When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 171 Who did Bart take over?

France won a free kick in the attacking third. Zidane quickly took the free kick and passed the ball to Roy again.

Gerrard braced himself against Roy's back, spreading his arms to try and block the passing lane.

Roy received the ball with his back to the goal, first feigning a move to the right, then suddenly took a step around the ball and turned to the left, deftly passing the ball to Gallas, who was making a high-speed run down the right flank.

Galas dribbled down the wing and played a one-two with Giuly. Just as he was about to break into the penalty area, Ashley Cole, who was chasing back, made a flying tackle to block the ball out of bounds.

France has been awarded a corner kick.

Giuly stood in the right corner flag area, took a run-up, and unleashed a curling shot.

A scramble ensued inside the penalty area, but Rooney headed the ball out of the box first.

France regrouped their attack from the outside. Zidane received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and played a through ball to Gallas.

Gallas made no adjustments and passed the ball back to Vieira, who was following up.

Vieira unleashed a powerful shot from 20 meters out, his right-footed volley arcing high before flying over the crossbar.

French fans in the stands let out a sigh of regret, while English fans breathed a sigh of relief.

The game continued, and England goalkeeper James leisurely walked to the back of the goal, preparing to take a goal kick.

James launched a long goal kick, the ball soaring high towards midfield.

Lampard and Makelele started simultaneously and collided violently at the landing point.

The two men's shoulders collided violently.

Lampard tried to control the ball with his chest, but Makelele blocked his position with his body. The two men's arms were entangled, and neither could fully control the ball.

The ball bounced back and forth between the two men's legs, as if caught in a fierce tug-of-war.

In that split second, Beckham made a sharp cut inside from the right flank.

He darted forward and deftly poked the ball with his toe, regaining possession from the chaos.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately used his signature right foot to precisely pass the ball to Gerrard on the left flank.

Gerrard received the ball and tried to advance, but Vieira followed closely behind.

He could only pass the ball across to Lampard, but the pass was a little weak, and Makelele quickly pokes the ball away.

France immediately launched a counter-attack. Zidane received the ball and made a diagonal pass to Henry on the left wing. Fortunately, Gary Neville returned to defend in time and cleared the ball out of bounds.

England reorganized, with Beckham frequently dropping deep to receive the ball and making runs back and forth on the right flank in an attempt to receive it.

But Gerrard and Lampard's passing game always lacked a bit of chemistry.

Either the runs overlap, or the timing of the passes and runs is off.

After several forced passes, the French team lost possession again.

After intercepting the ball, Gallas immediately made a long pass to Roy. Roy received the ball with his back to goal, made a clever turn to get past Ledley King, but the final through ball was intercepted by Campbell.

England's counterattack failed once again, and Beckham wiped the sweat from his brow, looking somewhat helpless.

France completely controlled the pace of the game, and England's midfield seemed to be put on pause, with frequent passing errors and a lack of attacking momentum.

Roy frequently dropped back to the right flank to receive the ball, and his ball handling style caused headaches for the England defense.

Sometimes he would lightly tap the ball with his toes to quickly pass it, and sometimes he would suddenly accelerate and change direction, tearing open gaps.

Ashley Cole was left bewildered by his fakes and had to frequently call for Ridley King to help out.

Zidane orchestrated the midfield with ease, no longer needing to dribble and break free as frequently as he used to.

Whenever Gerrard closed in, the maestro simply passed the ball to the right wing, and Roy was always in the most comfortable position to receive it.

On one occasion, the two even completed a one-two pass spanning thirty meters, with the ball weaving back and forth between the England midfield lines, like playing a game of cat and mouse.

Henry, on the other hand, roamed like a ghost in the vacuum between Campbell and Ledley King.

He would sometimes drop back to receive the ball, and sometimes suddenly surge forward, putting the England center-backs in a dilemma.

If he goes out to mark Henry, Roy will exploit the gaps behind him.

If they hold their defensive line, they fear that Henry will be able to organize an attack at his leisure.

France's attacking quartet kept the defenders constantly on their toes: Zidane orchestrated the midfield, Roy was ready to charge down the right flank, Henry roamed the edge of the penalty area, and Giuly was lurking on the other side.

