Football: Starting from the 05 World Youth Championship

The news that the Chinese national football team defeated Nigeria and advanced to the Olympic finals was immediately featured on the front page of major portal websites.

Upon learning this news, fans spread the word far and wide, as if afraid others wouldn't know about this momentous occasion.

For Chinese fans, this result was like a dream. Even the most optimistic fans only hoped that the national Olympic team could reach the semi-finals and have a chance to win an Olympic medal before the Olympics.

Almost no one dared to hope for the final championship, because it was the exclusive domain of traditional football powerhouses.

But the national Olympic team miraculously made it to the finals, just one step away from the championship.

Even if they lose in the end, they can at least get a guaranteed silver medal.

This is unprecedented in the history of Chinese football. Even at its peak, the best result for the women's national team in the Olympics was a runner-up finish.

The Chinese Olympic team has already equaled this record, and may even surpass it.

How could this not be exhilarating?
Therefore, this news is spreading rapidly both online and offline at a viral pace.

The next day's news broadcast devoted more than two minutes to reporting on the match, a level of treatment never before seen!

The impact of the national football team's Asian Cup victory last year is probably not as great as that of the Olympic team reaching the Olympic finals.

After all, this is the Olympics!

For the vast majority of Chinese people, the 2008 Olympics were of a higher value than any subsequent Games. It was the first Olympics held in their own country, which had extremely special historical significance. Not to mention that the Olympics have declined in quality and international influence and prestige since then.

If the weak Chinese men's football team could win a gold medal in the Olympics, which is of utmost importance to the nation, the impact of that gold medal on Chinese football would be immeasurable.

The subsequent policy support and the enthusiasm of the people for football will benefit football for at least twenty years!

……

After the match, Lin Feng's phone was ringing off the hook, and his phone was flooded with congratulatory text messages.

"Go for it, son! Your dad and I are so proud of you!"

This is a text message sent by Lin's mother.

"You did a fantastic job today! Get some rest early tonight, and remember to cover yourself well with a blanket when you turn on the air conditioner so you don't catch a cold. I'll be there to cheer you on for the final on Saturday!"

This is a text message from Liu Yifei.

"Your free kick had a bit of my style back in the day!"

This is a text message from Beckham.

"Your performance is truly amazing. Recently, many sponsors, especially those from Asia, have approached us seeking cooperation. I'll come to you for a detailed discussion after the Olympics. Play well in the final and try to win the championship. If you can win the Olympic gold medal and the tournament's best player award, we can negotiate a better price and even help you get next year's Laureus Award in advance!"

This is a text message from agent Mendes.

"Go, boss! You must avenge us!"

This is a text message from his club teammate Marcelo. His Brazilian team suffered a crushing 0-3 defeat to Argentina in the other semi-final, failing to meet China in the final.

"Awesome, bro! Good luck in the finals, beat Argentina! I'll come with Yao Ming and the others to cheer you on!"

This is a text message from Liu Xiang.

Perhaps spurred on by Lin Feng and the national Olympic team, Liu Xiang, after sending that text message, outperformed his competitors in the second round of the 110-meter hurdles with a score of 12:95, successfully advancing to the semifinals.

His excellent form has also filled people with expectations for the final on the 21st.

In everyone's eyes, Liu Xiang ran 12:95 in the preliminary round, which was an amazing performance.

In the final, he might be able to break the world record again, surpassing the record just set by Cuban star Robles and rewriting his own name on it.

This is not just speculation. Liu Xiang, born in 83, just turned 25 this year, which is the peak age of an athlete's career.

As you progress further, your physical fitness, explosiveness, and other physical attributes will begin to decline, making it difficult to break records again.

Cuban star Robles recently broke the world record to 12:87, which provided Liu Xiang with a good incentive.

The second-best time this year is David Oliver's 12:95. Liu Xiang equaled Oliver's time in the preliminary round, which is enough to show his form.

Considering that he has been conserving his energy and preparing for the Olympics all year, there is reason to believe that he will be in top form at the Olympics!
Lin Feng replied to everyone's text messages one by one. When replying to Liu Xiang, he said the following:
"Cheer up, don't embarrass me! I'll be there to cheer you on on the 21st. If you don't win a gold medal, I'll disown you as my brother!"

