Chapter 120: Making ripples in world football! [Four thousand words chapter]
As the whistle sounded at the end of the game, both the Uruguayan fans in the Sao Paulo Stadium and the Uruguayan players on the field showed unwillingness.
They thought they could get the key three points from England, thus taking the right to qualify into their own hands.
But now, they are already standing on the precipice of being eliminated from the group!
If Italy defeats Costa Rica in another game tomorrow, it will jump to the top of the group.
Uruguay, with only one point from two games, is at the bottom of the group.
And we can only hope to beat Italy in the final round!
Therefore, when every Uruguayan player shook hands with the English players, they all looked sad with a frown on their face.
They can only pray that in tomorrow's game, Costa Rica can show its tenacious defense in the first game to prevent the Italians from getting points.
And Ling, who scored his first World Cup goal, Feng received congratulations from many teammates.
Although he has not scored his first goal in the World Cup.
However, Rooney was very friendly and generous and stepped forward to shake hands and hug Ling Feng, congratulating the little brother of the national team:
"Ling, congratulations on scoring your first goal!"
“Thanks, Wayne!”
After hesitating for a moment, Rooney said angrily:
"You can pass the ball to me more next time. You know my shooting skills. Every shot is accurate!"
Hearing this, Ling Feng was stunned for a moment, and then showed a bright smile:
“No problem!”
It seems that even Rooney can’t stand the outrageous operation of Sterling’s single-handed attack
However, in this game, After the game, Sterling, who was active throughout the game and provided assists, defeated his teammate Ling Feng and was elected the best player of the game!
In the post-match interview, when Sterling faced the camera, he still expressed his apology to the fans and the fans for his missed single-handed goal:
"Ling's pass was very good. If he scored, , we can win this game.”
“I was a little nervous, so I tried too hard”
“So, I want to say sorry to my teammates and fans”
When he returned to the locker room with the man-of-the-match trophy, Sterling was a little uneasy.
After all, if that single-handed goal was scored, they would not only have scored one point.
However, what he didn't expect was that the moment he entered the locker room, Ling Feng stood up first and stepped forward to shake hands and bump shoulders:
"Well done, La Shim! That inverted triangle is very comfortable!"
Facing Ling Feng's bright smile, Sterling's inner anxiety subsided slightly and he was very moved.
Ling is indeed a good person!
"Thank you, man."
Immediately, Gerrard, Henderson and other Liverpool teammates came forward to shake hands and bump shoulders with him to express their comfort.
Other England teammates also congratulated him on winning the best player of the game.
Let’s not talk about Sterling’s single shot, but just in terms of the overall performance, Sterling is one of the few bright spots in the England team.
If it weren’t for his passing assist, Ling Feng would not have scored his first World Cup goal, nor would he have helped England equalize the score.
Even if we didn't win, it would be a pity.
However, it is completely acceptable to get a valuable draw when the score is behind.
Just as Sterling sat down, Hodgson and the coaching staff also entered the locker room.
The old coach's face flushed with excitement, he clapped his hands, and then said:
"Guys, although we didn't win today's game. But, I can see Your tenacious fighting spirit and fighting spirit are the qualities that a good team must have!”
"However, we definitely still have a lot of room for improvement, which we need to address in training and tactics."
After a pause, Hodgson turned to look at Ling Feng and publicly praised the player for his performance in the second half. The young man who came off the bench to help the team turn the situation around:
"Also, Ling, performed well!"
With these words, Hodgson went to attend the post-match press conference.
When he arrived in the press room, Tavares arrived as well.
The two coaches shook hands sympathetically and began the post-match press conference.
A sports reporter from "Sky Sports" was the first to get the opportunity to ask questions:
"I would like to ask Mr. Tavares about England's No. 15 player Ling Feng coming on as a substitute in the second half. Is it beyond your expectation?"
Faced with this question, the Uruguayan coach just answered truthfully in a low voice:
"Actually, we thought he would start. , and we also made a lot of tactical arrangements for this player. Judging from the performance on the field, we obviously did not restrict him well."