What's even more terrifying is that all four of them can suddenly break through, and whoever gets the ball could create a dangerous situation.

Whenever the English players tried to press the ball carrier, the French players were always able to pass the ball in time.

The ball spun rapidly at their feet, as if they were practicing precise passing.

If the defense relaxes even slightly, one of them will suddenly accelerate and break through, causing the England defense to collapse instantly.

This constant pressure left the Three Lions players with no chance to catch their breath.

The French team's passing network is becoming increasingly intricate.

The ball moved quickly between Zidane, Roy and Henry, and was occasionally passed to Lizarazu who was making a run down the left flank.

The English players seemed to be participating in a rondo training session that was always a step behind. Lampard and Gerrard's frantic interceptions only made the French team's passing flow more smoothly.

In the twelfth minute, Roy received the ball on the right wing again.

Facing Ashley Cole's defense.

He flicked the ball three times with his right foot, his toes hovering over it, but Cole maintained perfect defensive distance and remained motionless.

Roy suddenly accelerated violently, and Cole immediately turned around and gave chase.

Just as Cole was about to close in, Roy suddenly stopped and cut back, pulling the ball sharply with his right foot.

Cole's center of gravity was completely fooled, and he staggered to a stop.

Before Cole could adjust, Roy once again accelerated violently and went straight to the byline, curling a half-high arc ball with his right foot.

The ball arced around Campbell, who was covering, and found Henry making a run into the far post.

Henry arrived quickly and met the ball near the penalty spot.

The pass came so fast and quickly that he didn't have time to adjust his footing and could only push the ball with his left foot.

The ball headed straight for the bottom right corner of the goal, but James reacted quickly, diving to his side and using his knee to block the ball out of bounds.

Before the gasps from the stands had even subsided, Vieira had already won the second ball, and his powerful shot grazed the crossbar and flew out, giving the England fans a scare.

BBC commentator John Motson roared: "Roy dribbles past Cole! Grazed the crossbar! God, are the French trying to devour us alive!"

Partner Mark Lawrenson, panting, added:
"Cole was completely outmaneuvered, and Campbell was a step too slow in covering. James saved England! But if they continue playing like this, conceding a goal is only a matter of time!"

John Motson lowered his voice:
"Listen, we have to get Beckham to the ball as soon as possible—otherwise the French’s next attack will be the death of us."

During this period, the French team completely controlled the rhythm of the game and launched a siege against England.

Makelele orchestrated attacks in midfield like a perpetual motion machine. In the 15th minute, his diagonal pass found Zidane, whose signature long-range shot went just wide, giving England fans a scare.

Roy's performance in the attacking third was nothing short of amazing.

In the 17th minute, after receiving a pass from Vieira in the penalty area, he deftly flicked the ball up with his right foot and completed a 180-degree turn while facing Ledley King's close marking. The whole movement was fluid and graceful.

Before the ball even hit the ground, he volleyed it, but it was blocked by Campbell who came to cover in time.

France's attacks came wave after wave, with exquisite teamwork in the attacking third.

Roy first dropped back to midfield to receive the pass, and then exchanged two quick one-touch passes with Zidane.

These two seemingly simple crosses caused England's defensive formation to begin to loosen.

Scholes had to follow Roy's movements, while Gerrard was led astray by Zidane.

Just as the England defense was in a brief moment of disarray, Roy suddenly made a run forward, and Zidane, understanding perfectly, delivered a through ball.

As Roy ran, he deftly flicked the ball to his left rear with the back of his right foot, and the ball found Makelele, who was unmarked.

After receiving the ball, the Chelsea midfielder calmly created space by making a sudden stop and change of direction, facing Lampard who was rushing to cover.

Unfortunately, his final shot went just over the crossbar, missing a golden opportunity to open the scoring for France.

Two minutes later, Gallas and Giuly executed a brilliant one-two on the right wing, forcing Campbell to make a sliding tackle to deflect the cross out of play.

England's counter-attacks were few and far between.

