Football: Starting from the 05 World Youth Championship

Upon returning to the Olympic Village, the Chinese Olympic team received a warm welcome from the local residents.

Originally, the national Olympic team was just a nobody in the Olympic delegation family. Many people even thought that they got their tickets to the Olympics by virtue of being the host country, so they never had any expectations for them in terms of performance.

However, this seemingly insignificant player quietly made it to the finals, giving everyone a huge surprise.

As is well known, in the traditional three major ball sports, the Chinese team has always relied on the women's football and women's volleyball teams to make a name for themselves.

The men's football and men's basketball teams have not performed particularly well. The men's basketball team is in a slightly better position, as they have at least managed to qualify for the Olympics based on their own strength.

However, the men's football team has struggled to qualify for the Olympics on its own merits. Since China resumed participation in the Olympics in 1980, the men's football team has only participated once, and the final result was that they did not win a single game, did not score a single goal, and were eliminated at the bottom of the group.

Given these impressive historical achievements, it's hard for people to have high expectations for them.

But it is precisely because of this that the breakthrough achieved by the men's football team at the Olympics is so impressive.

Whether you watch football or not, this news has been all over your head these past few days. Everyone remembers this team and is also very curious about these players.

People may not have a deep impression of the other members of the national Olympic team, but they can't help but remember Lin Feng, because he was the flag bearer for the Chinese team at this Olympic Games.

"Oh, so he plays soccer?"

"He's so tall, I thought he played basketball!"

"The basketball team's side is taller, right? Look, Yao Ming is over 2.2 meters tall!"

"I don't remember what he did, I only remember how handsome he was!"

"Hehe, you're such a fangirl!"

"Are all soccer players this handsome? I heard that many soccer players' wives and girlfriends are singers or big-name celebrities."

"I don't know, I'm not sure. I don't know the other people, but I think he's pretty handsome!"

"Should we go and strike up a conversation, ask for his contact information or something? I heard he's only in his early twenties, and probably doesn't even have a girlfriend yet!"

Several young female athletes were whispering to each other, but when Lin Feng sensed something and glanced in their direction, they all blushed and lowered their heads like children caught doing something wrong. They were too shy to even look Lin Feng in the eye, let alone approach him to chat.

"Your popularity is truly astounding! You're probably the most popular person on the Chinese team right now!"

When Liu Xiang heard that Lin Feng had arrived, he gave him a warm hug and offered him a room next door while carrying his suitcase.

"Brother Xiang is joking. When it comes to popularity, you're still the best. Who can compare to your national recognition!"

This isn't Lin Feng being modest. While football has a huge influence, it's ultimately a team sport. Winning a championship is the result of the entire team's hard work and can't be entirely attributed to any one athlete.

But the competitions Liu Xiang participates in are different. The 110-meter hurdles are an individual event. If he wins, he's awesome. Of course, if he loses, he's the only one who gets criticized.

This is precisely why Liu Xiang's two withdrawals from the Olympics brought him such a huge backlash.

"Don't say that, it puts a lot of pressure on me!"

"Tch, now you realize the pressure? Who was bragging to me in the text yesterday that they were going to break a record for me?"

Liu Xiang said he was under a lot of pressure, but in the men's 110-meter hurdles semi-final held that evening, he still beat Cuban star Robles with a time of 12:97 to win first place.

Running times under 13 seconds before the finals consecutively is enough to show that Liu Xiang is in excellent form right now.

So far in this Olympic Games, only Liu Xiang has run under 13 seconds in all the men's 110-meter hurdles events. Other athletes, such as American star Oliver and Cuban star Robles, have all failed to break the 13-second barrier.

Of course, this could also be because they are saving their energy for the final, since the 110-meter hurdles schedule is very tight, basically one race per day.

If you expend too much energy in the previous matches, you may not be able to perform at your best in the final.

As long as they secure a spot in the finals, that's enough. For these players who are aiming for the championship, the real battle will begin when the finals start.

Therefore, while people are happy about Liu Xiang's outstanding performance at such a young age, they are also somewhat worried.

"Liu Xiang got into form too early. If he used up his desire for victory and his excitement before the final started, it might not be a good thing."