After reading it, Liu Xiang replied with a grumbling text message: "Champion? You underestimate me too much. I'll break a record for you and set an example!"

Lin Feng: "Good, very energetic!"

I had just finished talking to Liu Xiang when Yao Ming called. In addition to congratulating Lin Feng and the national Olympic team on advancing, he also invited them to watch the game live at Wukesong Arena.

Led by Yao Ming, the men's basketball team has successfully entered the quarterfinals. Tomorrow, they will face their opponent in the quarterfinals.

If the Chinese men's basketball team can win this game, they will advance to the semifinals and set a new team record.

However, Yao Ming and other key players had been too exhausted in previous games, and given Lithuania's formidable strength, few people believed that the Chinese team could defeat Lithuania.

Therefore, their result will most likely be a top-eight finish.

In addition to these people, Lin Feng also received congratulations from many teammates and former teammates from the club and national team, as well as friends, sponsors, Real Madrid officials and other organizations and individuals.

It seems that as an international sporting event, the Olympics has not only attracted widespread attention domestically, but also garnered considerable attention worldwide.

However, Lin Feng was not blinded by victory. The Olympic team was able to make it all the way to the finals not only because of their own strength and the coaching staff's correct tactics and the players' all-out efforts on the field, but also because of luck.

The two opponents of the Chinese Olympic team in the knockout stage, Cameroon and Nigeria, are both Olympic champions, but their strength is not among the strongest in this Olympics.

Argentina, the opponent in the final, is undoubtedly the strongest team in this Olympics.

To win the championship, they must overcome this hurdle, which represents an unprecedented challenge for the Chinese team.

But now that they've made it to the finals, with such a great opportunity before them, the Chinese team has no reason to give up, no matter who their opponent is.

The 85-88 golden generation represents the best lineup that Chinese football can field in the next decade.

If we miss this generation, we may have to wait more than a decade or even longer to achieve something at the Olympics next time.

……

"There are so many people!"

After the match, the national Olympic team rested overnight in Shanghai and took a flight to Beijing early the next morning to prepare for the Olympic final on the 23rd. Just like last time when they flew from Shenyang to Beijing, the national Olympic team was immediately surrounded by enthusiastic fans at the airport as soon as they got off the plane.

Moreover, the number of fans who came to greet them at the airport this time was far greater than the last time.

Judging from the various banners and slogans they displayed, such as "Shaanxi fans congratulate the national Olympic team on advancing to the finals," "Sichuan fans wish Chinese football a triumphant rise," and "Yunnan fans wish the Chinese team immediate success," these fans may have come from all over the country.

Perhaps they heard that the Chinese team had made it to the finals, so they packed their things overnight and flew directly to Beijing to watch the game live?

Seeing so many fans at the scene, everyone was taken aback and couldn't help but start discussing it.

"I feel like I've become a big star, and every move I make attracts so many fans!"

Gao Lin said, quite vainly.

"I don't even want to expose you, but do you think they're after you? They're clearly after Brother Lin and us!"

"Exactly! You've only played in 2 out of 5 games, totaling 60 minutes, and you still have the nerve to pat yourself on the back!"

"You can't say that. Although I haven't played much, my goal-scoring efficiency is high. I've scored 2 goals in 2 games, averaging one goal every 30 minutes. Tell me, isn't that high efficiency?"

"You're efficient, but why don't you play as a starter? Is it because you don't want to?"

Cui Peng retorted sarcastically, which drew laughter from everyone except Gao Lin, who stubbornly argued:

"That was because I magnanimously gave the opportunity to my teammates. I kept my achievements hidden until the team was in its most critical moment, then you'll all know how amazing I am!"

"You blow it!"

Everyone was speechless, and they had to admire this guy's thick skin; it was thick enough to be used as a city wall.

Having learned from their previous experience, the group did not linger at the airport for long. After waving to the fans who came to greet them, they left the airport under the escort of security personnel and boarded the team bus.