In the 27th minute, when Scholes received the ball in the backfield, Beckham had already made a high-speed run down the right flank and raised his hand to ask for the ball, but Scholes opted for a long over-the-top pass to Gerrard on the left flank.

Rooney made a diagonal run into the penalty area from the center, trying to draw Thuram's defensive attention.

Irving suddenly retreated to the top of the arc, preparing to receive a possible inverted triangle pass.

Lampard followed up from midfield, pressing forward to the edge of the penalty area, waiting for a long-range shooting opportunity.

Ashley Cole overlapped with Gerrard on the wing, but Gerrard opted to cut inside, resulting in a slight overlap in their runs.

On the French side, Gallas anticipated the move and abandoned the flanks while tightening up the middle.

Makelele tracked back to block Lampard's potential receiving route.

Thuram blocked Rooney's forward run, forcing Gerrard to make a hard run.

Lizarazu held the near post to prevent Gerrard from delivering a low cross.

Gerrard had just cut into the penalty area when Gallas made a surgical tackle, clearing the ball out of bounds.

The French defense displayed textbook-perfect teamwork at this moment – ​​everyone was in the right position and made the most rational choice.

Compared to the disharmony in England's tactics, the French team's teamwork was pleasing to the eye.

In the 36th minute, Giuly delivered a cross with an arc, and Vieira cleverly flicked it on with his heel. If it weren't for King's crucial clearance, Henry would have almost delivered the fatal blow.

During this period, every touch of the ball by Roy put the England defense on edge.

He would sometimes drop back to receive the ball, and sometimes suddenly surge forward, forming a triangular passing pattern with Henry and Zidane, tearing England's midfield defense to shreds.

Eriksen stood on the sidelines with a furrowed brow.

He originally instructed Lampard and Gerrard to focus on marking Zidane, but found that the French team's attacking core was constantly changing.

When Zidane drops back, Roy will suddenly take over the playmaking duties, getting past his marker and distributing the ball to orchestrate the midfield.

Once the England defense pushes forward, he instantly transforms into a striker, tearing open gaps on the flanks with just two changes of direction.

What's even more troublesome is Henry's habit of cutting inside.

Whenever Neville was led towards the center by Henry, Roy would immediately dart diagonally into the right flank as if he had radar installed.

France's front three were like a flowing symphony, constantly rotating between the ball-handling point, the receiving point, and the attacking point, making England's man-marking defense seem like chasing a phantom.

In the 38th minute, France's attack was stubbornly thwarted by England.

Lizarazu launched a long pass from the backfield to Henry, but Campbell outmaneuvered his opponent to win the first ball.

Gerrard skillfully controlled the ball in the scramble, turned deftly to shake off the pressure, and then delivered a precise lob pass over the top with his left foot.

Beckham on the right wing understood perfectly and volleyed the ball across the ground before it even hit the ground.

Owen launched himself like an arrow, played a one-two with Rooney, and then went straight into the French penalty area.

The England fans in the stands erupted in cheers, which swept across the stadium like a tidal wave.

However, Thuram displayed the composure of a world-class center-back, fighting and retreating while forming a pincer movement with Abidal, who made timely cover.

Irving managed to get a shot off under pressure from two defenders, but Barthez made a clean save.

The French goalkeeper quickly launched a counter-attack with a throw-in, Gallas kicked the ball long to Vieira, who then passed it out, and the Azzurri's attacking wave surged once again.

The rapid transition between offense and defense within just 20 seconds was breathtaking, and the emotions of both sets of fans were like riding a roller coaster.

TF1 commentator Thierry Rolland roared: "This is French football! An iron wall of defense, a lightning-fast counter-attack! From hell to heaven in 20 seconds, gentlemen—this is the Azzurri!"

Vieira delivered a precise low through ball from midfield to Roy.

Roy, with his back to the attacking direction, appeared to be stopping the ball, but at the moment of contact, he flicked the ball behind him with his heel, dribbling past Scholes who was making a diving tackle.

Giuly understood perfectly and made a diagonal run to receive the pass. The two completed two one-touch passes while running, instantly tearing apart England's midfield defense.