However, when Lin Feng saw that Liu Xiang was still full of energy after the race, he felt that the outside world's worries were a bit unnecessary.

This guy's desire for the gold medal in the final is probably beyond what ordinary people can imagine.

"I'm going to Wukesong to watch the game, do you want to come?"

After watching Liu Xiang's competition at the Bird's Nest, Lin Feng planned to head to another stadium for an appointment.

"Go, of course!"

Liu Xiang and Yao Ming have always had a very good relationship. Today may be the most crucial game for the men's basketball team. Even if they are just friends, they should go to the stadium to cheer him on.

So he quickly took a shower, changed his clothes, and hurriedly went to Wukesong Arena with Lin Feng.

When the two arrived, the game had not yet started, and the players from both sides were warming up by shooting hoops on the court.

Due to their immense popularity in China during this period, almost everyone in the world knows them.

Unsurprisingly, the moment the two entered the Wukesong Arena, they immediately caused a stir among the fans in the stands.

Hearing the commotion, Yao Ming, who was warming up, couldn't help but look up towards the stands.

"Why are you two here?"

Yao Ming walked happily to the sidelines and gave the two men a high-five.

"We're here to cheer you on! Who's your opponent today? Can you beat them?"

Liu Xiang chose a comfortable position and sat casually on the chair.

"Playing against Lithuania is a very strong opponent; it's hard to say whether we can win!"

"With you here, how could we not win? Apart from those beasts on the American team, I feel like no one else can beat you!"

Hearing Liu Xiang say that, Yao Ming was both amused and exasperated.

Team sports are very different from individual sports. No matter how strong an individual is, it will be difficult to win a game if the team has weaknesses.

He believed Lin Feng understood this, since football is a sport that emphasizes teamwork even more than basketball, and the roles he and Lin Feng played in their respective teams were quite similar.

"Just play your best, don't worry about winning or losing, just do your best. Oh, and watch out for Lithuania's double-teams, I feel like they'll use that tactic against you!" Yao Ming is the core player of the men's basketball team and China's top scorer, playing an irreplaceable role.

If Lin Feng were the opposing coach, he would definitely focus on devising a strategy to target Yao Ming. If the Chinese team could simply shut down Yao Ming, winning the game would be a foregone conclusion.

Indeed, Lithuania's "attention" to Yao Ming in this game was truly outrageous.

In the first half, Yao Ming only scored 5 points under the opponent's targeted attack, setting a new low for the game.

Jonas's strategy of sacrificing Yao Ming and boldly attacking Zhu Fangyu proved to be a complete failure in the first half.

By the end of the second quarter, the Chinese team was already down by 11 points, and their star player Yao Ming was in poor form. The Chinese team couldn't find a way to turn the game around, and the game was practically over before it even started.

But starting in the third quarter, Yao Ming gradually regained his form. He made several strong attacks on the inside and drew fouls from the opponent. He then scored six points in a row from the free throw line, leading the Chinese team to a small offensive surge and once bringing the score to within one point.

But the good times didn't last long. The opposing team started to make their outside shooting effective, and a few three-pointers not only stabilized the situation but also widened the gap between the two teams again.

Despite the Chinese team calling a timeout, the effect after the timeout was still not good. By the end of the third quarter, the point difference had not only not been narrowed, but had widened to 14 points.

Although Zhu Fangyu boosted morale with a three-pointer from the right wing at the start of the fourth quarter, the opponent immediately responded with a three-pointer of their own. The opponent then scored continuously, and although Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi also scored four points with mid-range shots, the point difference continued to widen.

With seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Lithuania's Yasetis hit another three-pointer, extending the lead between the two teams to 20 points.

Although Yao Ming scored two points with a strong attack under the basket, Yasetti hit another three-pointer in the next possession, shattering the last glimmer of hope for the Chinese team.

At this point, the Chinese team had no chance of turning the tide, and Jonas chose to substitute Yao Ming to rest.

With Yao Ming off the court, the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt.

In the end, after a hard-fought battle, the Chinese team lost to Lithuania 72-94, ending their run in the quarterfinals.

Three Chinese players scored in double figures throughout the game. Yao Ming led the scoring with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Yi Jianlian added 11 points and 9 rebounds, while Liu Wei contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds in the final quarter.