"Wow, this bus is different from the previous one!"

"It's been upgraded, and it's now printed with Chinese red!"

"It looks like the national flag was engraved on it, which instantly makes it look much more high-end!"

"Is this the mount we'll be using in the finals?"

"What the hell is this vehicle?! This is our nanny van!"

Everyone looked at the exhibits with great curiosity, touching them left and right, and getting excited.

"Even the seats have been upgraded; they even have a massage function now! I can relax with a massage while traveling!"

"The Football Association has really gone all out. The national team probably hasn't received this kind of treatment before when they went on international tournaments."

"This doesn't look like a car belonging to the Football Association; it belongs to the Sports Bureau!"

This discovery excited everyone even more. The sports bureau bypassed the football association and improved their treatment. What does this mean?
This indicates that their performance has attracted the attention of the General Administration of Sport, which has even begun to provide them with additional preferential treatment.

I thought there were already enough fans at the airport to greet them, but after they came out of the airport, I realized that I hadn't imagined it.

It turns out that in addition to the fans entering the airport, the streets outside were also packed with fans.

Everyone stared in disbelief, utterly shocked:
"It feels like the number of football fans in China has doubled overnight? Have we ever seen such a large-scale event before?"

After recalling for a moment, Li Weifeng spoke:

"Back when we went to Wulihe Stadium to play against Oman, so many fans also flocked to the streets of Shenyang. Fans from all over the country poured into Shenyang just to witness the Chinese team make history by qualifying for the World Cup!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Jihai also recalled that match from back then, and felt a lot of emotions.

I thought that was just the beginning, but it turned out to be the peak.

Since then, Chinese football has fallen into a slump, if it weren't for the stimulus brought by the 05 World Youth Championship and the emergence of a large number of outstanding young players such as Lin Feng.

I can't even imagine how far Chinese football has fallen.

Fortunately, all of that is in the past, compared to when the Chinese team made it to the World Cup.

The excitement of the national Olympic team reaching the Olympic finals this time is no less than that of the past, and may even be more so.

He couldn't even imagine what the Bird's Nest stadium would look like if the Chinese team ultimately won the championship.

It's probably ten or even a hundred times crazier than the Wulihe Stadium back then!

"I have a question: does anyone know how many people the Bird's Nest stadium can hold?"

"I don't know. I heard that more than 90,000 people came to the opening ceremony?"

"Those were temporary seats added, right? You definitely can't do that during a match."

"That must be around 70,000 to 80,000 people, right? It's a pity the Bird's Nest isn't a professional stadium; there's a large running track separating the stands from the playing area, so the viewing experience is a bit lacking!"

Most of the players in this national Olympic team have played abroad, experienced the top stadiums in the five major leagues, and felt the atmosphere of playing in professional stadiums.

The design of the stands being right next to the field greatly amplifies the impact of the spectators on the players on the field.

When fans cheer loudly in the stands, the atmosphere is truly exhilarating.

In terms of interacting with fans, non-professional stadiums are still lacking.

"I'm afraid a dedicated stadium won't be built until we host the World Cup. After all, multi-purpose stadiums can be used for other sports, but dedicated stadiums can only be used for football matches. Their uses are too limited, and the costs are too high. Not many clubs can afford them!"

Given the current economic conditions in China, it is somewhat unrealistic to maintain a professional stadium; probably only a few top clubs with deep pockets can afford to do so.

However, Chinese Super League teams currently rely mainly on sponsorship fees, local football association grants, and a portion of revenue from the football market. Their broadcast revenue and merchandise revenue are far less than those in Europe.

Without these two major sources of income, it would be unrealistic to build professional stadiums that often cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

But if the national Olympic team wins the gold medal at the Olympics, ignites the passion for football among the entire nation, stimulates the football market for the national team and the Chinese Super League, and gets more people to start watching football, then everything will be hard to say.

A professional stadium that might not have been available until 2020 could have been built as early as 2012, perhaps spurred by the championship victory.

On August 20th, the Chinese team checked back into the Beijing Olympic Village, with only three days left until the finals. (End of Chapter)