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

In late October, a few more leaves turned yellow outside the window, and autumn in Hoffenheim grew stronger day by day.

On the training field, under the supervision of the rehabilitation therapist, Yan Yuan is already able to jog slowly with the ball without contact and make slight changes of direction.

After practicing Tai Chi for a few days, I can barely feel the injury in my ribs anymore, and my lower body is much more stable.

The day when he can fully recover and return to competition and training is not far away.

Just as Yan Yuan was concentrating on practicing ball control and first pass against the wall, Mia, the administrative assistant of the youth training academy, found him with a thin envelope in her hand.

"Yan, your mock exam results are out." Mia handed them over with a smile.

She had always had a good impression of this academically gifted Asian boy, who consistently ranked first in every exam.

"Thank you, Mrs. Mia." Yan Yuan stopped playing ball, wiped his sweat, and took the envelope.

His heart inexplicably quickened a little.

He never slacked off in his studies at the academy. Even though he shone in the Champions League, he still put a lot of effort into his academic subjects.

He knew the importance of this mock exam, as it concerned his predicted score in the German university entrance exam system (Abitur), which was the key to applying to top universities.

He returned to the locker room, found a quiet corner to sit down, took a deep breath, and tore open the envelope.

"call…"

The envelope was opened, revealing writing in black and white on it.

His eyes scanned eagerly over the grades: German (Literature and Analysis), Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, German History, and Economic Geography, as well as other courses.

Numbers jumped out at me.

Mathematics: 1 point (1 point is the maximum score for the German university entrance exam; the closer to 1, the better the score)

Physics: 1 point

Computer Science: 1 point

German: 1 point

German history: 1.1 points

Economic Geography: 1.3 points

……

Yan Yuan's fingers traced over the scores, finally pausing only briefly on the "1.3" in Economic Geography.

That was his only slightly flawed point, mainly due to an open-ended essay question related to the European energy structure.

The college teachers' evaluation of Yan Yuan was that "his arguments lacked a macro-level depth."

Fortunately, it didn't have much of an impact, because he was a science student.

This is the reward he earned from countless nights of studying hard at his desk since he received his basic education, and from persevering through exhaustion after training.

This result was enough to bring him some comfort.

With this score, you can apply to top universities in Europe and even the world.

However, this joy lasted only a moment before being overshadowed by another thought.

Today is October 20th.

The German university entrance exam is next summer, a crossroads that will determine Yan Yuan's academic career for the next four years or even longer, so he must prepare in advance.

For most universities, especially the world's top universities that Yan Yuan admires, the application deadline is usually around January 15th of next year.

What does this mean?

This means he must now use his existing, extremely good, near-perfect predicted score for the German university entrance exam to apply in advance.

If his application is approved in advance, Yan Yuan will take the official German university entrance exam in May of the following year.

If his college entrance exam score is close to his predicted score, he can successfully receive an offer from his target university.

A feeling of excitement mixed with slight bewilderment filled Yan Yuan's heart.

Needless to say, the threshold for top universities is extremely high, and his academic performance absolutely qualifies him to make an attempt.

But when the choice truly fell into Yan Yuan's own hands, he became worried.

Which one should I choose?

Imperial College London? Cambridge? Oxford? Or the Technical University of Munich in Germany, or MIT in the US? Stanford? Their engineering and science programs are unparalleled...

Yan Yuan's identity is too special. He is not only a student who studies very well, but he is also the most expensive U18 professional player in the Bundesliga.

That incredible goal-scoring record in the Champions League hit like a heavy hammer on the top scorers list and in the reports of all the top club scouts.

Yan Yuan must excel in both his academic studies and his football career.

If I keep thinking about it, new questions arise.

Are the universities he chooses, the countries and cities they are located in, compatible with his football life?

Even if Yan Yuan's application is successful, it is unlikely that he will be able to immerse himself in campus life like an ordinary student, attending classes or taking exams as usual.

When that time comes, the intensive training camps and international match days will interrupt my study plans countless times.

Therefore, it is particularly important for Yan Yuan which university can provide sufficient understanding and flexible curriculum arrangements, such as offering a large number of online course resources, a flexible credit system, and rich remote learning support to accommodate a "special student" who is destined to be absent from class for a long time but has outstanding academic ability.

On the field, he can rely on his own efforts and the help of the system, but when it comes to making decisions on the more complex path of life, he needs a deeper wisdom.

Fortunately, he has a loving father who is well-versed in European social etiquette.

After returning home, Yan Yuan immediately made a video call to his father.

On the screen, Yan's father appears to have just finished a meeting, dressed in a sharp suit, with an office bookshelf in the background.

"Dad, my Abitur mock exam results from the youth academy are out."

Mr. Yan immediately put down the documents in his hand, his eyes filled with concern and keen insight: "Oh? Tell me quickly!"

"Well... these are my grades," Yan Yuan said, showing his report card to the camera, trying to keep his tone calm. "I got full marks in math, physics, and computer science, and almost in German too. I only got a little bit less in economics and geography."

Dad Yan squinted as he carefully examined the scores, his expression gradually relaxing until it finally blossomed into a satisfied smile.

"Good...good lad! That's real skill! This report card will make you proud!"

He knew how difficult it was for his son to persevere in his studies under Germany's high-intensity youth training system.

"Dad," Yan Yuan's tone turned low, tinged with confusion, "I really want to apply to universities in the UK. The UCAS deadline is January 15th next year, but... I don't know where to apply."

Yan's father's expression also turned serious; he knew what his son was truly troubled by.