Although the score was a few points higher than in the original timeline, the final result remained unchanged.

The Chinese team really lost this game without any chance of winning. It was simply because they were not as strong as their opponents. Although Yao Ming regained his form in the second half and had a certain advantage in the paint, the Chinese team simply couldn't stop the opponent's outside shooters.

How can you compete if you're down by 10 three-pointers in a game?
"It's a pity I have to say goodbye to the Olympics. Now it's up to you two!"

Yao Ming's face was full of regret. Before the game, he had set a goal for himself to reach the semi-finals.

However, he failed to achieve this goal. During the group stage, the men's basketball team played well against the United States and Spain. In particular, against Spain, they once pushed their opponents to the brink of defeat and even dragged the game into overtime.

Unfortunately, the men's basketball team still lacked consistent scoring options and ultimately lost to Spain in overtime, finishing with a record of 2 wins and 3 losses in the group stage.

With this result, it's almost impossible for them to advance further into the quarterfinals, as they faced the top team from another group in their very first match – Lithuania.

In the history of the Olympics, the Chinese men's basketball team has never beaten Lithuania, and today's loss is just a continuation of that history.

"Don't think too much. Once the competition is over, get some rest. You've been traveling back and forth all year. If you don't rest now, your body might not be able to take it!"

Seeing Yao Ming's tired face, Lin Feng couldn't help but offer a reminder.

He vaguely remembered that Yao Ming retired so early because of frequent injuries.

The main reasons for his frequent injuries are twofold: firstly, his aggressive weight gain under the Rockets' tactical requirements; and secondly, his frequent travel between his club and national team.

The distance between China and the United States is like a vast mile. Every time he returns to China to participate in a competition, he inevitably has to go through a lot of trouble. This is especially true for someone of Yao Ming's size, as the journey is even more exhausting and puts a greater burden on his body.

In fact, it's unnecessary to recall all the players who have played in the NBA for many competitions. Let the young players be the ones to develop, and then recall them when it comes to international competitions and when it's time to fight for honors.

Yao Ming is strong, but you can't just keep taking advantage of him!
Even if he were made of iron, he couldn't withstand such torment.

In this respect, the Chinese Football Association has done a better job than the Chinese Basketball Association.

During the previous World Cup qualifiers, Chinese national team coach Zhu Guanghu faced immense external pressure and refrained from forcibly recalling players like Lin Feng, who were competing in the league, thus preventing them from being caught up in a four-front war.

After the club's matches ended, the overseas players returned home and still crushed their opponents, advancing as group winners.
"Don't worry, I will carry on with your expectations!"

Liu Xiang, with the air of a typical immature teenager, patted his chest and said.

Lin Feng subconsciously took a step to the side. Don't tell me I know him, I can't afford to lose face like that!
"Hehe, your final is tomorrow, right? I don't have any matches to play right now, so I'll come to the stadium to cheer you on!"

It's only polite to reciprocate; since others came to cheer him on, Yao Ming felt he had to return the favor.

I didn't go before because I was busy with preparations and training and couldn't find the time.

Now that there are no matches, there's plenty of time.

He will not only go to the Bird's Nest to watch Liu Xiang's competition, but he will also go to the stadium to cheer for Lin Feng and his teammates when their competition begins.

"That's great! By the way, Xiao Linzi, are you coming?"

Lin Feng slapped Liu Xiang's hand off his shoulder:
First, my name is not Xiao Linzi.

Secondly, I have training tomorrow…

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Xiang interrupted him:
"My match is very quick, only a few minutes, it won't interfere with your training!"

After he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and asked curiously:

"Wait a minute, my match is at 8:45 PM. Do you guys have training scheduled for tonight?"

"Turning off the lights and going to bed on time is a basic quality of professional athletes!"

Lin Feng said righteously.

"Come on, I don't believe you can fall asleep once you get into bed. It's decided then. I'll have someone deliver the tickets to you later!"

"return!"

Lin Feng called out to Liu Xiang: "Give me four tickets. My parents are coming too. Um... they're your fans. Remember to give me a few autographed photos when you give me the tickets!"

"Your parents need three tickets to come, why do you need four?"

Liu Xiang looked utterly bewildered. (End of Chapter)