The French commentator spoke urgently: "At this moment, Henry has quietly moved inside, drawing Campbell away from the penalty area, while Zidane moves laterally, ready to receive the cutback pass at any time."

After receiving the ball, Roy did not hesitate and gently passed it to Henry on the left wing with his right foot.

Campbell was right behind Henry, but the Arsenal striker calmly passed the ball across, and it returned to Roy's feet. "Roy passes it across to Henry on the wing! Watch this!"

At this moment, Roy suddenly started moving on the edge of the penalty area, using three consecutive stepovers to shake off Ledley King.

Just as Kim hesitated, Roy flicked the ball to the left with his right foot, pretending to kick but suddenly pulling back, and the ball changed direction continuously as if it were glued to his foot.

The most exciting moment has arrived.

Roy flicked the ball with his right foot, and it just cleared the tip of the golden sliding tackle.

Facing James's attack, he first swung his leg as if to unleash a powerful shot, but then turned the shot into a lob the moment he touched the ball.

The ball traced an elegant parabola, flew over the fallen James, and nestled into the empty net.

French fans watching on television held their breath.

As the ball traced that perfect arc, deafening cheers erupted from countless homes.

On the streets of Paris, the clinking of glasses echoed through the bars.

At an open-air restaurant in Marseille's Old Port district, waiters dropped their plates and embraced each other.

In an apartment building in Lyon, children in their pajamas were running wildly in the living room.

"Roy facing James—oh!!! A feint! A delicate chip shot—BUUUUUUUUT!!!"

"19 years and 250 days old! Scored against England in his Euro 2016 debut!!!"

The entire French fans' stand erupted instantly.

Roy turned and ran toward the corner flag, lightly touching his forehead with his right index finger as he did so to greet the fans.

Juli was the first to rush to his side, clenching his fists and roaring angrily.

Zidane and Henry pounced from behind, and the four embraced tightly.

The blue sea of ​​the stadium erupted in cheers, applause, shouts, and stomping creating a deafening roar.

The commentator Roland's hoarse voice echoed throughout France via television signal:
"Look at the details of this goal: first, he dribbled past Scholes, then he used a stepover to dazzle Ledley King, and finally he humiliated James with a Panenka shot. God, he turned the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon into his own personal show!"

"From Vieira's pass to the goal, the French team tore apart their opponents with fluid teamwork—but the most lethal element is always the inspiration for that final strike! Some say he's Zidane's successor? That's too conservative! Look at his trophy cabinet: at 19, he led Monaco to the Champions League title, a treble. How can he be just a future star?!"

"Eriksson must be calculating right now: are two years until the 2006 World Cup enough time to develop a defender who can stop Roy?"

"Even so, of course we certainly don't want his career to end here; he's already a legend. But fortunately, we can continue to witness his magic, year after year."

"So don't rush to define him; football history is being written before our eyes."

Abramovich was sitting in the stands when Roy scored.

Accompanying the owner was newly appointed Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

The Chelsea owner arrived in Lisbon two days ago, but instead of staying in a hotel, he took his family and friends to his luxury yacht, which he bought specifically for the European Championship.

Upon arriving in Lisbon, the Portuguese coach made a special trip to England's training ground in the suburbs to visit Chelsea players: Lampard, Bridge, Joe Cole, and Terry.

Although Abramovich himself did not go, he had Mourinho deliver a promise to the players: these four England internationals will not only not be sold in the new season, but will also be the team's absolute starters.

Abramovich once assured Mourinho: "Price is not a problem as long as it's the player you want."

However, this time, Ferreira's transfer request was halted.

The reason is simple: Ferreira was completely outplayed by Roy in the Champions League final, and later, while playing for Portugal against Switzerland, he made a fatal passing error that almost led to a goal conceded.

After watching the replay of Roy dominating the defense, Abramovich said directly to Mourinho, "What we need is a defender who can stop this kind of genius."

Mourinho remained silent.

He understood his Russian boss's results-oriented thinking.

Abramovich is now obsessed with signing the young Monaco full-back duo of Maicon and Evra.

However, while these two young players are sharp in attack, their defense is not solid enough, which does not conform to their tactical philosophy that emphasizes defense.