He hesitated for a moment, then instead of giving an immediate answer, asked, "Son, have you checked the latest Transfermarkt market valuations?"

Yan Yuan was taken aback, then shook his head: "I've been focusing on resuming training recently, so I haven't had time to take a closer look."

"You silly child, how come you don't even care about your own net worth... Look, your current net worth is 7100 million euros." Yan's father turned the computer screen towards Yan Yuan to show him.

The screen displays: 【YAN YUAN 71M€】

"This market value skyrocketed after you scored 10 goals in the Champions League. You are currently the most valuable player in Hoffenheim's history, and also the most expensive U18 player in the entire Bundesliga."

"Huh!? No??? So many?!" Yan Yuan was a little surprised. He knew he had performed well, but he didn't expect his price to have soared to this level.

"So," Yan's father's voice became incredibly clear, carrying the cold insight of a seasoned agent, "your 'current value' in the football field is already very high, not just a prediction of future potential."

Do you know what this means? It means that top clubs have an urgent need for your current, immediate impact players. It might not be in the winter transfer window, but it could be next summer…

Your departure from Hoffenheim is practically a done deal.

Looking at his son's increasingly serious face in the video, he continued, "You are facing a very clear situation: a dream of attending a top STEM university, and a major turning point in your football career that could happen within six months."

When choosing a university, geographical factors will become the top priority, even surpassing purely academic rankings.

You need a place where football and academics can coexist, at least theoretically feasible in terms of scheduling.

Otherwise, what if you go to a prestigious university in a less-than-ideal location and then get signed by a top club, spending every day on transoceanic flights adjusting to time differences to catch up on matches and classes?

Son, that's not trying to balance things out, that's courting death.

After listening to his father's words, Yan Yuan began to ponder.

His father's analysis completely stripped away the idealistic veneer, revealing a wealth of practical information to him.

"Dad, where do you think it's most likely?" he pressed.

"London," Yan's father uttered the word with absolute certainty.

"London?" Yan Yuan's eyes lit up, and the point instantly appeared on the world map in his mind.

"Yes, London." Yan's father spoke faster, as if he were presenting a meticulously crafted business plan. "First of all, regarding the quality of teaching, since you prefer science, Imperial College London is definitely a top choice for you."

This is a world-class institution for science and technology, especially in pure science fields such as engineering, physics, and computer science. It is one of the world's benchmarks, and your grades and potential perfectly match its requirements.

Using this place as a starting point for your studies is a solid choice!

He paused briefly to give his son time to process what he was saying, then added:

"Secondly, football. Putting aside everything else, there are three Premier League giants in London alone: ​​Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham."

This doesn't even include teams like Crystal Palace, Fulham, and West Ham United, whose home stadiums and world-class training facilities are all located in the London area.

Imagine if you were to transfer to any of the three clubs in the future, whether the training base is in Stanford Bridge, Kearney, or White Hart Lane, it would definitely meet your commuting needs.

It is perfectly acceptable to take important exams at Imperial College London's South Kensington campus during rest days, competition adjustment days, or even flight breaks.

At that time, whether it's the school or the club, switching between the two can be done with minimal time and physical distance loss; that's true balance.

After his father's analysis, Yan Yuan had understood most of it.

Finally, Yan's father emphasized one point: "Moreover, your undergraduate studies only last three years. In those three years, no matter what you learn at IC, even if you have to temporarily put it aside due to your competitive state, having an offer from IC will always be a fallback plan."

(Except for specialized subjects, undergraduate degrees in the UK are usually three years long)

But if you miss out on London, the only geographically unique place that offers both top-tier football and top-tier academics, you might end up studying elsewhere for two or three months only to be poached by other clubs.

At that point, time, energy, and credit will be a huge waste. London's solution is currently the one with the most manageable risk and opportunity cost among all options.

Yan's father's words were like a precise scalpel, cutting through the fog before his son's eyes.

All the concerns and pros and cons are concentrated in London, a city hub, and around Imperial College London, an academic fortress.

The three Premier League landmarks – Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham – seem to have been truly connected into an imaginable, tangible, and inclusive future map.

Although this path is destined to be full of challenges, the route is crystal clear.

After saying goodbye to his father and hanging up the phone, Yan Yuan sat alone at his desk for a long time.

He visited Imperial College London's website several times, admiring the beautifully designed school emblem, the simple yet powerful images of the campus buildings, and especially the modern and profound course descriptions from the School of Computer Science, all of which strongly attracted the heart of this science student.

He then searched for Chelsea's Cobham training ground, Arsenal's Colney, and Tottenham's White Hart Lane community.

Looking at the map, they are not too far from Imperial College South Kensington campus in a straight line and have a well-developed transportation network.

An unprecedented sense of clear purpose welled up in Yan Yuan's heart.

About ten minutes later, he sat down at his computer and logged into the UCAS (UK University Application System) platform.

The information on the page was carefully filled in, item by item.

His personal information, educational background, and especially his impressive transcript from the youth academy, were uploaded with great care.

He didn't hesitate at all when it came to choosing universities and majors.

[First Choice]

Institution Name: Imperial College London

Major: Computer Science (BEng/MEng)

Yan Yuan slid the mouse cursor on the screen, paused for a moment before clicking the "Submit" button, took a deep breath, and then pressed the left mouse button.

The interface pops up and displays:

"Your UCAS application (including key information such as predicted grades) has been successfully submitted to Imperial College London (Computer Science)."

The green notification light for the message being sent flashed briefly. Yan Yuan leaned back in his chair and let out a long, silent breath.

His target has been set: Imperial College London.