"Mr. Tavares, if you were asked to pick a player from your opponent's team to join your team, who would you choose?"
"My players are all very good. But if it's true, If I had to choose one, I would choose No. 15! "
"His passing, vision, movement and shooting all impressed me. He is the most talented young man I have ever seen. People."
After asking the Uruguayan coach, Hodgson finally faced the media's "torture"
"Mr. Hodgson, Ling Feng performed well after coming off the bench again and helped the team equalize. Score. If he starts, is there a chance to win this game? ”
Obviously, the British media were dissatisfied with Hodgson not letting Ling Feng start the game and only getting a draw.
In other words, the British media are dissatisfied that Hodgson did not listen to their "opinions".
And Hodgson's answer did not show any weakness at all:
"How to choose the starting lineup is my job and my responsibility. What I have to do is to make the players play as a whole on the court!"
"As a first-time member of the national team and For a newcomer participating in a competition like the World Cup, Ling Feng’s performance is amazing.”
"With such a performance, what else can we ask for from a young man who is only 19 years old?"
Another British reporter then continued to ask:
"Many people think Lingfeng will get more playing time. Will he have a chance to start in the World Cup in the next game against Costa Rica? "
Faced with this question, Hodgson was noncommittal and just answered ambiguously:
"Maybe. What I want to say is that no matter who the starting lineup is, it is composed of eleven excellent players!"
Before the press conference ended, the British media had already written articles, reporting and commenting on the game.
In most news reports, Ling Feng, who scored the first goal in this game, became the protagonist of the news:
"Ling Feng came on as a substitute again and saved England!"< br>
“This young man, who is only 19 years old, used his first goal in the World Cup to preserve our hope of qualifying!”
——"Daily Mail"
< br>
"Suarez, who was produced in the Premier League, almost sent England into the abyss, but Ling Feng, who was produced in the English Championship, pulled England back from the edge of the cliff"
"Rooney once again played the whole game without scoring. This It was already his tenth World Cup game. In contrast, Ling Feng surpassed him in less than ninety minutes."
——"Mirror"
< br>“This game was supposed to be a duel between Rooney and Suarez, two star players of the national team. However, a 19-year-old young man stole the spotlight.”
“England’s defense let People are worried. They conceded three goals in two games, especially the Liverpool combination of Gerrard and Henderson, whom Hodgson trusted, could not provide enough defensive strength in the midfield. "If Ling Feng didn't come on as a substitute, he sorted out the ball. The team's offense has also increased the control of the midfield. I can't imagine whether England will lose the ball in the second half under the alternating impact of Suarez and Cavani."
"Sterling's assist was excellent. However, he missed a great opportunity to kill the game and his opponent."
——"The Times"
《 The Times even used the photo of Ling Feng celebrating with his arms outstretched after scoring a goal as the front page cover of the sports section!
It is worth mentioning that the goal scored by Ling Feng allowed him to break many records again!
He became England's second under-21 player to score in the World Cup, besides Michael Owen in 1998!
Because of this goal, he became the youngest player to score in the World Cup after Lionel Messi, ranking seventh on the list of the youngest players to score in the World Cup!
According to post-match statistics from relevant organizations, in addition to the more than 62,000 people who filled the entire Sao Paulo Stadium, more than millions of people watched the Anglo-Ukrainian war on live television.
In other words, whether they were Uruguayan fans, England fans, or fans from other countries, millions of people witnessed Ling Feng scoring the equalizing goal and standing in front of the stands to receive cheers!
“Wow, who is this handsome guy? What’s his name?”
"This celebration is so cool!"
Female fans were attracted by his handsome appearance and domineering celebrations, and began to search for all information about Ling Feng on the Internet.
The male fans were impressed by his skills and began to ask their English friends who the black-haired No. 15 was.
With a new round of praise from the British media, Ling Feng's reputation and popularity in the world have experienced explosive growth.