In the final stages of the first half, the French team completely controlled the game.

England attempted a counter-attack after kickoff, but the midfield barrier formed by Makelele and Vieira kept Lampard and Gerrard busy.

The ball was bouncing back and forth in England's half, but it just wouldn't get to the front.

Irving has almost disappeared, with only Rooney occasionally posing a threat with his unruly breakthroughs.

In the 44th minute, Roy shone again.

After receiving the ball, he deftly dribbled past two defenders and delivered a diagonal pass to Henry, whose shot was barely blocked by James.

A chaotic battle erupted at the center circle.

Gerrard and Lampard desperately tried to block them, and Rooney, who had retreated, also joined the battle, getting entangled with France's Vieira and Makelele.

Gallas won the ball amidst the chaos, but his long clearance inadvertently led to Zidane's feet.

Zidane remained calm and composed, using a deft turn to shake off the pressure.

He looked up to observe, and then delivered a surgical through ball.

The ball pierced the English defense with pinpoint accuracy, heading straight for Roy, who was making a forward run.

The French fans in the stands had already stood up, ready to welcome a possible goal.

Roy charged toward the ball like a cheetah, and at the moment of contact, he suddenly stopped and changed direction, instantly shifting Ledley King's center of gravity.

In a flash, Roy had already created an opening and deftly flicked the ball with his left foot from the edge of the penalty area.

The ball arced straight toward the top right corner of the goal.

James made a desperate dive, barely managing to tip the ball over the crossbar with his fingertips.

The entire movement was fluid and seamless, taking only three seconds from start to shot, yet it gave the English defense a real scare.

In the two minutes of added time, the French team continued to bombard the English penalty area.

Only when the referee blew the halftime whistle did the England players walk towards the locker room with a sigh of relief, while the French players discussed their attacking play with lingering enthusiasm.

In the VIP box, Beckham's wife, Victoria, hugged her young sons Brooklyn and Romeo, gently wiping away the tears on her younger son's face.

"Daddy will score in the second half."

She pointed to Beckham, who had a buzz cut, on the field and said:

"Look, your father is the bravest warrior in England. As long as he's on the field, there's always a chance to create miracles."

The two children nodded with some doubt, their eyes still fixed on the glaring 0-1 on the scoreboard.

As Roy walked toward the sidelines, Zidane grabbed him by the neck and shouted in his ear, "You brat! That change of direction was practically a crime!"

Henry walked over with a smile: "Let's continue in the second half. I want to see you beat Campbell too."

Roy winked: "Absolutely, for the Tottenham fans."

Henry's smile vanished instantly.

The 1-0 score on the scoreboard did not reflect the significant disparity in the game.

England is in a real tactical predicament.

France has too many attacking threats.

Zidane needs to be double-teamed, Henry needs to be marked by a dedicated player, and Roy also needs at least two or three players to focus on him.

But where are there so many defensive players on the field?

Even more critically, Giuly on the right flank of France has been consistently overlooked by England.

This diminutive winger, supported by Roy, frequently created dangerous opportunities, his ghostly runs and skillful dribbling repeatedly tearing apart the defense.

conceding only one goal in the first half was considered quite lucky for England.

Coach Eriksson kept wiping sweat from his brow on the sidelines.

He realized that simply using man-to-man defense wouldn't solve the problem.

What makes the French team so terrifying is that every attacking player can become a deadly weapon in an instant.

In pubs across England, fans, fueled by alcohol, vented their anger over the loss on their own players.

Liverpool fans chug beer: "Eriksen's blind! Isn't Carragher ten times better than Ledley King? That Rooney's a complete jerk!"

Someone added mysteriously, "I heard this kid was seeing prostitutes before he was even an adult."

"Really?" The young fan next to me stared wide-eyed.

"Absolutely true!"

The old drunkard pounded the table with conviction, “It’s Charlotte Graff from the ‘Blue Porch’ place near Goodison Park, £140 a time, and the guy even signs autographs afterwards!”

Manchester United fans pointed at Owen, who was looking down: "All show! He was practically invisible the whole game! Does someone this good deserve the Ballon d'Or? Butt should have come on to replace one of Gerrard and Lampard! If you ask me, substituting Gerrard was the right thing to do."

