knew that such a huge trauma needed time to heal, and even more so, the support of those around him.

He immediately dialed Yan Yuan's number.

"Yan, there's something I need to tell you privately, and I hope you can help." Nagelsmann's voice was serious.

"Boss, please speak." Yan Yuan realized the seriousness of the matter.

"Saliba's parents... in France, recently passed away one after the other because of this flu..." Nagelsmann finished explaining the background.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by Yan Yuan's gasp.

"...My God...this...is terrible! How is William now? Is he alright?"

"He was in a very bad mood. I suggested he take a break or even consider a loan move to regroup, but he refused. He said all he cares about now is football," Nagelsmann sighed.

"Yan, you're the team leader and also his good friend. I hope you can pay special attention to his situation. But at times like this, direct comfort might backfire; we need a more tactful approach."

Yan Yuan immediately understood what the coach meant, and he said solemnly.

"Boss, I understand. Don't worry, William is my brother. I know what to do. I won't bring it up directly, but I'll make him feel that we're all here for him."

After hanging up the phone, Yan Yuan fell into deep thought.

He understood Saliba's personality, and directly expressing sympathy might make him even more withdrawn.

He needs a subtle, gradual approach.

He first created a small group chat, which included several senior players in the team who were stable and had a good relationship with Saliba: Xhaka, Aubameyang, Martinez, and Pepe.

Yan Yuan succinctly explained the situation in the group (asking everyone to keep it absolutely confidential) and set the tone.

"Brothers, something terrible has happened to William's family. His parents have passed away, and he is very sad right now, but he doesn't want anyone to know."

We shouldn't try to comfort him directly, as that would only make him feel worse. What we should do is to show him care quietly, just like usual.

For example, during training video lessons, encourage him by calling out to him more often; in private, play games with him more often and chat about lighthearted things; in daily life, see if he needs help with shopping or anything like that.

Let him feel that we're still here, that the team, this family, is still here, and give him enough space to grieve.

The group of older men immediately understood what was going on.

Xhaka, as one of the vice-captains, is particularly calm: "I understand, Yan. I'll talk to him more, not about football or family, but about games or other trivial matters. To distract him."

Aubameyang is the team's ray of sunshine, but he's also incredibly thoughtful: "Got it, Captain. Saliba is usually pretty cheerful, sigh... Don't worry, I know how to cheer him up."

Martinez: "Don't worry, Captain. We'll take turns 'bothering' him, so he doesn't get bored alone."

Peipei: "Understood, Yan. If you need to buy anything or need any other help, just call me anytime."

Thus, a silent and heartwarming act of support quietly unfolded.

In the following online training sessions, when Saliba moved slowly or lost focus, Yan Yuan would point out the problem as usual, but in a more gentle tone.

"William, focus, try again! You can do it!"

Xhaka would proactively pair up with Saliba during group practice sessions and talk to him in videos.

"Hey bro, keep up with my pace!"

During breaks, Aubameyang would jokingly imitate a coach's actions, making everyone laugh, in an attempt to uplift Saliba's spirits.

Privately, his teammates' "harassment" also became more frequent.

Xhaka will invite Saliba to play FIFA online.

"William, wanna play a couple of rounds? Today I'm going to beat your PSG with Arsenal!" Aubameyang would send him some funny short videos.

Martinez would ask him if he needed any special steaks to be imported from Argentina.

Pepe will share some good movies with Saliba.

Yan Yuan did even more on his own.

He would occasionally have one-on-one video calls with Saliba, initially just to chat about recent games, but later he would share his experiences on how to adjust his mindset when encountering setbacks.

Of course, Yan Yuan did not mention Saliba's experience; he was subtly conveying a positive message.

Saliba was initially somewhat slow to notice these “abnormalities” and even tried to avoid them.

But gradually, he felt that cautious yet incredibly sincere warmth.

He knew his teammates knew, but they didn't look at him with pity, didn't provoke him with sad words, and didn't directly confront him.

Saliba's Arsenal teammates are simply showing him through their actions: You are not alone, we are still by your side, Arsenal is a big family.

Although Saliba remains sad, she still sheds tears alone in the dead of night.

But that bone-chilling cold and feeling of isolation and helplessness was gradually warmed and melted away by the silent help of his teammates.

Football, a sport he once felt had lost its meaning, seemed to have been rekindled with a faint but unwavering light in the company of his teammates.

He knew that when everything returned to normal, he had to stand up again and run on the green field for the sake of his brothers who had silently supported him, and for his parents who were watching him from heaven.

All of this stems from the insightful and wise captain, the group of teammates who treat him like family, and the coach.

Faced with immense personal tragedy, Arsenal as a collective has revealed its warmest and most resilient character.

Arsenal is a big family, and Saliba is already a part of it.