Who asked him to have good looks, good football skills, and be backed by the British media who are very good at boasting.
After the competition, the name "Ling Feng" once became the top search terms on Twitter, Facebook and other social platforms!
And his social media fans also skyrocketed after the game.
It is no exaggeration to say that the substitute assist in the first game against Italy was just a small test.
After the battle with Uruguay, Ling Feng was like a sharp stone, causing ripples on the lake called "World Football"
. . .
That night.
In the hotel room.
Standing on the balcony, Ling Feng was blowing the evening breeze while chatting with his mother about today's game on his mobile phone.
At this moment, a phone call suddenly came in.
Looking at the name displayed on the caller’s display, Ling Feng couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows:
"Mom, I won't talk anymore. Mr. Mendes called me. He may have something to talk to me about."
"Okay, go to bed early tonight. Mom loves you."
"I love you too."
After ending the call, Ling Feng immediately answered Mendez's phone:
"Good evening, Mr. Mendez."
"Good evening, Ling. Is it convenient for you now?"
"Convenient, you say."
"First of all, congratulations on scoring your first goal in the World Cup today. !”
“Thank you.”
“In order not to disturb your rest, I’ll keep it short. Here’s the thing. After the game ended today, many brands called me. Call me and say I want to sign you!”
"Oh?"
"Among them, Nike and Adidas have both conveyed their intention to sign you!"
Hearing this, Ling Feng couldn't help but feel ripples in his heart.
Adidas and Nike both want to sign a contract with me? !
This sudden good news made Ling Feng sigh:
The World Cup is indeed the most noble and most watched stage in football!
Just as he expected, as long as he performs well in the World Cup, his value will definitely skyrocket and attract more and higher-end commercial brands.
Of course, the most important thing is that he seized the opportunity in his limited playing time and used his outstanding performance to attract the attention of Nike and Adidas!
As the two giants of the world's sports brands, Nike and Adidas have many star players under their brands.
Nike is headed by Cristiano Ronaldo and includes current stars such as Ibrahimovic, Lewandowski, and Modric, as well as retired superstars such as Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
Adidas is led by Messi and stars such as Benzema, Di Maria, and Neuer.
It can be said that the competition between two unparalleled talents is not only on the field, but also in commercial endorsements
As his mind was spinning, Ling Feng did not forget to ask:
“What conditions did they offer?”
“It’s not good enough, at least I don’t think it’s worthy of you.”
Mendes' answer surprised Ling Feng.
“So, what is your professional opinion?”
“We don’t need to refuse. We need to reply to them first. We need to think about it. And then, your performance on the court will be what we get. The key to getting a better offer!”
“I hope you can continue to perform well in the next games and let them see that your value is definitely more than the price!”
< br>Hearing this, Ling Feng raised his eyebrows, and then asked his inner doubts:
"Will this make them think I'm too difficult to deal with?"
"Don't worry, the better your performance, they will only become more and more anxious and can't wait to sign you with a better price."< br>
“This circle has always been like this”
“I understand.”
After hanging up the phone, Ling Feng looked at the brightly lit city of Rio de Janeiro with a burning gaze.< br>
. . .
The next day, the English received great news.
In another match in Group D, Italy unexpectedly lost to Costa Rica!
Costa Rica captain Ruiz scored the winning goal, and goalkeeper Navas made seven saves in a single game to help Costa Rica beat Uruguay and Italy.
While winning two consecutive games, Costa Rica directly locked a qualifying spot!
With Costa Rica's successive upsets, Group D, which was called the "Group of Death" before the game, experienced a surprising situation:
Costa Rica, which was not favored by the public, won both games and accumulated a positive result. Six points, qualifying from the group early.
England, with two draws and two points, is temporarily in second place.
Italy and Uruguay both had one draw and one loss, earning one point.
In the final round, England will face Costa Rica.
And Italy and Uruguay will fight to the death for the last hope of emergence!
(End of this chapter)