His drunken companion chimed in at the top of his lungs: "If it weren't for those teammates at Liverpool feeding him the ball in 2001, would he have won the Ballon d'Or? Now his true colors are showing!"

Arsenal fans threw crumpled paper at the TV: "Does a Tottenham piece of trash like Ledley King deserve to wear the Three Lions jersey?"

Tottenham fans were the most gratified, raising their glasses in mockery: "Look at Campbell, this 'Judas'! First he got thrashed by Roy in the Champions League, and now he's just a backdrop in the European Championship!"

The locker room door slammed shut, and Gary Neville immediately yelled in a hoarse voice, "What the hell kind of tactical setup is this? There's not a single proper defensive midfielder on the field! And that kid Butt is just sitting on the bench?"

"We've been playing perfectly well with a diamond midfield for generations, and now this damn parallel formation is ridiculous! Look at the mess on the field! Zidane's unmarked, Henry's running around like crazy, and Roy's making a fool of our defense! We're like a bunch of headless flies, running around aimlessly, without even the most basic marking! The French can just make a cross-run and tear our entire defense to shreds. How the hell are we supposed to play like this?!"

Bart sat on a bench in the corner, his face grim and his fists clenched.

Of course he wanted to play, but he couldn't say it.

Lampard and Gerrard exchanged a glance, then silently walked to their respective cabinets, neither of them saying a word.

"Who did Bart take over from?"

This problem is like a knife hanging over the locker room.

Replace Lampard? He is the invisible pivot behind the strikers, and the attack cannot be organized without him. Every pass back from Rooney and every offside trap from Owen depends on his penetrating pass.

Replace Gerrard? His running and interceptions are equally crucial. From the penalty area to the penalty area, we need his tireless sprints to fill defensive gaps.

Or should we simply take one of the strikers off the pitch?
But Owen and Rooney are already England's strongest attacking players.

No one dared to speak, because replacing anyone would mean admitting the complete failure of the first half's tactics.

As for replacing Scholes?
With him on the left flank, the game is completely paralyzed! You can't quite pinpoint exactly what makes him so strong, but without him, the game just doesn't work.
If Lampard and Gerrard came to that position, they would be at a loss. Lampard doesn't have his passing flair, and Gerrard lacks his control of the rhythm.

A suffocating silence filled the locker room, and all eyes were on Beckham.

He was whispering something to Neville on the shoulder, and when he saw everyone looking at him, he slowly raised his head.

"Listen to the coach."

Eriksson stood in the doorway.

The mind mechanically spins in the tactical maze.

Substituting Irving is the safest option: Irving has a relatively mild personality and won't cause trouble in the locker room like Rooney did.

Butt's name could be considered; at least it would give the media an explanation of "strengthening the defense."

If that doesn't work, let Lampard go to the wing and Beckham move up. Maintaining the number of midfielders is more important than the rationality of their positions.

"Ashley, you just keep a close eye on Roy. If necessary, send two people forward to intercept him."

The Swedes continued making arrangements, and Campbell was about to speak when he was interrupted, "Sol, Henry is yours."

Beckham and Scholes exchanged a glance, both recognizing the problem with the arrangement: who would cover for Cole when Roy took him out of the defensive zone and Henry cut inside? And who would mark Zidane?
"David."

Eriksson suddenly raised his voice, "Have Paul (James) come directly to you."

The order silenced the locker room; everyone remembered how Lizarazu had locked down Manchester United's number 7 in the Champions League final.

Seeing that no one objected, the coach added, "Frank and Steven, you two coordinate the timing of your forward runs."

He deliberately obscured the division of labor between Lampard and Gerrard, neither daring to let Lampard (the attacking linchpin) drop back nor wanting to restrict Gerrard (the all-around midfielder) from making forward runs.

The England midfielders were like two drivers trying to direct the game at the same time, resulting in the car going into a ditch.

In Eriksson's mind, the press conference lines were clearer than the tactical arrangements: "We tried everything, and geniuses like Zidane and Roy decided the game."

(End of this chapter)